doubt of your soon becoming acquainted with the practical part of the
profession, and when you have acquired a knowledge of the practice the
theory will follow very easily. To-morrow you shall make a beginning. You
are now sixteen, and no time is to be lost. God and nature have bestowed
upon you a sound mind, and an active body; and if you properly apply these
inestimable blessings, there is no doubt of your becoming a useful member
of society, and of your making a respectable figure in the world. But
never forget the maxim that I now lay down for your future guidance;
recollect that 'a man can never dirt his hands about his own business;'
and always bear in mind these three old Italian proverbs--first, '_Never
do that by proxy, which you can do yourself._'--Second, '_Never defer till
to-morrow that which can be done well to-day._'--Third, '_Never neglect
small matters and expences._'"

The next morning I was called up early, and, to begin upon my labours, I
drove one of the teams at plough all day. I came home very tired. Not
being accustomed to labour, I found it a very different occupation from
that of attending my studies at school; my feet were sore, and my heels
were galled, but I was deterred from complaining, by seeing that I was
merely performing the same labour that little plough boys, of eight or
nine years of age, were only receiving sixpence a day for doing. Driving
plough was, therefore, not only, soon learned, but it became very irksome
to me; and as I thought myself full as good a man as the lad that was
holding, I demanded, before the week was up, that he should change places
with me. This he refused, and that occurred which is very common upon such
occasions. I threw away the whip, and having seized the handle of the
plough, a struggle ensued, which led to blows. At length, the horses and
plough were both abandoned, and a regular fight took place between myself
and the under carter, who had been holding the plough to which I was the
driver. I soon, however, compelled him to cry "hold!" and without farther