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Ivjurij from destroying Blvdh. 



Vol.11 



land over which ho roams to lie tallow, only 

 iaecause io-norance has sealed to him the let- 

 ter aad effect of that revelation which de- 

 clares, "God formed man out of the dust of 

 the ground." The unfoldini^s of that revela- 

 tion, its diffusion, and the gradually increa- 

 sing light of its expanding beams, have been 

 ever the heralds, and cause of civilization, 

 and with this agriculture goes hand in hand. 

 The past, in all its manifold views and bear- 

 ings, gives the proof of experience to the re- 

 mark; futurity will sustain it by bringing to 

 pass the prophecy concerning Christianity and 

 t'ie effects of its spread, "they .shall beat their 

 swords into ploughshares, and their spears 

 into pruning-hooks." 



But agriculture is not only the most natu- 

 ral, it is also the most allurmg and pleasant 

 of the myriad pursuits of liumanity. The 

 variety of the apartments and furriiture of na- 

 ture, the glory of her colorings, the fragrance 

 of her odors, and the ever varymg hue and 

 aspect of her seasons, are the great fountains 

 ofa variety, without which the existence of a 

 changing and change-loving creature, would 

 be a terrible monotony. It is pleasant too to 

 plant in; hope, and to watch through years of 

 youth and bloom to decay. It is pleasant to 

 train the vine, to pluck its ripening clusters, 

 and to repose in the shade of its spreading 

 greenness. It is pleasant to anticipate through 

 winter, the flowers, the dew and the bright 

 sky of spring, It is delightful to view tlie 

 waving fields riy^^en unto the harvest. And 

 though in turning the rank and reeking soil 

 wo may remember with a sigh that we are 

 moving the wasted mould of many a one once 

 as free in thought and life as him who guides 

 the plough, the next flower that attracts the 

 eye will chide our useless melancholy. 



But we would not run wild with a general 

 view of a theme so enticing to thought and 

 fency; we would but pursue a branch, a single 

 small but imiwrtantand prolific brancli of this 

 extensive subject; one which, though in its 

 mention it may seem paltry and trifling, 

 richly deserves a discussion among other 

 branches which have received attention, to 

 the exclusion of this, only because they are 

 more superficially apparent. 



This subject naturally presents itself in the 

 two following divisions^— and they will em- 

 brace the consideration of the witole object 

 which we have in view. 1st. The intimate 

 connection which exists between the hiterests 

 of agriculture, and the increase and diminu- 

 tion of our indigenous birds, and the injury 

 resulting from their wanton and indiscrimina- 

 ting destruction. 2d. The best means of put- 

 ting an end tothisinjurv with its cause — and 

 as far as possible in the limited space which is 

 allowed us— we will endeavor to prove that 

 these topics are not by any mearis to be over- 



looked and slighted in the different views of 

 the general subject of agriculture. 



Tljose W'ho believingly adopt the atheist 

 theory ofa chance creation, must in consist- 

 ency discard tiiat ultimate doctrine of Chris- 

 tianity, that every thing however diminutive 

 it may be,.is-lbrmed tor some end. We are 

 glad thatwe ditler from them. We rejoice 

 in believing that every existence animate or 

 inanimate is a member of a vast and united 

 family of servants and worshippers, that no- 

 thing is formed in vain, that every atom has 

 its task to perform, aa surely as every spirit' 

 an account to render. Idleness is an unnatu- 

 ral word coined tb describe an unnatural pro- 

 pensity. In the wide sense of subservience 

 to a divine design, the world knows not the 

 term, nor the trait which it describes. There 

 is nothing idle, for good or for evil, for weal 

 or for woe, rearing or casting down, building, 

 or bringing to nought, for judgment or in 

 mercy, .creation is a vast and faithful agent,, 

 doing the biddings of an Almighty and Om- 

 nicient Governor. Our subject is intimately 

 connected with the idea, let us apply it more 

 practically. 



We think we may say, without fear of con- 

 tradiction, that none of the birds of the air, 

 not even those which are now most sought;, 

 for that purpose, were originally created ex>- 

 pressly for food,, and yet that' seems to be the 

 only light in which we regard them. Our 

 first parents and their posterity, till after the 

 flood had ravaged t!»e earth, and changed our 

 race and the laws of life and conduct under 

 which they were created, were forbidden to 

 eat of that which had life. The whole animal 

 kingdom was interdicted as food, a fact which 

 modern epicures may believe with wonder. 

 And even now, when by permission rather 

 than command, the primitive rule is abandon- 

 ed, and we destroy life toappease the crav ings 

 of hunger, thousands ofspecies, both of beasts 

 and birds, bear, whether rightly or through 

 mere caprice, the character of uncleanness. 

 Nay, even of those of the feathered creation, 

 which do not come under the latter class, a 

 vast number are too email and worthless to 

 be seriously sought tor as food, too diminutive 

 and paltry in appearance and availability as 

 condiicive to subsistence, to reward the la- 

 bors of those who would look to them for a 

 supply of their wants — unavailing as far as 

 any direct influence upon man is concerned 

 but to please his eye, and thrill his ear with 

 their melody, and yet it is with these smaller 

 members of the tribe that we have now, chief- 

 ]y, to do, in pursuing our subject. These di- 

 minutive and seemingly worthless, though 

 pretty creatures, are, strange as it may seem 

 to those who tliink that to kill them is so plea- 

 sant and agreeable a sport, of immense advan- 

 tage in the great' design and economy of na.- 



