Litchfield enquirer., 1836-11-24
From the Philadelphia Saturday Courier.

WRONG ESTIMATE OF THE PROFESSIONS.
 We think there is one radical error in A. merican society, viz. a universal disposition | to underrate the mechanical professions, when contrasted with. what are termed the 1 "learned professions" and with almost all the, other avocations. .@,$...e3.,
 Does the rich and respectable mechanic the artisan-the architect he who Years our public edifices- -the builder of our ships, and the constructor of our canals and railWays-
 never permit course of conduct in himself, which goes directly to take away from therc spectability ofthe profession by which he has gained all he possesses When he comes to it entG not otten the case that a ovcrweening dis
 position is displayed to make them lawyers, doctors, ministers, merchants thing but to bring them up at the respectable calling of their parent! sa ,3s,gY9 sHei n.
 And let us ask, is not the same true of eve- ry other class in the community The sons | of American citizens must be educated for :" gentlemen" They must not learn trade, or an art upon which they can always de- | be to lower rather than to raise them in the
 scale of public opinion-and hence 1t is that thousands and thousands of boys are crowd. de into the 8professions," and |" behind coun- ters," to become, in the end, genteel paupers. living upon the products of other mems la-
 bors, rather than relying upon their own
 hands for an honest livelihood
 We repeat, it is the wrong estimate of the comparative responsibility of the different pursuits, that causes so dangerous an error.
 We would not stifle genius, nor deride learn ing-nor do we entertain the least disrespect to any professionalism we would have our sons taught to believe that it is far better to learn more honorable handicraft, by the prac- tice of which they can live in independence and honor, than to~be crowded into the al- ways overflowing ranks of "profession," ]"
 which will not yield their bread, and which
 but too often lead to the entire prostration pr
 the better feelings of the human heart' Tn low
 cunning, duplicity and knayery. .,
 Who are the props and pillars or our pup lie edifice? who are the bone and muscle of society? We say, the mechanics and hns-.
 bandmen of the land. From the ranks of these, too, have sprung statesmen, phlloso-
 phers and sages, who have shed imperisho- 1 ble lustre upon the age in which they lived! | If the amount of uSefil attainments could pc correctly estimated, we entertain no douDt
 that the ranks of the intelligent mechanics
 and agriculturists would carry off the palm I by immense maJortleS. .c.
 Then why should the almost universal et-
 fort to disgrace these professions, by simul- taneous rush into other ranks, any longer pre-
 vail Better, infinitely better, would 1t be, that our hardy, athletic youth should should ar inc axe. and away beyond the mOuntainsi than by a false pride, and false estimate of true responsibility, they should be thrust into wrong channels, to disease society, and wea- ken the bonds of the body polite. There they might live in the true nobility of nature cultivate their own fields, and slumber be- meath their own cottage -and perhaps be- come the founders of new communities of moral, physical and intellectual giants.
 A Coop uN.''-An editor wrote that contempo- rary had taken damsel for better or worse" The Devil in the office had it by mistake for butter or rice." a+ N@ @@ l HAPPINESS s.-Exciting pleasures never pro duce happiness Every one's experience will ! approve this. Unfortunately, the votary of pleasure rarely draws useful lesson from this fact. It does not seem to occur to him, that if the excitement in which he has sought
 to find pleasure has not yielded it, but has ln-
 variably produced 3 reaction which slnks
 him into the lowest depth of misery, Psl-
 chance uniform evenness ot temper, ano C seeking for enjoyment in the calmness Ol
 right thoughts may bring that wnlcn .:- as sG ~a- dently desires. In well reguiateo aAeTsaonS rsl. j alone can he found true enjoyment There | must he a calmneSs ot thougnt--anS Sycp Sge . iDg temper-and a nationality aD9ul our p4r- , suits. and pines in weariness and paans aQA ] uohlcr joys. .t9ittE5tA9 14