4 Climate, Seasons, &c. [Part I. 



and Hampshire, and whicli constitute a sort of fairy-land, 

 ■when compared with those of the labourers in France, 

 are what 1, for my part, most feel the want of seeing 

 upon Long Island. Instead of the neat and warm little 

 cottage, the yard, cow-st^ible, pig-sty, hen-house, all in 

 miniature, and the garden, nicely laid out and the paths 

 bordered with flowers, while the cottage door is crowned 

 •with a garland of roses or honey-suclde ; instead of these, 

 "we here see the labourer content with a shell of boards, 

 ■while all around him is as barren as the sea-beach ; 

 though the natural earth would send melons, the finest 

 in the world, creeping round his door, and though there 

 is no English shrub, or flower, which will not grow and 

 flourish here. This M'ant of attention in such cases is 

 hereditary from the first settlers. They found land so 

 plenty, that they treated small spots with contempt. 

 Besides, the example of neatness was wanting. There 

 •were no gentlemen's gardens, kept as clean as drawing- 

 rooms, with grass as even as a carpet. From endea- 

 vouring to imitate perfection men arrive at mediocrity ; 

 and, those who never have seen, or heard of perfection, 

 in these matters, will naturally be slovens. 



19. Yet, notwithstanding these blots, as I deem them, 

 the face of the country, in summer, is very fine. From 

 December to May, there is not a speck of green. No 

 green-grass and turnips, and wheat, and rye, and rape, 

 as in England. The frost comes and sweeps all vegeta- 

 tion and verdant existence from the face of the earth. 

 The wheat and rye live; but, they lose all their verdure. 

 Yet the state of things in June, is, as to crops, and 

 fruits, much about what it is in England ; for, when 

 things do begin to grow, they grow indeed ; and the 

 general harvest for grain (what we call corn) is a full 

 month earlier than in the South of England ! 



20. Ha\ing now given a sketch of the fafee of the 

 country, it only remains for rae to speak in this place of 

 the Climate and Seasons, because 1 shall sufficiently 

 describe the Soil, when I come to treat of my own 

 actual experience of it. I do not like, in these cases, 

 general descriptions. Indeed, they must be Aery im- 

 perfect; and, therefore, I will just give a copy of a 



