Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-05-17
BUSY OILERS.

some OF tnOSe WHO seem tne DuSicSt
men are in fact the worst of oilers.
Take the Political idler, always posted
up with the latest news from Washing
ton, his busy brain ever Specializing as
to all possible results of a nomination or
an election, magnifying and combining
the slightest breath of rumor into every
form of party falsehood. His thoughts
travel swifter than the magnetic tele-
graph, and he is always hurrying off
from one caucus to another, with hardly
time to whisper the latest intelligence
in the ear Of a friend as he passes. He
wipes the perspiration from his forehead
with one hand as he takes you by the
button-hole with the other, being at once
the busiest man and the greatest idler
you shall meet in any street in the city
Then there is the Professional idler-
the student who sits in his Office all day
long, with the books Of his profession
open before him, turning over the pages,
while thousand thoughts pass through
his brain, yet ignorant of the first prin-
ciples of his profession and hardly ac-
quaintcd with the contents Of the last
page he has read.
There arc, too, certain would-be liter
airy ladies of this class, who botanizc far
enough to understand the language of
flowers, and study history indefatigably
through Walter SCOTS novels, and cul-
tiyate imagination through Bulwer, and
study character by the aid of Thackery
and Dickens; who attend every literary
and scientific lecture with double eye and
opera glasses, being, like all other liter
airy persons, short-sighted through much
reading.
Then there is the Moral and Religious
idler, working not at all, but busy
body" lie is present at every possible
religious meeting, knows the name and
face of every d. d. in the city, and can
tell you the'popular estimation in which
each is held. He is at every Temper
ance, Anti-Slavcry, and Moral Reform
meeting. Ire has kind of omnipres-
cree at the time of the Spring anniver-
saries--is posted up as TO the coptrover-
sizes of missionary and Bible societies,
and knows more about them than the
secretaries; yet none appreciate his zeal
He thinks it is because he is poor but
it is in fact because all his zeal isbut
busy laziness. lie is ever. soaking up
excitement, just as q sponge soaks up
water.
Now, these all seem very respectable
and industrious people, but what are
they in rcalityl oilers; for what is
idleness but making relaxation the bush
ness instead Of the recreation Of life p.
Recreation is good, relaxation is neces-
sary, and the bow, 10 retain its elasticity,
must be at times unbcnt, but the idlcr il
the man who keeps italways unbent, or
bends it only for show and TO nnbcnd It
again
Every man, rich or poor, ought 10
have some great absorbing purpose, some
active engagement 10 which his main on
orgies are devoted. Not enjoyment, but
duty, daily duty, must be the aim Of each
life. No man has a right to live upon
this fair earth, TO breathe this fair air,
to consume its food, to enjoy its beauties,
producing nothing in return. He has
no right to enjoy the blessings Of ciyili-l
cation, Of society, and Of civil liberty,
contributing earnest and self
denying labor Of head or heart or hand
TO the welfare Of mankind. Certainly I
no man can be truly religious who makes
as distinct from self-dsnying