The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-08-03
LABOR AND WAIT.

Longfellow is a most pleasant and agreeable
author. His stories have quaint peculiarly
that is charming, and his poems substance as
well az spirit that renders them very readable.
We took up a volume containing some ct his
minor pieces the other evening before retiring
and in short time were as much interested IN
their persual as if we had never seen them be-
fore. Among others we read that one OF his
poems which is probably the most popular, the
most admired and the most admirable of them
all, entitled ga Psalm of Life" and OF which
the following is the closing stanza
"Lct us then be up and doing
With heart tor any fate
Still achiev ing, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to acan."
The effect of the poetry, or of the thought to
which it gave rise, was that of an overstrong
opate. Instead of sending Us into the dominion
Of sleep accompanied with the melodious meas
ures, the bright fancies and pleasant dreams OF
rhyme, it troubled our sleeping hours with wake
fulness and haunted our memory with an itera-
ton that could not be overcome. We were com
PEELED to think OF it whether we would or no,
and to repeat constantly the necessity of labor
II is undoubtedly true that labor is the inev
liable inheritance of us all Labor, sometimes
pleasant, sometimes painful, sometimes profitable
and sometimes unproductive depending Just as
much upon the disposition Of the individual for
its character as upon the individuals common
sense for its results. The style Of labor and
in different cases. There are few who ''toi
not, neither do they spin" But by far the
greater portion Of mankind, either with their
hands or their brains, physically or intellectual
ly, labor for their daily bread Life itselfis,
in fact, only PROLONGED, ceaseless and unsatis-
factory struggle-a great work, with much to
do and short time in which to accomplish it -
OF the necessity Of labor, we are not inclined
TO complain. In its own way it compensates
for all the exertion, all the fatigue, all the pain
and vexation to which il gives birth. Youth,
punging with untireG energies and undevelo.
ped resources inio the hustle and business, the
stern rivalry and competition of daily life,
finds pleasure in the very vigor of the conflict
and rejoices in the growing evidences Of its
own powers. Manhood, with thews and sinews
hardened by toll, with muscles rendered rigid
b. exertion-mndful of past victories and pre-
sent rank, and DESTROYS Of further plaudits and
higher honors-goes into the fight like a race
horse into the battle, or like strong man pre-
pared to run a race. There is an incentive
and reward to all toll which lghtens its Sc
verify, requites its endurance and mitigates the
painful failures by which it is sometimes atten-
ded.
sLearn to labor" is good advice, but why
should we wait For what-for rest Have we
not, as old Arnauld of the Port Royal instIuc-
ted his disciple-have we not all eternity to
rest in ? Are we to wait for pleasure /; have we
the time, and, if we have, will the end follow the
means? Are we to wait for the fruit and re.
ward of our labors; is it clear that the stop,
page will not prevent the realization of our
desires, and that the object will not be frustra-
ted and forever lost by the means used to attain
it Indeed, we do believe in the philosophy or
the common sense of waiting for anything
Labor and its rewards run side by sde-the
result treads hard upon the heels of the cause -
We have known great many valuable objects
won by severe, continuous, persistent labor, but
we never knew anything of moment accom-
plished by laziness. The "masterIy inactivity
Of which NJ. Calhoun wis wont TO speak-fEe
Fabian policy recorded in history, savored more
Of the fcstina lentc than the positive cessation
and rest included in waiting.
frs Tonga, rita 6reris est is an old but a true
apothgem, and one which deserves 10 be remem.
bered. Its inference is laborious one, but full
of comfort and consolation. 1t teaches the pro-
ductiveness and profit of labor-its pleasure and
its ultimate success-a success that rises supe-
rior to defeat and is victorious in the very mo-
ments of rout. But it says nothing OF waiting.
In fact we have nothing TO do with waiting
we have neither time nor occasion for it. All
our energies are required for labor. Except in
the performance of our duty there is neither pro.
fit nor pleasure-and the duty of all, as well as
the necessity of most, is to labor.
Let US then be up and doing.
With heart for any fate''-
conscious that whether successful or not in the
objects of our labors we have deserved success
Let US alter the text Of the poet, and at the risk
OF spelling the rhyme endeavor to increase the
sense and practical merit. Let US
Learn to labor and to work.
". @. Crescent