1847.] The Farmer's Calling. 91 



Law and Order, and turned society upside down. I have read of 

 their rising against oppression. It was the farmers who achieved 

 our independence. It was a farmer who lead them on to victory. 

 When the great majority of the people have a right in the soil, 

 and work with their own hands, then you may be sure Law and 

 Order will prevail. Now, the more respectable you make a pro- 

 fession, the more will be willing to enter it. Hence, as I said, 

 the fact that the calling of the farmer stands higher in public 

 opinion is encouraging, for more will be farmers ; and the more 

 farmers, the better for the cause of good government. 



Why, I can remember the time when it was (in some places at 

 least) hardly considered respectable to be a farmer, especially if 

 one worked enough to brown and harden his hands. The time 

 was (and not a very great while ago) when our village girls 

 thought more of a man with white hands who stood behind a 

 broad board and measured off tape and ribbons, (and gave short 

 measure too) though he owed for the cloth on his back and the 

 making of it up ; I say the time was, when they thought a great 

 deal more of such a man than of the young sunburnt, hard-handed, 

 honest-hearted farmer who paid his debts and had something laid 

 up against a rainy day. But such ideas are a good deal changed. 

 Our young men have found that getting along without work is 

 harder than getting along with work ; and besides, a good many 

 men of first rate talents and learning have put their hands to the 

 plow and looked straight forward and held on ; so that now 

 very few are ashamed of the profession of the farmer." 



We commend the following remarks of the Judge to those who 

 sigh for the ease of a farmer's life. 



" When a profession comes to be popular, many will go into it 

 — many will go into it who understand very little about it. This 

 will be case the with farming ; such men must expect to make mis- 

 takes, and fail. It is very difficult for a man to succeed in any 

 thing, unless he knows something about it. If a man is going to 

 succeed in farming, I mean real farming ; for when a rich man 

 sees fit to buy land and lay out money upon it without expecta- 

 tion of profit, I do not call that farming, at any rate, it is not 

 farming for the people. I say if a man is going to succeed in 

 farming, there are three things which he must do ; there are oth- 

 er things that are important, but these three are indispensable — 

 first, he must work himself, second, he must work hard, and third 

 he must keep at it. 



There are but very few farms in this region which will keep a man 

 long unless he works with his own hands ; and there are but few 

 men who will keep a farm long unless they work with their own 

 hands. If a man has a fortune that has fell to him, or that he has 

 made in trading, he may own a farm and lay out his money upon 



