9 



man. We remark, the successful former is one who chooses 

 his vocation for love of it, and comes to it with just and 

 proper conceptions of its nature and duties, and in pursuing 

 it is not disappointed. 



If a man really hates or detests his business, and pursues 

 it from necessity, he ought not to expect to succeed ; and his 

 failure ought not to l)e attributed to the nature of his busi- 

 ness, but to the nature of the man. Of course this rule en- 

 forced would exclude all that horde of adventurers, now 

 denominated farmers, includinfi: the men of whom I have 

 spoken. He must not only come to his calling with a love 

 for the same, but with just and proper conceptions of its na- 

 ture and duties. If a man enters upon any business with 

 wrong conceptions, or improper notions in regard to its na- 

 ture, or the duties required, he will be sure to fail of success. 

 First they will be disappointed, and then comes discontent, 

 and then defeat and faikire ; and many a farmer has failed of 

 success in his chosen calling, from this very cause. I have 

 known many a young man, who, having read our agricultural 

 literature, or perhaps listened to our after-dinner speeches at 

 our fairs, have come to entertain a sort of rose-colored 

 view of agriculture, and having chosen farming for their busi- 

 ness, have been undeceived, when it was too late to retrieve 

 their steps. Perhaps they did not really think that the corn 

 would grow without plant ng ; or that the cows would come 

 up into the parlor and ask to be milked ; or that the hens 

 would lay three eggs a day in the dairy-maid's lap. But then 

 they had no adequate conceptions of the skill required, and 

 the labor to be performed, in order to force from the reluc- 

 tant soil the richest treasures, and to wring from apparent 

 defeat the assured success for which they have toiled. The 



