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We　cannot　however；　by　the　resistless　law　of　our　existence；　live；　except　the　few　who　by　the　accident　of　their　birth　are　privileged　to　draw　their　supplies　from　the　labour　of　others；　without　exerting　ourselves　to　procure　by　our　efforts　or　ingenuity　the　necessaries　of　food；　lodging　and　attire。　　He　that　would　obtain　them　for　himself　in　an　uninhabited　island；　would　find　that　this　amounted　to　a　severe　tax　upon　that　freedom　of　motion　and　thought　which　would　otherwise　be　his　inheritance。　　And　he　who　has　his　lot　cast　in　a　populous　community；　exists　in　a　condition　somewhat　analogous　to　that　of　a　negro　slave；　except　that　he　may　to　a　limited　extent　select　the　occupation　to　which　he　shall　addict　himself；　or　may　at　least　starve；　in　part　or　in　whole；　uncontroled；　and　at　his　choice。　　Such　is；　as　it　were；　the　universal　lot。

　　　　　'Tis　destiny　unshunnable　like　death：　　　　　　　Even　then　this　dire　necessity　falls　on　us；　　　　　　　When　we　do　quicken。


I　go　forth　in　the　streets；　and　observe　the　occupations　of　other　men。　　I　remark　the　shops　that　on　every　side　beset　my　path。　　It　is　curious　and　striking；　how　vast　are　the　ingenuity　and　contrivance　of　human　beings；　to　wring　from　their　fellow…creatures；　〃from　the　hard　hands　of　peasants〃　and　artisans；　a　part　of　their　earnings；　that　they　also　may　live。　　We　soon　become　feelingly　convinced；　that　we　also　must　enter　into　the　vast　procession　of　industry；　upon　pain　that　otherwise；

　　　　　Like　to　an　entered　tide；　they　all　rush　by；　　　　　　And　leave　you　hindmost：　　there　you　lie；　　　　　　For　pavement　to　the　abject　rear；　o'errun　　　　　　And　trampled　on。


It　is　through　the　effect　of　this　necessity；　that　civilised　communities　become　what　they　are。　　We　all　fall　into　our　ranks。　　Each　one　is　member　of　a　certain　company　or　squadron。　　We　know　our　respective　places；　and　are　marshaled　and　disciplined　with　an　exactness　scarcely　less　than　that　of　the　individuals　of　a　mighty　army。　　We　are　therefore　little　disposed　to　interrupt　the　occupations　of　each　other。　　We　are　intent　upon　the　peculiar　employment　to　which　we　have　become　devoted。　　We　〃rise　up　early；　and　lie　down　late；〃　and　have　no　leisure　to　trouble　ourselves　with　the　pursuits　of　others。　　Hence　of　necessity　it　happens　in　a　civilised　community；　that　a　vast　majority　of　the　species　are　innocent；　and　have　no　inclination　to　molest　or　interrupt　each　other's　avocations。

But；　as　this　condition　of　human　society　preserves　us　in　comparative　innocence；　and　renders　the　social　arrangement　in　the　midst　of　which　we　exist；　to　a　certain　degree　a　soothing　and　agreeable　spectacle；　so　on　the　other　hand　it　is　not　less　true　that　its　immediate　tendency　is；　to　clip　the　wings　of　the　thinking　principle　within　us；　and　plunge　the　members　of　the　community　in　which　we　live　into　a　barren　and　ungratifying　mediocrity。　　Hence　it　should　be　the　aim　of　those　persons；　who　from　their　situation　have　more　or　less　the　means　of　looking　through　the　vast　assemblage　of　their　countrymen；　of　penetrating　〃into　the　seeds〃　of　character；　and　determining　〃which　grain　will　grow；　and　which　will　not；〃　to　apply　themselves　to　the　redeeming　such　as　are　worthy　of　their　care　from　the　oblivious　gulph　into　which　the　mass　of　the　species　is　of　necessity　plunged。　　It　is　therefore　an　ill　saying；　when　applied　in　the　most　rigorous　extent；　〃Let　every　man　maintain　himself；　and　be　his　own　provider：　　why　should　we　help　him？〃

The　help　however　that　we　should　afford　to　our　fellow…men　requires　of　us　great　discernment　in　its　administration。　　The　deceitfulness　of　appearances　is　endless。　　And　nothing　can　well　be　at　the　same　time　more　lamentable　and　more　ludicrous；　than　the　spectacle　of　those　persons；　the　weaver；　the　thresher；　and　the　mechanic；　who　by　injudicious　patronage　are　drawn　from　their　proper　sphere；　only　to　exhibit　upon　a　larger　stage　their　imbecility　and　inanity；　to　shew　those　moderate　powers；　which　in　their　proper　application　would　have　carried　their　possessors　through　life　with　respect；　distorted　into　absurdity；　and　used　in　the　attempt　to　make　us　look　upon　a　dwarf；　as　if　he　were　one　of　the　Titans　who　in　the　commencement　of　recorded　time　astonished　the　earth。

It　is　also　true　to　a　great　degree；　that　those　efforts　of　the　human　mind　are　most　healthful　and　vigorous；　in　which　the　possessor　of　talents　〃administers　to　himself；〃　and　contends　with　the　different　obstacles　that　arise；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　throwing　them　aside；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　stemming　them　with　hearts　of　controversy。


