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PHASES OF FARM LIFE 



I" HAVE thought that a good test of civiliza- 

 - J - tion, perhaps one of the best, is country life. 

 Where country life is safe and enjoyable, where 

 many of the conveniences and appliances of the 

 town are joined to the large freedom and large bene- 

 fits of the country, a high state of civilization pre- 

 vails. Is there any proper country life in Spain, 

 in Mexico, in the South American States? Man 

 has always dwelt in cities, but he has not always 

 in the same sense been a dweller in the country. 

 Rude and barbarous people build cities. Hence, 

 paradoxical as it may seem, the city is older than 

 the country. Truly, man made the city, and after 

 he became sufficiently civilized, not afraid of soli- 

 tude, and knew on what terms to live with nature, 

 God promoted him to life in the country. The 

 necessities of defense, the fear of enemies, built the 

 first city, built Rome, Athens, Carthage, Paris. 

 The weaker the law, the stronger the city. After 

 Cain slew Abel he went out and built a city, and 

 murder or the fear of murder, robbery or the feal 

 of robbery, have built most of the cities since. 

 Penetrate into the heart of Africa, and you will 



