1862- 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



315 



inches square ; bore with an augur of a suitable 

 size so that the bottom rail will "stay put," and 

 not split the rail; bore the top rail not quite 

 through, say minus one-half inch ; nail on slats 

 from one inch to four inches wide, and from two 

 to four inches apart ; paint the top, or saw it 

 square, or put on a cap. James Palmer. 



South Hampton, N. H. 



For the New England Farmer. 



MENTAL CULTUBE. 



Mr. Editor : — Your remarks upon this sub- 

 ject, in the calendar for February, Avere perused 

 with much pleasure, not only by myself, but 

 doubtless by all of your many thousands of read- 

 ers. While reading these remarks, I felt an irre- 

 sistible desire to write something in confirmation 

 of the truths therein contained. 



It has always seemed to me that the practice of 

 writing down our own individual thoughts upon 

 any given subject — especially if those thoughts are 

 intended for publication — is one of the best, if not 

 iJie best means by which Ave can become thorough- 

 ly acquainted with that subject. For if a person 

 is writing an article for the public to read, he will 

 naturally strive to make correct and reasonable 

 statements, and this desire Avill cause him not on- 

 ly to search every nook and corner of his own 

 mind and experience for ideas, but everything re- 

 lating to the theme under consideration, whether 

 found in book, paper, lecture, sermon or conver- 

 sation, will be eagerly grasped at, and woven in 

 with his own thoughts, in such a manner that 

 it becomes, as it were, a part of his own mind, 

 and makes an indelible impression upon his mem- 

 ory. This digging out and bringing to the light 

 our own ideas u])on a particular subject, compar- 

 ing them with the thoughts of others, and treas- 

 uring up the observations and best thoughts of 

 other minds, is an exercise which greatly strength- 

 ens and enlarges the mental faculties. And this 

 discipline, either in the form of writing, public 

 speaking, or instructive conversation, is one which 

 every mind must go through, or it cannot arrive 

 at even a moderate degree of mental culture. 



The minds of some peo])le are like a riddle- 

 sieve ; they are always hearing and reading, but 

 the facts, fancies, or whatever they listen to, leak 

 out as fast as they come in. Such persons are, 

 virtually, without any minds ; but by the simple 

 process above mentioned, it is within their power 

 to possess this important article. 



There is another class whose minds are like a 

 stagnant pool — continually receiving the rains and 

 streams, but having no outlet. The above process 

 would also benefit this class of individuals. 



There is another class still, whose minds have 

 no outlet or inlet ; who shut out all light and 

 knowledge, especially that which is derived from 

 books, papers, lectures, and similar modes of men- 

 tal improvement. 



These last mentioned individuals are in a more 

 hopeless condition than those who belong to eith- 

 er of the other classes ; but a vigorous, and con- 

 tinued pounding upon the hard shell in which 

 their dark thoughts revolve, Avill finally cause it 

 to yield. 



Although it Is evident that a large portion of 

 the farmers and mechanics of our land possess 



great and increasing desires for knowledge and 

 self-improvement, yet the fact is also equally cer- 

 tain that another large portion have no such de- 

 sires, but, in many cases, a positive aversion to 

 everything like study, or a close and Continued 

 ap])lication of the mind in one direction. 



By reason of their ignorance, these last named 

 persons usually regard the contents of books as 

 of little value, not knowing or considering that 

 the best thoughts and most valuable experience of 

 Avise, learned, and gifted minds are treasured up 

 in these storehouses of invaluable knowledge, the 

 destruction of Avhich Avould cause the Avorld to re- 

 cede backAvards many degrees in the scale of hu- 

 man progress. Of course, I do not mean to say 

 that all books are thus valuable, for many, very 

 many, are Averse than useless, and the sooner they 

 are bufned, the better, — but only those which are 

 strictly moral in tone, and which contain impor- 

 tant thoughts and useful information, Avhether in 

 the form of fiction or actual fact. How many 

 fiirmers, mechanics, and other laboring men there 

 are, who prefer to spend their evenings and other 

 spare hours at the store, bar-room, or other pub- 

 lic places, listening to, if not taking a part, in the 

 idle, coarse and vulgar talk so frequently heard 

 in those places, rather than to remain at home 

 and hold converse Avith noble and intelligent 

 minds through the medium of books, or write 

 doAvn their thoughts and observations for their 

 own good and the benefit of others. 



Although a great many towns and villages have 

 purchased agricultural and miscellaneous libraries, 

 and much good has been done through their agen- 

 cy, yet, in more than one town, I have knoAvn some 

 of the most valuable books in those libraries to 

 remain for years, Avith their leaves uncut ! I hope 

 and believe that these are exceptions to the gen- 

 eral rule, but if not, it seems to me that the object 

 for Avhich these libraries Avere procured is not be- 

 ing fully accomplished. 



To enable a person to make any perceptible 

 progress in mental culture, one or two hours of 

 each day should be devoted exclusively to that ob- 

 ject. But, says some hard-working man, how can 

 I find time for this purpose ? The evening is the 

 only part of the twenty-four hours that I am not 

 at work, and then the children make such a noise 

 that I cannot call my thoughts together ; and oft- 

 times a neighbor drops in and interrupts me ; or 

 I am too tired and sleepy to apply my mind to 

 any subject. Such individuals should have a study 

 or room by themselves, and nothing but the most 

 imperative duty should be alloAved to disturb them 

 during the hours Avhich they have set apart for 

 self-improvement. This plan may cause an in- 

 credulous smile to overspread the countenance of 

 some conservative farmer, and he will probably 

 set me down as a humburj, but the plan may be a 

 good one, nevertheless. Men in other professions 

 have their places for retirement and study ; why 

 should not the farmer, the mechanic, mid all '^^h/^v 

 men, or Avomen, Avho belong to the laboring class ? 

 But, says one, all cannot be learned ; the Avorking 

 classes must ever remain in comparative igno- 

 rance. That there may be some truth in this as- 

 sertion, I admit, but not so much as most people 

 imagine. 



Let us look at the laboring classes In some of 

 the older countries of civiUzed Europe, and c:^m- 

 pare the amount of knowledge and mental culti- 



