Improving the Aspect of the Country. 253 



summits, we behold them with still greater satisfaction, from 

 a consciousness that they must enjoy a greater amount of 

 comfort, being under their shelter from the winds in cold 

 weather, and having in them a shady retreat from the sun in 

 the hot days of summer. These reflections always enter into 

 our minds, how little soever we may be aware of it. There 

 are few people who have so little imagination or sensibility, 

 as not to be under the influence of these associations. When 

 we are riding through a country, on a cold day, and behold a 

 flock of sheep under the protection of a wood, on the sunny 

 slope of a hill, we share, through sympathy, a portion of their 

 comfort ; and the scene is really more beautiful to our sight, 

 on this account. A feeling of dreariness, on the contrary, 

 comes over the mind, if we see a flock of sheep or cattle on 

 a bleak exposure in cold weather. We perceive but little 

 beauty in such a scene, because it does not impress our minds 

 with agreeable sympathies. The imagination is chilled by 

 the uncomfortable appearance of these harmless creatures. 

 Still more do we sympathize with human beings. A little 

 settlement on an elevated plain, in a bleak exposure, unpro- 

 tected by woods, and unprovided with shade trees, though 

 the houses be constructed in the most pleasing style, aflects 

 the mind with no very agreeable emotions. The bleakness 

 of their situation robs it of that charm, which we perceive in 

 a little settlement, with less architectural beauty, which is 

 comfortably protected by a series of wooded hills. More of 

 the pleasure and displeasure we derive from prospects, come 

 from these reflections than we generally suppose. 



All this may properly be termed the moral expression of 

 landscape — a subject that opens a wide field of interesting 

 speculation ; — and it must be evident that every little circum- 

 stance in the prospects which are constantly opening to our 

 sight, that tends to awaken agreeable emotions and sympa- 

 thies, is important as a matter of taste. It may, therefore, be 

 regarded as one of the first principles in the art of improving 

 the aspect of the country, that every scene should be made 

 to present the appearance of comfort, with respect both to 

 human beings and the creatures who are under our protection. 



Beverly, May, 1853. 



