RURAL LIFE IN ENGLAND
1.THE stranger who would form a correct opinion of the English character，must not confine his observations to the metropolis.He must go forth into the country；he must sojourn in villages and hamlets；he must visit castles，villas，farm-houses，cottages；he must wander through parks and gardens；along hedges and green lanes；he must loiter about country churches，attend wakes and fairs，and other rural festivals；and cope with the people in all their conditions，and all their habits and humors.
2.In some countries the large cities absorb the wealth and fashion of the nation；they are the only fixed abodes of elegant and intelligent society，and the country is inhabited almost entirely by boorish peasantry.In England，on the contrary，the metropolis is a mere gathering-place，or general rendezvous，of the polite classes，where they devote a small portion of the year to a hurry of gayety and dissipation，and having indulged this carnival，return again to the apparently more congenial habits of rural life.The various orders of society are therefore diffused over the whole surface of the kingdom，and the most retired neighborhoods afford specimens of the different ranks
3.The English，in fact，are strongly gifted with the rural feeling.They possess a quick sensibility to the beauties of nature，and a keen relish for the pleasures and employments of the country.Even the inhabitants of cities，born and brought up among brick walls and bustling streets，enter with facility into rural habits，and evince aBeautiful England Countrysideturn for rural occupation.The merchant has his snug retreat in the vicinity of the metropolis，where he often displays as much pride and zeal in the cultivation of his flower-garden and the watering of his fruits，as he does in the conduct of his business and the success of his commercial enterprises.Even those less fortunate individuals who are doomed to pass their lives in the midst of din and traffic，contrive to have something which shall remind them of the green aspect of nature.In the most dark and dingy quarters of the city，the drawing-room window resembles frequently a bank of flowers.Every spot capable of vegetation has its grass-plot and lower-bed；and every square its mimic park，laid out with picturesque taste，and gleaming with refreshing verdure.
4.Those who see the Englishman only in town，are apt to form an unfavorable opinion of his social character.He is either absorbed in business，or distracted by the thousand engagements that dissipate time，thought，and feeling，in this huge metropolis；he has，therefore，too commonly，a look of hurry and abstraction.Wherever he happens to be，he is on the point of going somewhere else；at the moment he is talking on one subject，his mind is wandering to another；and while paying a friendly visit，he is calculating how he shall economize time，so as to pay the other visits allotted to the morning.
5.It is in the country that the Englishman gives scope to his natural feelings.He breaks loose gladly from the cold formalities and negative civilities of town；throws off his habits of shy reserve，and becomes joyous and freehearted.He manages to collect around him all the conveniences and elegancies of polite life，and to banish its restraint.His country-seat abounds with every requisite，either for studious retirement，tasteful gratification，or rural exercise.Books，music，paintings，horses，dogs，and sporting implements of all kinds，are at hand.He puts no constraint either upon his guests or himself but in the true spirit of hospitality provides the means of enjoyment，and leaves every one to partake according to his inclination .
6.The taste of the English in the cultivation of land，and in what is called landscape gardening，is unrivaled.They have studied nature intently，and discover an exquisite sense of her beautiful forms and harmonious combinations.Those charms，which in other countries she lavishes in wild solitudes，are here assembled round the haunts of domestic life.They seem to have caught her coy and furtive glances，and spread them，like witchery，about their rural abodes.
7.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 andspirits，and a manliness and simplicity of manners，which even the follies and dissipations of the town can not pervert，and can never entirely destroy.
