Cozzens, Frederic S. (Frederic Swartwout), 1818-1869 [1856], The sparrowgrass papers, or, Living in the country. (Derby & Jackson, New York) [word count] [eaf529T].
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Front matter
Covers, Edges and Spine
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Front Cover
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[figure description] Spine.[end figure description]
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Back Cover
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Preliminaries
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Hic Fructus Virtutis; Clifton
Waller Barrett
[figure description] 529EAF. Free Endpaper with Bookplate: heraldry figure with a
green tree on top and shield below. There is a small gray shield
hanging from the branches of the tree, with three blue figures on that
small shield. The tree stands on a base of gray and black intertwined
bars, referred to as a wreath in heraldic terms. Below the tree is a
larger shield, with a black background, and with three gray, diagonal
stripes across it; these diagonal stripes are referred to as bends in
heraldic terms. There are three gold leaves in line, end-to-end, down
the middle of the center stripe (or bend), with green veins in the
leaves. Note that the colors to which this description refers appear in
some renderings of this bookplate; however, some renderings may appear
instead in black, white and gray tones.[end figure description]
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THE SPARROWGRASS PAPERS.
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MR. SPARROWGRASS DESCENDS TO THE INFERNAL REGIONS ON A DUMB WAITER.
“He came to the rescue with a bull-terrier, a Newfoundland pup, a lantern, and a
revolver. The moment he saw me at the window he shot at me, but fortunately just
missed me. I threw myself under the table, and ventured to expostulate.”—Page 72.
[figure description] Illustration page, which depicts Mr. Sparrowgrass on his back under a table, as he tries to escape the shooting attempts of his neighbor. The neighbor is reaching in through the barred windows of the kitchen with a pistol in hand.[end figure description]
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The Sparrowgrass Papers
“I managed to get the ring-leader of the swinish multitude into my parlor. He was a
large, powerful-looking fellow with a great deal of comb, long legs, mottled complexion,
and ears pretty well dogged. He stood for a moment at bay against the sofa, and then
charged upon the dogs.”—Page 90.
[figure description] Title-Page, which depicts Captain Bacon and Mr. and Mrs. Sparrowgrass fighting to get a wild group of pigs out of their living room.[end figure description]
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Preliminaries
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[figure description] Title-Page.[end figure description]
Title Page
THE SPARROWGRASS PAPERS:
OR,
LIVING IN THE COUNTRY.
BY
FREDERIC S. COZZENS.
“To him who in the love of Nature holds
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks
A various language.”
NEW YORK:
DERBY & JACKSON, 119 NASSAU ST.
CINCINNATI:—H. W. DERBY.
1856.
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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1956, by
FREDERIC S. COZZENS,
In the Clark's Office of the District Court of the U. S. for the Southern District of New York.
W. H. Tinson, Stereotyper. George Russell & Co., Printers.
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Dedication
To
ONE OF THE GENTLEST OF HUMORISTS,
[figure description] Dedication.[end figure description]
TO
THE REV. FREDERICK W. SHELTON,
AUTHOR OF
“LETTERS FROM UP THE RIVER,”
This Volume
IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED.
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Letter
Gentle Reader!
[figure description] Preface.[end figure description]
Doubtless you have read, in the work of a quaint old commentator
whose name has been quietly obscuring itself in the rust
of nearly three centuries, these words—“It hath beene the custome
of many men to make their introductions to their bookes, like to
some Grecian Cities gates; so ample, that (as the Prouerbe ranne),
their Citie was ready to steale thorow the same.” You and I
who appreciate wisdom—especially if it be a little mouldy, at once
recognized the value of the hint conveyed by that piece of antiquated
orthography. Therefore, to you, the brevity of this preface will, I
trust, commend the book quite as much as though I had taken the
matter in hand through the length and breadth of a score of pages.
As there is nothing in it worth a smooth-faced prologue, nothing
that would be the better for an apology, and nothing worth reviewing
seriously, may I beg leave to present it without any introduction,
except the very excellent designs of Mr. Darley?
Chestnut Cottage, March 1st, 1856.
Preliminaries
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CONTENTS.
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CHAPTER I.
Living in the Country—Rural Anticipations—Early Rising—Baked Hippoppotaml—
Our New Chickens—A Discovery—The Advantages of having a Watch-Dog
in the Country—A Finale to the First Garden, and Unpleasant Prospects for
the Future.—Page 13.
CHAPTER II.
We conclude to give the Country another Year's Trial—Spring Birds—Mr.
Sparrowgrass becomes the Owner of a Boat—A Visit from a Friend—First
Experience with a Fish-net—An Irishman in a Fyke—Exchange of Civilities
and Cucumbers—Bate's Cow, and a Hint to Horticulturists—Local Designations.—
Page 19
CHAPTER III.
The Clouds in the Country—A Thunder-Shower—Mr. Sparrowgrass buys a
Bugle—Ineffectual Music—A Serenade and an Interruption—First Fruits—A
Surprise, and the Entire Loss of our Cherry Crop.—Page 20.
