Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-12
THE DIGNITY OF LABOR.


THE DIGNITY OF LABOR.
Wherever We turn our eyes, We liz! men striving
for 4 ,stincfion honor and happiness.
Every conceivable cxprdirn IL resort-d TO- IN or
der IN ACCOMPLISH their designs. There are many
men who go to and fro The EARTH seeking 10 d!''
cover in what manner they may, WIN The least
trouble to themselves, reach the end they have III
view.
# makes bat little ditf-renc" with them whether
The means they employ he the bees; aiapfed {" the nc
compiShment of their designs or not sn that y t"
Yates them i'll the estimation ot TIE puU''c. ih"S
s,cp moi Ia inc urr which would b. the mot Apr"
p-in. sphere tor them, which il the proper chhnnr.
in which their powers should be eX1ried, whether
they ARE SCI cnpacltatei ~ 10 derive more eil"yuen
from this or that employment: Or whether they are
endowed Will! tastes aud ulents Tor this or that bus'-
These uues.ions do not enter their calculations. II
il not the great inject Of inquiry with them. how they
can best accomplish the design for which they VIZ.
created, but how they may most easily accomplish
their own designs.
II il perhaps universally true of man that he loves
ease that h- loves n freedom 10 do nothing, that h.
wi hes Il, 20 through the world with little eAcriion
~ possible; but how peculiarly applicable IL ihls
truth al IN. present day Scarcely one III my
II Young stops 10 consider whether IN" "rcn'
patton which h.. selects i,r r Is the ole Tor whic he
~ .he meat useful.
The vouag man that enters upon the study of met
i,iu- r sw scarcely considers ana very frequent
y cnres about li,tl- whether II Is the occupation
for Vs. n he was intended br not.
The ung gentleman of this age, must 90 and spend
ut lea part o ms fortune at College p-rh.p- grad
Ia.r else quit ATE: Year ar i~" nc'nus- Ire h!-
II too much III "up-a.ll business. and then away
Il. nu- go Ia profession or sorn" s".cal~d h'H3F|'t"
.,uu ,,,nrut ih, name al which h. thinks Wi! c1rrr
i,rn through The world Ii IL profession, pr0''N>i1'
IL must he professional character. Ever. body
is following profession and | must do IKE the
world
Notwithstanding many Of our young men hav-
neither tastes nor talents far profession, ~ would
b. too grand cond,sccnsiun 10 think Ci any th!ns
else
Though they possess fine 'nachanical genius and
though by drvorin. the n-cv.- 10 soma mrnuri cm.
plnyn-ur, aud uniting this genius with labor they
might do great good Ia s0ci.iy, and enroll their
names hig! upon Fain"'- proud temple, md have
Their memories revcrcd 10y p"s."rl'y a. grrn; b"n".
factors uf their race they Hus hnrG 'sfl"-p sSn,
and think il as great honor they ned inspire al
Ter fn have q handle attached Ia Their :a'n-..--
Though very many have y wonderful taste i"- ngfi-
culture. aid constituted that they wUu!G en-
i,y more. happin ~ from farmers life than any
ether though ih"y have heen brought Hp IN this bu
-n.-s and are We" acquainted with Il. now that they
hav" grown up Ia b, Their own men. ana have gone
10 College. they think II would b- dI'srac" tor
them ~ follow trade or 20 cultivate The earth. Tncy
conceive the grand aud mighty idea ihs; society
would think i-- Ut them. wrr" they ~ endrsvor I"
live hv honest industry and hard labor, that they
would bring Disgrace upon themselves and their in
miles.
While this is the vi-w that many pleased IN
TAX. nf h- subject, shall en- t-avor To present y
N i!r.rrn, light. We shall eneav"r {" sho", that
m lar from being dishunurabr. 1t IL one al the sr--t
agvs 10 success. and honor. and happiness Aud INT
whit. H.. professions are highly honorable, aud So
ynuIJ moi were vs ab.e deirsc At all from the high
r.pu.e in which they are held more dignity attaches
to no condltion of life. anl mnrs honor aud imp'r
lance belongs 10 10 character in society than 10 the
honest hb"rer.
T.rre is dignity, which, from liza very nature,
belongs to labor. Instead ut occupying that low
contemplate place tn which IL IL wort IN b" a.
signed il should rank tir- and foremost among th'.
various .mp"yments al lille Instead OF dsh"n"r;ng
and degrading man, it ecvates hm high IN the scale
# real worth.
The honest industrious labor.r, who lives fre"
from censure and above suspicion, il Ms much entitled
to tf,- confidence, respect hnd esteein OF his ico".
men rs any member o society.
