large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_08_edwards_64kb_8
large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_08_edwards_64kb
English
8677
He himself supervises the planting and harvesting and slaughtering here and on his other farm at Franklin  the family homestead  even when obliged to be absent, or even when temporarily residing in Washington and hard pressed with the cares of his office as Secretary of State. HE HIMSELF SUPERVISES THE PLANTING AND HARVESTING AND SLAUGHTERING HERE AND ON HIS OTHER FARM AT FRANKLIN THE FAMILY HOMESTEAD EVEN WHEN OBLIGED TO BE ABSENT OR EVEN WHEN TEMPORARILY RESIDING IN WASHINGTON AND HARD PRESSED WITH THE CARES OF HIS OFFICE AS SECRETARY OF STATE
wer, not from mere rhetorical facility, but from fundamental principles, so his magnificent body, like that of the fabled Antæus, seemed to draw perennial potency from contact with the earth. To acquire land--he owned nearly eighteen hundred acres at the time of his death--and to cultivate it to the highest possible degree of productiveness was his intense delight. The farm which he purchased from Captain Thomas grew to an estate of two or three dozen buildings, outhouses, tenant houses, a dairyman's cottage, fisherman's house, agricultural offices, and several large barns. We can imagine that he shows us all of these things--explaining every detail with enthusiasm and accuracy, occasionally digressing upon the habits of birds or fish, the influence of tides and currents, the changes of sky and wind. All natural laws are fascinating to him--inspiring his imagination and uplifting his spirit--and it is these things, never politics or business, which he discusses in his hours of freedom.  OF HIS MIND DREW ITS POWER NOT FROM MERE RHETORICAL FACILITY BUT FROM FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES SO HIS MAGNIFICENT BODY LIKE THAT OF THE FABLED ANTAEUS SEEMED TO DRAW PERENNIAL POTENCY FROM CONTACT WITH THE EARTH TO ACQUIRE LAND HE OWNED NEARLY EIGHTEEN HUNDRED ACRES AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH AND TO CULTIVATE IT TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE DEGREE OF PRODUCTIVENESS WAS HIS INTENSE DELIGHT THE FARM WHICH HE PURCHASED FROM CAPTAIN THOMAS GREW TO AN ESTATE OF TWO OR THREE DOZEN BUILDINGS OUT HOUSES TENANT HOUSES A DAIRYMAN'S COTTAGE FISHERMAN'S HOUSE AGRICULTURAL OFFICES AND SEVERAL LARGE BARNS WE CAN IMAGINE THAT HE SHOWS US ALL OF THESE THINGS EXPLAINING EVERY DETAIL WITH ENTHUSIASM AND ACCURACY OCCASIONALLY DIGRESSING UPON THE HABITS OF BIRDS OR FISH THE INFLUENCE OF TIDES AND CURRENTS THE CHANGES OF SKY AND WIND ALL NATURAL LAWS ARE FASCINATING TO HIM INSPIRING HIS IMAGINATION AND UPLIFTING HIS SPIRIT AND IT IS THESE THINGS NEVER POLITICS OR BUSINESS WHICH HE DISCUSSES IN HIS HOURS OF FREEDOM
large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_08_edwards_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_08_edwards_64kb.flac