e,buttotheinfernalPlutusrather.Byavariceandselfishness,andagrovellinghabit,fromwhichnoneofusisfree,ofregardingthesoilasproperty,orthemeansofacquiringpropertychiefly,thelandscapeisdeformed,husbandryisdegradedwithus,andthefarmerleadsthemeanestoflives.HeknowsNaturebutasarobber.Catosaysthattheprofitsofagricultureareparticularlypiousorjust,(maximequepiusqu?stus),andaccordingtoVarrotheoldRomans“calledthesameearthMotherandCeres,andthoughtthattheywhocultivateditledapiousandusefullife,andthattheyalonewereleftoftheraceofKingSaturn.”
Wearewonttoforgetthatthesunlooksonourcultivatedfieldsandontheprairiesandforestswithoutdistinction.Theyallreflectandabsorbhisraysalike,andtheformermakebutasmallpartofthegloriouspicturewhichhebeholdsinhisdailycourse.Inhisviewtheearthisallequallycultivatedlikeagarden.Thereforeweshouldreceivethebenefitofhislightandheatwithacorrespondingtrustandmagnanimity.WhatthoughIvaluetheseedofthesebeans,andharvestthatinthefalloftheyear?ThisbroadfieldwhichIhavelookedatsolonglooksnottomeastheprincipalcultivator,butawayfrommetoinfluencesmoregenialtoit,whichwaterandmakeitgreen.Thesebeanshaveresultswhicharenotharvestedbyme.Dotheynotgrowforwoodchuckspartly?Theearofwheat(inLatinspica,obsoletelyspeca,fromspe,hope)shouldnotbetheonlyhopeofthehusbandmanitskernelorgrain(granumfromgerendo,bearing)isnotallthatitbears.How,then,canourharvestfail?ShallInotrejoicealsoattheabundanceoftheweedswhoseseedsarethegranaryofthebirds?Itmatterslittlecomparativelywhetherthefieldsfillthefarmer’sbarns.Thetruehusbandmanwillceasefromanxiety,asthesquirrelsmanifestnoconcernwhetherthewoodswillbearchestnutsthisyearornot,andfinishhislaborwitheveryday,relinquishingallclaimtotheproduceofhisfields,andsacrificinginhismindnotonlyhisfirstbuthislastfruitsalso.