THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



351 



young men also to the habit of manual labour, sufficient to 

 understand what labour really is, and to acquire u prac- 

 tical knowledge of the dillerent operations of the farm. 

 I think it well that young men should bear the yoke in 

 their youth, and 1 give it as my experience that such a 

 practical acquaintance with labour jiroves of infinite 

 service throughout life. It is a splendid thing to be 

 trained to labour, both mentally and bodily ; also to 

 spend with caution, and to act with care. Much more 

 could T say upon habit — upon the habit of thought, the 

 habit of observation, and the like — but I trust we shall 

 hear no more the common cry of " what can I do ?" or 

 " 1 have no chance." Every young man with health and 

 strength may succeed in life if he will ; but his success 

 must be the fruit of education, training, and discipline ; 

 and if he neglects these necessary means to an end, he 

 will probably go by the wall. I don't call being born 

 with a silver spoon in one's mouth success ; and I don't 

 call living on the leavings of a parent or a friend suc- 

 cess. Eut I call that success which is earned by in- 

 dustry, ability, tact, and perseverance ; and I had 

 rather have the chances of many a man without a six- 

 pence in the world, possessing these qualifications, than 

 I would the chances of another reared to nonentity and 

 in habits of extravagance, though possessing thousands 

 of pounds. Young men of England, look to it that 

 your education is right, your training right, your own 

 self-culture right ; and with such a commencement 

 success in the battle of life is more than half ensured or 

 secured. Above all, rely upon yourselves, cultivate the 

 quiet assurance you can overcome every obstacle, that 

 you arc equal to every emergency ; but see that the 

 result equals your convictions, or conceit will prove 

 your shame instead of competency your praise. We 

 speak of patronage ; but who can patronize a fool ? We 

 speak of friends ; but who, in a business point of view, 

 can befriend the incompetent ? The world ^\ill look to 

 worth and ability ; and in every case it is upon men so 

 qualified the world bestows its premiums. Who has 

 a situation to offer, and does not look about him for 

 the best man ? Who has a farm to let, and does not 

 search for the best tenant ? The world, from self- 

 interested motives, will befriend the competent, while it 

 throws men of incapacity to the dogs. And who does 

 not know that there are more good situations in life than 

 men qualified to fill them, and more good opportunities 

 than men qualified to embrace them ? I make the allu- 

 sion with extreme diffidonce ; but in my own case, gen- 

 tlemen, I have known what it is to start in life without 

 two ten-pound notes in my pocket to keep each other 

 company. I have known what it is to fight my way in 

 the world ; and though I have had many a kind friend 

 to whom to be grateful, I have had a taste of the 

 disadvantages and the difficulties of life. They are ex- 

 cellent discipline ; and to show young men there is 

 something in self-reliance, I tell them plainly I would 

 start again to-morrow without a sixpence in my purse, 

 without a murmur and without regret. Further, to 

 show the power of self-reliance, I know young men who 

 were so reduced in circumstances by the depression 

 consequent upon the repeal of the corn-laws, that they 



seriously contemplated an assignment of their affairs 

 into their creditors' hands ; yet these very men, by dint 

 of courage, tact, and perseverance, though possessing at 

 that time scarce a pound they could call their own, yet 

 these very men have so jjushed out hither and thither, 

 have so doubled their resources, and redoubled thdr 

 exertions, that they have now thousands of pounds in- 

 stead of a few pence, with which to bless themselves. 

 What others have done others may do ; but young men 

 must remember " life is earnest, life is real ;" and they 

 must learn to trust to their own strength, to labour, and 

 to wait. I have spoken upon the education of boys at 

 school, of the education of young men, and the disci- 

 pline of habit after leaving school, and I now come to 

 the last portion of my subject, viz., the introduction of 

 the young farmer to life — his commencement in business. 

 I am no advocate for young men sticking at home and 

 being tied to their mother's apron-strings ; but, as soon 

 as qualified by stability of character and soundness of 

 judgment — and the sooner qualified the better — let them 

 commence business on their own account. By all means 

 have them do something in some way to advance their 

 own individual interests. If young men commence with 

 capital, let it be with a moderate amount, barely equal 

 to their actual requirements, for a superfluity of the 

 needful never teaches the real value of money — and to 

 teach the worth of the one pound sterling is highly es- 

 sential in the opening of H'e. A few judicious mone- 

 tary difficulties, in cutting one's way and in making ends 

 meet, will do a young man no harm ; difficulties are 

 excellent tutors of calculation ard careful outlay ; 

 whilst the necessity for industry compels to exertion, 

 and prevents many a foolish extravagance. If parents 

 are so situated that they cannot afford to give their sons 

 capital, it is doubly essential a father should early insist 

 upon a son turning out in the world, and working his 

 own way. If there is no capital in the purse, there 

 ought at least to be capital in the head, and young men 

 of character, even in this competitive age, may succeed 

 by trying. But young men must try : they cannot suc- 

 ceed by inaction. There is nothing like working one's 

 own resources, and having individual responsibility for 

 progress. In the matter of a farm there is a great deal 

 in a good start. If a young man wants a business so 

 much or wants a cage for a lady-bird so badly that he 

 is induced to pay a rental for a farm exceeding by 10 or 

 20 per cent, its annual value, he has no one to blame 

 but himself. If a young man lays out his money in 

 permanent improvements, upon bad security, or upon 

 no security at all, he has no one to blame but himself. 

 Rotten props will let down men as well as buildings. I 

 see great mistakes are made in attempting too large a 

 business upon inadequate means. Now, though it is all 

 very fine to be thought a great man in a small way, yet 

 it is most undesirable to half-stock and h.-ilf-farm any 

 land. I do not object to a young man borrowing a 

 small proportion of his capital at a reasonable rate of 

 interest, but I know of no greater folly than attempting 

 to farm 500 acres of land with capital barely sufficient 

 for 300 acres. For profit and comfort there must be 

 sufficient capital. Of course, let every young man 