CHAPTER IV.
Mrs. Sparrowgrass discourses of Social Life in the Rural Districts—Town and
Country—A Rural Party—The Advantages of dressing in a Plain Way—Our
New Dog—Autumnal Scenery—A Family Acqueduct.—Page 41.
CHAPTER V.
Children in Town and Country—A Mistake about a Lady—The Menagerie—
Amusement for Children—Winter Scenery—Another Amusement for Children—
Sucker Fishing—General Washington.—Page 52.
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CHAPTER VI.
An Event—Wolfert's Roost—The Nepperhan and its Legends—Mr. Sparrowgrass
descends to the Infernal Regions on a Dumb Waiter—Carrier Pigeons
and Roosters—The great Polish Exile—Poetry—Altogether a Chapter of
Birds.—Page 64.
CHAPTER VII.
A Country Fire-place—Lares and Penates—Sentiment—Spring Vegetables in
the Germ—A Garden on Paper—Warm Weather—A Festa—An Irruption of
Noseologists—Constitutional Law, and so forth.—Page 79.
CHAPTER VIII.
Mr. Sparrowgrass concludes to buy a Horse—Reminiscences of Bloomingdale—
The difference between now and then—A Horse as can go—An Artist Story—
Godiva—Homeward and Outward bound—The Curtained Dais of the Life
School—A new “Lady of Coventry.”—Page 94.
CHAPTER IX.
A Horse of another color—Ancient and Modern Points of a Horse—A suspected
Organ and Retrograde Movement—Mr. Sparrowgrass buys the Horse that
belongs to the Man's Brother—A valuable Hint as to Stable-building—A
Morning Ride, and a Discovery—Old Dockweed—An Evening Ride, and a
Catastrophe.—Page 118.
CHAPTER X.
Children—An Interrupted Discourse—Mrs. Sparrowgrass makes a Brilliant
Remark—Philadelphia Phrases—Auother Interruption—Quarkers—A few
Quakeristics—A Quaker Baby—The Early Quakers—John Woolman—Thomas
Lurting—Broadbrims in a Cathedral—And a Friendly Suggestion.—Page 132.
CHAPTER XI.
Our new Horse improves—He is loaned to to a Neighbor, and disgraces himself—
Autumnal Vegetation—The Palisades and Rock Cataract—An agreeable
Surprise—Mr. Sparrowgrass takes a short trip to the County of Broome——
Meets with a Disappointment on his Return, but indulges in a flowing vein
of “Adversity's sweet milk.”—Page 146.
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CHAPTER XII.
Our New Barber—Reminiscences of our Old Barber—A Dog of another Color—
October Woods—A Party on the Water—Home, Sweet Home, with Variations
(flute obligato)—A row to the Palisades—Iroquois Legend—Return to the
Cottage.—Page 160.
CHAPTER XIII.
The Children are sent to School—Old Soldiers—An Invitation, and Cruel Disappointment—
Our Eldest begins to show Symptoms of the Tender Passion—
Poetry—The Melodies of Mother Goose—Little Posterity by the Wayside—A
Casualty—The Drowning of Poor Little Tommy.—Page 183
CHAPTER XIV.
Winter once more—Mr. Sparrowgrass feels as if he would like to Chirp a little—
Thomas Fuller, D.D.—The Good Wife—Old Dockweed again—A Barrel of
Cider—News of the Saddle and Bridle—Superior Tactics of the Village Teamster—
Christmas—Great Preparations—Christmas Carols and Masques—A Suggestion
of Mrs. Sparrowgrass.—Page 195.
CHAPTER XV.
An offer for the Horse—Difficulty of Shipping him according to the Terms of
Bill of Lading—Anticipations—Marine Sketch—Mrs. Sparrowgrass buys a
Patent Bedstead—An essay on Mechanical Forces, and Suggestions in regard
to a Bronze Legislature—The New Bedstead is tried and found—“not available.”—
Page 208.
CHAPTER XVI.
Casualties will occur—Ice and ice-houses—A hint from the Flowery Nation—
Baldwin's Pond—Skaters—Our horse gets into business and is launched upon
an ice island—A Derrick—The result thereof.—Page 225.
CHAPTER XVII.
The great Snow-storm—A quotation from Samuel—Recollections of Town—What
we then thought—A Song—Scraps in a Commonplace-book—An old epistle—
And anticipations.—Page 233.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
A Conference in the Library—Mr. Sparrowgrass writes an Essay—Life in Town
and Life in the Rural Districts—Mrs. Sparrowgrass continues the theme—Two
Pictures from Nature—and the Last Word.—Page 244.
Captain Davis,—a California Ballad, 267
Captain Belgrave, 288
Cozzens, Frederic S. (Frederic Swartwout), 1818-1869 [1856], The sparrowgrass papers, or, Living in the country. (Derby & Jackson, New York) [word count] [eaf529T].
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