THE VALUE OF A HOBBY.
[TO TER EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIE;No one speaking from experience will say that Mr. G. F, Watts, or the writer of your article on this subject in the Spectator of June 29th, has overrated the value of a hobby. When we come to the question of which hobby is best, how- ever, we shall probably find but little agreement among the hobbyists. I have no doubt that hundreds of your readers will sneer at my earnest conviction that no earthly occupation is half so delightful as that of the amateur organ-builder. Pipe-making, even if we are confined to wood pipe-making, is. a source of unspeakable pleasure, and the man who perseveres until he can " voice " pipes of different stops will experience a. joy which no words can describe. I remember an old Brecon. shire parson whose panacea for all the trials of life was, "Dig, man, dig !" You place gardening fifth in the scale of value ; but it will hardly rank so high with people like myself, who. cannot bear repeated losses and disappointments patiently. The pleasure of gardening hardly exceeds the pain caused to me by snails, slugs, and neighbours' cats, not to speak of green fly, &c.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Previous page
