The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1841-05-14

fat upon the gravy of ignorance; the
Lilliputian Laplander of the north Tolls in
laziness, and willingly puts up with the
cold porridge of poverty the besmeared
Hottentot of the east snoozes in his mud
bull: hut, careless of to-morrow's fare.
and content with the crumbs that fall from
some stray angels bread. But, my
friends, while these hall-fnished, misera-
bic models of humanity are thus slumber-
ing amid the supplying vapors of ease,
| want you to reflect upon what sad
condition their poor souls are in Their
thoughts never are thrust beyond the
filthy circle of some selih desire-their
hearts lie soaking in the gastric fluid of
their stomachs--thcir understandings are
darker than the catacombs Of Egypt-and
their codes of morals are made up of ma
lures loose leaves, barely stuck together
with the thin paste of instinct.
My dear iriends-sioth is not wholly
confined to the gloomy arena Of heathcn-
ism. Itofleu lies at the door of enlighten-
mcnt, and rubs lis slime upon the siIken.
fcock Of refinement. have seen it strew
the parlors Of the rich with sleepy pop
pies, and surround die poor mans cottage
with noxious weeds have seen it take
ali the stilening out of the stoutest cncI-
eias of man, and cover youthful ambition
with the blue mold Of morbdiy. ! have
seen il so fasten itself upon the back of
the sluggish traveller as to prevent him
from moving from the rack when the
railroad car Of death was hard upon his
heels; and nave even seen people lie
down and roll into their graves, like a
lifaless log, too lazy to exert themselves
in their own behalf: and | expect that
when the last trump shall arouse them
from their sepulchral slumhors, they will
raise themselves upon their elbows and
growl like dog with sore foot because
they have been disturbed so soon.
When | pass by country farmhouse
ard find old hats, coats and brceches stuff
fed in at the windows, know that the
god of Incidence is lounging there. in the
midst of want, woe and povcrty-that the
lank children or necessity are there run
ming up to seed in the shade of neglect
unmoistened by the dews Of moral in
struetien. | also know that idlencss is
pampered by the p:p Of excessive wealth,
and that where riches abundanlIy abound.
the tarcs Of sloath are yielding an abund-
ant harvest. Lazy logs surround the
head of him whom ucre has lulIed to
drowsiness, and he knows not how to
shake of the lethargc incubus which sits
upon his breast, and sticks faster than a
blood-sucker to a dead catfish. He eats,
drinks and sleeps for the sake of diveriing
his attention from the numbering wheels
of Time that roll heavily by; and III the
midst of all his self-styled case, there are
no such convenient articles as peace and
happiness to he found. Why, my friends,
| have known men of wealth and respect
ability, whose physical faculties had be-
come so paralyzed with Incidence that i'll
would require eXtra-pressurc fever and
ague to bring their muscles into active
service. Yes, my dear hearers, say |
have seen such men; and one good CHM
is worth more in well regu-
lated and Industrious community, than as
many such as could be packed between
the eastern cape of Africa and the out
skirts of eternity.
Oh, my friends | regret to say that
idleness has Of late become fashionable
accomplishment with too large portion
of our young population. Employment
is getting to be thought vulgar, and toll
hardened hand not fit to be offered for the
acceptance of the fair sex. Give me a
hard hand, hard head and soft heart
but instead Of which, soft hands, soft
heads and hard hearts, arc now all the 90
in what the dyspepdc pimps Of etiquette
call the beGlt moaic. The calerplIars Of
sloth are making great havoc in our neg
leced juvenile nurseries. They are
stripping the young shrubs Of promise Of
their greenest foliage, and bligntiug the
young buds of enterprise rs fast as they
appear. II matters 90 on in this way
much longer, the rising generation will
soon become fit for nothing butt he hung
up as scare-crows in the moral graiu-ields
to frighten Young people into habits Of
industry.-Those who subsisi like wood
cocks, by suction, and wet their brazen
brows with artificial sweat, are too mum
erous to mention. They are thicker than
toads after a shower. They iufest the
public har-rooms, and block up the aven
ues to prosperity. 1t requires more
powerful galvanic battery than possess