in our calling; not with the contracted view of merely getting our own living," but to render back to society an equivalent for benefits received, and to aid in promoting the civilization and brotherhood of man.

For man's industry and application of means for increasing and distributing productions afford the multitude the best chance of enjoying them; and thus for improving their homes, and elevating their tastes. Industry affording also a larger supply, to exchange for the materials and commodities of other lands, increases or creates new demands for labor; while the increased quantity produced gives a better chance of saving being effected, and consequently of additional laborers being employed by means of the capital accumulated.

In addition to this, some equivalent is demanded from us, the present possessors of the world, in return for the accumulated means of knowledge and enjoyment our ancestors have prepared for us. Our cleared lands, our roads, bridges, houses, books and the thousand physical and mental blessings we enjoy, give abundant evidence of their toil and exertion, and morally call upon us to add to the stock; so that posterity shall find that we too have industriously laboured to make the world better than we found it.

But apart from the importance and benefits enumerated, the necessity for steady industrial labor comes home still nearer to every individual. We may suppose him to be now in health, but accident or illness may befall him-he may be with its infirmities is sure to young now, but old age overtake him—and how many have been known to pine in hospitals and workhouses, penniless and friendless, whom St. Monday's losses and wasted industrial energies might have provided with home, friends and comfort.

Nay! how many too have we known who, in the days of their youth, have yielded to their indolent feelings till

laziness had grown into a habit, mastering them for life; rendering them mere "makeshifts" in their profession or calling, the last to be employed and the first to be got rid of.

Seeing then the great importance of industry in its individual and universal effects, in its humanizing and civilizing influences, its inculcation as a part of youthful education becomes indispensably necessary; so that its practice in manhood may become a moral duty not to be neglected without the penalty of public reprobation.

Nor can industrial energy be neglected without nature imposing her penalties also; those of wasting muscles, languid feelings, mental lassitude and ofttimes disease and premature death. Proper exercise of mind and body is the the great law of health throughout creation; a law which cannot be broken with impunity. And of all kinds of bodily or mental exercise, none can give higher satisfaction, to a cultivated mind, than that of laboring to produce or to diffuse the means of happiness for our fellow creatures.

The evils of over exertion, so frequently seen and lamented in our present state of society, when traced to their source will be found to have their origin in the neglect of other duties, hereafter to be considered; and do not in any way apply to the reasons urged, nor in the least diminish the moral force and effect of our industrial obligations.

INDIVIDUAL DUTIES.

ON ACQUIRING SKILL AND APTITUDE IN OUR CALLING.

In all civilized countries, in most of their industrial operations for the production of wealth, it is found that the quantity is greatly augmented, and the quality improved, by skill and aptitude on the part of the producer.

It is true that among the rudest and most barbarous of mankind, some portion of individual skill has here and there been found; but its general extent and development could scarcely have taken place till men had recourse to what is called, "the division of labor;" as each one's time must have been fully occupied in securing the coarsest subsistence, and more especially in the absence of spontaneous productions serviceable as food.

And this will be rendered evident to most men in this country, if they ask themselves some such questions as the following. How many of the necessaries and comforts of life which we now enjoy, would fall to our share if each one among us were thrown upon his own individual resources to produce them? If each had to raise his own food, manufacture his own clothing, build his own house, make his own tools, and collect the materials necessary for all?

The answer must be obvious, that they would all need far more industry and application than at present to procure the scantiest subsistence, with the rudest of tools, clothing and shelter; having neither books nor means for mental culture, nor time to attend to it if they had.

But when the industrial operations of society

somewhat divided, and one man devoted his time and ability to one branch of production and another to another, it was then that individual skill became developed.

It was then that society discovered that by each individual laboring at his particular calling, he acquired skill, dexterity and aptitude, so as to be enabled to produce an amount of the necessaries and comforts of life, which could not possibly be raised by individual exertion. An aggregate amount which, by "the practice of interchange," they found could be justly distributed according to the industry skill and ingenuity of each producer.

But important as was this step in human progress, and great as were its benefits, they have been tenfold increased by man's skilful application of the forces of nature, and his numerous contrivances for facilitating production.

For by the application of wind, water and steam, combined with man's skillful inventions and mechanical labors, our own country has been transformed from a land of bog, marsh and forest, into a cultivated garden; producing means for the subsistance of millions, where thousands formerly were but scantily supplied.

And now when the powers of steam and electricity are fast breaking down the barriers that divide nations, and are forming highways on land and ocean for the world's peaceful traffic; the only limit in future to man's skilful application of the materials of nature and the development of her powers, would seem to be the limits of the world's space and the earth's fertility; disclosing to the mental eye a field for human enterprise, labor and enjoyment, as vast, hopeful and bright for the future advancement of our race, with all its variety of temperament, color and creed, as the past has been dark, revengeful and bloody.

Seeing, therefore, how largely the skill and aptitude of man have contributed to the enjoyments of society, the

acquisition of those attainments by every individual member, so far as is suited to his particular occupation, to the end that human happiness may be increased, becomes an important question of human duty.

Not that cultivation will develope great powers of invention, or constructive ingenuity in all men; as much must depend on individual capability; but as most men are fitted for some particular calling or occupation, in following it, it becomes incumbent on them to qualify themselves to perform its duties well; and to labour to acquire such skill and aptitude as will enable them to do so.

In the absence of skill and aptitude, society not only loses the great benefit arising from increased and superior productions, but loses also considerably from the great waste of material consequent on the want of skill; an aggregate amount of vast importance, as may be supposed from almost every person's individual experience.

And let us not fail to remember that every particle of waste or loss, that takes place in a community, is a direct or indirect diminution of comfort to every individual inhabitant; inasmuch as the increase of wealth facilitates production, while its loss, or waste, renders it scarcer for all.

And in like manner every saving, effected by every individual member of society, adds to the general welfare; as the saving, however small, is almost sure to be applied in putting labour in motion, and thus increasing the general stock of necessaries or comforts.

It becomes, therefore, each ones duty to endeavour to be skillful in his calling, or to acquire that aptitude in it which will best contribute to the general welfare; and there is no occupation, however humble, in which individual exertion does not more or less affect society for evil or for good.

In seeking to acquire those attainments, it should be

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