144 THE RUPvAL SOCRATES. 



^^ from the fummcr f — * M/ children could little com- 

 ' prehcnd that conPcant labor gives health and force, 



* and that want of occupation and indolence deprives us 

 ' of thefe. But what particularly increafed their diP 

 *• content w^as, the tone of raillery v/ith which our neigh- 



* bors fpoke of our work : " Of what ufs (exclaimed 

 *' thefe people) are iheje heaps cf /and: is he ^oing to 

 *'^ turn his fields into defarts*^ f and fo on. Hence I 



* had need of all my paternal authority to keep my 



* children to labors, which they held not only as ufelefs, 



* but even mifchievous. (p. 23.) But at length the rich 

 ' harvefts with which Providence biefled us, forced 



* them to confefs, that I had faid nothing which was not 



* both trufe and ufefuL They now enjoy the bed health 



* and remarkable ftrength. They acknowledge that 



* they do their duty to God, when they fulfil the-duties 



* of their flation, and when they work with zeal and 

 ^ judgment. They defpife the hypocritical difcourfes 



* of the idle, who after crofTing their hands, expcd: in 

 '• that flate the divine blefling ; madly flattering them- 



* felves that they fliall dcferve it folely by prayers which 



* they do not underftand, and by frequenting church or 

 *- reading books of devotion/ 



Tlie author's companions reprcfent'ed toKliyogg, that 

 it was nevertheiefs proper to allov/ to his children fome 

 lei Cure and recreation. — But Khyogg replied, ' I pro- 

 ^ cure for them, as often as poUIble, the joy which ac- 



* companies the view of the blcilings fnowered upon us 



* byProvidence. (p. 24.) Every hai'veft I hire a violin- 

 •^ player, who amufes us while we arc at w^ork, and with 

 ^ whom we often fing with enthufiafm one of the pfaims 

 ^ of king David; feeling, ourielves, joyous as Kings, and 

 ^ ravillied with the goodneis of our Creator.* — ' This is 

 ^ all well (laid they ;) but young people demand other 

 ^ recreations : and, in particular, on feflival-days they 

 ^ require to be amuied with their companions.' — * As 



* to fcfUval days, ((aid Kliyogg,) we employ them in 

 '^ going to hear a icrr.ion, in finging hymns, in talking 



*- upon 



