rural life in england-第2部分

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bordered　with　snug　box；　the　woodbine　trained　up　against　the　wall；

and　hanging　its　blossoms　about　the　lattice；　the　pot　of　flowers　in

the　window；　the　holly；　providently　planted　about　the　house；　to　cheat

winter　of　its　dreariness；　and　to　throw　in　a　semblance　of　green

summer　to　cheer　the　fireside：　all　these　bespeak　the　influence　of

taste；　flowing　down　from　high　sources；　and　pervading　the　lowest　levels

of　the　public　mind。　If　ever　Love；　as　poets　sing；　delights　to　visit　a

cottage；　it　must　be　the　cottage　of　an　English　peasant。

　　The　fondness　for　rural　life　among　the　higher　classes　of　the

English　has　had　a　great　and　salutary　effect　upon　the　national

character。　I　do　not　know　a　finer　race　of　men　than　the　English

gentlemen。　Instead　of　the　softness　and　effeminacy　which　characterize

the　men　of　rank　in　most　countries；　they　exhibit　a　union　of　elegance

and　strength；　a　robustness　of　frame　and　freshness　of　complexion；　which

I　am　inclined　to　attribute　to　their　living　so　much　in　the　open　air；

and　pursuing　so　eagerly　the　invigorating　recreations　of　the　country。

These　hardy　exercises　produce　also　a　healthful　tone　of　mind　and

spirits；　and　a　manliness　and　simplicity　of　manners；　which　even　the

follies　and　dissipations　of　the　town　cannot　easily　pervert；　and　can

never　entirely　destroy。　In　the　country；　too；　the　different　orders　of

society　seem　to　approach　more　freely；　to　be　more　disposed　to　blend　and

operate　favorably　upon　each　other。　The　distinctions　between　them　do

not　appear　to　be　so　marked　and　impassable　as　in　the　cities。　The　manner

in　which　property　has　been　distributed　into　small　estates　and　farms

has　established　a　regular　gradation　from　the　nobleman；　through　the

classes　of　gentry；　small　landed　proprietors；　and　substantial

farmers；　down　to　the　laboring　peasantry；　and　while　it　has　thus

banded　the　extremes　of　society　together；　has　infused　into　each

intermediate　rank　a　spirit　of　independence。　This；　it　must　be

confessed；　is　not　so　universally　the　case　at　present　as　it　was

formerly；　the　larger　estates　having；　in　late　years　of　distress；

absorbed　the　smaller；　and；　in　some　parts　of　the　country；　almost

annihilated　the　sturdy　race　of　small　farmers。　These；　however；　I

believe；　are　but　casual　breaks　in　the　general　system　I　have　mentioned。

　　In　rural　occupation　there　is　nothing　mean　and　debasing。　It　leads　a

man　forth　among　scenes　of　natural　grandeur　and　beauty；　it　leaves　him

to　the　workings　of　his　own　mind；　operated　upon　by　the　purest　and

most　elevating　of　external　influences。　Such　a　man　may　be　simple　and

rough；　but　he　cannot　be　vulgar。　The　man　of　refinement；　therefore；

finds　nothing　revolting　in　an　intercourse　with　the　lower　orders　in

rural　life；　as　he　does　when　he　casually　mingles　with　the　lower

orders　of　cities。　He　lays　aside　his　distance　and　reserve；　and　is

glad　to　waive　the　distinctions　of　rank；　and　to　enter　into　the

honest；　heartfelt　enjoyments　of　common　life。　Indeed　the　very

amusements　of　the　country　bring　men　more　and　more　together；　and　the

sound　of　hound　and　horn　blend　all　feelings　into　harmony。　I　believe

this　is　one　great　reason　why　the　nobility　and　gentry　are　more

popular　among　the　inferior　orders　in　England　than　they　are　in　any

other　country；　and　why　the　latter　have　endured　so　many　excessive

pressures　and　extremities；　without　repining　more　generally　at　the

unequal　distribution　of　fortune　and　privilege。

　　To　this　mingling　of　cultivated　and　rustic　society　may　also　be

attributed　the　rural　feeling　that　runs　through　British　literature；　the

