Varikty in the Fabmer's Culture. 487 



perceive that tlie calling amid wliicli tliej were born is not 

 all toil and no bliss. It is demonstrated to them as hon- 

 orable and beneficial, possibly, in every way, not a system 

 of constraint or unholy slavery of body, mind or affection. 



Society receives needed assistance from the cultured 

 farmer. He can mingle with the best and hold his place 

 among them. He can join his sympathies with those not 

 so favored as himself. He can talk farm matters, and 

 also something else. He can appreciate a literary effort, a 

 mechanical design, a new discovery, a national revolution, 

 and often the beautiful as well as the good, in song, or 

 harmony, or the other fine arts. Again, the town or State 

 or nation has a use for all the farmers of a liiwh and varied 

 culture. Places wait in the community and commonwealth 

 for such persons. They may serve the people while they 

 still cling to the farm. Or they may leave the farm for a 

 time to serve, and then to return again, and all the while 

 honor their calling and further its true interests. We are 

 a peculiar nation. Some of our best citizens go from the 

 fields to the high otficial seats and think they do them no 

 dishonor, and oftentimes at length step from these seats to 

 the field and think they do themselves no disgrace. And, what 

 is better, their fellow citizens are of the same mind. What- 

 ever the farmer may think of the professions, the profes- 

 sions, as a rule, think well of the farmer, and honor his 

 worth wherever and whenever it is well shown. 



One more benefit in a varied culture is its comfort in 

 advanced life. The professions natm'ally bring into the mind 

 a variety of topics. The merchant of wide experience becomes 

 acquainted with a broad range of facts. When these men 



