walden life in the woods - henry david thoreau

8/13/2019 WALDEN Life in the Woods - Henry David Thoreau

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WALDEN Life in the Woods - Henry David Thoreau

EconomyWhere I Lived, and What I Lived ForReading

SoundsSolitudeVisitorsThe Bean-FieldThe VillageThe PondsBaer Farm!igher La"sBrute #eigh$ors!ouse-WarmingFormer Inha$itants and Winter VisitorsWinter %nimals

The Pond in WinterS&ring'onclusion

Economy

When I "rote the (ollo"ing &ages, or rather the $ul o( them, I lived alone, in the"oods, a mile (rom any neigh$or, in a house "hich I had $uilt mysel(, on the shoreo( Walden Pond, in 'oncord, )assachusetts, and earned my living $y the la$or o(my hands only* I lived there t"o years and t"o months* %t &resent I am aso+ourner in civilied li(e again*

I should not o$trude my a((airs so much on the notice o( my readers i( very&articular inuiries had not $een made $y my to"nsmen concerning my mode o(li(e, "hich some "ould call im&ertinent, though they do not a&&ear to me at allim&ertinent, $ut, considering the circumstances, very natural and &ertinent* Somehave ased "hat I got to eat. i( I did not (eel lonesome. i( I "as not a(raid. and thelie* /thers have $een curious to learn "hat &ortion o( my income I devoted tocharita$le &ur&oses. and some, "ho have large (amilies, ho" many &oor children Imaintained* I "ill there(ore as those o( my readers "ho (eel no &articular interestin me to &ardon me i( I undertae to ans"er some o( these uestions in this $oo*In most $oos, the I, or (irst &erson, is omitted. in this it "ill $e retained. that, inres&ect to egotism, is the main di((erence* We commonly do not remem$er that itis, a(ter all, al"ays the (irst &erson that is s&eaing* I should not tal so mucha$out mysel( i( there "ere any$ody else "hom I ne" as "ell* 0n(ortunately, I amcon(ined to this theme $y the narro"ness o( my e1&erience* )oreover, I, on myside, reuire o( every "riter, (irst or last, a sim&le and sincere account o( his o"nli(e, and not merely "hat he has heard o( other men2s lives. some such account ashe "ould send to his indred (rom a distant land. (or i( he has lived sincerely, itmust have $een in a distant land to me* Perha&s these &ages are more &articularlyaddressed to &oor students* %s (or the rest o( my readers, they "ill acce&t such&ortions as a&&ly to them* I trust that none "ill stretch the seams in &utting on thecoat, (or it may do good service to him "hom it (its*

I "ould (ain say something, not so much concerning the 'hinese and Sand"ichIslanders as you "ho read these &ages, "ho are said to live in #e" England.

something a$out your condition, es&ecially your out"ard condition or circumstancesin this "orld, in this to"n, "hat it is, "hether it is necessary that it $e as $ad as it

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is, "hether it cannot $e im&roved as "ell as not* I have travelled a good deal in'oncord. and every"here, in sho&s, and o((ices, and (ields, the inha$itants havea&&eared to me to $e doing &enance in a thousand remara$le "ays* What I haveheard o( Bramins sitting e1&osed to (our (ires and looing in the (ace o( the sun. orhanging sus&ended, "ith their heads do"n"ard, over (lames. or looing at theheavens over their shoulders 3until it $ecomes im&ossi$le (or them to resume their

natural &osition, "hile (rom the t"ist o( the nec nothing $ut liuids can &ass intothe stomach4. or d"elling, chained (or li(e, at the (oot o( a tree. or measuring "iththeir $odies, lie cater&illars, the $readth o( vast em&ires. or standing on one legon the to&s o( &illars 5 even these (orms o( conscious &enance are hardly moreincredi$le and astonishing than the scenes "hich I daily "itness* The t"elve la$orso( !ercules "ere tri(ling in com&arison "ith those "hich my neigh$ors haveundertaen. (or they "ere only t"elve, and had an end. $ut I could never see thatthese men sle" or ca&tured any monster or (inished any la$or* They have no (riendIolaus to $urn "ith a hot iron the root o( the hydra2s head, $ut as soon as one headis crushed, t"o s&ring u&*

I see young men, my to"nsmen, "hose mis(ortune it is to have inherited (arms,

houses, $arns, cattle, and (arming tools. (or these are more easily acuired thangot rid o(* Better i( they had $een $orn in the o&en &asture and sucled $y a "ol(,that they might have seen "ith clearer eyes "hat (ield they "ere called to la$or in*Who made them ser(s o( the soil6 Why should they eat their si1ty acres, "hen manis condemned to eat only his &ec o( dirt6 Why should they $egin digging theirgraves as soon as they are $orn6 They have got to live a man2s li(e, &ushing allthese things $e(ore them, and get on as "ell as they can* !o" many a &oorimmortal soul have I met "ell-nigh crushed and smothered under its load, cree&ingdo"n the road o( li(e, &ushing $e(ore it a $arn seventy-(ive (eet $y (orty, its %ugeansta$les never cleansed, and one hundred acres o( land, tillage, mo"ing, &asture,and "oodlot7 The &ortionless, "ho struggle "ith no such unnecessary inheritedencum$rances, (ind it la$or enough to su$due and cultivate a (e" cu$ic (eet o(

