Criiiqiie on the December Nnmhcr. 221 



trees, with giant arms. The conception is simple, childlike, and 

 exquisiteh^ related ; and the intention is a fervid one — no ambi- 

 tion to outsing' other poets, only a passing desire to revel awhile 

 with beautiful Nature, and unfold the mystical labors of that skel- 

 eton figure who typefies decay and death. The Death of the 

 Seasons is a brochure for which I unequivocally thank j^ou, and 

 shall impatiently await the finale to that which is so well begun. 



Color of Country Houses — By Calvert Vanx. Says the villa- 

 ger, " What can be more beautiful than a freshly painted cottage, 

 brilliantly white from cellar to eaves, and window shutters of 

 bright green for ' contrasts ' ? " Very good, Mr. Villager. But 

 what says a neighbor who thinks he knows " a thing or two ? " 

 Why, his tune is devoted to a nondescript brown ; and having 

 been struck with tho beauty of brmcn, it immediately becomes his 

 beau ideal, and ever after its praises find in him an industrious 

 chaunter. " Poh !" saj's another, " what a taste ! Brown smacks 

 too much of the Quaker ' snuff colors ; ' give me yellow — it's a 

 fast color, and defies storm and time. ' Handsome is that hand- 

 some does.' " The idea of many people is, to plant a house on a 

 hill-top, and paint it in such a manner as to make it so irresisti- 

 bly conspicuous that the eye of the observer is forced to take it in. 

 Good spirits ! forbid that my vision be usurped by such daubed 

 specimens of the taste of self sufficient improvers. Mr. Vaux 

 takes the proper view of the matter of color, and his article will 

 be of service to those who design dressing up with a coat of 

 paint. 



Remarks ox Twenty-one Varieties of Pear — By James Snow- 

 den. As practical as ever is Mr. Snowden. Persons taking the 

 initiatory steps to planting fruits arc frequently at a loss to select 

 from the voluminous catalogue prepared for their inspection, re- 

 plete with unpronounceable names of an infinite assortment of 

 fruit trees, all highly extolled, and all posessing some qualifica- 

 tion of a desirable character. The question arises, which of these 

 varieties are adapted to certain localities, and, besides yielding 

 their luscious fruit offerings, will successfully combat the pecu- 

 liarities of climate. To this sadly perplexed class arc such arti- 

 cles as Mr. Snowden's like the manna that fed hungry Israelites. 

 1 intended giving a few notes myself, but space will not permit, 

 and, therefore, defer it to a more favorable occasion. 



