The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-01-09
LA1fBERTvILIE n. i. WEDNESDAY JANUARY Q, 1878

aio nature IN her operations, excepting only
the Involuntary movements in his structure
which are not coniidedto his care.
If be would place himself III the best con
iiitioh 70 receive and derive pleasure from, his
daily avocatiou he must keep himself in acl
ton. THOSE whv have the least pleasure III
using what was given to be used as The tneans
Bot pleasure 10 the senses, are those who keep
the body inactive. This Is true Of those who
labor with the mind only and more striking
" true of those whom affluence excuses from
labor both Of mind and body. They seek
happiness In Incidence and luxury but they
tind It not because they violate law of ma.
ture. The day laborer Who sits down to his
coarse meal, has pleasure to which the lux
urlous idler is a stranger. The one receives .
rational benefit from the kind and just boun-
| ~ Of nature the other seeks II where nature
has dccreed that'it shall not DO found.
] The labor Of muscular action Is not only In
itself pleasure, but it is tho means prescrihs
cd to us for the requirement. of subsistence !;
for the gradual Improvements of society for
applying natural and artificial products to
our comforts, our conveniences, and to reas-
enable Injuries. Nor only SO this is the
ground work of beautiful aud initiative arts !;
of the discovery add application of chemical
pc wer of matter Of the wonderful contriv.
ance by which man securely moves on the face
| OF the dcean by which he cultivates his ac-
quaintance with the heavenly bodies, and di.
reefs his thoughts to the Author of all being.
Let us not then, regard labor as curse but
blessing add rank it amcng the many caus-
es for gratefulness. 1t is obvious that mus.
cular action would have been given to MS In
vain, If il were not directed by intelligence.
There mnst, then, be connection of the Sec
ond class of labor, = labor of the mind.
: Thisis nowhere said to be u curse. If there
be anything for which we should be especial
ly thankful. certainlyit is that we are blessed
with the power Of mental exeriion. This Ia
Dor is in itself source of happiness and its
fruits have made out of savage man ration
al and improved social being The most rest
less and comforsless OF. all creatures is he who
has no occupation for his mind.
Can there be doubt that in mans present
condition, the ability to labor ia his
highly exalted privilege ? And is he not ac-
conntable for this privilepep 1t is well.known
to those who have compared the condition OF
mankind in different ages how much the Ia
bjr Of body and mind have been able to &C
compiish, Even Within the last century, the
most surprising changes fop tle better have
taken place, from the'right use Of this pro.
ductive power. On THIS depends the condi-
ton of the human family.
From the joint labors of all who wish well
to their felow-men. there will be obtained
eventually, the knowledge Of the best man.
ner of using the products of the earth, the
best mode of ruling men in their social rea-
tons, the just homage due the Gre
ator. and the true purpose for which human
life has been given.
While the hands are busy. the mind might
be employed in pursuing some connective
train Of thought. Muscular action, so far
as being an interruption co the action of the
mind may be made to assist it,. Persons who
think intenily are often seen to have some ha-
bitual movement and have heard persons
acknowledge that their best ideas had come
to then, when they were engaged at some
simple occasional duty. The stir of the body
seems to produce a corresponding stir Of ths
mind. The relief which suggest is, seden-
tary labors should provide themselves with
subjects for reflection, and exact of their
minds to attend to these Subjects By such
means the memory may be strengthened, the
stock of knowledge greatly increased. and the
mind surprisingly invigorated.
There may be hundreds of poets, philoso-.
pliers, and moralsts at the workbench in
this country, who have no thought of them-
selves that they are such. 1t is in the power
Of any person, who can read and comprehend
the English language, tostreugthen his mem-
DRY, give himself an interesting employment,
and furnish himself with rich fund of the
truest philosophy.