Life in the Clearings versus the BushMoodie, Susanna
History
Life in the Clearings versus the Bush
Moodie, Susanna
Frontier and pioneer life -- Ontario; Moodie, Susannah, 1803-1885; Ontario -- Description and travel
My earnest wish for universal education involves no dislike to royal
rule, or for those distinctions of birth and wealth which I consider
necessary for the well-being of society. It little matters by what name
we call them; men of talent and education will exert a certain influence
over the minds of their fellow-men, which will always be felt and
acknowledged in the world if mankind were equalized to-morrow. Perfect,
unadulterated republicanism, is a beautiful but fallacious chimera which
never has existed upon the earth, and which, if the Bible be true, (and
we have no doubts on the subject,) we are told never will exist in
heaven. Still we consider that it would be true wisdom and policy
in those who possess a large share of the good things of this world,
to make labour honourable, by exalting the poor operative into an
intelligent moral agent. Surely it is no small privilege to be able to
bind up his bruised and broken heart--to wipe the dust from his brow,
and the tears from his eyes--and bid him once more stand erect in his
Maker's image. This is, indeed, to become the benefactor both of his
soul and body; for the mind, once convinced of its own real worth and
native dignity, is less prone to fall into low and degrading vices, than
when struggling with ignorance and the galling chain of despised
poverty.
It is impossible for the most depraved votary of wealth and fashion
_really_ to despise a poor, honest, well-informed man. There is an
aristocracy of virtue as well as of wealth; and the rich man who dares
to cast undeserved contempt upon his poor, but high-minded brother,
hears a voice within him which, in tones which cannot be misunderstood,
reproves him for blaspheming his Maker's image. A glorious mission
is conferred on you who are rich and nobly born, which, if well and
conscientiously performed, will make the glad arch of heaven ring with
songs of joy. Nor deem that you will be worse served because your
servant is a religious, well educated man, or that you will be treated
with less respect and attention by one who knows that your station
entitles you to it, than by the rude, ignorant slave, who hates you in
his heart, and performs his appointed services with an envious,
discontented spirit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account