ON THE MISTAKES OF CITIZENS IN COUNTRY LIFE. 127 



only make slaves of their possessors ; for the service, to be done 

 daily by those who must hold aloft this dazzling canopy of wealth, 

 is so indifferently performed, servants are so time-serving and un- 

 worthy in this country, where intelligent labor finds independent 

 channels for itself, that the lord of the manor finds his life overbur- 

 dened with the drudgery of watching his drudges. 



Hence, the true philosophy of living in America, is to be found 

 in moderate desires, a moderate establishment, and moderate expen- 

 ditures. We have seen so many more examples of success in those 

 of even less moderate size, that we had almost said, with Cowley 

 u a little cheerful house, a little company, and a very little feast." 



But among those who undertake too much, by far the largest 

 class is that whose members do so through ignorance of what is to 

 be done. 



Although the world is pretty well aware of the existence of pro- 

 fessional builders and planters, still the majority of those who build 

 and plant, in this country, do it without the advice of experienced 

 persons. There is, apparently, a latent conviction at the bottom of 

 every man's heart, that he can build a villa or a cottage, and lay 

 out its grounds in a more perfect, or, at least, a much more satisfac- 

 tory manner than any of his predecessors or contemporaries. Fatal 

 delusion ! One may plead his own case in law, or even write a lay 

 sermon, like Sir Walter Scott, with more chance of success than he 

 will have in realizing, in solid walls, the perfect model of beauty and 

 convenience that floats dimly in his head. We mean this to apply 

 chiefly to the production as a work of art. 



As a matter of economy, it is still worse. If the improver 

 selects an experienced architect, and contracts with a responsible 

 and trustworthy builder, he knows within twenty per cent., at the 

 farthest, of what his edifice will cost. If he undertakes to play the 

 amateur, and corrects and revises his work, as most amateurs do, 

 while the house is in progress, he will have the mortification of 

 paying twice as much as he should have done, without any just sat- 

 isfaction at last. 



What is the result of this course of proceeding of the new resi- 

 dent in the country ? That he has obtained a large and showy 

 house, of which, if he is alive to improvement, he will live to regret 



