Mistakes of Citizens in Country Life 197 



different kind, and who find in the structure of a moss or 

 the flight of a water fowl, the text to a whole volume of 

 inspiration.* 



The third class of the disappointed, consists of those who 

 are astonished at the cost of life in the country. They left 

 town not only for the healthful breezes of the hilltops, but 

 also to make a small income do the business of a large one. 

 To their great surprise they find the country dear. Every 

 thing they grow on their land costs them as much as when 

 bought (because they produce it with hired labor); and 

 every thing they do to improve their estate calls for a mint 

 of money because with us labor is always costly. But in 

 fact the great secret of the matter is this - - they have 

 brought as many as possible of their town habits into the 

 country, and find that a moderate income, applied in this 

 way, gives less here than in town. To live economically 

 in the country one must adopt the rustic habits of country 

 life. Labor must be understood, closely watched, and even 

 shared, to give the farm products at a cost likely to increase 

 the income; and pates de foie gras, or perigord pies must be 

 given up for boiled mutton and turnips. (And, between 

 them and us, it is not so difficult as might be imagined, 

 when the mistress of the house is a woman of genius, to give 

 as refined an expression to country life with the latter as 

 the former. The way of doing things is, in these matters, 

 as important as the means.) 



Now a word or two, touching the second source of evil in 

 country life, - undertaking too much. 



There is, apparently, as much fascination in the idea of a 

 large landed estate as in the eye of a serpent. Notwith- 

 standing our institutions, our habits, above all the continual 

 distribution of our fortunes, every thing, in short, teaching 

 us so plainly the folly of improving large landed estates, 

 human nature and the love of distinction, every now and 

 then, triumph over all. What a homily might there not be 

 written on the extravagance of Americans! We can point 

 at once to half a dozen examples of country residences 



* How great the change at Winnepissauke since that day! F. A. "\Y. 



