eping, will be to their lasting
benefit in future.

But, we have said enough to convey the ideas in house-furnishing we
would wish to impart; and the reader will do as he, or she, no doubt,
would have done, had we not written a word about it--go and select such
as may strike their own fancy.

We received, a day or two since, a letter from a person at the west,
entirely unknown to us, whose ideas so entirely correspond with our own,
that we give it a place, as showing that a proper taste _does_ prevail
among many people in this country, in regard to buildings, and
house-furnishings; and which we trust he will pardon us for publishing,
as according entirely with our own views, in conclusion:

----, ----, Ill., Dec. 18, 1851.

DEAR SIR,--I received, a few days since, a copy of the first number
of a periodical called the "Plough," into which is copied the
elevation of a design for a farm house, purporting to be from a
forthcoming work of yours, entitled "Rural Architecture." Although a
perfect stranger to you, you will perhaps allow me to make one or
two suggestions.

I have seen no work yet, which seems fully to meet the wants of our
country people in the matter of furniture. After having built their
houses, they need showing how to furnish them in the cheapest, most
neat, comfortable, convenient, and substantial manner. The furniture
should be designed for use, not merely for show. I would have it
plain, but not coarse--just enough for the utmost convenience, but
nothing superfluous. The articles of furniture figured, and
partially described in the late works on those subjects, are mostly
of too elaborate and expensive a cast to be generally introduced
into our country houses. There is too much _nabobery_ about them to
meet the wants, or suit the taste of the plain American farmer.

As to out-houses--the barn, stable, carriage and wagon-house,
tool-house, piggery, poultry-house, corn-crib, and granary, (to
say nothing of the "rabbit-warren" and "dovecote,")--are necessary
appendages of the farm house. Now, as cheapness is one great
desideratum with nearly all our new beginners in this western
region, it seems to me, that such plans as will conveniently include
the greatest number of these under the same roof, will be best
suited to their necessities. I do not mean to be understood that,
for the sake of the first cost, we should pay no regard to the
appearance