12 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



out xipoii his green meadows and waving fields, — as he plants 

 the brown seed and gathers in the golden harvest, — as he listens 

 to the song of birds, the lowing of herds, the sweet hum of 

 animated nature, — as he sees the morning sun rise to gild and 

 gladden the earth, and the evening shadows falling longer from 

 the hills, 



" And then the moon, like to a silver bow 

 New-bent in heaven," 



and the 



Earth-treading stars, that make dark heaven light," 



coming out to rule and glorify the night, — as in the spring-time 

 he watches the ever-recurring but ever great mystery of nature, 

 and when the winds of autumn wail in mournful cadence, 

 muses upon the decay of nature, less mysterious but more 

 solemn than its bursting life, let him remember that he is one 

 of God's creatures, but created for glory and honor, entrusted 

 with an earthly mission, but rec^uircd hereafter to render an 

 account of his stewardship. Let him think of his family and 

 his home — of his wife and children ; she, the choice of his 

 youth, and the solace of his manhood, who, in travail and pain 

 has borne them to him, and theij^ who are to cheer and support 

 his old age, and transmit and bring honor to his name. Let 

 him make his and their home pleasant and cheerful. Without^ 

 let it be grateful to the sight, and delightful to the memory. 

 Let there be the smooth, green sward upon which the shadows 

 come and go, the clean-swept walk, the neat, white paling, the 

 blooming and fragrant flowers, the climbing vine upon the 

 rustic porch, the graceful trees which shade from sun and 

 shelter from the storm. Within^ let it bo the abode of domestic 

 joys and cultivated life. Let it have some sacred retreat, where 

 labor shall forget its irksome tasks ; where tired nature shall 

 find sweet repose ; where every thing shall charm the ear, 

 delight the eye, or gratify the mind ; where shall be comfort, 

 propriety and refinement, not needing luxury or wealth, but 

 only " that unbought grace " which neither gold can buy nor 

 station give, and which may breathe alike around the. rich 

 man's stately mansion and the poor man's humble cottage. 



