The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-09-15
THE NOBILITY OF LABOR.
BY THE REV. oRvILLE DEWEY.

So material do | deem this policy-the
true nobility of labor, l mean that | would
dwell on it a moment longer, and in larger
view Why then, in the great scale Of things
is labor ordained for US? Easily, had it. SO
pleased the Great Ordainer, might it have
been dispensed with. The world itself might
have been mighty machinery for production
of all that man wants. >s
The motion Of the globe upon its axis
might have been going forward without man s
ton,
"With the sound
OF dulcet symphonies and voices sweet,
Built like temple;", ~
gorgeous furniture might have been placed in
them, and soft couches and luxurious banquets
spread, by hands unseen; and man clothed
with fabrics of natures weaving, rather than
imperial purple, might have been sent to dis
port himself in those Elysian palaces. Fair
scene !" | imagine you are saying; Fortu-
nate for us had it been the scene ordained for
human life" But where, then, tell me, had
been human energy, perseverance,, patience,
virtue, heroism?
Cut of with one blow from the world /; and
mankind had sunk to a crowd of Asiatic vo-
luptuaries. No, it had not been fortunate
Better that the earth be given to man as
dark mass, whereupon to labor. Better that
rude and unsightly materials be provided in
the ore-bed and in the forest for him to fash
ion to spendor and beauty. Better, say
not because Of that splendor and beauty, but
because the act creating them is better than
the things themselves because exertion is
nobler than enjoyment; because the laborer
is greater and more worthy of honor than the
idler.
call upon those whom address to stand
up for the nobility Of labor. 1t is Heavens
great ordinance for human improvement. Let
not that great ordinance be broken down.
What do say! 1t is broken down; and
it has been broken down-for ages. Let it
then be built up again; here, if any where,
on these shores of new world-of new
civilization. But how, | may be asked, is it
broken down! Do not men toll, it may be
said They do indeed toll, but they too ge-
nerally do it because they must.
Many submit to it as, in some sort, de-
grading necessity; and they desire nothing
so much on earth as escape from it. They
fulfil the great law Of labor in the letter, but
break it by spirit. TO some field of labor,
HuShtdl VI ONCiy haotSh
as chosen field of improvement. ...
But so he is not impelled to do under the
teachings of our imperfect civilization. On
the contrary, he sits down. folds his hands, and
blesses himself in idleness. This way Of
thinking is the heritage of the absurd and I'M
just feudal system, under which surfs labored,
and gentlemen spent their lives in fighting
and feasting 1t is time that this opprobrium
of toll were done away.
Ashamed TO toll art thou! Ashamed of thy
dingy workshop and dusty labor-feld; of thy
hard hands, SCARED with service more honor
able than that of war, of thy soiled and wealth
er stained garments, on which mother nature
has embroidered, mist, sun and rain, mist, fire
and steam her own heraldic honors Asham-
ed Of those tokens and titles, and envious of
the Haunting robes of imbecil idleness and
vanity II is treason TO nature, II is impiety
to Heaven il is breaking Heavens great
ordinance. Toll, | repeat, toll, either of the
brain, OF the heart, or Of the hand, is the only
true manhood, the emily true nobility!