1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



435 



in "living green," — the beautiful flelds and swell- 

 ing uplands, stretching away as far as the eye can 

 see, in every direction, — the nicely trimmed Eng- 

 lish hedges, with ornamental trees interspersed, 

 lining the carriage road to the house, — the or- 

 chards, burdened with ripening fruit, — the large 

 and majestic shade tree in front of the house, the 

 branches of which trail upon the ground, — the 

 sweet little ponds, with (locks of aquatic birds dot- 



,"wi"rthrvie'^roFadvi^ng"theirVopri*-^^ *''''''' surface,— the extensive barns, poultry- 



" " " ~ " yards, hot-houses, &c., — and last, though not least, 



the fine gardens, both floral and vegetable— all 



testify that Mr. Webster's forming was on as 



princely a scale aa his more intellectual efforts. 



The mansion is spacious, and is in such perfect 

 order that it has little of the ancient look which 

 we expected to see. It is furnished with much el- 



ance, but everywhere evinces a taste for the 

 simple and substantial, rather than the gorgeous 

 and extravagant. Many fine portraits adorn the 

 walls, among which we were pleased to see one 

 of Monica, Mr. Webster's favorite black cook. 

 The library is a lofty and beautiful apartment, and 

 its shelves are still loaded with valuable books. 

 Wo looked with deep interest upon the chamber 

 in which the great statesman breathed his last. It 

 is one of the most plainly furnished rooms in the 

 house, but is the chief point of attraction to visit- 

 ors, who linger reverently and silently around the 

 spot where one of the noblest of human intellects 

 underwent a translation from a mortal to an im- 

 mortal state. That most impressive and memora- 

 ble death-scene will be held in remembrance so 

 long as the Christian religion endures. 



The tomb of I\Ir. "Webster is in the old !Marsh- 

 field burying-ground, about one-fourth of a mile 

 from the mansion. The lot is enclosed within an 

 iron fence, and separated from the estate only by 

 a carriage-road. The tomb itself has been cov- 

 ered with earth and sods, and presents the ap- 

 pearance of a green mound. It is surmounted by 

 a plain white marble slab, which bears the simple 

 inscription, "Dmiel Webster." The day we were 

 there, workmen were engaged in setting up the 

 small marble monuments, concerning which Mr. 

 Webster gave directions during his last sickness. 

 They are four in number, and are arranged on a line 

 in front of the tomb, all being of the same size and 

 One of them bears the name and age of 



might derive from the suggestions of scientific and 

 intelligent committees, while carefully examining 

 their farms and crops, they would take more pains 

 to secure such visits than they now do. We have 

 often thought that a portion of the funds of our 

 Agricultural Societies could not be better expend- 

 ed than in paying the expenses of such commit- 

 tees. And we would respectfully suggest that it 

 would be well to appoint several committees in 

 each county, and make it their duty to visit and 

 examine a certain number of farms in oach town 

 every year 



etors in the conduct of their farms, and encourag 

 ing them in their efforts after better and more sci- 

 entific modes of cultivation. These visits should 

 not be confined to good farms, where they would 

 be most readiljr received, but are least needed, but 

 should have special reference to tliose farms that 

 are suffering from the want of Avell directed enter- 

 prise on the part of their proprietors. Many a 

 man who is now discoiu-aged, and has made up his 

 mind that farming is miserable business, might be 

 encouraged to renewed effort, and put in the way 

 of attaining more successful results than he has 

 before done. But we have not time to follow out 

 in detail the advantages that would result from 

 the appointment of such committees, especially if, 

 after visiting several farms in a town during the 

 day, they should meet the farmers of the town in 

 some ceniral place, and spend tiie evening in social 

 conversation upon agricultural subjects. We have 

 not time to allude to many topics of interest that 

 are suggested by this report. 



The address of Gen. Oliver must have been lis- 

 tened to Avith much interest. It breathes the 

 right spirit, and is highly creditable to him as a 

 man of taste and general information. There is a 

 poetic vein running through it, which must have 

 found a sympathizng chord in every In-east pos- 

 sessing the least spark of poetic fire, or the least 

 warmth of imagination. j. r. 



Co?icord, Azig. 8, 1853. 



MR. WEBSTER'S MANSION. 



We visited the late residence of Mr. Webster, 

 at Marshfield, last week, and enjoyed the privilege 

 of going over the grounds and house, which have 

 so recently been rendered sacred by the death of 

 their illustrious proprietor. Nearly everything 

 about the premises remains as it was before Mr. 

 Webster's decease, although the only occupants 

 are the servants who have charge of the mansion. 

 The property is still in the hands of the trustees 

 appointed 1)y Mr. Webster, and it is j-et doubtful 

 whether it can be preserved in the family entire, jstyle. 

 according to his wishes, the demands against thejlMi-. Webster, with the epitaph which he dictated, 

 estate haying proved larger than was anticipated, expressing his testimony to the truth of Christian- 

 Mr. Fletcher Webster still resides on his own ity. The other monuments are in commemoration 

 place, about a mile from his late father's man- of his first wife, and of his deceased children and 



We were agreeably disappointed in Marshfield. 

 However bleak and dreary it may have been orig- 

 inally, taste and money have certainly done much 



grand-children, and all bear appropriate epitaphs. 

 Within a rod or two of this spot, is the tomb of 

 Gov. Edward Winslow, who moved to Marshfield 

 in 1G37, and settled on land now belonging to the 



towards making a paradise of that portion of the i Webster estate ; and all around are thickly scat- 

 town which Webster selected for his home. The tered the graves of the Puritan fathers and moth- 

 smooth lawns, which our August rains have clothed 'ers of the "Old Colony," many of which are un- 



