HINDRANCES AND HELPS. 251 



There may be a spice of exaggeration in the dogma 

 of Ecclesiasticus ; but whoever undertakes the pro- 

 fession of working-farmer, must accept its fatigues 

 and engrossments, and honor them as he can. It 

 is a business that will not be halved. Vulcan can 

 make no Ganymede strain as he will. The horny 

 hands, the tired body, the hay-dust and the scent of 

 the stables are inevitable. The fine young fellow, 

 flush with Johnston's Elements, and buoyant with 

 Thomson's Seasons, may rebel at this view of the 

 case ; but let him take three hours in a hay-field of 

 August behind a revolver (rake), with the reins 

 over his neck, the land being lumpy, and the colt 

 dipping a foot over the traces at the end of every 

 bout, and I think he will have sweaty confirmation 

 of its general truth. Or let him try a day at the tail 

 of a Michigan-plough, in a wiry and dusty last-year's 

 stubble : the horses are fresh and well trained, and 

 the plough enters bravely to its work smoothly at 

 first, but presently an ugly stone flings it cleanly from 

 the furrow, and there is a backing, a heavy tug, and 

 on he goes with his mind all centred in the plough- 

 beam, and nervously watching its little pitches and 

 yaws ; he lifts a hand cautiously to wipe the perspi- 

 ration from his forehead (a great imprudence), and the 

 plough sheers over gracefully, and is out once more. 

 There is a new backing and straining, and the plough 



