THE PLEASURES OF AVORK. 



something resembling this is undoubtedly one of the 

 sources of much healthy enjoyment. Shew me a person 

 who does like work, of whatever nature, mental or mechani- 

 cal, who puts his heart and his mind into it, and who is 

 not satisfied unless he has done it as well as he can, and I 

 will shew you a happy man. 



So, among the many advantages a garden brings with it 

 the gratification of this healthy love of work is not the 

 least ; where this love is not, the sooner it is acquired the 

 better^ and few pursuits help on the acquisition so well as 

 gardening. If it extends from this pleasant occupation to 

 more serious and naturally irksome work, so much the 

 better. The same rule applies to dull, dry, uninteresting 

 work of every kind. The true plan for making it pleasant 

 is to endeavour to do it (whatever it is) as perfectly as 

 possible. No one was ever yet interested in work who 

 did it any way ; for not only is the result of such care- 

 less labour most unsatisfactory, so that it is often labour 

 lost, but the work itself is insuff"erably tedious. But set 

 to with a will, resolve and endeavour to do it neatly 

 and completely, to make your work look well, to make it 

 finished work, and, whether you will or not, you will feel 

 an interest in it while doing it, and a pleasure in contem. 

 plating it when done, utterly unknown to the slovenly 

 worker. 



" In all labour there is profit." It may be added, that in 

 almost all labour there may be pleasure, if we d(j it well and 

 are not overtasked, for then, alas, 



" Labour dire it is and weary woe." 



