CHAP. I.] CLIMATE, SEASONS, &C. 65 



1818. 



Feb. 16. father, or grandfather, while lie was 

 toiling for his children, lived in the 

 small house, constructed chiefly by 

 himself, and consisting of rude ma 

 terials. The means, accumulated 

 in the; small house, enabled a son 

 to rear the large one ; and, though, 

 when pride enters the door, the 

 small house is sometimes demolish 

 ed, few sons in America have the 

 folly or want of feeling to commit 

 such acts of filial ingratitude, and 

 of real self-abasement. For, what 

 inheritance so valuable and so ho 

 nourable can a son enjoy as the 

 proofs of his father's industry and 

 virtue ? The progress of wealth and 

 ease and enjoyment, evinced by this 

 regular increase of the size of the 

 farmers' dwellings, is a spectacle, at 

 once pleasing, in a very high degree, 

 in itself; and, in the same degree, it 

 speaks the praise of the system of 

 government, under which it has ta 

 ken place. What a contrast with 

 the farrn-houses in England ! There 

 the little farm-houses are falling in 

 to ruins, or, are actually become 

 cattle-sheds, or, at best, cottages, 



PART I, F 



