22 Mr. Gray's Address. 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. Jin .^ddyrss dcliverul hifore the Massachusetts HortiniJtnral Socictij, nt 

 their Sixth Auniccrsary, Sept. 17, 18:34. By J. C. Gray, Esq. To which is 

 appended tlie Committee's Reports of the Fruits and Flowers e.xhibited at 

 Faneuil Hall, and a List of the Members of the Society. Pamphlet. Svo. 

 pp. 40. Boston, 1834. 



This excellent and interesting address, as well as all the previous ones delivered 

 before the Society at its annual festivals, should be read by every lover of horti- 

 culture. They all contain much pleasing, as well as useful information. We do 

 not know how the Massacliusetts Horticultural Society, as one means, could 

 better brino- about the great objects for which it was instituted, than to publish an 

 extra number of copies of every anniversary address, and distribute them gratu- 

 itously, or have them sold at cost by all the principal booksellers. Now, they are 

 confined to the members of the society, many of whom, perhaps, do not feel as 

 interested as individuals not having any connection with it, and who aie thus de- 

 prived of the gratification of reading the address. The society has done wonders 

 towards disseminating a taste for gardening pursuits, and this would be taking one 

 more useful step to further its designs of circulating among the public, interesting 

 and valuable intormation. 



We had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Gray, and are happy to state that he was 

 listened to by a large and respectable audience. As our Magazine may be read 

 by many who will not see his address, we do not know in what manner we can 

 render our pages more interesting, than by making a few extracts. In relation to 

 horticultute, as an amusement, Mr. Gray says, — 



'•This art may be recommended, in the first place, as an innocent and salutary 

 amusement. In bestowing upon it these titles, I have said very much in its favor. 

 The topic of amusements has ever been a most perplexing and difficult one to the 

 moral casuist. I suppose that no one would proscribe all relaxation. All admit 

 that the most industrious individual must have his intervals either of recreation 

 or of idleness. But what amusements should be recommended, or tolerated, is a 

 question on which there is far less unanimity of sentiment. In this country, there 

 is, I believe, both a small amount and a smaller variety of relaxation, than in 

 most others. We are, at least in New England, emjjhatically, a grave people. 

 The simple manners and rigid morals which have descended to us from our Pu- 

 ritan ancestors, our rigorous climate and stubborn soil, the equal distribution of 

 property by descent and its necessary consequence, the small number of men of 

 wealth and leisure, have rendered us, though certainly not a gloomy, yet a seri- 

 ous and practical community. Many amusements, which have prevailed in other 

 countries, never have, and we trust never will take root in our land. Of those 

 which are fashionable among us, there are several which are denounced, either 

 as deleterious, or at least perilous to our morals, by a large and respectable por- 

 tion of our population. Tliis is not the occasion to inquire how far such senti- 

 ments are correct. It is more to my purpose to observe that there is, I will not 

 say no ground, but no pretext, for such objections against the pursuit of horticul- 

 ture. He must be a stern and astute casuist indeed, who can detect anything in 

 this occupation tending to inflame, to debase, or to enfeeble the mind. You are 

 well aware, on the contrary, that a garden has been selected by all ])nets of all 

 nations, as the abode of the virtuous in a future state ; that horticulture has often 

 been recommended by the strictest moralists, not only as a soothing, but as a 

 most refining occupation; and that the wonders of creative power, with which it 

 renders us conveisant, have furnished the natural theologian with some of his 

 most powerful and impressive arguments." 



Mr. Gray thus speaks in regard to the importance of horticulture : — 



"This art is, however, something more than a mere passing amusement. It 

 well deserves to be cherished in our country, for the auspicious influence which 

 it must exert on the manners and feelings of the community, should a taste for 

 its splendid productions become a prevalent one. Mankind have found by expe- 

 rience, that the contemplation of what is graceful or beautiful, serves to correct 

 and refine the taste, to expand and elevate the understanding, to soften and purify 

 the heart. How these results are produced, it is for tiie metaphysician to explain, 



