146 PICTURESQUE ANIMALS. 



These remarks might be indefinitely extended; but 

 each new example would serve only to repeat the illus- 

 tration of the same principle. In no other engravings 

 do we see the picturesque more clearly exemplified than 

 in the vignettes which are found in books published early 

 in the last century. Since luxury has extended into the 

 circle of the middle and industrious classes, the simplicity 

 of their habits has been destroyed, and artists, when draw- 

 ing their designs from the manners of these classes, have 

 failed in producing pictures equal in poetic expression to 

 those which were made one hundred years ago. It is 

 apparent, for example, that the ancient straw beehive, 

 surrounded by its swarm, formerly introduced into vign- 

 ettes as emblematical of industry, is decidedly picturesque ; 

 while the modern patent structures, constructed for pur- 

 poses of economy, would, in fanciful engravings, excite 

 ideas no more poetical than we should find in a modern 

 revolving churn. Modern customs and improvements 

 are rapidly sweeping away from the face of the earth 

 everything that is poetic or picturesque. It may be urged, 

 however, that the sum of human happiness has been pro- 

 portionally increased. This I am inclined to doubt ; and 

 to maintain, on the contrary, that just in proportion as 

 we depart from the simple habits of the early era of civ- 

 ilization, do we create wants that cannot be gratified, and 

 lose those tastes which are most promotive of happiness 

 and in harmony with the designs of nature and of provi- 

 dence. 



