Out-of-town places 



ptitants, as of choosing my pictures (if I ever 

 bought them) by the advices of the newspaper 

 critics. The pomologists stand related to 

 those who raise fruit for home enjoyment, and 

 under fair garden culture, as the lexicograph- 

 ers and philologists are related to those who 

 use language to enwrap a sermon or a plea; 

 a finical nicety, if it engross them, will be at 

 the cost of vigor and directness of thought. 



So of the improved races of poultry. The 

 hen-fanciers are, I dare say, very worthy peo- 

 ple ; far be it from me to pluck a feather from 

 the tail of any of their brood. But to my ob- 

 scure sense, an egg is always very much of an 

 ^SSy whatever fowl may have the laying of 

 it. Nor can I detect much difference between 

 a "broiler" of the Chittagong, or any other 

 heathen family, and the "broiler" Bridget may 

 dress, and lay before me at a June breakfast, 

 from the cackling company that have always 

 laid and scratched about the dung-hills of our 

 Christian country. Nay, I take a rather pleas- 

 ant entertainment in fancying my cheerful 

 and cackling barn-door brood are lineally 

 descended from those veterans of the British 

 roost, who, under the name of Chanticleer, 

 have for so many centuries lifted up their wel- 

 come to the morning. There are family asso- 



248 



