Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-03-02
II Have no time to Read.n

None2 No half hours, no spare mo.
ments, even ? No But you take time
to eat, drink, and provide for the supplv
OF physical wants. You have time to
build houses, shops and stores and to la.
Dor for money, which you accumulate un-
til you are rich, or spend in sensual pleas
ure and remain poor You have time to
shelter from heat and cold, BODY that
will walk but for little season upon the
earth, and then be buried in its bosom.
You may have time to adorn it with pur-
pie and fine linen, or it may be covered
with coarse attire, and although it posses
ses the beauty of Apollo, or the strength
OF Hercules. it will soon be dust under
the feet of the living Do you sometimes
forget that this outer man dies, while the
soul lives forever, and in too great anxiety
tor the comfortable support of the one
! forget the other2 Do you say, Men of
| strong muscles aud sinewy arms-men
who plough the ground aud fashion wood
iron and brass into articles of convenience
and luxury, that you have no time to read,
and therefore no time to think Are
there not hearts within your breasts.
that sometimes beat with noble impulses.
and have you not minds that return an
abundant harvest for the seeds of knowl
edge sown within them The farmer
who tllls the soil will do so the more sue
cessfuily, II be can analyze its properties
and thus ascertain the kind of grains to
which it is best adapted The mechanic
who best understands those scientific prin-
ciples that are connected with his trade,
VIII WELD his tools with an ability that
leaves his ignorant competitor far in the
rear The one guides every stroke of the
hammer with the eye beaming with intel
llgeLce; the other brings to his labor only
that strength which he shares in common
with the lower animals of creation The
one is we'll Informed upon the correct top
ics of the day, has an intelligent opinion
in relation to politics, and casts his vote
according to his judgment the other is
carried away by popular excitement, and
tails an easy prey to the wiles of the par
tlsan and the demagogue. The one eYer-
clses powerful conservative influence in
favor of law, and of order: the other
swells the mob, and manifests his unfit
ness to share IN the government of others
by failing to govern himself
But If you have not time to read for
your own sake and for society, there may
be those for whom it is your especial duty
to live wisely. There are some families
where children gather around cheerful
fresides at evening hours, and receive in
struction from the lips of parents and
elder brothers and sisters not, perhaps.
by formal questions and parot like reply,
but with quick and ready tact that OBJ
tains stores of valuable information from
cheerful and intelligent conversation.
Let US not complain because others
have greater riches and honors than our.
selves, for where there are no laws of pri.
mogeniture. and no hereditary peers, riches
and honors are the rewards of industry
and perseverance. In this country, ONLY
wee and ignorance are disgraceful, while
labor is respected and honored The
printer-boy who sat up all night to read
borrowed books that were to be returned
IN the morning, conquered the lightning,
and was courted and admired by the most
polished circles of Europe, and the young
blacksmith, whose classical education be-
gan with Latin grammar at the forge,
became welcome visitor in the first lite
rary circles at home and abroad.