, 1841-04-17

ness VI otlels. S~crupulous 0lOckheadS call
this deception, but you may depend upon it,
1t is nothing but a justiiable use of our wits.
Nay, 1t is not only justifable, but obligatory,
Tor not to make use of the faculties bestow-
ed on us by nature, or acquired by expert
ence, would be flying in the face of our
Maker. Ii would be "a most criminal negli-
gence. Do You remember the parable OF
the talents?'
Il think l have some sort of recollection
of it,"
"Well, what is the moral Of it! Is il not
that the great duty of man is to turn a pen.
ny, and make money as fast as he can?'
But, sir, | think he ought to make it hon.
cstly."
.Pooh-you're a blockhead. There is
not one word about honesty in the whole
parable
This. and various similar conversations
together with the daily example ofmy father,
and his perpetual! turmoil about speculations,
gave Il radical turn 10 my mind, and fixed my
destiny for life. ! saw very clearly that
mankind were condemned 10 labor. not for
their own benefit, but that of others; and
that naSmuch as the wits of a man were
the modest part OF him, it was but just they
shouldliv al the expense o. those democrat
&c physical powers. which were ~undoubted-
" intended for that purpose.
One oi the great resources OF my father.
who was 4 decided enemy 10 hard work,
was the invention Of labor-Saving machines.
| remember 10 ave heard him boast that he
had. during bis life. taken out patents tor a
hundred and tiirty-seven contrivances Of
this sort, unIny of which he sold out to The
.~cOmutrv farmer and village mechanics, for
ne had Il most slippery tongue, and a keen
Wit, which he often assured me were special
lv given to enable him To earn an homes,
livelihood. ! haze long ago forgot the urea-
ter portion of these lah"T->avInu machines;
but ! remember there WAS one Tor ScaidImg
pigs without heating the water. and another
Tor churning butter by an ingenious applIca-
ton al the weli-p"!e, while the good women
were lowering and hosting the bucket
We lived comfortably three months on these
inventions. al the end OF which time the
ignorant country people began TO he so jea-
Gus Of the superiority of my fathers wits,
that thew threatened to tar and Father him.
and subject me TO the patent scaldIng ma
chime.
tI'tl- IN S'hl. Sdtb tts WV hdNs lhN'
after u creaiigI GRANT country BOBBY. VIII" had
pad ms last five d"iiars for the Use al the
patent ScaldIng cnntrIvance. had called him
various unseemlv names. and threatened TO
prosecute him for swIndlIng-"F Ferret. my
son. there is no longer any living among
these hard. working Cyclops. who have n"
respect for the triumphs of superior intellect,
and prefer brute force TO mother wit. Be-
sides. these big paved fellows'-mv father
was the inventor Of this phrase-have such
4 stupid respect for industry. that they are
apt 10 despise their bet,ers, who live by
! their wit. according 10 the instinct OF rea-
son. and the DEGREES Of Providence. ! am
gong TO the great city Of RagamutflnvlIle-
where there is elhow-room for the ex-
ercise of ones wits. and ] Can turn dollars
| where | now only turn pennies
Accordingly we departed for the great
city To- seek our fortunes IN a more enlarged
| sDhere of action. As We proceeded along.
INV father whlled away the time by pointing
out Il variety of excellent sPeculatIons. ]
had but n confused notion of the precise
meaning Of this word; and TO this day ] con-
fess the distinction between making 4 great
speculation and taking in a fellow crea.
ture. is not precisely clear to my mnd.-
How far a man may use his superior wit OF
experience in cet,in. the better oi ignorance
and simplicity. is a question as my father
used to say, which every one must decide
for himself.
"There. now" said he, as we passed The
house of an honest farmer" There Is :
fellow VINO might double the value ofhis farm
and live like a fighting cock. if he would
only drain that great swamp, blow up tina
ledge of rocks, sprinkle a few hundred bush
els Of plaster over it. lay it down in grass
and stock it with the short horn breed"
Ireplied in the simplicity Of my heart
81 suppose, sir, he has not the means o
doing this"
.Ah' Ferret, there's the thing. Th'
whole world is. as it were, standing stIll TO
want of means. There is not halt enougl
money in the world to supply the new devel
opemenrs Of speculation; and the posslbIlIt.
of supplying this want so as 10 keep Peac
with the spirit Of the age-do you under
stand me, boy9-is what employs my MN
dav and night. The difficulty OF eett'nj
money has always appeared to me a grea
defect in the scheme Of Providence, an.
,,,,,ld kn al