A WORD OF ADYICE. 177 



exerts, and to which the city wisely yields more and more every 

 year. 



I must not close this hasty and imperfect dissertation on so 

 fruitful and vital a theme, without drawing one practical infer- 

 ence, which I wish to address to the young men of New Eng- 

 land. I would put it in the form of advice — the most impor- 

 tant I ever gave, if I could hope it would be heeded, which I 

 fear it will not. My advice then to our young men would be, 

 to remain at home. A nation moving on wheels is a nation 

 moving to destruction. We must have homes. Certainly they 

 cannot be surrounded by acres so broad as the farmers in our 

 Western States can boast. But the question of acres, of their 

 number and fertility, is not the main question, as we have seen 

 in connection with the great problem of a home for life. And 

 even in the matter of acres, if we take everything into the 

 account, I am not disposed to yield the palm to the Prairie 

 State or any other State. I travelled somewhat extensively in 

 the West a year or two since, and returned with the conviction 

 that it would be as well for me at least to remain in New Eng- 

 land. I would not certainly exchange my farm in White Oaks, 

 for any farm in Illinois, if I had to live on it. I like to hear 

 occasionally the sound of a brook — a brook that has pebbles and 

 makes a noise as it flows. I like to stumble occasionally upon 

 a dell or a glen. I like a farm that has hills on it, — high hills 

 and steep hills, such as used to tempt my feet once, — such as 

 old men look up at, and exclaim with the patriarch, " 

 that it was with me as in months past," when my feet were 

 " like hinds' feet," and I could walk on those " high places." 



But tastes differ, and perhaps it is all well. Let it be then 

 that hills, and dales, and streams, and mountain shadows, are 

 elements not worthy to be taken into the account ; what shall 

 we say of those moral elements which have been described ? Is 

 it nothing for our affections to have a home? Is it nothing to 

 perpetuate to others that which has made us rich — that which 

 has made our New England homes not only blessings for our- 

 selves, but model homes for the continent ? 



I learn from my friend. President Chadbourne, who has just 



returned from a tour to the Rocky Mountains, that numbers, 



taught by that most impressive teacher, experience, are taking 



new views on the subject of emigration. He met baggagc- 



23 



