ADDRESS. 89 



communities, which are the most stagnant and hopeless, in the land. 

 If there is too much mental excitement and prrsaure, in the city, 

 there is too little, in the rural community, where the population feel 

 that Nature has no secrets, and they have nothing to learn, in their 

 daily pursuits. The mind demands excitement of some kind ; and, 

 if it cannot have that which is healthful, it Avill break over virtuous 

 restraint, in pursuit of illicit gratifications. The young, especially, 

 demand it ; and if it is not to be found, within the quiet precincts of 

 the old parish, they will rush for high life, in the city ; for wild life, 

 on the borders of civilization, at tlic West, or for gold life, on the 

 placers of California. 



A farming community, without the news, or the science of its daily 

 business, is necessarily stagnant. It furnishes employment enough 

 for the hands, but leaves the mind empty. Discouragement, discon- 

 tent, vicious desires, rush in to fill the vacuum. The farmer over- 

 tasks his physical strength ; and sees, after all his toil, little improve- 

 ment in his farm, little in his stock, and still less in his fortune. He 

 gains little beyond the annual support of his family ; and often falls 

 behind, and is harrassed with debt. He grows discouraged and un- 

 happy, and changes his business, or emigrates to some new region. 



A community, made up of men who are not thriving in their busi- 

 ness, is not in a condition to help forward enterprises for the public 

 good ; or to be very much profited by the ministrations of the sanc- 

 tuary. Every pastor, of much experience, knows, that the most 

 hopeless of all communities, is that, where worldly enterprise in stag- 

 nant, and men's minds are filled with business perplexities. 



But let science enter every farmer's dwelling, in the old parish, 

 and it quickens the popular mind. Every body has a new idea, — a 

 new crop to be cultivated, or a new method for growing an old one. 

 Neighbors have now something to talk about, besides gossip, scandal, 

 law-suits, and politics. Every man tries his experiment, and has his 

 success, or failure, to relate. His success makes him an instructor. 

 His failure makes him a learner. A new spirit is abroad, in the 

 community ; and brighter skies hang over the old parish, than ever 

 cheered its inhabitants before. In such a state, a people are far 

 more easily moulded, to any good purpose, than they could be in a 

 state of stagnation and despondency. 



Scientific agriculture will greatly elevate the standard of mental 

 culture, in these parishes. It may seem invidious, to make any com- 

 parison between the rural population and that of cities and villages. 



