The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-06-27
Suggestions to Mechanics as to the
Proper Employment of their Leis-
ure Hours.
From the Inventor.

particularly interesting. but | am going to
try; and YOU may "prent" what l send, or
not, as you shall judge proper.
Mechanics, as a general thing, sadly neo-
lect their own interests by not "reading
themselves up" in their several professions.
lhe mechanic thinks and feels land rightly
too) that, after the toll of the day is over, he
needs some reaction to compensate him for
his close application to business. But the
difficulty lies in the choice of his reactions.
have heard it said, and think it true. that
anything which will direct the mind to any
other channel than the one which has occu-
ped 1t through the day, will tend to recreate
1t. 1t is the same with the body The car
penter will shove the plane all day, and then
walk two miles to his own home, and feel
frcsher than when he left his work.
once had an invitation to join gymnas-
tic club which met two evenings in week.
The reply gave was, that my labor of ten
hours day was work enough for me. NV
friend said that the exercise in the club room
actually relieved him of all wcarncss. Now,
think that after the toll of the day. if the
work is sedentary or contining, a walk of a
mile or two. and then an hour or two spent
Ill readlnS-frst. the news Of the dav, then
some scientific work. of which there are MANY
on different subjects within the reach of the
working mall-would be reaction to both
body and mind. Too many mechanics choose,
for reaction. places of resort. where they not
onl! throw their time away. but much of their
money, and often times their health.
The money and time thus thrown away
would be sufficient to purchase all the scien-
tltic works that the mechanic would need.
and at the same time his mind would be re-
stored with useful knowledge. 1t is not to
be supposed, that the mechanic is going
to be able to vie with those who make learn
ing their lltcS business: but we can take the
advantages which are presented to us by
those who have devoted their life to study,
and have placed the fruits of their labors be-
fore the world. The mechanic can Get the
general principles of all the sciences. which
would have tendency to elevate him in the
scale of society, by little extra excrtion in
,hc way Of cconomizin- his leisure hours.
One dollar month will, if rightly applied
purchase all the books and papers that a me-
chanlc can protitably pcr,i>c and digest, and
furnish fund of information that would as
tonlsh person who is not in the habit of
reading. will venture to say. that two
thirds of the mechanics Of this country spend
twice that sum in way that is not onl, prof
itless, but positively injurious.
The mechanic will find course of proper
reading not only interesting and rccreatiyc.
but he will find it moncv-making business.
The well read mechanic will always command
at least Onc-third higher wages than those
who do not read, unless to pursue some" love
sick romance, filled with disgusting none
sense. | never heard Of an iArc,4forw wa,
not well read i'll the general principles of the
sciences. | think such one would be a
great anomaly. The reading mechanic is
much more obscryant of passing events than
the antl-rcadcr. When something is read
that is new TO him, he takes the first oppor-
tunity to see if the book or paper told hin,
true; and SO he accumulates ideas. and MANY
new ones Ito him at least may originate from
his BRAIN
The free laboring mechanic is the steam
engine of the world; then how necessary
that all its parts be well fitted, so that the
governor, Science, may have full control of
the mighty structure. The mechanic NAV
and | believe yet will, take his place among
the highest in society. lie does not vet see
what he may be, if he will only make the tri-
al. Then arouse, brother mechanics, and
commence course Of reading in the Arts
and Sciences, and will wager volume of
Tie I"re"'or, that you will not regret it. 1t
will bring information to your mind. health
toyour body, and money to your pocket. 1t
will give you a character among men, that
will enable YOU to stand with the proudest of
them. 1t will give YOU the power to converse
readily on different topics which may come
up before YOU when in company Or elsewhere.
Now is good time to begin; the long even
lnss are at hand. Get the right kind of
books and journals, and warrant, YOU will
lind it to be paying operation, at the end
of the year.