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CRITIQUE ON THE EECEMEER HORTICULTURIST. 



ny, till you let it go into the broad sunshine 

 of its enjoyment, soon to return and buzz 

 away its nappy hours as before. 



How many bright and pleasant hours may 

 be spent in ministering to the Wants and 

 the pleasures of the birds, thus kindly at- 

 tracted about one's dwelling and grounds ; 

 and what lessons of love and affection may 

 be taught the children in caring for their 

 welfare, and watching their habits, — all in- 

 cidents of rural life, that serve to make up 

 its variety and pleasure. But I grow gar- 

 rulous. Write again, my dear sir. You 

 remind me of White, of Selborne, who wrote 

 some years ago one of the pleasantest books 

 I ever read, on the Natural History of his 

 neighborhood, 



A Jog in the Fruit Garden.— I cannot 

 say a word to assist our " Digger." He so 

 effectually finishes up his subject, whatever 

 it be, that, like the clerk in the parish 

 church, I can only respond "Amen" to his 

 conclusions, I may possibly catch him 

 napping by-and-by, when I promise him he 

 shall hear from me in as hearty earnest as 

 he lectures the neophytes and the slovens 

 in the garden or the orchard. 



Design for a Rural Villa — with a view 

 in the frontispiece. — Here, Mr. Downing, 

 you have it — a house that suits me, in out- 

 side appearance, almost exactly. It has a 

 good hearty look of hospitality and sub- 

 stance about it, that seems to tell of itself 

 what it was built /or, — like a stout, honest, 

 country gentleman, with his broad hat and 

 portly bearing, who breathes free and deep, 

 as he walks out upon his domain ; not a 

 starched up, affected, meager faced, pe- 

 dantic body, who appears in shivering doubt 

 whether the country, after all, is really the 

 place for " genteel society." 



I must talk a little about this house ; and 

 while I extol its excellencies, you must ex- 

 cuse me if I suggest what might, under 



certain circumstances, improve its general 

 effect, and make it the very thing I would 

 build myself when I have the occasion, and 

 the means. The main body of the house 

 is almost, perhaps quite, perfect. Its broad, 

 liberal size ; its sufficient, yet comfortable 

 height ; its well pitched, ample roof, widely 

 protecting the walls from damp and frost ; 

 its high, upright gables, giving light, shape 

 and convenience to the chambers; the seve- 

 lal chimney stacks above, telling of cheer- 

 ful, social firesides within ; the massive 

 porch in front, with open, inviting passage, 

 and well fitting connection to the roof in 

 subordinate capacity ; the broad, yet neat 

 veranda, covering the whole front, and rest- 

 ing back upon the tasty green-house, and 

 spacious, wholesome kitchen, which so ap- 

 propriately support it ; and then its capa- 

 cious and well arranged family bed-room, 

 on the ground floor within, — are all features 

 which mark this house a fitting and appro- 

 priate residence for an American country 

 gentleman of any fortune or condition what- 

 ever. 



It is excessively annoying to one who 

 has a correct and substantial notion of coun- 

 try life, to see the artificial style, or fashion 

 of the day, so prevalent in amateur retire 

 ment. A house, fantastic in shape; groined, 

 buttressed and arched in all possible ways 

 and directions ; with finical gew-gawgery 

 stuck on in every possible place where it 

 can stick, or hang ; and all so pinched up, 

 and stiff, and finical without ; and a perfect 

 toy-shop within, looking so inhospitable — 

 no matter how open may be the heart of 

 the man — that it is enough of itself to freeze 

 up all the kindly qualities of one's exist- 

 ence, as he looks upon it in contrast with 

 the specimen before us. Why, there is 

 more true hospitality and enjoyment in 

 the pork and cabbage, with a glass of bot- 

 tled cider, of the last, than in all the turtle 



