Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-12-31
Study Of English Literature By John
Walter, M. P.

lt is impossible but that the character
should take higher and better tone from
the constant habit of rs >ociating in thought
with class OF thiukers-to say the least
of it-above the average of humanity. 1t
Is morally impossible but that tie manners
should take tinge OF good breeding and
CIVILIZATION from bavlug constantly before
ones eyes the way in which the best bred.
and the best informed. men have talked
anu conducted themselves in their inter-
course with each other. There is "A gentle
but perfectly Irresistible coercion. in =,
habit of reading we'll directed over the
whole tenor OF a mans character and con-
duct, which Is not the less eifectual because
II works insensibIy, and because it is really
the last thing he dreams Of 1t ciyilizes
The conduct OF men. and suffers them not
to remain barbarous.' And now, what is
the practical lesson which this address
feeble rs IL mas eeen. IS intended to incul-
cate: IL Is that OF tuoroughness in work
The chief end Of all education, whether dis
played in the exercise OF the mental tacul-
ties or in the humber sphere of mechanical
labor. Whatsoever thy hand lindeth to
do, do 1t with thy mi. hit" That is the
golden precept which ought to be engrave ed
on the heart OF every man. whatever his
condition IN life and whatever the work
"hiih iIC 10 Sdiltu up )u 10 10. Nelson
last England expects every man
to do his duty'-which thrilled the hearts
OF the British fleet before the victory OF
Trafalgar, does but express the idea which
Is tue handspring OF all true greatness.
whether national or private-that OF thor
ou2hness III work. But suppose in place
OF that famous signal with which the name
OF Nelson Will ever be associated another
KIND 9i signal had been presented to the
eyes OF our astonished seanen. Suppose
some vile enchanter, such as we read OF in
fairy tales, could have transformed those
magic words into some such as these:
He that fights and runs away
May live TO fight another day
But he that Is in battle slain.
VIII never live to Ii ght ii. ain."
Ana, what Is worse, suppose our sailors
had acted upon it You smile at the idea
as eXtravagaut and Incredible; but let me
tell you that the base and cowardly atlage
which 1 have Ist quoted is the very couu-
terpart OF another. which IS the gospel of
bad workmen IN every part of the world,
and which is not unknown even in English
workshops-l mean the ada.e that Good
work is bad for trade. l have lately been
reading report, furnished to the Govern.
ment by our foreign Consus, on the cha
acter and condition OF the working cass,.>
as they are called, in almost every part oi
the civilized world. 1t Is most interesting
and Instructive, and well worthy of the at
ten.ion OF any artisan who wants to know
the state OF industry in foreign countries,
and to compare it with that OF his own As
the general result of the inquiry, it NAV be
said that there is not much to tempt the
British artisan to change his position at
home tor that of the workman in any couu-
try not under British rule, or blessed with
institutions of kindred character But
there Is one remark in particular that oc-
ours with lamentable frequency through
out the report; that, with few exceptions.
the foreign workman does not appear TO
take priue III his work. nor Ito use sig
nifcant expression) to "put his character
into it, A remarkable instance of this is
mentioned OF country which generally
constitutes an honorable exception to this
unhappy rule.
Switzerland, as you all know is a country
famous for its education and its watches !;
yet the following passage from the report
Will SHOW that neither knowledge nor
| ski Will suffice without the exercise oi
that higher quality on which | have been
| dwelling. ''As rule" 1t says, swiss
| workmen are competent in their several
trades, and take an interest in their work
for, thanks to their superior education,
they fully appreciate the pecunidry advan-
tages to their masters, and indirectly to
themselves, oy adhering strictly TO this
course. striking instance OF the impoli-
cy OF acting otherwise has lately happened
at ST. lmier, in the Bernese Jura, aud
produced deep impression. In this dis
tric;, for some years past, great falling
on IN the quality OF the watches manutac-
| has tnL ~. ,.,I -;
tants finding it much more profitable to lll-
crease the production at the cost of the
workmanship than to abide by the old
rules OF the trade. They proypered be-
| yond all expectation for considerable
time. but finally their watches got such a
bad name that they became unstable and
the result is "A general bankruptcy of near
ly all The watch manufactures Of this par
ticular district" Not so did that master
workman OF Cremona. the great Stradu-
arius, who devoted himself during life OF
more than ninety years to the work which
he honestly believed God had given him
to do-to elab~rate and bring to perfec
| tion the most exquisite instrument OF music
that has ever been fashioned by the hand
Of man, and who could say, in no ire
| weren't spirit,
"Tis God gives skill
But not without mems hands; God could not
! make
Antonio Stradivarrs violin
| Without Antonio"
Not so did the heroes OF British industry
the Watts and StephensOns, the Ark.
| wrishts and Hargreaveses, the Fiaxmans
and Wedyewoods, the Wheatst0nes and
Faradays, and many more Of our own da,
whom it would be invidious to particular
lze-oy whose unturnlng efforts to affair
perfection in their several denarrments
even more than by their inventive genius
the vast fabric Of British manufacturing