Many　illustrious　examples　however　may　be　found　in　the　annals　of　literature；　of　patronage　judiciously　and　generously　applied；　where　men　have　been　raised　by　the　kindness　of　others　from　the　obscurest　situations；　and　placed　on　high；　like　beacons；　to　illuminate　the　world。　　And；　independently　of　all　examples；　a　sound　application　of　the　common　sense　of　the　human　mind　would　teach　us；　that　the　worthies　of　the　earth；　though　miracles；　are　not　omnipotent；　and　that　a　certain　aid；　from　those　who　by　counsel　or　opulence　are　enabled　to　afford　it；　have　oft　times　produced　the　noblest　effects；　have　carried　on　the　generous　impulse　that　works　within　us；　and　prompted　us　manfully　to　proceed；　when　the　weakness　of　our　nature　was　ready　to　give　in　from　despair。

But　the　thing　that　in　this　place　it　was　most　appropriate　to　say；　is；　that　we　ought　not　quietly　to　affirm；　of　the　man　whose　mind　nature　or　education　has　enriched　with　extraordinary　powers；　〃Let　him　maintain　himself；　and　be　his　own　provider：　　why　should　we　help　him？〃　　It　is　a　thing　deeply　to　be　regretted；　that　such　a　man　will　frequently　be　compelled　to　devote　himself　to　pursuits　comparatively　vulgar　and　inglorious；　because　he　must　live。　　Much　of　this　is　certainly　inevitable。　　But　what　glorious　things　might　a　man　with　extraordinary　powers　effect；　were　he　not　hurried　unnumbered　miles　awry　by　the　unconquerable　power　of　circumstances？　The　life　of　such　a　man　is　divided　between　the　things　which　his　internal　monitor　strongly　prompts　him　to　do；　and　those　which　the　external　power　of　nature　and　circumstances　compels　him　to　submit　to。　　The　struggle　on　the　part　of　his　better　self　is　noble　and　admirable。　　The　less　he　gives　way；　provided　he　can　accomplish　the　purpose　to　which　he　has　vowed　himself；　the　more　he　is　worthy　of　the　admiration　of　the　world。　　If；　in　consequence　of　listening　too　much　to　the　loftier　aspirations　of　his　nature；　he　fails；　it　is　deeply　to　be　regrettedit　is　a　man　to　a　certain　degree　lostbut　surely；　if　his　miscarriage　be　not　caused　by　undue　presumption；　or　the　clouds　and　unhealthful　atmosphere　of　self…conceit；　he　is　entitled　to　the　affectionate　sympathy　and　sorrow　of　every　generous　mind。



ESSAY　VII。　OF　THE　DURATION　OF　HUMAN　LIFE。

The　active　and　industrious　portion　of　the　human　species　in　civilised　countries；　is　composed　of　those　who　are　occupied　in　the　labour　of　the　hand；　and　in　the　labour　of　the　head。

The　following　remarks　expressly　apply　only　to　the　latter　of　these　classes；　principally　to　such　as　are　occupied　in　productive　literature。　　They　may　however　have　their　use　to　all　persons　a　considerable　portion　of　whose　time　is　employed　in　study　and　contemplation；　as；　if　well　founded；　they　will　form　no　unimportant　chapter　in　the　science　of　the　human　mind。

In　relation　to　all　the　members　of　the　second　class　then；　I　should　say；　that　human　life　is　made　up　of　term　and　vacation；　in　other　words；　of　hours　that　may　be　intellectually　employed；　and　of　hours　that　cannot　be　so　employed。

Human　life　consists　of　years；　months　and　days：　　each　day　contains　twenty…four　hours。　　Of　these　hours　how　many　belong　to　the　province　of　intellect？

〃There　is；〃　as　Solomon　says；　〃a　time　for　all　things。〃　　There　must　be　a　time　for　sleep；　a　time　for　recreation；　a　time　for　exercise；　a　time　for　supplying　the　machine　with　nourishment；　and　a　time　for　digestion。　　When　all　these　demands　have　been　supplied；　how　many　hours　will　be　left　for　intellectual　occupation？

These　remarks；　as　I　have　said；　are　intended　principally　to　apply　to　the　subject　of　productive　literature。　　Now；　of　the　hours　that　remain　when　all　the　necessary　demands　of　human　life　have　been　supplied；　it　is　but　a　portion；　perhaps　a　small　portion；　that　can　be　beneficially；　judiciously；　employed　in　productive　literature；　or　literary　composition。

It　is　true；　that　there　are　many　men　who　will　occupy　eight；　ten；　or　twelve　hours　in　a　day；　in　the　labour　of　composition。　　But　it　may　be　doubted　whether　they　are　wisely　so　occupied。

It　is　the　duty　of　an　author；　inasmuch　as　he　is　an　author；　to　consider；　that　he　is　to　employ　his　pen　in　putting　down　that　which　shall　be　fit　for　other　men　to　read。　　He　is　not　writing　a　letter　of　business；　a　letter　of　amusement；　or　a　letter　of　sentiment；　to　his　private　friend。　　He　is　writing　that　which　shall　be　perused　by　as　many　men　as　can　be　prevailed　on　to　become　his　readers。　　If　he　is　an　author　of　spirit　and　ambition；　he　wishes　his　productions　to　be　read；　not　only　by　the　idle；　but　by　the　busy；　by　those　who　cannot　spare　time　to　peruse　them　but　at　the　expence　of　some　occupations　which　ought　not　to　be　suspended　without　an　adequate　occasion。　　He　wishes　to　be　read　not　only　by　the　frivolous　and　the　lounger；　but　by　the　wise；　the　elegant；　and　the　fair；　by　those　who　are　qualified　to　appreciate　the　merit　of　a　work；　who　are　endowed　with　a　quick　sensibility　and　a　discriminating　taste；　and　are　abl