100 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



warlike than an agricultural nation, that we endow a 

 "military school," to the entire neglect of an agricultural 

 one. Here, certainly is something wrong. "Something 

 must be done," — who will say, "something shall be 

 done," and make the first step towards it by printing 

 and sending a petition over the country for that pur- 

 pose? The little that can be, will continue to be done, 



by your friend, 



Solon Robinson. 1 



A Looking-Glass. 



[Albany Cultivator, 5:174-75; Dec, 1838 2 ] 



[October 12, 1838] 

 J. Buel, Esq. — Dear Sir — When I was a boy, I can 

 well remember how I used to be induced to wash my 

 smutty face, by having a looking-glass held before my 

 eyes. For the same purpose, I have extracted the fol- 

 lowing picture of "a farmer," from the writings of that 

 most eccentric and excellent writer, "Samuel Slick," 3 in 

 the hopes that if any of your readers should happen to 

 see any part of himself therein, that he will improve by 

 the view. Here it is. 



«* * * That critter, when he built that wrack of 

 a house, (they call 'em a half house here,) intended to 

 add as much more to it some of these days, and accord- 



1 Buel expressed his approval of Robinson's proposal as follows : 

 "The ardor and zeal displayed by our esteemed correspondent, in 

 his several communications, published in the Cultivator — directed, 

 as they are, to the substantial improvement of the mind and the 

 soil, are worthy of all praise. And he has given above unques- 

 tionable evidence of his sincerity, in the liberal offer he makes to 

 subserve these noble ends. The mind must be enlightened before 

 the soil can be improved. To second this generous proposal, we 

 promise to add $20 to each of the six awards proposed in the above 

 communication. How much will you add, philanthropic reader?" 



2 This article was reprinted in the Southern Cultivator of 

 Augusta, Georgia, July 19, 1843 (1:113-14). 



8 Samuel Slick, of Slickville, a Yankee clockmaker, used as a 

 character in the works of Thomas C. Haliburton. Introduced about 

 1835. 



