iMR. URBAN AND A CO UNTR Y HO USE. 2 1 1 



much. City-bred men have indeed rather a pre- 

 sumptuous way of regarding those who live and 

 gain their living by country pursuits. 



Think of it for a moment : Here (in the country) 

 is your quiet landholder, living in the performance 

 of a humble range of duties rearing brown-cheeked 

 boys, who will make their way to high places of 

 trust to generalships, to governorships, by dint of 

 their sturdy habits of self-denial, and of work, which 

 have belonged to their early life ; and, on the other 

 hand, yonder by the gas-lights is your business man 

 of the city, rearing boys under the shadow of the 

 Broadway shops, who, by reason of no self-denial 

 at all, will hardly arrive at the governing even of 

 themselves (to say nothing of States) ; and yet, such 

 a person counts it no difficult matter, by the gains 

 of only a week's profitable venture, to oust the coun- 

 tryman from his home, and take possession of his 

 lands. It is lamentable to think that the accomplish- 

 ment of such undertaking is so easy. An instinctive 

 clinging to one's home, is a good nucleus for the 

 growth of orderly virtues. I am not going to enter 

 into the question as to whether the better man may 

 grow up under trees, or under brick walls ; it is a 

 large question ; and there is a leafy side to it, which, 

 to me, is particularly engaging : but to-day, our con- 

 cern is with Mr. Urbf ,n and his search and its results. 



