HINDRANCES AND HELPS 



people to the Legislature,— he, poor fellow, 

 does not pass ten days under the fingers of the 

 lobbyists, but he sinks into the veriest dribblet 

 of a politician; and gives the last proof of it, 

 by making a pompous speech on "Federal Re- 

 lations," — not worth the carcass of a ewe lamb. 



Under these conditions, any new and valu- 

 able methods of farm-produce do not spread 

 with any rapidity; they hobble lamely over 

 innumerable flanking walls. It is possible they 

 may get an airing in the agricultural journals ; 

 but good and serviceable as these journals are, 

 their statements do not influence, like personal 

 communications. Reforms want the ring of 

 spoken words, and some electric social chain 

 traversing a whole district, and flashing with 

 neighborly talk. 



The man of education, giving himself over 

 to the retirement of a farm life, will find this 

 isolation, sooner or later, grating sorely. 

 Whatever love of the pursuit — its cares, indul- 

 gences, attractions, successes — may engross 

 him, a certain attrition with the world is as 

 necessary to his mental health, and briskness 

 of thought — as a rubbing-post for his pigs. 

 He may let himself off in newspapers, or he 

 may thumb his library and the journals, but 

 these offer but dead contact, and possess none 



279 



