The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-05-06

one tending loom, there another folding, arrang-
ing, or packing into cases the products thereof,
and at the head Of all was the manufacturer
himself t@8 ISL fs4L
/" Is his useless life asked the guide is
he wasting the high endowments of an immortal
mind in thus devoting himself to the Office of
gathering in the material and producing it
| again, as an article of comfort and luxury! But
see! Another has presented himself. 1t is the
| merchant He has come to receive from this
man the product of his looms, and send them
over the world, that all may receive and enjoy
them. Are his energies wasted? No, Ageron
If the merchant were not to engage in trade, the
manufacturers could not get his goods to mar
ket, and would no longer afford the means Of sub
sistence that he now does to hundreds and thou
sands who produce the raw material. Without
him, millions who receive the blessings furnished
by nature and art in places remote from their
city or country would be deprived Of many COM
forts and many delights. The agricultnralst,
the manufacturer, the merchant, the artsan--all
who are engaged in the various callings that min
lister to the wants, the COMFORTS and the Injuries
of life, are honorably employed. Society, in all
parts, is held together by mutual interests.
chain of dependencies binds the whole world TO-
gether. Sever single link, and you affect the
whole. Look below you. As a merchant, your
position is intermediate between the producer and
The consumer See how many hundreds are
blessed with the reception of natures rich bene-
fits through your means Could this take place,
if you sought only after abstract truth, in idle,
dreamy musings! Cease, then, to chafe yourself
by faacious reasonlngs Rather learn to feel
delight in the consciousness that you are the
means Of diffusng around you many blessings
Think not Of the gold you are to gain, as the end
of your activity; for, so far as you do this, you
will lose the true benefits that may be derived
| from pursuing with diligence your calling in life
that for which by education you best qualified
and into which your inclination leads yon." .ts
| / see it all now clear as a sunbeam, Alger-
non said, with sudden enthusiasm, as light
broke strongly into his mind. The sound Of his
own voice startled him with its strangeness.
For moment he seemed the centre of whirl-
ing sphere. Then all grew calm, and he found
himself sitting alone in his chamber. a
q" Can all this have been but a dream 7" he
murmured thoughtfully. No. no, it is more
than Dream / have been taught, not by
Iherself-beautful Truth. Her lovely counte-
nance shall never forget, and her words shall
rest in my heart like apples of gold on pictures
Of silver. Henceforth look upon life with a
purified vision Nothing is mean-nothing is
| unworthy of pursuit that ministers to the good
OF society. On this rock rest my feet Here
stand upon solid ground"
From that time AJgernon pursued his business
as merchant with renewed activity. The
thought that he was mlnisterng in his sphere,
to the good of all around him, was a happy
thought. 1t cheered him on in every adventure,
| and brought to his mind, in the hour Of retire.
ment, sweet peace, such as he had never be-
fore known. Fully did he prove that the con-
seriousness Of doing good to others brings with it
the purest delight.