8 



up, giving it a gentle shake, separating with her fingers the forming 

 candles which had stuck together, then placing it on the chair turned 

 down for that purpose. It was in this way the farm produced the 

 candles that lighted the world ; but now — we dip the wick in the 

 lightning, and thus we 



" Ring out the old, ring iu the new," 



Ring out the dark, ring in the light ; 



Ring out the wrong, ring in the right, 



" Ring out the false, ring in the true." 



But you say, farmers still make tallow candles ; yes, but I would 

 advise you to sell your tallow and buy kerosene as a matter of econ- 

 omy, and sell the tallow to be converted into beeswax, or into oleo- 

 margarine, providing* you have an easy-going conscience. 



But it should not be forgotten that all progress is achieved by 

 beating up against inertia, or opposing forces. All life is a battle 

 and progress is the survival of the fittest. It seems almost cruel, 

 while it is amusing, that the child must learn to walk by much falling 

 and tumbling, and learn the lesson while enduring many bruises. 

 But such is life. Nature throws us back upon our own mettle ; so 

 that what we become and yet may be part of ourselves and not some- 

 thing borrowed, or something bestowed upon us as a gratuity or 

 charity. Such is law, that in our getting is our becoming. In our 

 work we acquire our character. A man of not much character may 

 unfold the principles of nautical science ; but the captain on the 

 bridge and the pilot at the helm in the midst of the storm or confla- 

 gration, or in the midst of the breakers, sternly and bravely and 

 calmly applying the principles of science, facing danger and over- 

 coming obstacles, reveal character , the admiration of all. 



And no less is the farmer in a condition to win character. By 

 blight, mildew, drought, tempest, floods, winds, insects, grubs, rocks, 

 sand, blue clay, hardbacks, Canada thistles, murrain, glanders, ill 

 adaption of crop to soil, — to the season, — to climate ; — the ill adap- 

 tation of the fertilizer to the crop and to the soil, bad implements, 

 bad markets ; — by meeting all these difficulties and overcoming them, 

 the accomplished farmer is made, and where you have made such a 

 farmer, you have made a man ; and the man is infinitely above that 

 which he gathers into the barn and granary, or into the iron safe. 



' ' The rank is but the guinea stamp — 

 The man's the gowd for a' that. 

 What though on hamely fare we dine, 



Wear hoddin-grey, and a' that ? 

 Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine ; 



