550 Transactions of the Aheeican Institute. 



Farming Laborious. 



But we have to do more particularly with the farmer, using the 

 term in its broadest sense. To him labor is supposed to present some 

 of its most repulsive aspects. Truth to say, he has had a hard life 

 of it throughout his generations; and it is not the easiest occupation 

 imaginable to-day even. Ilis sons have not all ceased to envy the 

 lawyer, who, as it is assumed, in the comfortable shade of his office, 

 has only to write and think ; or the clergyman, who has but to preach 

 two sermons on a Sunday ; or the merchant, who always has soft 

 hands ; or the mechanic, even, wlio has no corn to husk, or cattle to 

 feed in bad weather. No amount of fine phrases, and these have 

 been showered upon him in profusion, can blind him to the fact that 

 his success is at the expense of hard, muscular labor, and all but per- 

 petual vigilance. Tickling his ear does not aiford the most perma- 

 nent relief to his limbs. Help must come to him from intellect, 

 rather than imagination, from science, rather than poetry. Now, the 

 basis of reformation in all the departments of industry, for which the 

 world waits is dumb, but instinctive expectation, is the ability to 

 place its individuals workers just where the normal instincts of each 

 promise the greatest j^i'oficiency. In other words, in any useful work, 

 the first requisite for success, in its best sense, is a natural love for it. 

 The next is the realization of its true dignit3^ The third is science, 

 which reveals the economy that gives the reward. No manual labor 

 will respond with more success to tliis threefold power than common 

 farm work. It is not enough to love the smiling landscape, the grow- 

 ing grain, or the proceeds of the annual crops. One may have the 

 love of all these in his soul and be ashamed of it. He may feel their 

 force, and yet reproacli himself with the want of a nobler path to 

 tread through life. His labor, as he imagines, though useful, is not 

 the most honorable. 



The Farmer a Creator. 

 This is the mistake which takes the elasticity of inspiration out of 

 his efforts, and degrades his labor to mere drudgery. lie needs to 

 realize that there is no other profession in which a man so directly 

 cooperates with God ; in which he stands fortli so manifestly an 

 agent, or mundane center of the creative ])ower. He is not, if he 

 would but reflect, a mere supplyer of food to the cities, wliere men 

 are transformed into great lawyers, editors, politicians, merchants, 

 and, noblest of all, millionaires. Oh no ! That is not the only part 



