DECEMBER. 563 



protection of wood ! With such advantages, we conld take 

 more frequent exercise out of doors ; and our children, being 

 allowed to run about in these sunny places, would be more 

 healthy and more happy ; the farmer would perform his win- 

 ter tasks with more ease and comfort ; and those who now 

 suffer from indoor confinement, would be furnished with a 

 delightful place for exercise and recreation. 



It may be objected, that every man cannot have choice of a 

 location for his house. This might be said with truth, if the 

 whole land were covered with buildings, as in the town or 

 city. But every man who owns a farm, or even a solitary 

 acre of land, unless the whole of it lie on the northern slope 

 of a hill, may plant a grove of evergreens, of greater or less 

 width, around its northern limits, which, if well supplied with 

 undergrowth, though but two or three rods in width, would 

 protect his grounds as well as half a mile of forest. I 

 have observed, however, that those whose wealth would ena- 

 ble them to make choice of a location, do no more generally 

 avail themselves of such advantages, than the poor man. 

 From a window of the room in which I am now writing, I 

 look out upon an expensive villa, erected by a wealthy pro- 

 prietor, who has almost entirely overlooked these considera- 

 tions. His house is built on the eastern slope of a hill, with 

 a wood stretched all along on the west side, cutting off the 

 afternoon sun, and completely hiding a view of sunset. 

 Though well protected from the west wind, the north and 

 northeast winds have a full sweep over his grounds, which, 

 receiving the rays of the sun in an oblique direction, cannot 

 obtain the full benefit of their heat. It may be that the pro- 

 prietor, though a remarkably intelligent man, did not consider 

 the importance of these circumstances, when selecting the 

 location of his house : and he does not seem to have been 

 aware of the advantage of extending this wood around the 

 northern boundary of his estate, as might easily be done. 

 But our men of wealth are apt to think a great deal more of 

 making a display of their possessions, than of those circum- 

 stances that relate to climate, and parade their houses on the 

 north or the south side of a hill, according as the one or the 

 other will render it the most conspicuous. 



