376 Catalogue of Works on Gardening, S^'c. 



" It is impossible not to be struck, in visiting the dwellings of the agi'icul- 

 tural labourers, with the general want of new cottages, notwithstanding the 

 universal increase of population. Everywhere the cottages are old, and fre- 

 quently in a state of decay, and are consequently ill adapted for their increased 

 number of inmates of late years. The floor of the room in which the family 

 live during the day is always of stone in these counties, and wet or damp 

 through the winter months, being frequently lower than the soil outside. The 

 situation of the cottage is often extremely bad, no attention having been paid 

 at the time of its building to facilities for draining. Cottages are frequently 

 erected on a dead level, so that water cannot escape ; and sometimes on spots 

 lower than the surrounding ground. In the village of Stourpain, in Dorset- 

 shire, there is a row of several labourers' cottages, mostly joining each other, 

 and fronting the street, in the middle of which is an open gutter. There are 

 two or three narrow passages leading from the street, between the houses, to 

 the back of them. Behind the cottages the ground rises rather abruptly; and 

 about three yards up the elevation are placed the pigsties and privies of the 

 cottages. There are also shallow excavations, the receptacles apparently of 

 all the dirt of the families. The matter constantly escaping from the pigsties, 

 privies, &c., is allowed to find its way through the passages between the cot- 

 tages into the gutter in the street, so that the cottages are nearly surrounded 

 by streams of hlth. It was in these cottages that a malignant typhus broke 

 out about two years ago, which afterwards spread through the village. The 

 bed-room I have above described is in one of them." 



It were much to be desired that every landed proprietor would have a 

 Report made of the actual condition of the cottages on his estate ; not by the 

 a'esident steward, whose interest it might be to disguise their actual state, but 

 by a stranger. But much good might be done by the personal inspection of 

 the proprietor himself. Gentlemen in the country enter into the details of 

 their farmyards, stables, dog-kennels, and pigsties. Why should not they pay 

 some attention to the dwellings of human beings ? Would ameliorating the 

 condition of their labourers afford them less satisfaction than providing for 

 their cows and horses ? But almost every thing in this country depends on 

 fashion. Could it once be rendered fashionable to improve the dwellings of 

 agricultural labourers, how wonderful would be the change in the appearance 

 of the country, and in the comforts of country labourers ; and, in the course of 

 a generation, in the morals of the working classes. What the consequence will 

 be, if things are allowed to go on in their present state, with our hourly increas- 

 ing population, it is fearful to contemplate. 



The Art of Living. By Dr. Henry Duhring. 8vo, pp. 144. London and 

 New York, 1843. 



The most useful branch of useful knowledge. Dr. Duhring observes, is that 

 which " teaches us, in what manner, and by what means, we may hope to 

 render our existence as pleasant or happy as it possibly can be." He does not 

 propose to enter fully into the subject, but has preferred singling out for dis- 

 cussion and illustration the five following principles : — 



" First Principle. — The nature of human life is twofold, mental and physical ; 

 and human happiness is the result of the well-being and harmony of both. 



" Second Principle. — Providence has constituted us with a view to activity; 

 and in accordance with this law of our nature, labour, either of the mind or 

 body, is the only source or means of our enjoyment. 



" Third Principle. — As the human machine, like a common piece of me- 

 chanism, wears out most rapidly where there is the greatest friction and 

 straining, relaxation of both our mind and body is an indispensable condition 

 to man's happiness. 



" Fourth Principle. — The study of nature, and the practice of horticulture, 

 constitute the surest foundation of man's happiness. 



" Fifth Principle. — There is nothing to be found in the wide world so preg- 



