ON FEMININE TASTE IN RURAL AFFAIRS. 47 



all the rooms open into each other; or, at least, as many of. the 

 largest as will produce a fine effect. In an Eifglish house, every 

 room is complete in itself. It may be very large, and very grand, 

 but it is all the worse for being connected with any other room ; for 

 that destroys the privacy which an Englishman so much, loves. 



Does any one, familiar with the progress of building in the 

 United States for the last ten years, desire to be told which mode 

 we have followed^- And yet, there are very few who are aware 

 that our ,love of folding-doors, and suites of apartments, is essen- 

 tially French. j 



Now our national taste in gardening and out-door employmente, 

 is just in the process of formation. Honestly and -ardently be- 

 lieving that the loveliest and best women in the world are those of 

 our own coimtry, we cannot think of their losing so much of their 

 own and natiire's bloom, as o&ly to enjoy their gardens by the» 

 results, like the French, rather than througt the development, like 

 the English. "We would gladly show them how- much they lose. 

 We would convince them, that only to pluol^the full-blowiL»j3ower, 

 is like a first introduction to it, compared wiw" l&e life-long friend- 

 ship of its mistress, who has nursed it from its^Kt ftwo leaves ; aiid 

 that the real zest of our enjoyment of natur^even in a garden, lies 

 in our looking at her, noL-l'illi a spectator who admires, but like a 

 dear and intimate frienffl^to whom, after long intimacy, s*he reveaJs 

 sweets whcdly hidden ffcmllj^osejwhoonly come to her in full drees, 

 and in the attitude of formal ^tors. 



If any one wishesffo know how completely and intensely Eng- 

 lish women enter into m,A spirit of gardening, he has only to watch 

 the wife of the most hKiW^rtisan who setdes in any of our cities. 

 She not only has a pQ§ onflowers — her back-yard is a perfect curi^ 

 -osity-shop of botanical T«wbies. She is never done vrifli training, 

 and watering, and caring for them. And traly, they reward her 

 wel% for who ever saw .such large geraniums, such fresh daisies^ 

 such injddy roses ! Comparing them with the neglected and weak 

 specimens in tiie garden of her neighbor, one might be tempted to 

 believe that they had- been magnetized„by the charm of personal-, 

 fondness of their mistress, into a life and beauty not common to 

 other plants. ' «' 



