The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-02-27


n; that inasmuch as the advancing spirit OF the
lines is in other callings continually crying
put sOnward!" he should partake OF that
spirit, advance with others in education and
mental discipline, and claim, and be able to take,
equal rank with the highest.
Being, on the whole, rather inclined to favor
the views of the last named class, shall briefly
survey portion of the ground involved in the
question, in order to see for myself whether the
Farmer should be man of general as well as
particular knowledge. If find the 'lay of the
land such as I suppose tito be, shall take
decided stand with my friends, the Journals and
sbook- farmers.
In the short and graphic account given us of
the Creation, we are informed that after form
had been given to matter, and the vegetable and
lower animal would have been brought forth to
life, man was made, in the image OF his Creator,
to be lord Of his other works, and commanded to
subdue and cultivate the ground. Or, in the
noble lines ofthc poet
.sThcre wanted yet the mastcr-work, the end
OF all vet done creature who, not prone
And brute other creatures but cndued
With sancty of reason, mi ht erect
His STATURE and upright with front serene
Govern the rest. self knowong; and from thence
Magnanmous, to correspond with heaven:
But, grateful to acknowledge whence his good
Dcscenls hither, with heart and voice, and eyes
Directed in devotion, TO adore
And worship God Supreme, who made him chief
OF all his wcrhs.'- I.Hitoa.
The pursuit. then, originally assigned to man
was that of Agriculture, aud thus did his Ma
kcr confer superior dignity upon it. lie was
endued with reason, to distinguish him from,
and elevate him above the lower animals, and
to enable him among other things, properly to
subduc and cultivate the earth. Reason is by
far the most important OF man $ lntellectual Po"
crs. By it he devses means to accomplish
ends, distinguishes truth from error, or, IN
other words acquires knowledge. 1t is also
progressive from infancy to age. 1t is on the
right use of reason that our success, both in the
pursuit of knowledge and happiness depends !;
and in proportion we acquire knowledge,
so, in turn is reason enlarged and strengthened,
and we arc thus enabled to make still higher ac-
ouisitions. To accomplish desirable ends, then,
the original gift should be improvedb by the attain
mcnt Of knowledge.
knowledge expands the mind of the farmer
from mere attention to details and brute force,
to an extensive comprehension of general princl-
plcs-thosc great cardinal principles by which
nature is governed in her operations, and with
which he necessarily comes in contact every
day. In the business of cultivation, an infinite
diversity of principles and mysteries arise to the
thoughtful mind, many Of which, if understood
at ali, must be wrought out by the utmost efforts
of perfected Science, and cultivated mind
Few of us, indeed, can give satisfactory reas-
on for many of the simplest operations of nature
which are continually before our eyes. We are
therefore about as liable to 60 wrong as right, in
some of our commonest methods of tillage.
1t has been said that & Mind is the great lever
of all things; human thought the process by
which human ends are ultimately attempted.
If this be true, then, in proportion as the mind
is expanded by knowledge, so is this lever
lengthcned and strengthened, by which we open
the vast framework around us, dffusc light
where all before was darkness, solve problems
which otherwise would never be known or only
seen in dim obscurity, and subject and mlnge
elements before beyond our control. In short
we arc thus enabled the better to obey the divine
command to subduc and cultivate the earth, and
to use its clements and its creatures for dcsira
bic ends The ejac ulation of an ancient tablcc
combatant, when cnveloped in clouds and dark
ness, is an appropriate petition tor us farmers
enighcd as we arc, in ignorance Of grca
principles with which we daily have to do
Dispesthese clouds, the light of heaven restore,
Give me sce-and A. ax asks no morc.'
knowledge exalts all the faculties of the mind
However much exalted, they will find ample
scope for exercise in the pursuit of Agriculture
1t is an occupation that emnently combine
science with practice. fthe powers of obser
. vation reflection and generalization are quicken
> ed and exalted by knowledge, so as thereby t.
=. become more nearly adequate to the demand
II that the business naturally makes upon them
g. we may produce results, of which state c
e e arrogant ignorance never dreamed nor was eve
"a capable Thus we see, that when we have Civ
e en- the farmer taste for the acquisition
>, knowledge, we have made him better beque:
J than money for we have given him the hab
~ of thinking, and that is the prnc pie of all legit
'e mate prosperity. 1t enables him at once to at
. and operate, to compare, contrve, invent, II
>: prove, and perfect,--to accomplish his ends
a ,s higher and still higher degrees.
- Then, too, the business of the farmer large
% admits of, nay, in our view, it demands, obse
III walton and thought. While engaged in Il
nv invigorating air. and conversant with the prime
= pies and beauties of nature around him, he M
~ pursue habits of thought to an extent, and wi
VIC an elasticity and vi gor of mind, which the st
~ dent of the closet, struggling with an attenuat
er frame, trembling nerves, and throbbng hes
L. often signs for in vain. We farmers who ha
- not vet felt the Importance of cultvating a
re- using the thinking faculty to some yalual
ILL., purpose, may with propriety receive and ponc
the address of a profound thinker:
IN "My friend, to hare thought far too little,
;es shall find among the capital faults in the revi
of life. To have in our nature noble part Il
can think, would be cause for infinite exul
ton, if it actually did think as much and as W
as it can think, and if to have unthinki
mind were not equivalent to having no mind
all all. The mind might, and it should be, kt
in a state habitual exertion, that would save
from needing to appeal for proof of its exister
to some occasion yesterday when we did thi
or to- morrow when we shall. If all the sh
spaces of time in which we have strong
or exerted our faculties could be ascertaned, a
reckoned together into one place, what SIN
70 part of life it would fill =! The space, howev
~, ~ may be deemed the total of real life
Knowledge refnes the taste, thus enabling
~ to prcceive and enjoy the beauties and subj
u tiles of nature state of ignorance cannot
favorable to the emotions of taste. Neither do
look for its exercise in the mere getter or hoa
~, err of money, the man Of loose morals, or dis
~ Lutte habits Refined taste is intimately all
or to morals, for it naturally elevates the mi
I,a and ennobles the character gifts possessor; q
e thus it is that knowledge, by refining the tas
indirectly favors virtue. Who, If nat the fur
IL, err, should possess and enjoy refined taste? I
Is great Author Of all has adorned his works W
d. beauties and sublimities, that may excite
d. highest and purest emotions of which the hum
mind is susceptible. They solicit the senses
the farmer at every turn. The endless varit
at and beauty Of flower, plant and shrub the va
~, org stages of veoetntion from the germinat