54 MAINE STATE SOCIETY. 



farmer would not claim this, and we would not like to have him 

 claim it — but yet it is true. For with more constitutional vigor 

 and better bodily health, his natural faculties — among which the 

 most natural is common sense — have a better growth and greater 

 strength. Ask your learned physicians if it is not so. But what 

 is common sense, do you ask? What is education? Is common 

 sense education ; or is education common sense? Neither of these 

 — and yet how beautifully do they harmonize in rendering man the 

 noblest sample of the work of God ! Y\^hat are the trunk and 

 branches of the tree, without the leaves and blossoms? Just what 

 common sense is without education. What are the leaves and blos- 

 soms without the trunk and branches 1 Just what education is 

 without common sense. The trunk and branches are indeed a tree, 

 but destitute of beauty, or the power of growth ; while the leaves 

 and blossoms are devoid of power either to sustain themselves or 

 produce their natural fruit. Comijion sense is to education what 

 the stream is to the machinery ; the latter may be complete in itself, 

 but its power for usefulness is wanting. 



But there seems to be little need of argument or illustration upon 

 this point. Wlio can doubt that we may much more safely leave 

 the farmer to his own conclusions ? He cannot fail to see, that in 

 order to legislate for himself he must needs be qualified for legisla- 

 tion. And to apply legislation to the advancement or protection of 

 his own peculiar interests, he must be educated in the nature of 

 these interests. Docs the clergyman legislate effectually for the 

 protection of the Sabbath, without first learning that the Sabbath 

 was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath ? Or docs the 

 physician legislate for the security of his profession, without ascer- 

 taining in the commencment whether quackery operates to his 

 benefit or his detriment'? — or whether he desires to provide by stat- 

 ute that men should swallow more or less medicine ? Certainly not. 

 And how can he know the wants of his profession in this respect, if 

 he is ignorant of the profession itself? The more thoroughly he is 

 educated in all its principles and characteristics, the less occasion he 

 will see for asking any other protection. Just as we believe that 

 the great and honorable and natural profession of agriculture, whert 



