MH. perry's address. 11 



as much unsettled as they were a half century since. I am 

 perfectly aware that this feeling has in a degree diminished in this 

 county, and I hope throughout New England within a few years 

 past. But it still continues with a dreadfully withering opera- 

 tion among us. The causes which induced this state of mind 

 are numerous, and it would not be useless or uninteresting to 

 dwell upon some of them, i shall confine myself to a single one, 

 not perhaps the most prominent, but connected directly with the 

 object which I have before me, and operating, though not exclu- 

 sively, upon the yeomanry of the county. The cause to which 

 I allude rises up in connexion with a fact which I suppose all 

 must allow : that farming has been pursued too much as a mere 

 mechanical operation, while the reasons of each operation have 

 not been sufficiently understood, nor have those engaged in it 

 been sufficiently inquisitive whether other and better ways might 

 not be adopted. The mind being left unoccupied becomes 

 restless, dissatisfied and hungry, consults new things, goes abroad 

 for its enjoyments, and the whole man set afloat, ready, in fact 

 willing, to be driven about by every trifling circumstance. 



I know nothing which promises more effectually to remove this 

 evil than to diffuse through society more agricultural science, 

 enterprise and taste, to direct the mind to the reason upon which 

 the operations of farming are founded, to induce men to com- 

 mence plans of distant yet of certain ultimate advantage, to ex- 

 cite to inquiry and investigation, and thus turn farming into a 

 business of the head as well as of the hands ; — to induce men also 

 to unite in their plans, what is beautiful and attracting with what 

 is useful, and thus make their farms, houses and other appenda- 

 ges pleasant and attracting to the owners ; — and further, by pre- 

 vailing with them to take a part in the public efforts which are 

 going on for the general advantage, to accustom them to feel 

 that their interest and comfort are nearly connected with those 

 among whom they dwell, and that it cannot be of little concern 

 whether they continue with them, or for a small or imaginary good 

 break away from all the associations which time and the interchange 

 of kindness and acquaintance have made dear to them. How well 

 suited the plans of your Society are to bring about this desirable 



