OLD HOUSES AND THEIR INCLOSURES. 317 



of native shrubbery, where alone she makes her haunts. 

 This rage for foreign shrubbery is fatal to the birds, 

 each species of which is dependent on certain native 

 trees and shrubs, for subsistence Eind protection. By 

 eradicating every native coppice, and planting exotics 

 in their place, we may as effectually banish the thrushes, 

 and many other species of warblers, from our territories, 

 as by constantly shooting them. 



Another style of old houses is the square house with 

 a hipped roof, usually of two stories. These are a 

 little more pretending than the others I have described, 

 and are more frequently seen with an ornamental fence 

 in front, after the present fashion. Hence they are less 

 attractive than some of the more primitive houses. A 

 more pleasing house is a nearly square building of one 

 story, with a curb roof, having the front door at the ex- 

 treme end of the front, and a vestibule on one side, 

 formed by extending the back half of the house a few 

 feet, with only half a roof, making the door in the vesti- 

 bule and the front door face the same way. Modern 

 improvers say there is no beauty in these old houses. 

 As well might they say there is no beauty in an old 

 tree, unless it is nicely trimmed and whitewashed. 

 More charming to the sight is a humble two-story house, 

 unadorned by a single artistical decoration, with a ven- 

 erable old tree in front and a wide extent of lawn, than 

 the most showy house in the modern filagree style, with 

 its narrow inclosures, its stiff spruces, and its orna- 

 mental fence that seems purposely designed to shut out 

 nature. 



One principal charm of a cottage consists in the rural 



appurtenances around it ; and the less inexpressive 



architectural ornament there is about it the greater is 



this charm. It is true there is a style of building which 



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