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PERSONAL DUTIES.

[Part IV.

elements of the entire circle of useful knowledge. If it be said,that a considerable part of the community have not time to giveto the cultivation of their minds, a satisfactory reply is not diffi-cult. It is only necessary to make the experiment, to ascer-tain two things,—’the one, how much useful knowledge can beacquired in a moderate time ; — and again, how much time can,by good management, be spared from the busiest day. As ageneral fact, our duties leave us time enough, if our passionswould spare it to us ; our labors are much less pressing in theircalls upon us, than our indolence and our pleasures. There arevery few pursuits in life, whose duties are so unremitting, thatthey do not leave some time every day to a man, whose temper-ate and regular habits allow him the comfort of a clear head andcheerful temper, in the intervals of business. Besides, there isone day in seven, which is redeemed to us, by our blessed reli-gion, from the ordinary calls and avocations of life, and affords allmen a reasonable portion of time for the improvement of theirrational and immortal natures.

It is a mistake to suppose, that any class of men have muchtime to spend, or do actually spend much time, in mere contem-plation and solitary study. A small number of men, professedlyliterary, habitually do this ; but the very great majority of profes-sional men, — lawyers, physicians, and clergymen, men in publicstations, rich capitalists, merchants,—.men, in short, who areoften supposed to possess eminent advantages and ample leisureto cultivate their minds, are all very much occupied with theduties of life, and constantly and actively employed in pursuitsvery uncongenial to the cultivation of the mind, and the attain-ment of useful knowledge.

We may take for illustration, the case of a distinguished lawyerin full practice at the bar. He passes his days in his office, giv-ing advice to clients, often on the most uninteresting and paltrydetails of private business, or in attending, in court, to the samekind of business ; and, when it is night, and he returns to his homefatigued and harassed ; instead of sitting down to read or to rest,he is compelled to study another perplexed cause for the nextday, or to go before referees, or to attend a political meeting,where he is expected to make a speech ; — while every moment,