80 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 6. 
portion of improvement. The best grasses cannot be collected at too 
great an expence ; for I have seen a small spot of land in the middle of a 
large piece, which was laid down twelve or fourteen years since by Mr. 
Stillingfleet, on the estate of Mr. Price, ot Foxley, in Herefordshire, with 
choice seeds, at the same time when the remainder of the field was laid 
down with common seeds ; and this spot is considerably better than the 
rest; it not only appeared so to my judgment, but was allowed to be so 
by Mr. Price’s bailiff, who was well acquainted with its produce. From 
Mr. Stillingfleet’s experiments, and my own observations, I am clearly of 
opinion that any person who has cultivated land for grass, may improve 
it by this method of laying it down, to a much greater degree than he can 
in the common way.’ In the second edition of the Miscellaneous Tracts 
were also inserted three Calendars of Flora ; one by Berger for Sweden ; 
a second for England, compiled by Stillingfleet himself at Stratton in 
Norfolk, the seat of his friend Mr. Marsham ; and the third for Greece, 
extracted from the History of Plants by Theophrastus. These Calendars 
were intended to exhibit the progress of the seasons in different climates, 
from the flowering and leafing of plants, the periodical migrations of 
birds, and other natural occurrences. From hence it was intended to 
form a collection of facts, in order to ascertain some fixed laws of nature, 
by the observance of which the sowing of grain, and many other opera¬ 
tions of rural (Economy dependant on the seasons, might be better re¬ 
gulated than by the ordinary rules and customs.” 
We must conclude our notice, and it shall be in the words of those who 
admired Mr! Stillingfleet just in proportion to their intimacy. Gray, the 
poet, speaking of him, says :—“ I have lately made an acquaintance with 
this philosopher, who lives in a garret here in the winter, that he may 
support some near relations who depend upon him. He is always em¬ 
ployed, consequently (according to my old maxim), always happy, always 
cheerful, and seems to me a very w'orthy, honest man; his present 
scheme is to send some persons, properly qualified, to reside a year or turn 
in Africa, to make themselves acquainted with the climate, ^productions, 
and natural history of the country, that we may understand Aristotle, 
Theophrastus, &c., who have been heathen Greek to us for so many 
ages ; and this he has got proposed to Lord Bute, no unlikely person to 
put it into execution, as he is himself a botanist.” 
To this. Sir Uvedale Price adds—“The habits, manner, and person of 
Mr. Stillingfleet at the later period of hi9 life, I still recollect with pecu¬ 
liar pleasure and interest. He wore a full dress suit of cloth of the same 
Whilst we go a great way towards agreeing with 
Mr. Stevenson, that “ nothing would have a greater 
tendency to improve tire circumstances of the much- 
neglected working-man than building for him a home 
of comfort and convenience,” yet we totally dissent 
from his intimation that “ it is unquestionbly true that 
human lives are considered only of secondary import¬ 
ance where feudal grandeur, preservation of game, 
exclusive privacy, and broad acres, are the ruling 
passions of titled and monied men.” We dissent from 
this because we know too many instances to the con¬ 
trary, and in no one is the example more apparent 
than in Prince Albert, who, thougli he enjoys “ grandeur,” 
“ game,” “ privacy,” and “ broad acres,” yet Mr. Steven¬ 
son informs us has ordered a copy of the book from 
which we have quoted, “ to be added to the Royal 
Library at Buckingham Palace.” This hook is entitled 
The Cottage Homes of England, or suggested designs and 
estimated cost of Improved Cottage erections, and we can 
unreservedly recommend it to the attention of our 
readers, for there is much more good sense and valuable 
information in it than we expected from a hook bound 
in such a fierce-coloured cover, and containing vocative 
sentences, beginning with, “ 0,ye landlords of England.” 
Such offences against good taste had hetter be corrected 
if the work ever reaches to another edition. It merits 
a sale to require this, for the plans combine comfort, 
healthfulness, and economy. 
Another volume, upon the same subject, is also upon 
our table, entitled, Hints to all about to Rent, Buy, or 
Build House-Property, and its author is “ Francis 
j Cross, architect and surveyor.” It is of very unpre- 
! tending size and appearance, but it is full of “ Hints,” 
which no one should neglect who is about to become 
either the tenant or the purchaser of a house. It points 
j out everything requiring attention, from the foundation 
uniform colour, with worsted stockings, usually blue,* and a small brass ! 
hilted sword peeping through the skirts of his coat. His wig was deco- | 
rated with several rows of formal curls, as exhibited in his portrait, j 
Those who knew him in early life, speak in the highest terms of the 
fascination of his society ; and age did not rob him of this charm. His 
address was easy, polite, and captivating ; his manner modest without 
bashfulness ; his voice touching and melodious ; his eye expressive, and 1 
his smile indicative of all the benignity of his mind. In conversation i 
he was uncommonly pleasing and insinuating, catching the tone of the 1 
society, and trifling, even with children, with the same ease and pleasure 
as he conversed with persons of science and literature. 
