A DOMESTIC COLONY. 795 
I should mention that poultry, pigs, and a cow form their live stock, 
the latter animal is partly stall fed. Indian corn, Syniphitum asper- 
rimum, the orchard grass, mown, and carried to her, with potatoes 
and lucern form her summer feed, while I see Swedish turnips, car- 
rots, &c. are growing for her winter provender, with a little stack of 
hay, which was cut from the orchard in July. The hutter and 
cream are as fine as I taste any where, and the management of the 
dairy does credit to the eldest daughter, on whom it devolves. The 
younger girl, and pet of the family, is not suffered to he idle, and 
when her hours of play arrive, the premises ring with her happy 
voice, singing " snatches of old tunes, passages (either vocal or in- 
strumental) from the works of Mozart, Haydyn, Beethooven, &c. 
The whole family is fond of music, and the boys frequently sing in 
(intuitive) parts while working. A very singular custom, I have 
noticed, in the colony, and that is, they all read at meals. Every 
breakfast and tea time their favourite books are as regularly taken as 
their food : they could not else have found opportunity to acquire so 
much useful information, as that which they possess. Where all are 
agreed on a point of this description the plan is very pleasant. I 
have tried it with them, and with them like it. 
"Sweet are the uses of adversity," for had not my friend's circum- 
stances deteriorated, they would never have known the blessing of a 
united, domesticated family ; all would have been scattered on the 
world to sink or swim, to succeed or fail, to become corrupt or escape 
contamination, to be dutiful or alienated from these fond parents, as 
it might happen." With all the faults of our continental neighbours 
they possess one virtue, which is so rare as to be almost unknown in 
our country, I mean the amiable and affectionate custom of dwelling 
together in family communities, of two, three, and even four genera- 
tions. Our offspring are turned out of the nest, while yet unfledged 
to seek their own subsistence. 
I do not advocate my friends plan as a general thing either, and as 
many others have done, seriously ask him what he means to do with 
his boys, since his little estate his decidedly too limited to support 
them by farming &c. ; his reply is, " they axe gaining health, strength 
and experience, are living innocent lives, are preparing to become 
useful, and, I trust, worthy members of the community, should any 
contingency, of which I see no chance, arise for their removal." 
This is unanswerable, and I only wish that the wise and reasonable 
plan were widely known, and as well practised. 
I hope, gentlemen, I have not exhausted your patience, or ex- 
ceeded my limits, and beg to subscribe myself Viola. 
