Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-03-18
MfscelIameous.
THE CHOICE OF A PROFESSION.
The Gentleman, the Merchant, the Far.
mer, the Mechanic.
BIT PROFESSOR !. sANDERsoN.

ches, common enough in Europe, but scarce known
in this country, which will just notice by the
way--I mean the profession of doing nothing-in
| other words, the profession of gentleman. tie
who is born this lot, is taught to admire his
accidental advantsges--hs superb mansion or
sumptuous equpage--as a part of his own merit,
and being daily reminded Of his personal SUPERIOR
y and the necessity of stunning his interiors; his
mind becomes tainted with pride-but pride is a
vice, aud it is contrary 10 the laws ofGod and ma
ture that vice should produce happiness. So wo
find that nothing tends more to discomfort than the
fastdousness arising from the luxurious refinement
which follows independent wealth. Ii is not the
brave and miserable only who die by their own
| hands, hut also the fortunate How many exam
pies Could call out from my own knowledge and
from reading, in proof of this doctrine, if
| safy! will notice one ony-a good authority
Madame de Maintenon, who had risen through all
the varieties of fortune TO be the consort OF
arch, writes thus TO one of her former friends:--
"Dear friend, why can ! not give my experience
why not communicate to you some perception of
the enHu--the tedium of life, that penecutes the
great! The infinite expedients they must resort
to, to pass the tedious twenty-scar honrs of the
day! Alas. / feel il but too sensiby. There is
| no indemnity for the loss of liberty Do you not
see, my dear friend, am dying OF sadness, in the
midst of splendor the world has difficulty TO con-
ceive?n
And they who are not born to idle life, but be-
come rich by their industry, scarcely in bet
ter condition. These, by piling up their boarded
treasures acquire habits that totally disqualiy them
li,r state OF happiness-that part of thsir nature
which is capable of such enjoyment, is stricken
| with dead palsy. What is the brightest colois
to him who is blind! the sweetest music 10 one
who is deaf! The peculiar evils of this condition
Art cuts off the motives which animate dill
gence, and is prejudcial TO intellectual improve
meat, places the individual, in many respects, a
bova the necessity of moral and social obseivan-
ces, and gives him the habits Of practising as many
follies as heSeaa entertain. %
In opening volume OF memoir. lately, l read
| the following note OH the Duchess de Longuevle,
lady born to the highest rank and fortue. She is
sad. g,h,ppy, pouting-one of her maids consong
her. "Deaf Maaamo: F.s a.a..n,s s.leI Won
viii let yourself die of melancholy. Can we not
divert youe Here dogs and delightful forests;
would you not like to hunt!'' "No, do not like
| hunting" eWould yeu like some woyk--some
embroidery-some--!'' 81 hate work. cor to
! walk, or play at some game!' "No. like nei-
| Their the one nor the othcr.n $40 then say what
you would have US do for you!'' "What would
you have me say? l tell you plainly, dislike in
nocent pleasure" This ia duchess. She had
rank, and fortune, and beauty, aud accomplish
ments--yet unhappy!
| The destination of man is action. Employment
IS indisputable part of his nature, aud whoever
departs from such ntentio must expect to pay the
penalty OF his alteration. Ii is allowed (says Lord
Bacon) to God only and the angels, to be lockers
OH.
| Not many years ago, a Polish lady of pleban
birth, but Of exceeding beauty and accompl shmenis
| won the affections Of nobleman, who, having her
consent, solicited her from her father in marriage,
| and was refused We may easily imagine the as
| tonishment of the nobleman. sam | not (sad he)
of sufficient rank to aspire your daughters hand :!
"You are OF the best blood of Poland" "And
| my fortune and reputation! Are they not-!"--
"Your estate is magnificent. and your character
irreproachable:" .Thsn, having your daughters
| consent, how should expect refusal!" "This,
sir, (he replied is my only child, and her happi-
ness the chief concern of my life. All the pos
| sessions of fortune are precarious; what fortune
| gives, at her caprice size takes away. see no
security for the independence and comfortable liv-
| ing of wife, but one--n a word, have resolved
that no one should be the husband Of my daughter,
who is not at the same time master Of a trade"
| The riobeman bowed and retired silently A year
or two after, The father, standing in his own door,
| saw approaching his house wagons laden with bas-
kets, and ut the head Of the cavacade person il
the d TESS of basket-maker-and who do you i'm
| agine.i was? The former sutton of his daughter
| the nobleman turned basket-makef. He was now
master of trade, and brought the wares made
with his hands for inspection, and a cer,ii-
cate from his employer in testimony o. his skill
The condition being fulfilled, no farther obstacle
was of course opposed TO the marriage. But the
Story is not done. The revolution came--fortunes
were plundered, and Lords were scattered as chaf
before the winds of heaven. Kings became beg
sars--even some of them school-masters: and the
noble Pole supported his wife and his wiie's father
in the in6rmiies of age. by his discriminating in
ausny.
We should remember that it 10 not the qualities
which make the greatest figure in the eve Of the
world, that are most advantageous to thef owners.
More aud greatsr estates are acquired by the mod
crate accomplishments, than By the extraordinary
ones: for our prIacipal wants supplied by such
empIoylnents as are lest administered by those
| middling talents winch are the allotment Of the
greater part of our species. Genius is often daz-
zled by the splendof OF it's own conceptions, and
led ss;ray into wild and impraciicable enterprises
Ii is not greatest orators and geniuses who are
most desirable even in the science Of government;
but they who have made themselves expert in thai
practical and familiar knowledge which is accep-
table to all. Bot the common employmenls do not
exclude genius or ta!ent Of asy description. The
merchant, farmer and mechanic, count in their
several occupations men Of the highest grade Of the
human character. The two greatest patrons of
modern Learning, Lorenzo and Cosno de Medici,
were Florentne merchants. Our Robert Morris,
whose merits in advancing the Revolution were
Ia rdy exceeded BY those of Washington himself,
was a merchant. Franklin was bred mechanic;
and some Of the mos; distinguished men of ancient
or modern times, were mechanics. Shakespeare
was a seller fwool; Moliere weaver Of tapestry;
Claude Lorraine pastry cook; Ciacnnatgs was a
farmer; Hsmpden (fhe village Hempden, = no with
dauaileS eye, the Iitils tyTsnt Of his fields with
siood.l was farmer; Washington was a farmer.
Ii ambiisol b. object, the farmer and mechanic
s,aRi upon ths highest ground Of honorable pop1-
larity. There exists, and win continue TO exist
among US republican spirits dsnocratic sDiFi;