MR. URBAN AND A COUNTRY HOUSE. 273 



hanging basket above all, no such execrahle torn 

 foolery as iron dogs or wooden puppets. A Greciai 

 temple for a coal shed, or a small Strasburg minster 

 for a dog-house, will help largely to make a country 

 house absurd. Nay, an excess of nicety upon the 

 walks, as if the spade and roller of the gardener left 

 it only yesterday and would be there again next 

 morning, takes off the edge of a true home relish J 

 even flowers themselves, if piled up in very trim 

 and very orderly masses, as in the show-rows of a 

 florist, will lose half their power to lend grace ; still 

 worse if they are perched in spldierly array along the 

 porch or veranda, renewed so soon as their bloom 

 fades, like children never allowed to appear even in 

 party dress save under promise of keeping still. 

 Who, pray, can take comfort in lounging upon a 

 porch, where a careless step may break off some 

 floweret of a rare cactus, or enjoy a bit of greens- 

 ward where he fears to knock off the ashes of his 

 cigar? Who wants to be petrified in a country 

 house, either his own or another's? I have seen 

 them before now so terribly fine, so prudishly neat, 

 so martinet-like in order, that it seemed to me the 

 very gardeners should be wearing leathern stocks 

 and pipe-clay : a week of such atmosphere would 

 drive me mad. 



Perhaps I am peculiar in these notions about the 

 12* 



