GEORGE R. RUSSELL'S ADDRESS. 601 



the dark, dank face of nature to the breath and light of heaven. 

 It comes, Avith limbs accustomed to delve and burrow, to do the 

 rough work of this young country — to build her cities — to con- 

 struct her railroads and aqueducts — to level her hills, fill her 

 valleys, tunnel her mountains, span her rivers. It comes to 

 unfold the resources of this vast continent, to people its recesses 

 with active life, and to disturb the silence of its solitudes with 

 the hum of industry. It comes to carry out the designs of the 

 Creator, a predestinated agent to work His will and take its 

 allotted ])art in the great drama enacting on this new stage of 

 human destiny. Let Europe, then, pour out her population 

 upon us if she will. There is room for all. Room in the 

 primeval forest, on the boundless prairie, on farm and in work- 

 shop. Room in the schoolhouse, where the children of ig- 

 norance may be qualified for the duties and objects of life, 

 preparing for future usefulness by a process of regeneration that 

 sliall atone for the neglect and degradation of the past. With- 

 hold not from others the privileges we possess. They come as 

 our fathers came. Grudge them not a portion of this ample 

 inheritance, which is for all the sons and daughters of God 

 who need a home. 



There are obstacles to excellence in Massachusetts agricul- 

 ture, independent of any moral agency of the farmtn-, and 

 against which he can only oppose discretion and continual 

 watchfulness. Our climate barely allows sufficient space be- 

 tween seed time and harvest. Our northern winter lays his 

 cold hand upon the earth, and it is locked in such deep sleep 

 that the vernal sun can scarcely waken it. We botuid from 

 snow to scorching heat, having summer upon us while we are 

 yet expecting spring. Work, in all its variety, is crowded into 

 a period so limited, that one thing presses on another with dis- 

 couraging rapidity. Our rough soil, though requiring to be 

 coaxed by all the appliances our resources can muster, before 

 it can be prevailed upon to start a potato or push up a blade 

 of corn, yet manifests an amazing alacrity in producing weeds; 

 as though that were its legitimate occupation and it took pride 

 in doing it well. At last, when by perpetual entreaty and un- 

 remitted warfare, the right things grow, and the useless are re- 

 76 



