The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-04-14

Intellectual and Rural Delights.
MEssRs. EDlToRs Il have for some
time past peruse1 your paper with much
nterest, and mus, say that deem it the
best paper with which l am acquainted for
the farmer and his family.
But il was not so much TO eulogise your
labors that commenced This brief epislle,
as to write ou, a few thoughts on the agri-
cultural profession, and to give you some
brief details Of my experience in practical
farming. OF course il would be supernu,
ous TO attempt to insruct-my object being
TO gain informaiion--a as am merely ju.
cenis, toga ririiis.
| have, during nearly all Of my short life,
resided on farm; and since have arrived
at sufficient age and strength, have been
employed great part of my time in the
practical business of farming; but as have
lorg made it my rule 10 be almost always
engaged in something useful, not wasting my
limc in idlencss or in improbable sports, !
have been ablo 10 read and study 10 a con-
siderable extent. Indeed, have employed
large part of the winters, rainy days, and
small portion Of nearly every day, in ac-
curing knowledge.
Thus it may be inferred that as have
been engaged pretty extensively in both
corporeol and intellectual pursuits, so nm
able to judge in regard 10 The pleasure pro>
duced from each occunstion. speak Of
This because j, is favotiie assertion with
yourselves, as well as your correspondents,
thN, there is no other pursuit or business
productive of an equal amount Of real
pleasure as practical farming and garden
ing. Now respectfully dissent from this
opinion as re CARDS my humble SELF for |
can truly affirm that while farming has very
few enticements for me, intellectual pursuits
afford me the greatest delight. And, in>
deed, for my part, cannot really see how it
can be otherwise with any one who has been
engaged in both employmens, and who ha,
a true conception of the almos, infinite val
ue Of intellectual culture.
certainly would like to know in what
the secret consists Of finding any real sub.
siantial pleasure while engaged in the mos
noionous business of holding the p.ow 4 ON
"early in the morning to late in The eve.
ming !" or in continually digging in the
dirt proppins up corn and eKlerminaling
ares or ihc some what les, monotonon md
filthy, but more wea iso,ne labor, of hay
ing; or in fact, in any OF the manual operas
tons apperlaining 10 the farm.
Blu, who can fail TO derive enjoyment
while perusing the works OF the greatest
and noblest minds; while studying The char
acter and mode of thought and action of
men of genius and wisdom; In fne, while
engaged ir any of those literary or tcien-
tic pursuits which seem TO expand the
mind and make one man, in the true sense
Of The term
The one pursuit is almost entirely sublu-
nary, providing merely for the terrestrial
wants of man, while the other is heavenly,
dirine-not only calculated TO make one
wiser and better, and enjoy those pleasures
which he would otherwise be unable 10 at
tain in time, hut also ~ ahen time shall be
no more and eternity shall roll on ill its
everlasting revolution.
Fearing your patience will be exhausted
with loo long communication, will pest,
pone the remarks which intended to make
in the present letter on my experience in
farming, rs well as some inquiries on subs
lect in which am much interested.
NorNGeld ", II, Jan. 1852. Antony.