MY FARM OF EDGEWOOD 



tumn I look wistfully on them, wearing gala- 

 dresses, whose colors I dare not name, and 

 when these are shivered by the frost, — tran- 

 quilly 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 while 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 ab- 

 sorbent ; and if no discretion be brought to the 

 direction of outlay in adornments and im- 

 provements, or if they be not ordered 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 throwing out of some half-dozen an- 



326 



