172 HOW TO GET A FARM, 



ture, and subjugating it to man s uses, the capitalist shrinks 

 into insignificance beside the man of the strong arm and 

 the sharp axe. But as soon as population approaches 

 density, capital vaults into the saddle, and labor must ride 

 on the crupper. In society, as at present developed, espe 

 cially in the old world, a man who has nothing but ordi 

 nary unskilled labor to offer in the market, finds that, 



&quot; To beg, or to borrow, or to get one s own 

 Tis the very worst world that ever was known. 



&quot; Wages would seem to be regulated by the cost of the 

 things supposed to be necessary to support life ; and he who 

 would save a portion of his earnings, must reduce his ex 

 penditures for living to a very low standard. Nevertheless, 

 there are many well authenticated instances of men who, 

 even in the old world, accumulated some capital from the 

 proceeds of day labor, and eventually became wealthy. 

 How much may be accomplished by an indomitable will 

 a resolute determination to overcome all obstacles Foster 

 has illustrated in his &quot; Essay on Decision of Character.&quot; 

 He refers to a young man who, having expended a large 

 fortune in prodigality, sat down on the brow of an eminence 

 overlooking what were lately his estates, and there resolved 

 that all these estates should be his again. 



&quot; He had formed his plan, too, which he instantly began 

 to execute. He walked hastily forward, determined to 

 seize the very first opportunity, of however humble a kind, 

 to gain any money, though it were never so despicable a 

 trifle, and resolved absolutely not to spend, if he could help 

 it, a farthing of whatever he might obtain. The first thing 

 that drew his attention was a heap of coals, shot out of a 

 cart on a pavement before a house. He offered himself to 

 shovel or wheel them into the place where they were to 

 be laid, and was employed. He received a few pence for 



