The Middlebury Register

For the Register.
Practical Aesthetics

The County seat of Old Addison, Situated on Otter River, has much of natural beauty. This is now very generally conceded by both residents and visitors. Its varied and undulating surface—its noble river, sweeping down mid emerald banks—its water-fall, dashing and dancing to its own music—its numerous streets and thoroughfares stretching far out into the country and leading off at all conceivable angles—its public and private institutions of learning—its christian temples, lifting their spires heavenward—its numerous parks, beautified by walks and shade-trees, all, all give forth utterances that scenic beauty hath her dwelling place in Middlebury.

Her merchants, all are prosperous. Her artisans and cunning men are supplied with employment. Every dwelling has occupants—not one is vacant; and no grass grows unobstructed in deserted streets.

Men of means and leisure now look to Middlebury as a desirable retreat from the stern cares of active life, where they can share in the facilities for education, for religious enjoyment and repose.

There are numerous points about our village which are charming, exceedingly so, and highly valuable as choice sites for residences. These points ought to be dotted with tasteful dwellings.

Our Merchants, professors and resident gentlemen of means and taste would do well to dispose of their present habitations and erect dwellings more retired and out of the immediate din and dust of the busy town.

Most of the old residences are built nearly on a line with the highway, having small 7 by 9 door-yards, crowded with bushes and briers, without any generous pleasure grounds, which are so desirable in a home.

A natural grove of thrifty trees should be one of the prime objects of the choice of a site. Few have the patience, or inclination, to wait the growth of shade trees; hence their importance in the choice of grounds. A home without plenty of shade trees, large and ample pleasure grounds, tastefully arranged with drive ways and graveled walks, with rustic seats and shady nooks, is certainly bereft of much that renders home a true Eden. A cheap and tasteful cottage, even in the midst of such surroundings, has more of the elements of a true home than the most costly mansion standing on a line with the highway, with few or no shade trees about it, exposed to the scorching rays of the King of Day, and the howling blasts that come sweeping o'er the plain.

Who will be first in beautifying our town—in enlarging the sphere of his own domestic bliss, and inviting others to a similar pleasure, by seizing upon one of a dozen of the most lovely building sites, and erecting thereon a home, replete with elegance, loveliness and taste?

With these touches at different points of our village, the outline of the picture would be complete. They would be to the town what mountains are to the landscape, or cascades to a water view. Without them, it is a constant and ever recurring question from every visitor and resident citizen, of good sense and correct taste—"Why are not these lovely groves which mark numerous points in various directions about the town, bought up and converted into homes, as enchanting as paradisaical, and as beautiful as they are inviting?"

Again recurs the question—who will lead off in this work of elegance, taste and true refinement?

R.