HINTS TO RURAL IMPROVERS. 



13 



^'ftyirig out grounds, that we remember to 

 have seen.* 



If no person, about to improve a country 

 residence, would expend a dollar until he 

 had visited and carefully studied, at least 

 twenty places of the character of these 

 which we have thus pointed out, we think 

 the number of specimens of bad taste, or 

 total want of taste, would be astonishingly 

 diminished. We could point to half a 

 dozen examples within our own knowledge, 

 where ten days spent by their proprietors 

 an examining what had already been done 

 an some of the best specimens of building 

 and gardening in the country, could not 

 but have prevented their proprietors from 

 making their plac-es absolutely hideous, and 

 throwing away ten, twenty, or thirty thou- 

 sand dollars. Ignorance is not bliss, nor 

 is it economy, in improving a country seat. 



We think, also, there can scarcely be a 

 question that an examination of the best 

 examples of taste in rural improvement at 

 home, is far more instructive to an Ameri- 

 can, than an inspection of the finest country 

 places in Europe ; and this, chiefly, because 

 a really successful example at home is 

 based upon republican modes of life, enjoy- 

 ment, and expenditure, — which are almost 

 the reverse of those of an aristocratic go- 

 vernment. For the same reason, we think 

 those places most instructive, and best worth 

 general study in this country, v/hich realize 

 most completely our ideal of refined country 

 life in America. To do this, it is by no 

 means necessary to have baronial posses- 

 sions, or a mansion of vast extent. No 

 more should be attempted than can be done 

 well, and in perfect harmony with our 

 habits, m_ode of life, and domestic institu- 



* We should apologise for thus pointing; out private places, 

 did we not know that the liberal proprietors of those just 

 siamed, are persons who take the liveliest interest in the 

 progress of good taste, and will cheerfully allow their places 

 to be examined by those who visit them with such motives 

 as we here urgCj — very different from idle curiosity. 



tions. Hence, smaller suburban residen- 

 ces, like those in the neighborhood of Bos- 

 ton, are, perhaps, better models, or studies 

 for the public generally, than our grander 

 and more extensive seats ; mainly because 

 they are more expressive of the means and 

 character of the majority of those of our 

 countrymen whose intelligence and refine- 

 ment leads them to find their happiness in 

 country life. It is better to attempt a small 

 place, and attain perfect success, than to 

 fail in one of greater extent. 



Having pointed out what we consider 

 indispensable to be done, to assist in form- 

 ing, if possible, a correct taste in those who 

 have only a natural delicacy of organization, 

 v/hich they miscall taste, we may also add 

 that good taste, or even a perfect taste, is 

 often by no means sufficient for the produc- 

 tion of really extensive works in rural archi- 

 tecture or landscape-gardening. 



" Taste," says Cousin, in his Philosophy 

 of the Beautiful, " is a faculty indolent and 

 passive ; it reposes tranquilly in the con- 

 templation of the Beautiful in Nature. 

 Genius is proud and free ; genius creates 

 and reconstructs." 



He, therefore, (whether as amateur or 

 professor,) who hopes to be successful in the 

 highest degree, in the arts of refined build- 

 ing or landscape-gardening, must possess 

 not only ^ffls^e to appreciate the Beautiful, but 

 genius to produce it. Do we not often see 

 persons who have for half their lives en- 

 joyed a reputation for correct taste, suddenly 

 lose it when they attempt to embody it in 

 some practical manner? Such persons 

 have only the " indolent and passive," and 

 not the " free and creative faculty." Yet 

 there are a thousand little offices of super- 

 vision and control, where the taste alone 

 may be exercised with the happiest results 

 upon a country place. It is by no means a 

 small merit to prevent any violations of 



