The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-10-10
fss'p' taon'. Scientific. Historical.
An Original WING Feature.
THE WAYS OF MEN.

In these later days it is a habit of the
world to be over-critical. Through the
entire range of humanity, from the lisp
ing infant to the tottering dotard, each
and all are addicted to complimentary or
condemnatory remarks upon their fell
lows. The common laborer, for his
mentality; the mechanic, for his lack of
social elevation; the merchant, for his
grasping financial creeds; the artist, fer
his solitary devotion to his tasks; the
poet, for his eccentric manncrisms: the
ordinary and professional men of every
degree, for some individual character
istic or other are condemned or applauded,
as the tastes and opinions of their critics
vary. With an inmicable degree of
vel bosity the little Pathfinder relieves
his over -burdened mind CT it's spleen
upon his fellows right and left, without
consideration for feelings, without
kind or gentle thought for the sacred
light in which the one at whom he SCOTS
holds his life, it's aims and ends. Par
ticularly does this little bundle of con-
ceit love to cast his gibes of ridcule at
those whose humble fortunes demand
lille of incessant toll and poverty. When
he sees the mason, the carpenter, the
shoemaker, plodding away upon the
daily errands their fate demands them
to perform, how often does he allow the
great generous creeds of sympathy and
fellowship to possess his heart and mold
words for the utteranee of his tongue
other than-"Why, what a mental dirty
lot of fellows. Unfit entirely to ming
with those highly respectable classes OF
the universe, of which I am such a
worthy member" How often does the
little oluSterer remember that in the
hearts of those very men whom he looks
down upon in such light Turk nobler
hopes, lofticr principles of life, and more
priceless creeds of christianity than ever
he had dreafnt Off The ways of God
are undisputed; the ways of men should
be just as highly respected, and the
deep, Unsuitable, eye of humanity be
capable of perceiving all the nobleness
and manhood in the manners of trades
men and mechanics as we'll as in the ac-
tons of kings or presidents.
The laboring classes of the world, no
matter how lowly the avenues in which
their weary feet must plod, see ends just
as high and glorious in the means they
use to attain perfection as the monk or
astronomer in their exalted methods for
the lofty acquisitions of genius. The
laboring classes of the world are the
truly earnest classes. When the duties
OF the day are done their pathways tend
towards an humble tireside, where the
patient wife and frugal repast await
them. In the possession of their wife
and fireside and frugal repast. however,
they see riches as infinite as the wealth
of nations. Their breasts are burdened
with holy ambition to retain these
riches by the earnest labors of the day,
and they plod along through the allotted
periods of their lives, songfui of heart
ardent of soul, and the tenderest expo
nents of the hospitable laws of brother
hood that ever drew breath from the di-
vine body of the Creator. In the fact that
the character of their tasks reduces there
habits and mental attainments to the
level of mentality upon which the world s
critic places them, we see only a deeply
philOsophic illustration of the principle
which advocates that the faculties of the
mind are corporate with the conditions
of the body: The uses to which the
body of the blacksmith, the builder, the
digger, the farmer, and the numerous
remainder of such classes, are of phv-
| steal character only, and, therefore, the
subjects upon which the minds of such
individuals dwell are those associated
with deeds of mighty power performed
in the mechanical world, or with the
fearful physical majesty of mans inven-
tions. The aptest tendencies OF their
thought are of scientific character, the
methods of a costumer, the systems of a
philosopher, the motives of linguist,
are of little Importance to them. Being
| at continual warfare with the forces of
nature in their efforts to produce effects
from her causes that will serve as help
| meets to the existence of humanity,
| they cannot afford to one instant divert
their attention from the plain, simple,
well-ligh!ed, practical and material and
| intensely scientific avenues of research.
Does the little critic of the world fcI
one moment think that because the man
who drives his carriage and the man who
teaches his daughter the difficulties OF
correct grace in dancing do not stand
of more ennobling tasks occupy, they
are not just as deeply earnest, both in
heart and soul, in their hopes and ambi.
| tions as are the latter? 1t is not being a
submissive and loyal subject to the All
Infinite critic for the clustering opinion.
| giver to condemn the brother who pegs
his shoes and exalt the brother who
writes his books, under the plea that the
former is low and made of common stuff,
while the other is lofty and made of al
the riches of fame and honor. The cob
bier and the blacksmith, the carpenter
and the school teacher are fully as i'm
portant adjuncts to the world as its Ten
nysons, its Carlyles, its Newtons, Emer
sons and its Whittiers. All, at the event
full closing of the massive volume, whose
bindings embrace the entire existence O.
the universe, will be reckoned equally
by that sublime, sweet Critic, whose
heart holds just as much love and ten
derness and compassion for the man who
grinds away his years in the mills o
humble toll as FOR the (supposed) infalli
BILE prelate whose days have been spen
in peace and quietude, expounding CHS
tian doctrines which he did not himsel
remember were worth fully as much t.
practice as to preach. Yes, the ways o
men are various and strange; but, strange
and various as they may be, each parti
cular individual at his own particular
tasks is simply adding the substance o
a widows mite to the structural accre
lions of the universe; each one at hi
own particular task is viewed in the sam,
mild and kindly light by the great Mas