JOURNAL OF RURAL ART AOT) RURAL TASTE. 



Vol. II. 



OCTOBER, 1847. 



No. 4. 



There are few persons, among what may 

 be called the travelling class, who know the 

 beauty of the finest American country seats. 

 Many are ignorant of the very existence of 

 those rural gems that embroider the land- 

 scape here and there, in the older and weal- 

 thier parts of the country. Held in the re- 

 tirement of private life, thej' are rarely vi- 

 sited, except by those who enjoy the friend- 

 ship of their possessors. The annual tour- 

 ist by the railroad and steamboat, who 

 moves through wood and meadow and riv- 

 er and hill, with the celerity of a rocket, 

 and then fancies he knows the country, is 

 in a state of total ignorance of their many 

 attractions ; and those whose taste has not 

 led them to seek this species of pleasure, 

 are equally unconscious of the landscape- 

 gardening beauties that are developing 

 themselves every day, with the advancing 

 prosperity of the country. 



It has been our good fortune to know a 

 great number of the finest of these delight- 

 ful residences, to revel in their beauties, 

 and occasionally to chronicle their charms. 

 If we have not sooner spoken at large of 

 Montgomery Place, second as it is to no 

 seat in America, for its combination of at- 

 tractions, it has been rather that Ave were 

 silent — like a devout gazer at the mar- 1 

 Vm TT on 



vellous beauty of the Apollcn — from excess 

 of enjoyment, than from not deeply feeling 

 all its varied mysteries of pleasure-grounds 

 and lawns, wood and water. 



Montgomery Place is one of the superb 

 old seats belonging to the Livingston fami- 

 ly, and situated in that part of Dutchess 

 county bordering on the Hudson. About 

 one hundred miles from New-York, the 

 swift river steamers reach this part of the 

 river in six hours ; and the guest, who 

 leaves the noisy din of the town in the 

 early morning, finds himself, at a little past 

 noon, plunged amid all the seclusion and 

 quiet of its leafy groves. 



And this accessible perfect seclusion is, 

 perhaps, one of the most captivating fea- 

 tures in the life of the country gentleman, 

 whose lot is cast on this part of the Hudson. 

 For twenty miles here, on the eastern shore, 

 the banks are nearly a continuous succes- 

 sion of fine seats. The landings are by no 

 means towns, or large villages, Avith the 

 busy air of trade, but quiet stopping places, 

 serving the convenience of the neighboring 

 residents. Surrounded by extensive plea- 

 sure grounds, fine woods or parks, even the 

 adjoining estates are often concealed from 

 that part of the grounds around the house, 

 and but for the broad Hudson, which forms 



