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be what is called literary. He has something else and 

 something better to do than that, for he is eminently 

 a doer. But a certain kind and amount of intellectual 

 culture, you will agree with me in saying, he should 

 possess, both for the pleasures and profit of knowledge. 

 Intellectual culture and reading, — what, we may im- 

 agine some yet lingering specimen of the dark ages to 

 ask, has the farmer to do with these, — admitting that 

 he has opportunity and time for them, which to a cer- 

 tain extent he has in these days of books and libraries? 

 How will they benefit him ? In many ways. First, 

 they will turn to account in his own occupation or 

 art, — in the greater productiveness of his labors, — in 

 better fruitage and more abundant harvests. Is there 

 any doubt of this ? As a general fact, may I not assert 

 without fear of contradiction, that intelligent labor is 

 more effective, accomplishes more, and is in every way 

 attended with better results than unintelligent ? I 

 might take as an illustration factory labor. If I am 

 wrong, there are those here who can set me right ; 

 but I believe that I am authorized to assert that mind 

 is not wholly without its use among the spindles 

 even, — that the best educated hands, other things be- 

 ing equal, are always preferred, and command the 

 highest wages. And so it is in all the mechanical 

 occupations. The reasons are obvious. A person 

 accustomed to observe and think, to note facts and 

 draw inferences, to conduct processes of reflection, — 

 accustomed not only to work, but to work understand- 

 ingly, being acquainted not simply with the practical 

 manipulations of his art, but Avith the principles and 

 reasons of them, is of necessity more fertile in re- 

 sources, is more to be relied on in critical emergencies, 

 and more likely to hit upon improvements, and pro- 

 duce a work of finished excellence, than one who has 



