of strong natures. Business habits, cultivated and disciplined,
are found alike useful in every pursuit--whether in politics,
literature, science, or art. Thus, a great deal of the best
literary work has been done by men systematically trained in
business pursuits. The same industry, application, economy of
time and labour, which have rendered them useful in the one sphere
of employment, have been found equally available in the other.

Most of the early English writers were men of affairs, trained to
business; for no literary class as yet existed, excepting it might
be the priesthood. Chaucer, the father of English poetry, was
first a soldier, and afterwards a comptroller of petty customs.
The office was no sinecure either, for he had to write up all the
records with his own hand; and when he had done his "reckonings"
at the custom-house, he returned with delight to his favourite
studies at home--poring over his books until his eyes were
"dazed" and dull.

The great writers in the reign of Elizabeth, during which there
was such a development of robust life in England, were not
literary men according to the modern acceptation of the word, but
men of action trained in business. Spenser acted as secretary to
the Lord Deputy of Ireland; Raleigh was, by turns, a courtier,
soldier, sailor, and discoverer; Sydney was a politician,
diplomatist, and soldier; Bacon was a laborious lawyer before he
became Lord Keeper and Lord Chancellor; Sir Thomas Browne was a
physician in country practice at Norwich; Hooker was the
hardworking pastor of a country parish; Shakspeare was the manager
of a theatre, in which he was himself but an indifferent actor,
and he seems to have been even more careful of his money