294 TREES. 



exhibition of gay carpets, fine mirrors and "fiimiture in the "front 

 parlor," pf many a mechanic's, working-man's, and farmer's comfort- 

 able dwelling, where the "bare and bald"- have pretty, nearly su- 

 preme control in the " frorlt yard." , ' i 



What we lack, perhaps, more than all, is, not the capacity to 

 perceive and enjoy the beauty of ornamental trees and shrubs — the 

 rural embellishment alike of the cottage and the villa, but we are de- 

 ficient in the knowledge and the opportunity of knowing how beau- 

 tiful human habitations are made by a little taste, time, and means, 

 expended in this way. 



Abroad, it is clearly seen, that the taste has descended from the 

 palace of the noble, and the public parks and gardens of the nation, 

 to the hut of tlie simple peasant; hut here,' while our institutions 

 have wisely prevented the perpetuation of accumulated estates, that 

 would speedily find their expression in all the luxury of rural taste,, 

 we have not yet risen to- that general diffusion of culture and com- 

 petence which may one day give to the ma,ny, what in the old world 

 belongs mainly to the favored few. In some localities,, where' that 

 point has in some measure been arrived at already, the result- that 

 we anticipate has, in a good degree, already been attained. And 

 there are, probably,, more pretty rural homes within ten miles of 

 Boston, owned by those who live in them, and have made them, 

 than ever sprung up in so short a space of time, in any part of the 

 world. The taste once formed there, it has become contagious, and 

 is diffusing itself among all conditions of men, and gradually elevating 

 and making beautiful, the whole neighborhood of that populous city. 



In the country at large, however, even now, there cannot be said" 

 to be any thing like a general taste for gardening, or for embellish- 

 ing the houses of the people. We are too much occupied with 

 making a great deed, to have reached that point when a man or a 

 people thinks it wiser to understand how, to enjoy a little well, than 

 to exhaust both mind and body in getting an indefinite 'more. And 

 there are also many who would glaldly dp something to give a senti- 

 ment to their houses, but are ignorant both of the materials and the 

 way to set about it. Accordingly, they plant odorous ailanthuses 

 and filthy poplars, to the neglect of graceful elms and salubrious 

 maples. 



