Litchfield enquirer., 1831-11-03
FOR Tl1E EEQUIRER. BRIEF HINTS--NO. 2. la "a ss;i, small vOice'' from the Cottage. rshan fAV Al rArsr " ~.

He Employment, as every body knows, is the occupa- ton of either mealal or bodily powers. Employment is thc grea, insrument of intellectual domiOon" and that which gives competence, health, aud pleasure: Pleasure of the nObes. kinds-,ha, is, happiness to others. and usefulness 10 mankind. The object of these brief hints s more par,icuary, to consider what are te proper objects on which to be employed in this world, rat,onal and accoun,a. tie beings. Many are probably mistaken on this cub. ject, or indifferent about , and many employ them selves in a manner worse than useless both to them selves and to the society Of which they form part by examples of vice and immortality, and absence from all business.
 The only right occupation of time is 10 some useful and wise purpose, which eventually will benefit our fellow creatures, and glorify our Creator. The true value of time s generally but poorly and anjusily estimated, nor s the manner in which it is employed always duly considered. For. with noise. less tread, Time passes away. unseen and unheeded. It bears onward till its steady current we awake ] on the brink of faturity, or tn another world. Now state of existence beyond the grave rs no ] chinera-no legendary ,ale-Lut a truth of infinite moment and rcaiiy-it must readily be perceived, by an ingenuous mind, what kind of employmen, claims for US the first place, in all the business and pursui,s ofthis lfe Neglect that, and a is lost. Neglect that, aud though man heap up wealth like mountain, he is but a wretch, and fool. Down in the shades of death he sinks, and fades all hopelcss--desair and woe far and wide peryade. And this through Eterni- y's unmeasured reign will be his home, and God his own throne sustain.
 Thousands eagerly pursue phantom-.hcy graspa shadow, and perish. 5s
 The temporal employments of the present life are necessarily various. The professional man, the far. mer, and the mechaniN not only have dfcren. pur- suiis hut different chain of thought and reflection Yet neither be useful, prosperous, without pur- suing his parlicua, calling with method and sys- l tema,c energy.
 The minister of the gospel, the physician, and the lawyer, though educated ai Yale Harvard, cannot, then, neglect study and investigation, without eadan. gering their reputation, and haxnrding their useful ness. The profound s ever before them, aud beyond them, and mortal has never Gathomed iis dept,s
 The mysteries of Divinity aud Revelation, the Jaws and operations of nature, and right and us,ice without the perversons of sophstry, are themes and pursuits not 10 be exhausted by the finite.
 Theory, however learned, has only laid the founda- ton, in the mind destined for grea,ness and cn
  finish and embeIIisb lhe abric. Aud though this is original dea new hint, it cannot produce any mischief to repeat ii here. ...... z. Nor do the humber employments less merit brief ro,ice It is the laboring class of that constitute the bone and sinew" of community. And the pro. auctions of the so ob,aaed by the ofthe brow, the support of all classes, from the highest to the lowest. ....,.,s
 
 But my fellows, in toil and care, it mistaken no. tpn, a doctrine Of less enlightened days, that you should live, and ofcourss die, in ignorance and vuga, degrada,ion-and degradation is but smother for ignorance. The ignorant and indifferent, except to worldly gain, the dupss and tools fdesgning de. magogues and fanatics And it is ignorance, and a want of virtue, s attendant, that has placed the base and unworthy in power to the sxclusion ofthe true patriot. It is this that has in the ''tark ages built the Inquisi,ion-that internal engine of iyrannyand that yes half sus,ans the toerng Babylon of mystical Popsry-,hat reared the marsyrs' altar, and lighted the aggot-and i, is this that yet immoates, in the East, thousands of female victms-,he most crael practice that hell and folly could invent.
 All this, reader, is fhe fruit Of that ignoranee in which human naiure is found, and to which cleaves. Is it not time to awake, ihoS that sIespest, mad to shake of tho dust that coSrodes the soul, and en. slaves the heart Not ihst wosld make yoD restless or aspirngior yosr present condition. in the .ran- qaliy of reiremsns, s envablc than that Of the great: N ia yours to the harbor's smooth sur- lsee-~bat theirs so au0cb out on tho mighty dsepsO ride on the pillows and to ba6ai the storm.
 Yet political aSd literary strife, the war of words and opinions, and disappointed ambson, frequently leave Ihem shattered wreck signing for reposs, or for fame that has fled. & The employment Of time, in the pursuit of knowl. edge and wisdom, is incompatible with the humble avocs,ons of man. Leisure aod opportunity all do or may possess IL is making wreng and sordid use of time to devote it all to digging and deiviag for peI in The uess attempts sa,is the cravings of ava rice and seIEshness.
 For al ihings there S lime" says lhs wise man. There is a time labor, and time to read or study but no time for idleness and dissipation.
 How much time is wasted and lost that might be pleasantly employed in snargiug the capacities of ths mind, and in exsI,ng the thoughts Co more elevated asd noble subjects! Every man should be, io come extent, private philosopher, divne, and scholar, n soBndnew asd reality.
 He wbo lOIows the plough. or tends his lacks. msy egjey high satisfaction, if qusIi6ed so esatsmplats eosrssty, and 10 look the woFks of unure afosnd wiih an adequate knowledge of ias laws asA epsra. fiess. And no enss fife is better adapssd e the siudy of saure in iis simple and grand dsplays sad m sea- template the universe e presssssd ia the everlasting .:.h. ..A A..