Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-02-22
For the Fayetteville Observer.
The Disnify Of. Labor.

~ - al iuulcdtsOu OF iittsene66 ID any
mind. to be ashamed Of work. 1tis
to deny the Law Of nature; for it is a
universal mandate written in the ne
cessity Of things, that. ssin the sweat
Of thy face is every thing great or
valuable to be accomplished. The
human frame or genius has never yet.
dawned upon the world, that could
despise labor, and not be an outlaw
against nature. We look around Us
in vain, to witness the, accomplish
ment of any thing without theaid Of
mental or physical effort. Where
are the monuments Of. creative idle
ness? Where are the triumphs Of
genius everlastingly at rest2 They
are not to be found in the past: His,
tory makes no record OF them. They
are not among the wonders Of the
present-the universe is void of all
trace Of them; lorsthey are not, and
have not been. All that dignilies
history, or makes the present glori-
Gus, has been the result Of this same
law Of work. What has,not labor
done? In fact, nothing has been
done without it. Ithas builded our
cities, Aoated our nayies, led cur ar
mics, and governed the nations Of the
world. Ithas storedthe mind Of the
student, penned the inspiration Of
the poet, struck eloquence from the
mute marble, given the historian an
unforgetting memory, and thrown
the hues and speaking lines of life
upon the .inanimate canvass. All
this and more, much more, has Labor
done. It has identified life, and
made it tolerable. Without work,
existence were a dull, monotonoas
prolongation Of days, with naught to
mark the lapse Of time but the rising
and setting of suns. Who covets
the barren life full of ease, that has
no manly struggle, no doubtful battle
fields, no generous thrills? Rather
than be doomed to such Dead Sea
fate, we would be thrown upon the
pillows of an eternal conflict, to alter
nate forever between triumph and de-
feat They whose lot is a life Of toll.
in their madness often sigh for the
repese and careless indulgence Of. the
opulent child cinnamon. ButlittleI
do they think Of the days vacant Of
incident, and the nights burdened
with sleep, and and the ceaseless re.
turn Of the forms misnamed pleasure.
Too lightly do we estimate the lux
ury of genuine impulse, the con-
Il
sciousness of mighty passion, awaking
to the sublimity Of life, and the
proud and satisfying repose that
comes with the final. triumph over
temporary ills.
We have said there is dignity in
labor. Every one has feltit, who
has lent himself earnestly to work.
He has felt that his virtue was safest
when be has thrown about the safe.
guard Of honest, unwayering occupa-
ton. These are the moments of his +
most conscious pride. 1t should be
/ part of education to inculcate the
owe Of labor, the esteem Of its re-
wards, and the supremacy of its Law. !
We're its true. dignity appreciated,
men would seek to make their chill. I,
lren gentlemen by learning them to]
work, rather than by putting money !
nto their purses. IF idleness be an
vii, then is the fathers blessing too
'ften bis bitterest, curse. Labor sisf
lot onerous, when performed With an
ppresiation Of its true nature.s. II,
hen becomes dignifed and houora:
lie; elevating man 10 his true: posi-
ION among the creation Of Onnipo- :
ence. Neglecting this law Of his !
eing, he becomes an idler in a upi-l i
erse Of activity and energy. g He}y
eeps, till the crisis Of great desti- :
y is passed. He sells his birthright ).