The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-03-04
The Nobieness Of Agriculture.

Philosopher. statesman and mobiles" says q
writer, "have not lis3a;red to bestow their at
tenton on agriculture" Disdaineil Why should
they disdain It In all ages it has been consid.
cred the mos, digniied as we'll as the most use
ful occup,tion that men can be employed. The
first step out of the savage state is made. when
the nomale's arrow is abandoned for the hus.
baudman..s pruning hook, The cultivation of the
soil is the keystone OF society A people may
be virtuous, and DO great, without the costly pro-
duct. Of the loom but never without well TILED
fields. Cato dressed in coarse woolen, and bad
probably neither silk nor cotton in his household ,
yet Cato lived when Rome was in her raiuAcst
davs. In the heroic age Of England, TIE reign
of Queen Elizabeth, the woven fabrics IN CON.
mon use we're of tn" roughest texture. nnA IL ?
other descriptions Of manufacture were not less
inferior but agriculture being the main employ
meut of the people, and large number cult!vv
ting their own lands, a boil adventurous spirit
prevailed, love Of independence which has nev.
er since been equalled. 1t was the age when
Eerglsh yeomanry were famed tie void over
It was the age of Drake, Cavenlish and Raleigh
at sea; of Sidney in arms and chvalry Of Spen.
ser and Shakespeare in litereture Greatest OF
all, it was, rightly considered, the age that gave
birth to America.
How can it be sail with t,iese facts before us
that mea do not di.dan to follow agriculture -
/ /, is agricu,..-s that honnys the man, not man
/ that honors agriculture. The contempt of the
/ plough and ploughman. so often expressed a
mong English literature, arose with the 0oths
who, at the fall ofthe Roman Empire ard know
nS uutiIiSi- ..vrs ..'..i~ "r', ~ t;is6s ~ ie
and to drink themselves to in:oXica!;on condemn
ed the more civilized and peaceful races whom
they subiugated to till that sol, as slaves, whcl
formerly had been occupied by tree cultivatcrs
1t was in this way that the pursuit Of aggicul
ture camo to be considered degrading in Europe
1t was the first time also IN history that it Ia,
ever been So The feudal ages perpetua,cG hi
stigma on husbandry. In times when the CIR
dinal principle Of civilization were 20 perGer.e,
that war and rapnC were regarded a. the only
honorable pursuits, it cannot be wondered thG
the occupation of the ploughmnn was consider
ed vulgar or even fisreputable The name @
the farm servant, villain became synonomou
in time with that Of rouge To this day, the de
scendant Of the rohber chiefs. who founded tn
feudal system, speak contemptuously Of tn,
people 10y the common names among farmer,
calling them in the singular, in England Good
man Hodge and in France, ia bonae honua
Jd-gues"
But Americans ough. TO be above these prclu
dies. knowing the origin of this indecent scorr
and conscious Of the Importance Of agriculture
our writers should hold the pursuit of the bus
bandman at its true dignity When they sa
that men of high social rank do not disdan t
pursue agriculture, they assist to perpetuate
prejudice originating in barbarous times. In
deed of all pursuits, husbandry is, perhaps, tia
which affords the mnst certain returns, the su,
est road to competence, and the best prospect G
health and long life; and therefore. it is the pro
fe-siun which should be exalted above all other
-thhat is, il 1t is right to exalt any honsst bna
, meas above another which equally honest W
will state this point more at large. That the r'
turns even Of the worst harvest are more certain
than any commercial venture, no one will deny
That life spent in the country ia most condu
Give TO health, all things else being equal, ever
physician declares. That the same amount
capital combined with proper skill and know
edge of the busircss, will, at the end OF twent
years, bring the farmer out richer than the me
chant we have the authority of one who has bee
, both merchant and farmer, and has distinguish
D ed himselfin both pursuits. Yet this occupatlC
which il rightly followed ronduces to mo
, harmonious developement Of men than anv otha
. is slurred Mt by an American writer. For h
? who In his heart has so low nm opinion .: aC'
:. culture, that his highest praise is. mobiles ha'
I no. iisdaneJ to follow it. slurs at it even VIII
. he seeks to compliment it.
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