Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-12-31


%" rs a s'api.h lJs that zoe lead.'' said
the Devil 10 the foreman, the other night, as
both were rubbing their eyes over a dirty proof
sheet at twelve O'Clock. The Devil looked
as though he believed what he said, when be
stuck his grim visage through a. wreath Of
lanpsmoke for an answer "lts q II vish
life that we lead. penned up here amid musty
papers and stale ink, small type and low cas-
ss. with weak eyes and unintelligibie copy
night after night to be smoked like Southern
bacon-day after Gay to be tormenisd with
the errors that w have overlooksd-and final
ly gel more kicks than coppers for our trou:
ble." Thus did the Devil vent his feelings,
which q thousand little vexations had render
I'D p%eevish, and which had for q time soured
his DeUiiiship's disposition. And lie there no
moral to be drawn from this feeling and OK
preston Of discontsntl
Pass from tho highss, station. in life down
ward to the dregs Of civilized society, and
among all, in a greater or less degree, you
meet with the same discsntonted feelings
The farmer. the mechanic. the merchant, and
the professional man, entertain the same opin-
ion on this point, and there is not one in a
thousand but will tell you if he had not CON-
menced his present course of life, he should
have been better to live in the world and
were he to begin again he should do some-
thing else. 1t seems to be a Law of human M.
ture, which mono can get over, that man should
over be discontinued with the situation in
which he is placed, and envy ono where he
would find no more satisfaction, and perhaps
less case.
The plain matter Of fact is. that every stu
alton isa slavish one. If a man is poor, and
compelled to labor for 4 livelihood, that man
cannot reasonably expect to live a. he would
live were he not compelled so to labor ; il he
follows his business a. he should follow it, he
must labor hard and steadily, early and late,
in season and out Of season nothing short
will ensure him a competency. It is not ono
kind Of trade or profession that makes a man
a slave, but it 10 the attention which he be-
slows upon that business. Some men of the
most simple calling in the world, So criice
themselves upon the altar of application and
industry, while others. who follow the most IN
.~tricate handicrait work, that demands more
than oil Of their time, rise in the morning with
out care, and retire at night without fatigue.
1t is not the trade, hut the man, who wearics
the system-if he do much Of a less laborious
employment, il is equivalent to a smaller task
Of harder work.
Mankind do wrong to keep up this constant
croaking. The task Of all is hard. and every
one know VS. il, or ought to know it. Man was
made 10 labor business Of one kind or apoth-
er, is his element, and in the discharge Of its
d-ties, he feels better than in a continued
state Of idleness. BY indulgence he unstrings
The nerves and units the organs TO perform
their proper functions , and the mind, taking
it's tone from the body, is consequently disabled
and unfit for enjoyment. Blue devils and ny
pochondrie follow--the mind becomes tainted
with melancholy and the man who would not
become a slave 10 his business, becomes. a
double slave to his incidence. Every move
menl is shaekled, and every necessary change
Of position or posture gives pain ; habit has
chained him to a mental disease that will at
tend him to his grave, and be felt in the last
struggle Of dissolving nature. cts a slavish
life that we lead, - say all, high and low, rich
and poor. None are content TO be slaves, oil
able 10 be otherwise so all use the universal
privilege Of complaining--and like our Devil
vent their spleen in words, which neither dc
nor can make one hair black or white.