The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-06-15
THE NATIVE AMERICAN.
SELF CULTURE.

Hts men ABOVE thelr WORK. lnaheS uioh iooA WIN
disgust on their trades as mean ana ioW' ana
makes drudgery intoerable reply mat man
becomes interested in labor. just IN proportion as
the mind works with the hands. An enlightened
farmer who understands agricultural chemistry,
the laws of vegetation, the structure of plants, the
nronerties of manureS. the influences of climate.
who looks intelligenllv on his works, and brings
his knowledge 10 bear on eXigencles, is a much
more cheerful, as we'll as more dignlhed ahorer,
than the peasant, whose mind is akin TO the cod
on which lie lreaGs, and whose life is the same
dull, minimizing, nnlmproying toll. But tins is
not all. Why is it, | ask, thai we call manual
labor low, that we associate with II The idea OF
meanness, and think that an intelligent person
must scorn it The reason is. that, in most
countries so few intelligent people have been en-
gagged in it. Once let cultivated men plough and
die, and follow the commoncstlabors, and plough
ing, digging and trades will cease to be mean. 1t
is the man who determines the dignity of the oc-
cupation, not the occupation which measures the
dignity Of the man.
Physicians and surgeons perform operations
less Clearly than fall 10 the lot Of most mecha-
MICS. | nave seen distinguished chemist COW
cred with dust like Il aborer. Sill these men are
not degraded. Their intelligence gave dignity
TO their work. and so our laborers, once educated.
see little difference i'll point of dignity. between
the various voca,ions Of men. When l see
clerk spending his days in adding figures; perhaps
merely copying. or teller of bank counting
money, or a merchant selling shoes and hides
cannot see in these occupations greater respecta-
hleness than in making leather, shoes, or turnl-
1nre | 90 not see in them greater intellectual &C
1ivitv than in several trades. man in the field
seems to have more chances OF Improvement IN
his work than man behind the counter, or man
driving the Quill. Ii Is the sign OF narrow mind
to imagine many seem to do that there Is
repugnance, between the plain, coarse exterior
of laburcr and mental culture especially the
more refining culture. The iaborer, under his
dust and sweat carries the grand elements OF hu-
mainly, and he may put forth his highest powers.
I doubt not. there Is rs genuine enthusiasm III the
contemplation Of nature. and iii the perusal of
works of genius, untlcra homespun garb as under
finerv. We have heard of distinguished author
who never wrote so well as when he was full
dressed for company. But proieund thought
and poetica aspiration have most generally WISH
ted men when from narrow circumstances or neg
ligent habits the rent coat or shaggy face have
made them quite unfit for polished saloons. 4
man may see truth, and may be thrilled with
beauty, in one costume or dwelling, rs well as
another. and he should respect himself the more
for the hardships under which his intellectual
force had been developed.
But it will be asked, how can the laborng
classes find time for se!l-culture, | answer as |
have already minated. that an earnest purpose
finds time or makes time. Ii seizes on spare
moments and turns larger fragments of leisure TO
golden account A man who follows his calling
with industry and spirit, and uses his earnings
~ b,,
the day at command; and il is astonishing how
fruitful of improvement short season becomes.
when eagerly seized and faithfully used 1t has
often been observed, that they who have most
time at their disposal, profit by it least. A sin
gle hour in the day, steadily given to the study of
an interesting subject brings unexpected accumu-
lations of knowledge. The Improvement made
by well disposed pupils, i'll many Of our country
schools, which are open but three months i'll the
year, and in our Sunday schools, which are kept
but one or two hours in the week, shows what
can be brought to pass by slender means. The
affections it is said sometimes crowd years into
moments, ard the intellect has something of the
same power. Volumes have not only been read
but written in flying journeys. | have known
man of vigorous intellect, who had enioyed few
advantages Of early education, and whose mine
was almost englosscd by the details Of an exten
SlNe business. 'DNL WHO composed a DOCK OF lntc
original thought, in steamboats, and on horseback
while visiting distant customers. The successo
of the seasons gives 10 many of the worin
classes opportunities for intellectual improve
men4. The winter brings leisure to the husband
man, and winter evenings to many laborers i
the city. Above all, in Christian countries, tn
seventh day is released from Toll. The sevent
part of the v ear no small portion of existence
may be given by almost every one TO intellectual
and moral culture. Why is it that Sunday is no
made a more etIectual means of improvement
Undoubtedly, the seventh day is to have a reIi
gious character; but religion connects itself witt
all the great subjects Of human thought, and lead
to and aids the study of all God is in nature
God is in history. Instruction in the works o
the Creator, SO as to reveal his perfection in the
harmony, bcncfccnce and grandeur; instruction
in the histories Of the church and the world so AZ
70 show in all events his moral government an,
to bring out the great moral lessons in which hu
man life abounds; instruction in the lives of phi
lanthroplsts, Of saints, Of men eminent for piet,
and virtue; all these branches of teachinr en;c
into religion, and are appropriate to Sunday: AN,
through these, vast amount Of knowledge ma,
be given to the people. Sunday ought not TO re-
main the dull and trutess season that it now !
, L. .ll