204 



NEW ENGJLAND FARMER. 



[Jan. 2«» 



AH ADDIRESS, 



Delirered at Concord, before the Society of Middlesex 

 Husbandmen ;ind Manufaclurers, October 5, IS'io ; 

 byRev. CHARf,r.-i riUfJGS. 



The cnltivalioii ol ihe earlh w;is tho (irsl em- 

 ployment oT man ; and was flesig-ned by the Cre- 

 ator to be the pursuit of a large portion of the 

 Jiuman race. Agriculture i? Ihe most important 

 of the art?. We arc indebted to it for food and 

 raiment, for the necessaries, the coml'orts, and 

 the luxuries of life. It calls into being, it oj-ig- 

 ■inalcs most of the materials, that arc used by 

 the mechanic and the raanufactnroi', and may, 

 in a peculiar sense, be called a creative art. In- 

 deed, in whatever light ne consider it, it is a 

 subject highly interesting to every class of so- 

 ciety. 



It is important in a physical point of view. — 

 Constituted as vje are, exercise is indisirens.-.ble 

 to liiSallh ; and the curse that ivas pronounced 

 upon our disobedient jirogenitor, that he should 

 obtain his subsistence by the sweat of his brow, 

 is, to his posterity, among the greatr't of their 

 Mossing-!. And what employment is so condu- 

 cive to health and longevity as that of cultivat- 

 ing the earth? Who roli-hes his daily food; 

 ^vho enjoys refreshing slumbers, and rejoices in 

 his strength, like the temperate f.irnier ? Be- 

 tween those who are nursed in the efleminate 

 habits of a city life, and those who are nurtur- 

 ed amid the toil and exposure of agricultural 

 pursuits, there is as much difference, as there is 

 between the delicate and sickly plants of the 

 green-house, and the sturdy oaks of the moun- 

 tain, that bid defiance to the tempest and the 

 storm. 



Agriculture is important, too, in a political 

 point of view. It is the great and primary 

 source of human subsistence ; and is the best 

 foundation of national greatness and power. — 

 The yeomanry are the strength and safeguard 

 of almost every nation. The love of country, 

 the fire of patriotism, burns in no bosoms so in- 

 tensely, as in theirs. Men of other pursuits and 

 callings may feci a strong attachment to the 

 land of their birth; but their attachment is not 

 like hi«, who cultivates the soil. In times of 

 public emergency, they can, with less inconve- 

 nience and with fewer sacrifices, turn their 

 backs upon their native land, and look to other 

 rour.lries for safely and subsistence. The farm- 

 er never turns his back. The lies that bind him 

 to the soil, are indissoluble. When danger a[> 

 proachcs; « hen his country is invaded and 

 threatened with ruin, he feels that his paternal 

 i'.iheritancc, the spot endeared by his labors,and 

 by ten tlKiusand interesting associations, his 

 whole means of subsistence, all that is most dear 

 to him, arc exposed. He identities his posses- 

 bions with his country ; for which ho has the 

 .strongest attachment, and in whose defence the 

 strongest arm. It is he, that amid a nation'.s 

 struggle, will fight most »aliantly for his altars 

 and his home, and strike the deadliest blow upon 

 (he enemies of his freedom. This truth was 

 strikingly demonstrated by your iieroic fathers, 

 nn the memorable 19th of Ajiril and IVtii of 

 ,lune, '-the limes that tried men's souls." It 

 was, indeed, our brave patriotic yeomanry, who, 

 with giant strength, met the invaders of our] 

 bind, and won our independence. 



Agriculture is important, likewise, in a moral 

 point of view. Nations (bat have been the most ' 



j agricultural, have commonly been llie most vir- 

 ) tuous. He, who cultivates the earth, is remov- 

 i cd tVom a variety of temi'ilations, to which those, 

 in many other situations and pursuits, are ex- 

 posed His habits of industry, his freedom from 

 excessive ambition, the calm and peacel'ul char- 

 acter of his labors, are all so many guardians of 

 his virtue and innocence. It has been said that,- 



" God made the country, and man tlie town." 



And it must be acknowledged, that the objects 

 of nature are more calcubited to produce a re- 

 ligious effect upon the mind, than those of art. 

 The splendid jialace and the lofty spire do not 

 lead Ihe thoughts of men directly to the great 

 Author of all things. While, with natural ob- 

 jects we readily associate the idea of Ihe Crea- 

 tor. When we walk abroad among the works 

 of nature; when ive repair to her retired groves 

 and deep solitudes, we seem to hear the voice 

 and feel Ihe presence of Divinity. It would 

 seem as if he, who tills the earth, whose pros- 

 pects from year to year are immediately con- 

 nected with the changes of the seasons, must a- 

 bove all others, feel a deep sense of his depend- 

 ence upon an overruling providence. Ills du- 

 ties call him daily to the retirement and still- 

 ness of the field, wiierc every thing around him 

 invites to meditation, and directs h;m to " look 

 through nature up to nature's God.'' 



The cultivation of the earth is a pursuit par- 

 ticularly favourable to human happiness. The 

 blessings of life are, il is Iruo, more equally dis- 

 tributed among mankind, than is commonly suji- 

 [losed. Still, if there be a condition, which has 

 more than an equal pro|ior1ion of them,il is that 

 of the farm.'^r. I have no hesitation in saying, 

 that in no situation are there so few evils, so 

 many of the substantial comforts and real enjoy- 

 ments of life, as in his Kejoice, then, ye who 

 cultivate the soil, rejoice in your happy lot ; 

 and be grateful to ail bounteous Heaven for your 

 distinguished blessings. 



