348 CHOOSING AMERICA OR BRITAIN. 



middle walks of life can keep their place without capital. 

 This is one of the many inconveniences attending a refined 

 state of society, and is more likely to increase than diminish 

 in Britain. In the remote parts of America wealth is not 

 idolized. The industrious youth may there follow any occu 

 pation without being looked down upon or sustain loss of 

 rank, and may rationally anticipate raising himself. The plain 

 style of buildings and household furnishings of such places are 

 favourable to young people, and in almost every particular 

 their situation may be said to be the reverse of what it is in 

 Britain. A young man without capital and of good character, is 

 almost sure to gain but cannot lose rank by emigrating to Ame 

 rica, and will rarely maintain his rank by remaining in Britain. 

 In judging then of the step of becoming an American agri 

 culturist, all may lay their account to undergo considerable 

 privations at first settlement, and lead a different life from the 

 farmers of East Lothian. The bountiful reward which indus 

 try receives soon enables good men to purchase land ; and it 

 is therefore often the unsteady and idle which hire themselves 

 to farmers. On this account, it will be necessary to work 

 personally, by way of example and active superintendence. 

 Right thinking people consider it no disgrace to labour in 

 any part of the world, and it is thought quite disreputable to 

 be idle in America. East Lothian farmers often toil mentally 

 without remuneration ; and the assurance that, while in Ame 

 rica, all the fruits of a person s own labour, assisted by gene 

 rous nature, accrues to himself, will nerve his arm and sweeten 

 his toil. The division of labour so beautifully effected in 

 some of the operations of East Lothian agriculture, and which 

 I may be permitted to call professional luxuries, cannot be 

 practised at present in America. The wooden dwelling-house 

 and barns will at first perhaps appear revolting, and may 

 induce some people to think, that, with the same privations 

 and sacrifices, they would have been enabled to have lived in 

 East Lothian. Such is not, however, the case ; because the 

 pressure on farmers arises from a competition of numbers, 

 which would be increased by lowering the standard of living ; 

 and the only result of such policy would be to raise the rent 

 of land, and degrade all engaged in farming. Let no one, 



