Is It Not To Be Apprehended That In Time The Inmates Of Such A City Might
Become Saturated With The Overpowering Atmosphere Of This Romantic Past -
Fall A Prey To An Overweening Love Of Old Memories - Become Indifferent,
And Deadened To The Feelings And Requirements Of The Present?
This does
not necessarily follow.
We are, nevertheless, inclined to believe that
outward objects may act powerfully on one's inner nature: that the haunts
and homes of men are not entirely foreign to the thoughts, pursuits and
impulses, good or bad, of their inmates.
Active, cultured, bustling, progressive citizens, we would fain connect
with streets and localities partaking of that character, just as we
associate cheerful abodes with sunshine, and repulsive dwellings with
dank, perennial shadows.
Mr. N. Legendre, in a small work intituled "Les Echos de Quebec," has
graphically delineated the leading features of several of our
thoroughfares: -
"In a large city each street has its peculiar feature. Such a street
is sacred to commerce - a private residence in it would appear out of
place. Such another is devoted to unpretending dwellings: the modest
grocery shop of the corner looks conscious of being there on
sufferance only. Here resides the well-to-do - the successful merchant;
further, much further on, dwell the lowly - the poor. Between both
points there exists a kind of neutral territory, uniting the
habitations of both classes. Some of the inmates, when calling, wear
kid gloves, whilst others go visiting in their shirt sleeves. The same
individual will even indulge in a cigar or light an ordinary clay
pipe, according as his course is east or west.
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