Page:Home Education by Isaac Taylor (1838).djvu/62

 And is it not within the thousands of rural homes, adorning the road sides of England,—from the mansion of the noble, to the ornate cottage, and the comfortable farm-house, that are to be found the virtues and graces of woman. As for those who can breathe only in the atmosphere of cities,—who live for pleasure,—whose home is abroad, and whose most serious business is amusement—these have no nationality; they form a class found in all countries, and differing hardly by a shade, one from another. But if we are thinking of female excellence and loveliness, and if we turn, as we have reason to do, to England to find both united—it is to the we must look for our chosen specimens; it is among those who, whether as wives or daughters, not barely endure the seclusion of a country life, but enjoy it, enliven it, and make themselves there the loved dispensers of comfort and happiness to their circles.

There may be many whose early recollections being altogether of another sort, will not be ready to attach any such importance as the writer does, to a country life, for a home-trained family. I have no anxiety to bring over to my own way of thinking, on this subject, those who entertain a contrary opinion; but I could not, with comfort to myself, advance in the prosecution of my task, without distinctly setting forth that idea of the externals of a happy home which is present to my own thoughts, and which is, more or less, involved in every method of instruction hereafter to be spoken of. I well know that many things of some importance must be foregone by living in the heart of the country; and it is very true that certain valuable means of improvement are only to be met with in cities; nevertheless I am compelled to regard all such advantages as of infe-