48 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



acter making the farmer distinct, peculiar, individual — that 

 instinct quickened hj the business of the farm, by broad fields 

 and the overarching sky, is lost here among our New England 

 yeomanry. I cannot believe that " the farmer's life is no bet- 

 ter than a street sweeper, if it rise no higher than the farmer's 

 work ; " for the farmer's work has a superiority in all its rela- 

 tions, a connection with the condition of mankind, a high 

 estate in the scale of society, which no drudgery can depress. 

 And I do not believe that the farmer is compelled to " appre- 

 hend that his farm has higher uses for him than those of feeding 

 his person and his purse," in order to fulfil all his duties, and 

 to keep himself up to the standard appointed to him in his 

 social and civil relations. AVhoever expects the business of 

 farming in its details, in buying and selling, in planting, plough- 

 ing, reaping, digging, to be different from actual business in 

 other branches, needs only a short life on a farm in order to 

 discover his error. And whoever expects to drive the agricul- 

 tural population of New England from the high position belong- 

 ing to them by reflecting upon their daily toil, cannot compre- 

 hend the true genius of their occupation, nor the spirit of calm 

 content and substantial virtue which belongs to a farming 

 community. No degradation of labor has yet befallen us. 

 And any analogy drawn between the rural population of New 

 England, either in reference to their present condition or to 

 their future possibilities, with the half-starved and squalid 

 classes abroad, whom want, for generations has degraded, has 

 yet to learn the first lesson in the study of New England 

 character. 



But when I hear it said, moreover, that in. the farming homes 

 of New England there is but one room in which the family live, 

 spend their evenings, " and cook everything for themselves and* 

 their hogs ; " when I hear it said that the sons of our farmers 

 flee from their homes because they are " unloved and unlovable 

 things ; " when I hear it said that our rural mothers are " mere 

 bent and clumsy drudges ; " when I hear it said that our farmers 

 " are not men among men and women," that " socially, they 

 bec(j|ae dead for years before they die," I am impatient to 

 unfold the true picture of New England farming life for the 

 instruction and admiration of those who know by daily experi- 

 ence its comforts and pleasures, and of those who carry in their 