Their. are three important and points. from which
We NAV view this crhjrci: ls: Man was m1'is I"
labor. Cd By conforming To this Law of his nature,
ne promotes his own happiness. Sd ny 40 doing, liz
contributes 10 the happiness OF his i-!iow;nan
w. learn that ms,I D-IS mHde 10 idtJr fret. from
the command of God llmsrlt. II. hss declared un-
n man In IN" sweat ri Thy tace shall thou eat
br.sd' This was the D.vir. deere. when man wa.
driven from tie garden OF EI-u ii still remains. nnd
will .;rubess. ever remain IN t"'ce. We Learn II
min, rom the fact ihA, mans physical intellectual
rr.. upon il. The development al The entire il
Greatly aid.L by labor. The Creator has endowed
man with capacities. and e:; II with ilin Ia say whc
th.r th" shall liz dormant aud entirely useless or he
,i.ve,y,.d ard trained, and thus made to contribute
il his hHpp'nr''
IN. light of nature of itsrli would teach Va TINT
such H.. cgze. Observations and experience teach
rs that III. muscles and sincws aud various members
uG our p''-;cal "rganIIatIon are d"penent upon the
.tnount training they receive for ;heir health and
I'll, tn, I'D nj ia w u,.l al
serve the difference b-iween the full grown, healthy
wsLd.vcl"p"i man, and the mere dwarf, or the sick
Is aud eif-nna'r creature, with simply the nnin; OF
man. far "a h. Is physically CONCERNED Lr"k
2, the l,borous man, who, from hia youth up he,
been accustomed 10 bard work and, il he has enjoy
II good opportunity, and has in" wi'h no ca.a'n.
~. wil ALWAYS tind HIN puss""sed ri soIuG hu!
I-shy boly. He is strong and vigorous, able to
endure at;2G- nnd suii-r hardSI'fs; while the man
she iro;n early life has been accustomed ~ sp1nG
hi- tim. IL ease, who has never known what II was
to labor, whose powers have been allowed 10 iie iiie
less, VITO, though 10y nature endowed with NOR"
perfect organization, ha. subjected his various mem
beers 10 no trsining.s now. perhaps, the victim OF
disease. aud in manner fitted Tor ia. arduDns du.
tie. of life. Or If there ar some men who have new
er subjected them-elv-5 10 any physical di-c'Plne
aud are vet strong and healthy tins Is rarc-and, To
say the least of il, they still just "a much III.
ierior 10 what they would nave been, had they pur.
sued this other course, whcn c"nth"n sens. ana !'.
.lr of mature and revelation would have susg--tr,.
Nature In. h-r fx@d aud uaGliersbi- lava. which
cannot b. violated with npunIiy. 10 the'e Laws re
wards and puuishmeuts ARE attached. Upol those
who obey these laws. -h- u most Iavis! III brs'uwing
her rewards. but upon him who violates them. she
vi.. her punishment in All their rgor and severity.
r, look now ri the development OF the ne!lea'ua
man ". :i,id that much bodily exercise is ab-oluteiy
essential in the development OF the mind, fact con
6rm.d bv the experience ut nine out o ZEN students
! vino have for auy length Of time. confined them
selves 70 ha.I study. W,thou: j., III. mod -ocn b-
! comes veari.d aud the mental powers Refuse. 20 per
form ;l-ir appropriate functions faithfully. But with
constant. vigorous exercise the mind msy be trained
- IN -x;ent thai bat few conceive u. heat er
/ -oet has SAID deus srna in -ann corpora" IA
/ -puad mind N sound nudy.I Bodily exercise giv-
yg1r sni energy an activity 20 -7ery faculty OF IN,
mind. IL InpYcs degree of life and elasticity tn
! .n-!i.'' tina; h,Gy else can iIEpsr'.
son reIGy Ia say. III. i-o"rIns man has IT.
! tiw- - study But We do not advocate tn doe
triu-. tha, no man be student except him " b.
studi". texb books: nciib-r do Te believe in II. Fa
from il. 4 man is not obliged TO coEiDe hI;ns~lt =
the school OF letters, 20 thu Mathematics mud Ian
guag-s OF college order 10 BE- Ii student. There
! another book and there other schools III whic
he may study.
Tbs book uf Nature hes never yet been mastered
II contains problems which have never yet bee
solved and truths which have never yet been athor