FAEMERS' INSTITUTES. 323 



sheep luTsbandry and manufactures. Shenstome, in his "Eural Elegance," 

 exhorts to an appreciation of the beauties of nature as tliey surround the far- 

 mer. Dodsley wrote a jDoem on ''Agriculture" proper, and Wm. Mason pic- 

 tured "The English Garden" in a way to gain some credit for his knowledge 

 and his gifts. Ambrose Phillips devotes most of his poetry to country life in 

 all its phases, even the humblest, saying by way of preface, ''To view a fair, 

 stately palace strikes us indeed with admiration, and swells the soul with emo- 

 tions of grandeur ; but when I see a little country dwelling advantageously 

 situated amidst a beautiful variety of hills, meadows, fields, woods, and rivulets, 

 I feel an unspeakable sort of satisfaction, and cannot forbear wishing my kinder 

 fortune would place me in such retirement." His poetry breathes throughout 

 this same full zeal for country life and manners. "The Farmer's Boy" of 

 Kobert Bloomfield, and the "Village Minstrel" of John Clare, though not 

 exactly in form of treatises on farming, so abound in minute pictures of farm 

 life and manners as to answer the same purpose. 



These two farm lads turned poets did for English country life what Allan 

 Kamsey, and Eobert Burns, two other farmer poets, have done for the Scotch, — 

 gave the glow of their enthusiasm to common things. Just hear a word from 

 Bloomfield : 



" The farmer's life displays in every part, 

 A moral lesson to the sensual heart. 

 Though in the lap of plenty, thoughtful still. 

 He looks beyoiul the present good or ill, 

 Nor estimates alone one blessing's worth, 

 From changeful seasons or capricious earth. 

 But views the future with the present hours, 

 And looks for failures as he looks for showers." 



Thus he extols the thrifty farmer's foresight, and follows with descriptions 

 of the turnip sower watching the clouds that shall water his ground to insure a 

 crop, of the wheat ear gradually developing and changing its color till ripe for 

 the harvest, of the "sweeping scythe" and "sturdy mower" through the joy- 

 ful hurry of haying. All this is more usefnl than a scientific treatise, if it 

 makes a man love his work. 



This leads us gradually into writings of another class, not intended to give 

 direct lessons in either the art or the morals of farming, yet perhaps even more 

 effective in lifting into notice and interest the home life, and hence the thrift of 

 the farm. When our Saviour wished to send his message of love to all hearts, 

 he did it by linking the thoughts of his followers to the every day affairs of 

 life. He leads us to the wheat field and the meadow, and the fisherman's net ;. 

 to the sparrows, the lilies, and the grain of mustard seed. In the same way 

 the English poets have sought their illustrations from common life, and have- 

 found the country Avith its wholesome surroundings of a pure and lovely nature- 

 the best for their purposes. Hence you can scarcely turn the pages of a single 

 13oet without glimpses all along of the innate respect he has for the thoughts- 

 which the farmer's life encourages. ]^ow and then you find one whom the 

 fashionable life of his particular age seems to have weaned almost entirely from 

 mother earth ; but to the most, the smell of the green leaves and the babbling of 

 the brooks are a never ending enticement back to nature, that cannot be resisted. 

 So we have those abundant and appreciative references to rural life, — its cares- 

 aud its joys, — to farm methods and experiences which tell of faith, of hope, of 

 liberty and trust to country Avealth in broad acres, varied influences, stock of 

 cattle, sheep, and swine ; and in bounteous stores in barn, cellar and pantry ;. 

 finally to the stalwart virtues of honesty and independence, fair dealing and 