“ Almost the first and most lasting impression which I received of any 
person next to my parents, was that of Mr. Stillingfleet; and it is dis¬ 
playing, perhaps, not the least amiable part of his character, to mention 
the satisfaction with which myself, my brothers and sisters, as well as 
others of our age, heard his name announced, and the delight with which we 
crowded about him, realising the beautiful picture drawn by Goldsmith :— 
“ E’en children follow with endearing wile, 
And pluck his gown to share the good man’s smile.” 
“This sentiment of love ripened into gratitude and veneration at a 
later period, when I call to remembrance the information which his con- J 
versation afforded, and the condescension and kindness which he em¬ 
ployed to overcome the timidity of youth; the skill with which he drew 
forth my early acquirements, and the affectionate solicitude with which 
he directed and encouraged my literary pursuits.” 
Meteorology of the Week. — At Chiswick from observations 
during the last twenty-four years, the average highest and lowest tem¬ 
peratures of these days are 51.5° and 37-1° respectively. The greatest 
heat, 63°, occurred on the 12th in 1834, and the lowest cold, 19°, on the 
11th, in 1848. During the period, 85 days were fine, and on 83, rain fell. 
* From this singularity of dress, some have derived the epithet of 
Blue Stocking Clubs, now given to most literary meetings. “ Mr. Stil- j 
lingfleet almost always wore blue worsted stockings, and whenever he I 
was absent from Mrs. Montague’s evening parties, as his conversation I 
was very entertaining, the company used to say, ‘ we can do nothing I 
without the blue stockings,’ and by degrees the assemblies were called 
Blue Stocking Clubs, and learned bodies Blue Stockings.”— Bissett’s 
Life of Burke. 
to the roof, and from the kitchen-range to the chamber- 
door-handle. Happy will be the man who tests the 
house he examines by these “ Hints,” and then he 
need not fear to be the original for such a sketch as the 
following:— 
“ The house in question was one in a row, building or 
built, whitened outside in imitation of stone. It was No. 2, 
—No. 1 was not quite finished, for the windows were still 
stained with whitewash and colouring. No. 2, the one in 
question, was complete, and the builder asserted was ready 
for immediate occupation. No. 3 was not advanced so far 
as the others—they were but carcases. ‘ Why,’ said I, ‘ we 
shall be smothered by lime-dust and lime for the next two 
years.’ ‘ Don’t he alarmed,’ said the builder, ‘ every house 
will be finished this winter.’ ‘ Is not the entrance handsome, 
observed my wife, ‘ and neat and clean?’ To this I had no 
reply to make, as it certainly looked neat and clean. We 
went over the house, examined the rooms, which were all 
allotted by my wife, and of which the builder took good 
note ; finally we looked at the kitchen, which was admired, 
as also the coal-cellar, pantry, scullery, and dust-hole,—all 
was declared so compact and nice. ‘ Don’t you think it 
charming ? ’. said my wife. ‘ It seems to do very well, but 
requires consideration,’ I observed. ‘ I can’t give you long,’ 
observed the builder, ‘ two other parties are after it ’ ‘ Take 
it,’ said my wife, so also chimed my daughters. ‘ What is 
the rent, then? ’ ‘ 200 guineas a year! ’ ‘ and the taxes ? ’ ‘ a 
mere trifle!’ ‘What term do you let for?’ ‘ Seven, four¬ 
teen, or twenty-one, at the option of either party,’ the builder 
answered. ‘ I will take it for three years,’ I said, and the 
builder seeing he would not be able to make me take it for 
a longer term, assented. 
“We commenced moving, and shortly afterwards I noticed 
sundry observations that betokened that my wife thought of 
giving a house-warming, or, as she called it, { a little dance.’ 
Well, the evening came, the ball commenced, and the house- j 
warming ended in house-breaking. When the four-and- 
twenty couple were going the grand round, a great noise 
took place below;—‘What is the matter?’ said my wife. 
‘ Ma’am,’ said Mr. Gunter’s man, ‘ the ceiling of the dining¬ 
room has fallen down, and spoilt the supper table.’ Here I 
was a catastrophe ! We went down stairs, and, sure enough, < 
the mortar had broken the jellies, paties, cold meats, creams, 
trifle, all into one mass of ruin, mixed with lime and hair. | 
It presented all the appearance of a Swiss avalanche in j 
