8 



the better land. If the feebleness of finite intellect 

 can ever approach to any remote conception of the 

 Divinity, of whose wisdom and benevolence the 

 course of nature is the dim revelation, it must be by 

 the contemplation of the order and harmony, visi- 

 ble evidence of his presence in the external world. 

 Coming to the fair fields where many able reap- 

 ers have already banded up the abundance of their 

 sheaves of golden grain, I can only hope to glean 

 the straws neglected by predecessors, whose sickles 

 gathered full harvests of wheat. To devote the 

 hour to the discussion of the character of deceased 

 evils, would waste the time of those who detected 

 and reformed errors. The explanation of amended 

 systems to the discoverers of improvements, would 

 not be profitable employment. To detail practical 

 operations, familiar to others in daily use, might 

 seem to be imitation of the ingenious persons who 

 treat of the peculiarities of breeds of cattle from ob- 

 servation of the deportment of the sober animal fil- 

 ling the milk pail of domestic economy and residu- 

 ary legatee of the few pet cabbages crowding about 

 the door step : or who grow profound in agriculture 

 by virtue of raising a beet and a turnip in two 

 earthen dishes : or comprehend the mysteries of the 

 varieties of fruits in consideration of the handful of 

 pears purchased at the market house. Dissertations 

 on theories would be impertinent before those whose 

 knowledge is derived from experience, the great 

 teacher, pouring on the world a flood of light to 

 extend the vision of the eye of observation. Com- 

 pelled to abandon the broad and beaten ways, it 

 only remains to explore some unfrequented by-paths, 