The limits of this Address will not admit of 

 my entering much into the history of Agricul- 

 ture. Suffice it to p.ay, that it has been a source 

 of national wealth and power from the remotest 

 antiquity — that it decl.ned with most of the an- 

 cient slates and 'nations — \vas made a subject of 

 political interest at Rome, vvhere it was patron- 

 ized by her statesmen, and called forth the 

 I)raiscs of her poets — that il was involved in Ihe 

 destruction of that em(ure ; and during those 

 ages of darkness, that long and gloomy night, 

 that brooded over all Europe, the natural vvas 

 almost as barren, as the intellectual and moral 

 world. 



With the revival of learning and tlie arts in 

 F.uropc, agriculture becan to be an object of at- 

 tention; but its progress was slow and interrujit- 

 ed, and it was a long time belbrc it was studied 

 much as a science. 



In England, it was much neglected till the 

 Hill century, and, strange as it may seem, re- 

 ceived no public patronage, till the close of Ihe 

 last cenl\iry ; when a national board of agricul-' 

 lure was established. This was a new era in 

 Ihe agricultural history of thai nation. Since 

 that time, by individual and public exertions, t 

 hut particularly by the influence of this nation- 

 al board, England has carried the science of 

 husbandry to greater perlection, than any other 

 nation. Agricultural .Associations are now es- 

 tablished in every part gf Europe. And their 



effecis have been truly astonishing. Where, 

 before, was barrenness and de-^olalion, are now 

 seen fruitful fields and luxuriant vineyards; and 

 the whole I'ace of nature seems regenerated, is 

 covered with new verdure, and clothed with 

 new richness and beauty. 



And no less apparent are Ihe beneficial effects 

 of such associations, Ihroughout Ihe United 

 Slates. They have enlisted in ihcir cause Ihe 

 wealth, learning and talents of the nation. — 

 They have awakened new interest, and insjiir- 

 ed new enterprise and zeal on the subjects of 

 agricullure and manufactures, and led lo improv- 

 ed niPlhods of cultivating the soil, and conduct- 

 ing the mechanic nris— and they deserve Ihe 

 enrourageiiient of all. who wish "well to their 

 country and their fellow men, — of the patriot, 

 the statesman and the pliilantliroi)ist. 



The [irejudiccs, tliHt once existed ng.iinst 

 these societies, are fast wearing away. They 

 are now known by their fruits; and their Im- 

 portance is generally acknoivledged, even bv' 

 the most bigoted adorers of ancient usage. 



In this wonder-working age, so many new 

 discoveries have been made, and so man3' valu- 

 able improvements brought to light, that men 

 begin strongly lo suspect ihe infallibility of the 

 "good old way," and are not afraid lo step a- 

 sidefrom the path of their fatl-.ets. Some, how- 

 ever, are nut much pleased with all these mod- 

 ern changes and innovations ; particularly the 

 ajed. They have, in fact, been » good deal 

 tried and afflicted by various revolutions of eiis- 

 totn, and new modes of lite Ihou-b whirh they 

 have had lo pass. To their no smill grief, they 

 have seen their comforts, one after another tak- 

 en from them. In former days, when they would 

 ride abroad, there were convenient steps lo 

 bring a horse to ; but, in these degenerate 

 times, and when loo they never so much need- 

 ed them, these steps musl all be demolished.— 

 Then, they couhl ride quietly and silently to 

 meeting, with their good wiies behind Ihe/n; 

 who, whatever might have been their leelings 

 at other times, musl now extend their friendly 

 hands, and manifest a strong ctluclunent. 



But, in this age, that friendly mode of riding 

 is quite r.nknown ; and they tjiusl ride in those 

 noisy, rattling, 67. Viuis's u-agons, more tremu- 

 lous than the most palsied limbs of decre (litude; 

 when, if their hearing were good, there could 

 be no conversation without obtruding upon the 

 public their private concerns, and distui lung Ihe 

 whole country. Once, they enjoyed Ihe ciiecr- 

 lul winter's liresidc ; when the fireplace was so 

 ample and commodious, as lo admit, along one 

 of its sides, a convenient seat for Ihe children. 

 But, in |irocess of lime, modern wisdom must 

 needs drive all the family oul- into the room ; 

 make an oven on one side, and a ivood closet on 

 the other; and thus reiluce Ihe fire-place lo al- 

 most nothing. Here, they believed, this spirit 

 of innovation would stop. This seemed to I hem 

 to be the e.vtent of human folly. And they be- 

 gan, at length, in some measure, lo be reconcil- 

 ed to the contracted prospect before them. But 

 their trials were not yet at an end. Tliev were 

 not long permitted to sit by a fire-place of any 

 kind. It must now be entirely closed up witli 

 brick aud mortar; and instead of Ihe cheerful 

 fire, upon which the eye loves to muse, they 

 must see before them a dark, gloomj-, unsocia- 

 ble, uncongenial, and, as they believe, unhealthy, 

 {latent stove; a dismal urn, that tells but of 



