The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-10-26

the means and occasions. The Indus
trious and laborious life of the country
does not admit of these vices. This gave
room for the poet to say that Astrea, the
goddess Of justice, had her last residence
among the people of the country before
she entirely quilted the earth. We find
in an author swho wrote on agriculture
1000 years ago. the form of a prayer used
by the country people, wherein may be
discerned the tokens of the ancien: tra>
ditions of men who attribute everything
to God and addressed themselves to him
in all their temporal necessities, because
they knew he presided over all things,
and that all things depended on him. 1t
is in a ceremony in which the country
people made procession round their
lands and offered libations and sacrifices
to their gods.
Father Mars. said the suppliant, Il
humbly implore and conjure you to be
propitious and favorable to me, my
family, and all my domestics, in regard
to the present procession in my lands,
fields. and estate, to prevent, avert and
remove from us all diseases, known and
unkno wn, desolations, storms, calamities
corn, vines and trees grow and come to
perfection, to preserve our shepherds and
fiocks, to grant thy preservation OF life
and health to rue, my family and all my
domestics.n The historian adds: "What
reproach IS it that in our day, and even
among christians, there are so few VINO
invoke the divine aid, or render thanks
for tavors received. Amongst the an
clients all their meals begun and ended
with prayers, which are now banished
from all our tables.
Agriculture was deemed to be of para
mount importance among the ancicnts,
hence there were many of the ablest
minds who wrote about it. At the taking
of Carthage the works of Mayo on agri-
culture was found these consisted OF 70
volumes. So high value was set on
this work that the Senate of Rome or
dered it to be translated into the Latin.
The ancients excelled in treating the
subject of agriculture, and it is not mat.
ter of wonder when we know that agri-
culture was held in so great esteem.
The following few lines from Latin poet,
expresses much of the prevailing
thought on agriculture
Oh happy, if he knew his happy state,
The man who, free from business and debate,
Receives his easy food from natures hand
Aud Just returns from cultivated lands.
No palace th1obbing with disturbing feet,
But easy quite, secure retreat.
A harmless life that knows not how to cheat,
With homebred plenty the contented owner
bless,
And rural PLEASURES crown his happiness;
Unvexed with quarrels, undisturbed with
The country king his realm enjoys,
And shady groves that easy sleep invite,
Bind after tolsnme days soft repose at night.
Cattle and sheep in his pasture abound,
And youth, of labor patient, plows the ground;
Injured to hardship aud to homely fare,
Nor venerable age is wanting there,
With great experience the work to prepare
Thus we find writer's on agriculture
and poets OF 2 900 years ago, writing to
developc and sustain the art above all
which. Though mines of gold and silver
should be exhausted and the monies
made OF them lost, though pearls and
diamonds should remain hid in the earth
and sea. though commerceswith strangers
should be prohibited, though all the arts
which have no other object but embell>
ishment and splendor should be abolish
ed, still the art OF agriculture, the pur>
suit of husbandry is sufficient tor the
want of man." In conclusion we quote
from the declaration OF principles of the
Patron of Husbandry. 1--WE ought to
labor to accomplish the following OBJ
jects: To develope better and higher
manhood and womanhood among our
selves, TO enhance the comforts and at
fractions of our homes and strengthen our
attachment to our Dllrsuits