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from the places of idle resort which many of them so 

 unhappily frequent ; he sought higher enjoyments, a 

 Christian home, useful books, and good society. He had 

 an early thirst for knowledge; he read easily, rapidly, 

 with discrimination and reflection, and so remembered 

 what he read. He studied the book of nature, admiring- 

 it as the book of God, carefully observing the forms and 

 habits of beasts and birds and fishes and insects. He 

 treasured up his observations, and added to his stores 

 from books. It was his passion for natural history, that 

 seems to have led him to the choice of a farmer's life, 

 and to the studies that would best qualify him to pursue 

 it. His aim was not to be merely a farmer, but to carry 

 into the business of a farm, and the place in society 

 naturally connected with it, the varied and comprehen- 

 sive knowledge that would make both these pleasant, im- 

 proving and useful. For this purpose, he devoted his 

 winters to study, while his summers — some of them, 

 at least — were spent in the labors of a farm. Having 

 made a commendable proficiency in common learning 

 at home, he availed himself of some of the best advan- 

 tages abroad, in the study of the German and French 

 languages, of Chemistry and Natural and Moral philo- 

 sophy, of Astronomy, Law and Music, and this, while 

 he thought only of being a practical farmer ; and with 

 this prospect, he spent his nineteenth summer in the 



