THE OLD AND THE NEW. 173 



not feel that they were retreating from centres of moral light 

 and warmth, towards regions of benumbing cold and darkness. 

 Something analogous miglit be found in Britain, and at a few 

 points on the continent. But few and far between, if any- 

 where, would be the spots on our globe, where, laying aside all 

 prejudice and prepossession, there could be found, clustering 

 about the sacred spot which we call home, so much to inspire 

 reverence for what is high and noble, and love for what is gen- 

 erous and self-sacrificing. I know there are those who seem to 

 gloat over the past, and to feel a kind of morbid satisfaction in 

 the belief that our New England homes, in their moral aspects, 

 are deteriorating. If so, the fact must certainly be set down 

 as an argument of no inconsiderable weiglit, in fact as a tri- 

 umphant refutation of that supposed law in assthetics, which 

 assumes that there is between taste and morals a decided and 

 friendly relation. It is not long since the old, brown, unpainted, 

 or in some cases, red farm houses, so common everywhere, 

 were superseded by more pretentious structures, neatly painted 

 in drab or white ; whilst the unsightly fence has yielded to the 

 ornamental hedge, or some tasteful rustic form of enclosure. 

 In place of a few old fashioned lilacs, ornamental shrubs in 

 variety are found dotting the lawn. And the inmates of this 

 new mansion are in some respects more refined, and as a general 

 thing better educated, better informed. More pains has been 

 taken and more expense, a great deal more expense has been 

 incurred to train them to the duties of manhood and woman- 

 hood. And though there is, no doubt, in our time a good deal 

 of frivolity, and much money spent upon mere accomplishments ; 

 though our young men might compare unfavorably, perhaps, in 

 point of physical stamina, with those of the past age, and our 

 young women are suffering, no doubt, some of them, because 

 the cold wind and the rough wind have not been suffered to 

 blow enough upon their faces and their hands ; though every 

 age has its drawbacks, and ours, without doubt, has its share, 

 yet I am loth to believe that the old Puritan stock, on the whole, 

 is suffering intellectually or morally. 



I was lately invited in one of the hill towns of Berkshire, to 

 open a discussion before the churches, .assembled there by their 

 delegates, on the question " What are the gains or losses of the 

 church of the present day, as compared with the past genera- 



