HINDRANCES AND HELPb. 299 



tranquilly disrobing, and retiring to the sleep of 

 winter. 



Rural Decoration. 



AMONG the things which specially contribute 

 to the charms of a country-home, are those 

 thousand little adornments, which a person of quick 

 observation and ready tact can easily avail himself 

 of; and wl ile gratifying his own artistic perceptions, 

 he can contribute to the growth of a humble art-love, 

 which it is to be hoped will some day give a charm 

 to every road-side, and to every country cottage. It 

 is by no means true that a taste of this kind must 

 necessarily like Sir Visto s prove a man s ruin. 

 The land is indeed a great absorbent ; and if no dis 

 cretion be brought to the direction of outlay in 

 adornments and improvements, or if they be not or 

 dered by a severe and inexorable simplicity, it is quite 

 incredible what amounts of money may be expended. 

 I have in an earlier portion of this volume, hinted 

 at certain changes which may be made, in the throw 

 ing out of some half dozen angular and unimportant 

 enclosures, at the door, into open lawn in the re 

 moval of unnecessary fences, and the establishment 

 of groups of shrubbery to hide roughness, or to fur 

 nish shelter : all which involve little expenditure, and 

 are not in violation of any rules of well-considered 



