Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1805-05-24

1t would appear, were IN the habit o!
neet,Cting their own individual con-
Gems from preference for the affairs
oil their neighbours. The Lvccum and
the Arcopagus OF the one, the Exchange
and the Market Place Of the other, were
Frequently crowded with idlers, whose
chief emplo>men ami qualification con.
sisted in little else than " either to hear
or to tell something new"
| For the correction Of such habits was
the advice in the text originally design
ed and to such dispositions, wherever
found whether in the pragmatical New
Eng lAndmIn, who must know Of ever,
man respecting his business, or in the
, restless and ambitious EirsiniAn, who's
attention is more taken up with politics
than with the affairs Of his farm or fami-
" will the counsel peculiarly apply
study to be quiet-And to mind your
own business"
1t is not, however, to characterize So
cieties OF men, but to bring the admori-
ton home to individuals, that the Law
Citrate has chosen this saving cf Paul
! 1t contains the choicest mAxims Of econ.
omicM prudence: and the Apostle deh.
vers it with all the earnrstness OF salu.
t tary exhortation. Itpresents two dis.
tlnct precepts ; the: one of a private;
q ncscent nature, study to be quiet"
lnAtIs, endeavour ngt to be off nsive,
OF turbulent, or troublesome and the o.
Their enioining positive active duty that
is" mind your own business"
The observance of the f. st part of
this advice appears to be SO exprdient,
ANIL at the same time, so easv, that one
might i'm ,gine that simple recommen-
! dAuon would have been sufficient but
SO thought not the apostle. The seri-
BUSINESS his manner, shews his sense
not only OF the fhcul,y of the task he
was imposing. 1t is not in the preCative
form " btquiet," but in the imperative
st> le of eAhortation :" study to be quiet:
-A>il he had said-'| it is essentially
important that YOU should be at the great
est pains to correct that pragmatic dispo-
snion which leads YOU to intermeddle in
affairs with which YOU have no concern.
This is at best idle is frequently pro-
dlCti,e ofmuch mischief. Indulge not
IN >4pposiuon that discussion of the
tAnlt>, the failings, or the mistortunes
OF othrr>,.is quite harmless unless YOU
can be cons, ious rhatit originated in de-
sire 10 do them good. Do not begulle
yourselves into a belief tina, the hahitu-
al, though Appare n,'v "nintentional, snre'
at the toihl,s or misChancrs OF Vtur
neighbour, is without the pale of this
pre,,pt; even though 1t may not be con-
strucd to his pre- ndice. Rest assured
that it is not in conformity to the spirit
or the example Of those who " study to
be Guiet."
But the second is the most important,
and indeed the primary part of the in
junction "mind your own business )"
upon which the former might very pro-
perly be supposed to be superinduced i;
from which gmetude would seem to pro-
coed as corollary: For those who
pay strict attention to their own affairs,
have but httle farther progress to make in
that part of disCretiOn; and will find that
to he quiet with respect to the concerns
OF other people is then a task Of very ca
81 performance.
This injun>,io is obviously meant to
promote industry a~habit SO lAudab!e
that IT may be SAID to comprehend both
negative and positive virtue to em-
brace the acquisition OF independence,
which is duty and the extinction 0l
the desires and fruits Of idlene.s, which
are ct the nature OF crimes. It's duty
to be tndepond> Mt, as far as manual OF
mental labor can make. US SO and tO
neglect the use OF these necessary means
is the reverse Of what IS nrtOmInS and
p'ai>e-worthy is the Opposite both Of the
|. Cardinal and Theological \lrtnrs
" The soul of the sluggArd desire,h and
hath nothing; but the hand of the dill
g>nl maketh tith. ThA, which advane
eS thSd1gnitN aud prnmot, SHE happines s.