Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1839-02-21
SELF CULTURE.

But it is said rhat any considerable eds-
eSIinn lifts men above their work, makes
them hook with disgust ON their trades Ne
mean aud low, and makes drWdsery intol-
cradle. lreply liial.a a,an brcomrs inter-
essed in labor. Just in proportion as the
mind works with the hands. An enlieht-
ened farmer. who understands agricultural
chemistry. the laws Of vegetation. The stfnc-
tnEe Of plants. the properties ut manurcs,
the inf1uencies Of climate, Who looks intel
ligently on his work aud brings his knowl-
edge to bear on exigencies, is n s,"ch more
cheerful as well rs more dieni6ed iRborer,
that tho peasant, whose mind ia akin 20 the
clod on which no treads, and whose Whole
life IS the same dull. un,hinking, .unimpro-
wing toll. But this is not MI. Why In IT,,
! ask, that we call manual labor low, that
we associate with Il the idea Of meBnness,
and think tia. an intelligent person must
scorn- il? Tho reason is, that, in most
countries, so few intelligent people have
been engaged in il. Once let cultivated
men plough end dig and follow the -con,-
mones. labors, md plonghine. digging and
trades viii eease to be mean. Ii Is the
man who determines the dignity oflhe oc-
cupaiiun, and No, the occupation which
measures the dignity Of the man. Physi-
clans and SURGEONS perform operations less
clearly than fall to the lot of most mechan-
les. ] have seen distinguished chemist
covered will dust like laborer. Still
these men are not degraded. Their intel
ligence gave dignity to their work, aud so
our lsborers, once educated, will give dig
nifty 10 their tolls. Let me add, that see
little difference in poin, Of dignity, between
the various yocaiions Of men. When see
a clerk. spending his days in adding fig
ares. perhaps merely copying, or q teller ot
a bank counting money, or o merchant sci.
ling shoes and hides, cannot see IN these
occupations greater respectableness than in
making leather, shoes, or furniture. do
not see in them greater intellectual activity
than in several trades. A man in the
fields seems to have more chances of i'm
provemcnt 10 his work, than man behind
the counter, Or a man driving the quill. II
is the sign ofa narrow mind to imagine, tts
many seem 20 do, that there is eepug-
nance between the plain. coarse exterior Of
laborer and. mental culture. especially the
more refining culture. The laborer. un-
/ der his dust aud sweat, carries the grand
elements Of humanity, aud he may put forth
iss highest powers. doub, not, there is
~ genuine enthusiasm in the contemplation
Of nature and 10 ihe pcrnsal Of works ol
geRius, under homespUn gnrb as under
finery. We have heard ola distinguished
author, who never wrote SO well as when
he was full dressed for company. Boz pro-
found though, and poesicul inspiration have
most generally visited men when from mar
row circumstances or negligen, habi,s, the
rent cost and shaggy face have made them
quite unfit for polished saloons. A man
may see truth. and may be thrilled with
beauty. in one costom,e or dwelling ~ we'll
as another; and he should respect himself
tho more for the. hardships, under which
his intellectual force had been developed.
Bot il will be asked, how can the lubor-
ing classes 6ud time for sclf-culture /
answer, as ! have already iniiinated, that
tho earnest purpose ends time or makes
time. II seizes on spare moments, snd
turns larger fragments Of leisure To golden
account. A man who follows his chilling
with industry and spirit. and uses his earn
ings economically, will aIways have somc
portion Of the day at command; and il IS
astonishing, how fruitful Of Improvement
a short season becomes, when eagerly seiz-
ed and faithfully used. II has eften been
observed that they, who have most time at
their disposal, profit by it least. A single
hour ia The dsy, steadily given to the study
of an interesting subject. brings 1ncxpect-
ed accommodations acknowledges. The iH-
provement made by well disposed pupils,
in many Of our country schools, which are
open bot three months in the year, and IN
our Sunday schools, which are kept but ono
or Two hours in the week, shdW what can
be brought to pass by slender means. The.
affections, il is said, sometimes crowd years
into moments, and the intellect has .some-
thing Of the same power. Volumes have
not only been read, but written in flying
journeys. ] have known n man 0f vigO.
rous intellect, who had enjoyed few advaf'-
taecs Of early education, aud whose mind
was almost engrossed by The details Of an
extensive business. bu, who composed a
book Of much original thought, in steam
boa,s and on horseback. while visiting dis
lant customers The succession OF the
seasons gives 10 n,any ofilse working cIas-.
SEES o,,por.uniiies for intellectual improve
n,en,. The winter brings leisure to the
l,u.bandn,an, and winter evenings 10 many
Iaburers' in the city. Above al, 10 Chris
iian countries, the seventh day is released
fron, tod. The seventh part 0f ,l,c year.
no sp,all poriiep of existence. may be given
nv, almost every ono n intellectual and
n,orai- cnl.urc.sas Why isis. hat Sunday Is
nor made more rfectnal meaGs ~ inn
rrovemenii .Undoabiediy The seventh
day is q. have religious Character; but
'reiigior eonnefts itself with all the great
subjects OF human lhpGRhi. and leads 10
and aids the study refs'l.s God Is !" ma