Addrefs to the Society* 49 



celeftial manfions by any other path. How much then is it to 

 be lamented that indolence or purfuits of Httle moment, 

 withdraw the attention of men whofe lights, whofe talents 

 for obfervation, and whofe fortunes enable them to be ufeful 

 not only to the community of which they are members, but 

 to mankind at large, not to their cotemporaries only, but to 

 future generations : — One great caufe of the negledt of 

 Agriculture in men of the charadler I have mentioned, is a 

 mifplaced ambition which generally feizes upon them at the 

 very period of life at which they are beft fitted for agricultural 

 purfuits. Youth has too many avocations, and is too unfteady 

 to purfue the flow progrefs of experiments, and the decrepitude 

 of old age deprives it of the flrength and aftivity neceflary 

 in rural oeconomy ; it is the feafon of life in which we may 

 enjoy the fedate pleafures of the country, but not undergo 

 its toils. The middle age, when the effervefcence of youth 

 is over, when the body retains its flrength, and the mind 

 enjoys its greateft vigour, is the period befl adapted to the 

 ufefui labours of Agriculture ; but unfortunately this is alfo 

 the age of ambition which hurries us away from the peaceful 

 path, where every flep is flrewed with flowers, to lofe ourfelves 

 in the endlefs mazes of politics. And yet if ambition is the 

 love of fame, how much are we deceived by purfuing it in 

 this rough and thorny track ? The little politics of our town, 



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