No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 329 



the world; if a poor yonng iiinn bnok in tlie Rixtif>« fan befomo tlie 

 owner of a dozen or more valuable farms, of bank stock, bonds, first 

 mortgages, etc., to the valne of several hnndrcd thousand dollars; 

 if, b}' careful study and application, Mr. A can become an authority 

 on bees; if Mr. X can give us a piece of machinery that will do the 

 work of a hundred men better than they could do it; if you and I, 

 by using spare moments could fit ourselve® to enjoy life more, to 

 elevate ourselves and our calling, to be more of a success, to help to 

 nia»tcr and subdue nature, then would it not be incumbent upon us 

 to do our utmost to make these possibilities realities? 



But you say, ''The cases mentioned are exceptions." Very well; 

 since I belong to the very questionable class which is the cause of so 

 much trouble to some people, because the old-fashioned idea that 

 industry and the performance of duty ought to characterize us is 

 still thought to be correct, rather than the up-to-date idea, with 

 some people, that idleness, and a careless, irresponsible mode of life 

 lA to be preferred, I'll tell you of my experience in noting what people 

 may learn. 



While at school, I observed young men and women pursuing special 

 lines of study outside the regular course, and doing everything well. 

 I saw^ young men and women studying almost all subjects from the 

 commonest branches to the highest forms of mental and moral 

 science. To me the interesting part is that they were persons of 

 average intelligence. Yes, and in some instances, they were posi- 

 tively dull in nearly every respect. While on the other hand, here 

 and there was a fine intellect running wild. Pity the possessor of it. 

 Some day he will wake, as from a dream, and then in all likelihood 

 it will be too late. From my observation I am convinced that, bar- 

 ring a few people whom nature has slighted, any person can learn, 

 anything; that you and I may think the same thoughts that the truly 

 great men and women of the world have thought. But this is only 

 a fragment of knowledge. Let me know a little about mathematics, 

 reading and penmanship, and Iwould rather know all there is yet to 

 be learned about things in general than what has already been dis- 

 covered. Here then is our central thought — knowing. Why do we 

 want to know? Obviously because of use; and ornamental, progres- 

 sive and necessary are the words I have selected to qualify the word 

 use as applied to knowledge. 



Now ornament of any kind will do one of three things; it will 

 captivate the eye; conceal a defect; or sway the mind. An example 

 of the first may be discovered in the case of a beautiful woman, 

 elecrantlv dressed. Natural attractiveness is enhanced bv a use of 

 knowledge of the ornamental in dress. The second case may be 

 illustrated by the use of cosmetics; or by what we term a plain or 

 deformed person's dressing so as to have the plainness or deformity 

 concealed. The cultured Greeks hated ugliness, and so do we. 

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