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The Confessions of a Summer Colonist
by William Dean Howells
The season is ending in the little summer settlement on the Down East
coast where I have been passing the last three months； and with each
loath day the sense of its peculiar charm grows more poignant。
A prescience of the homesickness I shall feel for it when I go already
begins to torment me； and I find myself wishing to imagine some form of
words which shall keep a likeness of it at least through the winter； some
shadowy semblance which I may turn to hereafter if any chance or change
should destroy or transform it； or； what is more likely； if I should
never come back to it。 Perhaps others in the distant future may turn to
it for a glimpse of our actual life in one of its most characteristic
phases； I am sure that in the distant present there are many millions of
our own inlanders to whom it would be altogether strange。
I。
In a certain sort fragile is written all over our colony； as far as the
visible body of it is concerned it is inexpressibly perishable； a fire
and a high wind could sweep it all away； and one of the most American of
all American things is the least fitted among them to survive from the
present to the future； and impart to it the significance of what may soon
be a 〃portion and parcel〃 of our extremely forgetful past。
It is also in a supremely transitional moment： one might say that last
year it was not quite what it is now； and next year it may be altogether
different。 In fact； our summer colony is in that happy hour when the
rudeness of the first summer conditions has been left far behind； and
vulgar luxury has not yet cumbrously succeeded to a sort of sylvan
distinction。
The type of its simple and sufficing hospitalities is the seven…o'clock
supper。 Every one； in hotel or in cottage； dines between one and two；
and no less scrupulously sups at seven； unless it is a few extremists who
sup at half…past seven。 At this function； which is our chief social
event； it is 'de rigueur' for the men not to dress； and they come in any
sort of sack or jacket or cutaway； letting the ladies make up the pomps
which they forego。 From this fact may be inferred the informality of the
men's day…time attire； and the same note is sounded in the whole range of
the cottage life； so that once a visitor from the world outside； who had
been exasperated beyond endurance by the absence of form among us （if
such an effect could be from a cause so negative）； burst out with the
reproach； 〃Oh； you make a fetish of your informality！〃
〃Fetish〃 is； perhaps； rather too strong a word； but I should not mind
saying that informality was the tutelary genius of the place。 American
men are everywhere impatient of form。 It burdens and bothers them； and
they like to throw it off whenever they can。 We may not be so very
democratic at heart as we seem； but we are impatient of ceremonies that
separate us when it is our business or our pleasure to get at one
another； and it is part of our splendor to ignore the ceremonies； as we
do the expenses。 We have all the decent grades of riches and poverty in
our colony； but our informality is not more the treasure of the humble
than of the great。 In the nature of things it cannot last； however； and
the only question is how long it will last。 I think； myself； until some
one imagines giving an eight…o'clock dinner； then all the informalities
will go； and the whole train of evils which such a dinner connotes will
rush in。
II。
The cottages themselves are of several sorts； and some still exist in the
earlier stages of mutation from the fishermen's and farmers' houses which
formed their germ。 But these are now mostly let as lodgings to bachelors
and other single or semi…detached folks who go for their meals to the
neighboring hotels or boarding…houses。 The hotels are each the centre of
this sort of centripetal life； as well as the homes of their own scores
or hundreds of inmates。 A single boarding…house gathers about it half a
dozen dependent cottages which it cares for； and feeds at its table； and
even where the cottages have kitchens and all the housekeeping
facilities； their inmates sometimes prefer to dine at the hotels。
By far the greater number of cottagers； however； keep house； bringing
their service with them from the cities； and settling in their summer
homes for three or four or five months。
The houses conform more or less to one type： a picturesque structure of
colonial pattern； shingled to the ground； and stained or left to take a
weather…stain of grayish brown； with cavernous verandas； and dormer…
windowed roofs covering ten or twelve rooms。 Within they are； if not
elaborately finished； elaborately fitted up； with a constant regard to
health in the plumbing and drainage。 The water is brought in a system of
pipes from a lake five miles away； and as it is only for summer use the
pipes are not buried from the frost； but wander along the surface；
through the ferns and brambles of the tough little sea…side knolls on
which the cottages are perched； and climb the old tumbling stone walls of
the original pastures before diving into the cemented basements。
Most of the cottages are owned by their occupants； and furnished by them；
the rest； not less attractive and hardly less tastefully furnished；
belong to natives； who have caught on to the architectural and domestic
preferences of the summer people； and have built them to let。 The
rugosities of the stony pasture land end in a wooded point seaward； and
curve east and north in a succession of beaches。 It is on the point； and
mainly short of its wooded extremity； that the cottages of our settlement
are dropped； as near the ocean as may be； and with as little order as
birds' nests in the grass； among the sweet…fern； laurel； bay； wild
raspberries； and dog…roses； which it is the ideal to leave as untouched
as possible。 Wheel…worn lanes that twist about among the hollows find
the cottages from the highway； but foot…paths approach one cottage from
another； and people walk rather than drive to each other's doors。
From the deep…bosomed； well…sheltered little harbor the tides swim
inland； half a score of winding miles； up the channel of a river which
without them would be a trickling rivulet。 An irregular line of cottages
follows the shore a little way； and then leaves the river to the
schooners and barges which navigate it as far as the oldest pile…built
wooden bridge in New England； and these in their turn abandon it to the
fleets of row…boats and canoes in which summer youth of both sexes
explore it to its source over depths as clear as glass； past wooded
headlands and low； rush…bordered meadows； through reaches and openings of
pastoral fields； and under the shadow of dreaming groves。
If there is anything lovelier than the scenery of this gentle river I do
not know it； and I doubt if the sky is purer and bluer in paradise。 This
seems to be the consensus； tacit or explicit； of the youth who visit it；
and employ the landscape for their picnics and their water parties from
the beginning to the end of summer。
The river is very much used for sunsets by the cottagers who live on it；
and who claim a superiority through them to the cottagers on the point。
An impartial mind obliges me to say that the sunsets are all good in our
colony； there is no place from which they are bad； and yet for a certain
tragical sunset； where the dying day bleeds slowly into the channel till
it is filled from shore to shore with red as far as the eye can reach；
the river is unmatched。
For my own purposes； it is not less acceptable； however； when the fog has
come in from the sea like a visible reverie； and blurred the whole valley
with its whiteness。 I find that particularly good to look at from the
trolley…car which visits and revisits the river before finally leaving
it； with a sort of desperation； and hiding its passion with a sudden
plunge into the woods。
III。
The old fishing and seafaring village； which has now almost lost the
recollection of its first estate in its absorption with the care of the
summer colony； was sparsely dropped along the highway bordering the
harbor； and the shores of the river； where the piles of the time…worn
wharves are still rotting。 A few houses of the past remain； but the type
of the summer cottage has impressed itself upon all the later building；
and the native is passing architecturally； if not personally； into
abeyance。 He takes the situation philosophically； and in the season he
caters to the summer colony not only as the landlord of the rented
cottages； and the keeper of the hotels and boarding…houses； but as
livery…stableman； grocer； butcher； marketman； apothecary； and doctor；
there is not one foreign accent in any of these callings。 If the native
is a farmer； he devotes himself to vegetables； poultry； eggs； and fruit
for the summer folks； and brings these supplies to their doors； his
children appear with flowers； and there are many proofs that he has
accurately sized the cottagers up in their tastes and fancies as well as
their needs。 I doubt if we have sized him up so well； or if our somewh