Year: 1870

is maintained, as in class competitions,
etc., but it is easily seen when any
really solid work is undertaken. So too
with the farmer He who works hard
all day following the plow will find It
difficult to fix bis attention upon the
more abstruse departments of chemistry
and vegetable physiology in the even
ing. 1t is therefore obvious that tho
result Of continuous hard labor must be
to preclude oil devotion to the higher
studies, and the mind will consequently
remain in measure unframed. On the
other hand, where the employment is
such as to require moderate exercise
and not much hard physical exertion,
the conditions for mental development
will be most fully met Hence, while
the mere laborer on the farm, or in the
workshop, finds his employment detr;-
mental to his intellectual progress, the
foremen and overseers in the same de
partments of labor find no such diff :,
Guilty


The peculiar demands that the pre-
liminary training required for any oecu-
patton will make upon the mind must
obviously exert a marked influence
upon the future mental character In
the irst place, the fact that study is
to be applied in our future occupation,
gives stimulus that cannot otherwise
be obtained, and invests with interest
that that would otherwise be dry and
uhinviting. The young man whose
studies are carried on with a view to
their practical employment in the indus
trial arts, is more likely to become
thoroughly grounded in science than
one who pnrsues the same studies as a
mere matter Of routine We, of course,
except those whose peculiar tastes lead
them to study earnestly for the pure
love of science. Such students, ii un.
trnmeled by circumstances, will always
make the ablest scientists, hut our ex
perience is that yourg men of this
character are comparatively scarce
Moreover. an employment that requires
the exercise of mere physical force can
never elevate the mind Ten the same ex-
tent as one that requires thorough pre-
paratory study aud constantly calls into
| requisitlou the knowledge thus ae
quired The young carpenter who
| constantly finds himself called upon to
exercise his knowledge OF mathematics
will be more likely to have a well
trained mind than one whose occupation
never demands the exercise of bis pre-
yiouS studies


The extent of the demands made
upon he attention by any employment
will have powerful effect in determin
ing the ultimate result Those employ
ments that require very constant atten-
tion, preclude all opportunity for refec'
ton. Books may be read during the
evening, but If their contents be not
pondered over during the day, the facts
acquired by the mind remain undigest
ed. unassmilated, and comparatively
worthless But if, on the other hand,
the day be spent in some light meehan-
ical employment that does not require
any great amount of thought or atten>
ton, the information previously attain
ed is the subject of thought during long
hours and becomes, in the truest sense,
food for the mind This is well seen in
the case of the shepherds on the Scotch
hills. The employment here is such as
to leave the workmen long hours, which
may be devoted to thought and study,
and they have availed themselves fully
of their opportunities. As might be
expected, they have devoted their
attention chiefly to Bible subjects, and
on all questions relating TO the subtle.
ties of the Calyanistic theology they
are most thoroughly informed In
regard to other studies, the same thing
is true of the inhabitants of other local
tiles, both in Scotland and in England
The weavers in some of the Scotch
towns have long been noted for their
proficiency in mathematics in some OF


the manufacturing towns of England
the operatives have paid great attention


to such sciences as entomology, botany,


mineralogy, etc, and the degree Of pro


ficiency which they have attained is


truly wonderful. The true explanation


Of all this is to be found in the fact that


some,of them had taste for such sub.


jects at first, and their occupations left


them mental leisure to pursue them


We say mental leisure, for of physical
leisure, that is, freedom from work


they had but little though the result
) shows that the mere occupation of the
hands is not OF much consequence, pro-
vided the mind is left ut liberty, In


speaking thus of demands for mere
attention, we of course except tbos,
cases in which the attention is con
staDtly rdqnired for the solutions o
problems Of a higher class.


q -.4-~@s..-~-~--


II Tha Norfh hwoutnra StaUa Gamnau,