47 THE LETTER THAT 



PROMPTED THIS BOOK 



more favorable to general education. It is my 

 opinion that education comes more from read- 

 ing, reflecting and the observation of nature than 

 from mingling with crowds. The farmer has 

 more opportunity to read and reflect, and less 

 opportunity to talk, and consequently learns 

 more than the average city dweller, whose mind 

 is confused by conflicting ideas and schemes and 

 whose time is spent in the hunt for amusement. 

 The children could learn more where they could 

 read, but where they would see less of the " high " 

 life and degrading low morality of big city life, 

 and be the better for it in after years. 



WHO SHOULD GO BACK TO THE FARMS? 



One of the most potent reasons that makes 

 this a particularly good time to promote a vigor- 

 ous increase of rural settlement, is the present 

 high cost of living in the city and the destitution 

 among the poor, ill-clad and ill-fed city workers. 



But who shall go? There are thousands even 

 of the most careful and industrious men and 

 women in the cities now, who are making a bare 

 living and nothing more; and who have always 



