MR. Oliver's address. 9 



villains of feudal times, (for so were the tillers of the soil then 

 called,) and mysteries to the Russian and Polish serfs who do 

 it now ; but, thank God, no mystery to you nor to your chil- 

 dren. 



Such records, and the recorded inferences and suggestions 

 derived therefrom, would, I suppose, when put into book-form^ 

 be called book-learning, and the farmer who should study 

 them, and attempt to practice their teachings, would be called 

 a book-farmer. But pray, why may he not take his informa- 

 tion from a printed book, as well as " receive it by tradition 

 from his fathers," as most farmers do, or receive it from a 

 neighbor's mouth. The mouth addresses itself to the ear, and 

 the book to the eye. In the former case, I get the information 

 more quickly, and I lose it more quickly. In the latter case, I 

 get it more slowly, but I retain it the longer, because of that 

 very slowness of acquisition. In the former case, I listen to 

 the teachings, perhaps crude and ill-digested, of a locomotive 

 instructor, — and my informer leaves me to myself, and to 

 the chances of my memory's proving faithless. In the latter, 

 my teacher stays by me, — I can put him into my pocket, or oii 

 my shelf, and consult him as my inclination or the necessities 

 of my memory may require. 



Daniel, an English poet of the 16th century, whose works 

 are now scarcely read, says on this point. 



"And tho' books, madam, cannot make the mind, 

 Which we must bring apt to he set aright ; 

 Yet do they rectify it, in that kind, 

 And touch it so, that it turns that imiy, 

 Where judgment lies." 



" Yes, they give strength to youth, and joy to old age ; — they 

 adorn prosperity, and are the support and consolation of adver- 

 sity ; at home they are delightful, and abroad are no hindrance ; 

 at night they sojourn with us as a comfort ; — upon our travels 

 they attend us ; and in our rural retirement, they do not for- 

 sake us !" Thus spake the great Roman Orator, Cicero, and 

 in another place, in the same Oration for his friend, the Poet Ar- 

 chias, he says. " who then shall blame me or be justly' angry 

 with me, if those hours which others pass in midnight banquet- 

 2 