frequent　use　of　illustrations　from　rural　life；　those　incomparable

descriptions　of　nature　that　abound　in　the　British　poets；　that　have

continued　down　from　〃the　Flower　and　the　Leaf〃　of　Chaucer；　and　have

brought　into　our　closets　all　the　freshness　and　fragrance　of　the　dewy

landscape。　The　pastoral　writers　of　other　countries　appear　as　if　they

had　paid　nature　an　occasional　visit；　and　become　acquainted　with　her

general　charms；　but　the　British　poets　have　lived　and　revelled　with

her…　they　have　wooed　her　in　her　most　secret　haunts…　they　have

watched　her　minutest　caprices。　A　spray　could　not　tremble　in　the

breeze…　a　leaf　could　not　rustle　to　the　ground…　a　diamond　drop　could

not　patter　in　the　stream…　a　fragrance　could　not　exhale　from　the　humble

violet；　nor　a　daisy　unfold　its　crimson　tints　to　the　morning；　but　it

has　been　noticed　by　these　impassioned　and　delicate　observers；　and

wrought　up　into　some　beautiful　morality。

　　The　effect　of　this　devotion　of　elegant　minds　to　rural　occupations

has　been　wonderful　on　the　face　of　the　country。　A　great　part　of　the

island　is　rather　level；　and　would　be　monotonous；　were　it　not　for　the

charms　of　culture：　but　it　is　studded　and　gemmed；　as　it　were；　with

castles　and　palaces；　and　embroidered　with　parks　and　gardens。　It　does

not　abound　in　grand　and　sublime　prospects；　but　rather　in　little　home

scenes　of　rural　repose　and　sheltered　quiet。　Every　antique　farm…house

and　moss…grown　cottage　is　a　picture：　and　as　the　roads　are

continually　winding；　and　the　view　is　shut　in　by　groves　and　hedges；　the

eye　is　delighted　by　a　continual　succession　of　small　landscapes　of

captivating　loveliness。

　　The　great　charm；　however；　of　English　scenery　is　the　moral　feeling

that　seems　to　pervade　it。　It　is　associated　in　the　mind　with　ideas　of

order；　of　quiet；　of　sober　well…established　principles；　of　hoary

usage　and　reverend　custom。　Every　thing　seems　to　be　the　growth　of

ages　of　regular　and　peaceful　existence。　The　old　church　of　remote

architecture；　with　its　low　massive　portal；　its　gothic　tower；　its

windows　rich　with　tracery　and　painted　glass；　in　scrupulous

preservation；　its　stately　monuments　of　warriors　and　worthies　of　the

olden　time；　ancestors　of　the　present　lords　of　the　soil　its　tombstones；

recording　successive　generations　of　sturdy　yeomanry；　whose　progeny

still　plough　the　same　fields；　and　kneel　at　the　same　altar…　the

parsonage；　a　quaint　irregular　pile；　partly　antiquated；　but　repaired

and　altered　in　the　tastes　of　various　ages　and　occupants…　the　stile　and

footpath　leading　from　the　church…yard；　across　pleasant　fields；　and

along　shady　hedge…rows；　according　to　an　immemorial　right　of　way…　the

neighboring　village；　with　its　venerable　cottages；　its　public　green

sheltered　by　trees；　under　which　the　forefathers　of　the　present　race

have　sported…　the　antique　family　mansion；　standing　apart　in　some

little　rural　domain；　but　looking　down　with　a　protecting　air　on　the

surrounding　scene：　all　these　common　features　of　English　landscape

evince　a　calm　and　settled　security；　and　hereditary　transmission　of

homebred　virtues　and　local　attachments；　that　speak　deeply　and

touchingly　for　the　moral　character　of　the　nation。

　　It　is　a　pleasing　sight　of　a　Sunday　morning；　when　the　bell　is　sending

its　sober　melody　across　the　quiet　fields；　to　behold　the　peasantry　in

their　best　finery；　with　ruddy　faces　and　modest　cheerfulness；　thronging

tranquilly　along　the　green　lanes　to　church；　but　it　is　still　more

pleasing　to　see　them　in　the　evenings；　gathering　about　their　cottage

doors；　and　appearing　to　exult　in　the　humble　comforts　and

embellishments　which　their　own　hands　have　spread　around　them