further north, catching whales. In the centre of Russia, he found the enterprise of the Yankee engaged in making railroads, engines and locomotives; and was there told of a party of Yankees going to Lapland, with air-tight stoves! In the interior of the great Mogul empire, he met these persevering Yankees; and crossing the Great Desert of Sahara, who should overtake him but a camel-driving Yankee, with India-rubber water-bags for market! He could only stop to say, "How are you? If you see any of my countrymen, say that I am well, and hope to dine with the Prince of the Arabs in nine days more. Good-by!" Yankee indomitable perseverance stops for nothing. With a constitution as hardy as that of the grizzly bear, an eye that glances over a continent, a mind that grasps at a single view all God's creation, such is the high-wrought opinion of an English traveller of Yankee enterprise and perseverance. I believe it is a peculiar trait of our people, and that great good is yet to grow out of it, for the benefit of the whole world of mankind.

One of the great secrets of success in life is perseverance. Let me commend it to you, one and all. When trials and discouragements dishearten you, and you feel as though you could not surmount your difficulties, perseverance will save you, and prove the sword of Alexander to cut the Gordian Knot. Never give up, my friends; never despair. I see before me young men, some of whom it is no vain thing to prophesy will yet become known and distinguished in the world, and be called, perhaps, to high and honorable stations. I bid them God speed; and I would whisper in the ear of every one, and ask him to remember the talismanic words, Mind your Business! It is homely advice, but it is nevertheless good advice, and never yet led any one astray.

I have seen many, in the course of my dealings with men, and acquaintance with the ladies, who have made themselves useful, rich and happy, by Minding their own Business; and I can truly

say, I have never found the person yet who ever regretted it. The maxim may with propriety be addressed to all classes. You who are in humble life, who would be respected and esteemed, if you wish others to aid you, let me tell you that the first step is to Mind your Business. You who are rich must remember that a due observation of this great maxim made you rich; and that, if you would not be poor, you must continue to Mind your Business. To the poor man who wishes to be rich, there is no surer way than to Mind his Business.

You now and then, perhaps, see a farmer hanging about a tavern or store, while his neighbor's brindled cow or unruly steer is in his corn-field, his fences broken down, or the gate to his field left carelessly open. How excellent a thing it would be for that man, if he would only Mind his Business.

The mechanic, too, instead of wasting the hours of the morning or evening in running up scores at the tavern or the grog-shop, would find it vastly for his comfort, and that of his family, to Mind his Business.

The pettifogger who thrives best when he can set people by the ears would earn a better name, if he would Mind his own Business; and the honest lawyer, who would earn the confidence of his clients, the respect of jurors and of the bench, must Mind his Business. The man ambitious of honors, and sacrificing his time and money, and sometimes making a guilty conscience to obtain them, will learn, perhaps, when it is too late, that it would have been better for him to Mind his Business.

The man who for popularity neglects his own affairs, and suffers them to go to ruin, certainly misses a figure when he neglects to Mind his Business.

The clergyman who would save the souls of the congregation intrusted to his charge, instead of busying himself with politics or

affairs of state, or making to himself friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, should Mind his proper Business.

The physician who would stand well in a community must not be seen too often in a dram-shop, or at a frolic, at a horse-race, or a barbecue; but be ready, at all times, to do all the good he can by Minding his Business.

The shoemaker, tailor, wheelwright, or carpenter, who each promised you a job of work during a certain week, but, instead of going to work, went off to a squirrel-hunt, would each have made more money, and secured more custom, had he stuck to his bench, and Minded his Business.

You who are in office, high or low, the best thing you can do, if you wish to keep it, is to mind your business. business. And you who wish for office, let me tell you that it would be a great deal better for you, in the long run, to Mind your Business.

To the busy-body, the fault-finder, wherever they may be, and to the critic, who finds it easier to detect the faults of other people than to mend his own, I would say, in all mildness, Mind your Business.

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And now, ladies, lest you might think that I intentionally neglect you in this connection, for I know that, in all the best interests and pursuits of men, you have a controlling influence, and the greatest share in forming their characters for life, for good or evil, permit me to say to you, in the language of respect and kindness, and I hope you will not take offence at it, be pleased to Mind your Business.

In short, my friends, Mind your Business, homely as the maxim is, may be well applied to every pursuit in life.

Mind your Business, you who would creep up to high stations; and be sure to mind your business, you who think yourselves up, lest you fall. Mind your Business, you that would be rich; and

you that are poor, if you would not be poorer still, Mind your Business.

To all, in whatever station placed, -the rich, the poor, the humble, the exalted, the proud, the lordly, the ambitious, young and old, male and female, in whatever condition or pursuit, in whatever station your lot is cast, if you would succeed in life, if you would be loved and respected, if you would be happy,remember this maxim, "Mind your Business."

The more you think of it, the more you will like it; the oftener you ponder over these three words, Mind your Business, the more you will find in them; and the more you will learn to prize the simple maxim, because it embodies the secret of the success of every one in life, the success of the WHOLE MAN.

And, my friends, I will here close the labors of the orator, quite content practically to apply my own advice, by MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS.

THE DIGNITY OF LABOR, AND THE TRUE

POSITION OF THE MECHANIC.*

MECHANICS AND FRIENDS: The great object of living is to be useful,— useful to ourselves, to our neighbors, and to our country. In this spirit, my friends, I have accepted your call to the chair of this institution, and your invitation to be present on this occasion. My purpose is to offer some observations, in my plain way, upon a few of the many subjects interesting to the mechanic and truly practical man; and if anything that a working-man and tanner can say will be of service to you, you are heartily welcome to it. You will not expect, however, any flowery harangues or richlyturned periods from me; for most of you know that I have had, through life, a better acquaintance with matters of fact than of fancy; and I assure you that, while I have a high opinion of what is called oratory, as well as fine writing, I have a still higher opinion of what we plain mechanics sometimes call practical common sense,— I mean that sort of training and education which leads to practical, substantial results; which, instead of sending men through the world complaining of Providence, and laying plans and telling what they mean to do, actually put their shoulder to the wheel, and do something for their own good and the benefit of mankind. The gold of eloquence, or the silver of rhetoric, I have none; but such as I have, bring I unto you.

It has been sometimes said, my friends, that we mechanics have hard hands. Be it so; but no matter for that, so long as the

* An address delivered January 16, 1849, before the Mechanics' Institute of the city of New York.