(lesh*

But men la$or under a mistae* The $etter &art o( the man is soon &lo"ed into thesoil (or com&ost* By a seeming (ate, commonly called necessity, they are em&loyed,as it says in an old $oo, laying u& treasures "hich moth and rust "ill corru&t andthieves $rea through and steal* It is a (ool2s li(e, as they "ill (ind "hen they get tothe end o( it, i( not $e(ore* It is said that 8eucalion and Pyrrha created men $ythro"ing stones over their heads $ehind them95

Inde genus durum sumus, e1&eriensue la$orum,Et documenta damus ua simus origine nati*

/r, as Raleigh rhymes it in his sonorous "ay,5

3From thence our ind hard-hearted is, enduring &ain and care,%&&roving that our $odies o( a stony nature are*4

So much (or a $lind o$edience to a $lundering oracle, thro"ing the stones overtheir heads $ehind them, and not seeing "here they (ell*

)ost men, even in this com&aratively (ree country, through mere ignorance andmistae, are so occu&ied "ith the (actitious cares and su&er(luously coarse la$ors o(li(e that its (iner (ruits cannot $e &luced $y them* Their (ingers, (rom e1cessivetoil, are too clumsy and trem$le too much (or that* %ctually, the la$oring man has

not leisure (or a true integrity day $y day. he cannot a((ord to sustain the manliestrelations to men. his la$or "ould $e de&reciated in the maret* !e has no time to

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$e anything $ut a machine* !o" can he remem$er "ell his ignorance 5 "hich hisgro"th reuires 5 "ho has so o(ten to use his no"ledge6 We should (eed andclothe him gratuitously sometimes, and recruit him "ith our cordials, $e(ore "e

+udge o( him* The (inest ualities o( our nature, lie the $loom on (ruits, can $e&reserved only $y the most delicate handling* :et "e do not treat ourselves nor oneanother thus tenderly*

Some o( you, "e all no", are &oor, (ind it hard to live, are sometimes, as it "ere,gas&ing (or $reath* I have no dou$t that some o( you "ho read this $oo areuna$le to &ay (or all the dinners "hich you have actually eaten, or (or the coats andshoes "hich are (ast "earing or are already "orn out, and have come to this &ageto s&end $orro"ed or stolen time, ro$$ing your creditors o( an hour* It is veryevident "hat mean and sneaing lives many o( you live, (or my sight has $een"hetted $y e1&erience. al"ays on the limits, trying to get into $usiness and tryingto get out o( de$t, a very ancient slough, called $y the Latins aes alienum,another2s $rass, (or some o( their coins "ere made o( $rass. still living, and dying,and $uried $y this other2s $rass. al"ays &romising to &ay, &romising to &ay,tomorro", and dying today, insolvent. seeing to curry (avor, to get custom, $y

ho" many modes, only not state-&rison o((enses. lying, (lattering, voting,contracting yourselves into a nutshell o( civility or dilating into an atmos&here o(thin and va&orous generosity, that you may &ersuade your neigh$or to let youmae his shoes, or his hat, or his coat, or his carriage, or im&ort his groceries (orhim. maing yourselves sic, that you may lay u& something against a sic day,something to $e tuced a"ay in an old chest, or in a stocing $ehind the &lastering,or, more sa(ely, in the $ric $an. no matter "here, no matter ho" much or ho"little*

I sometimes "onder that "e can $e so (rivolous, I may almost say, as to attend tothe gross $ut some"hat (oreign (orm o( servitude called #egro Slavery, there areso many een and su$tle masters that enslave $oth #orth and South* It is hard to

have a Southern overseer. it is "orse to have a #orthern one. $ut "orst o( all "henyou are the slave-driver o( yoursel(* Tal o( a divinity in man7 Loo at the teamsteron the high"ay, "ending to maret $y day or night. does any divinity stir "ithinhim6 !is highest duty to (odder and "ater his horses7 What is his destiny to himcom&ared "ith the shi&&ing interests6 8oes not he drive (or Suire )ae-a-stir6!o" godlie, ho" immortal, is he6 See ho" he co"ers and sneas, ho" vaguely allthe day he (ears, not $eing immortal nor divine, $ut the slave and &risoner o( hiso"n o&inion o( himsel(, a (ame "on $y his o"n deeds* Pu$lic o&inion is a "eatyrant com&ared "ith our o"n &rivate o&inion* What a man thins o( himsel(, that itis "hich determines, or rather indicates, his (ate* Sel(-emanci&ation even in theWest Indian &rovinces o( the (ancy and imagination 5 "hat Wil$er(orce is there to$ring that a$out6 Thin, also, o( the ladies o( the land "eaving toilet cushions

against the last day, not to $etray too green an interest in their (ates7 %s i( youcould ill time "ithout in+uring eternity*

The mass o( men lead lives o( uiet des&eration* What is called resignation iscon(irmed des&eration* From the des&erate city you go into the des&erate country,and have to console yoursel( "ith the $ravery o( mins and musrats* %stereoty&ed $ut unconscious des&air is concealed even under "hat are called thegames and amusements o( manind* There is no &lay in them, (or this comes a(ter"or* But it is a characteristic o( "isdom not to do des&erate things*

When "e consider "hat, to use the "ords o( the catechism, is the chie( end o( man,and "hat are the true necessaries and means o( li(e, it a&&ears as i( men had

deli$erately chosen the common mode o( living $ecause they &re(erred it to anyother* :et they honestly thin there is no choice le(t* But alert and healthy naturesremem$er that the sun rose clear* It is never too late to give u& our &re+udices* #o

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"ay o( thining or doing, ho"ever ancient, can $e trusted "ithout &roo(* Whatevery$ody echoes or in silence &asses $y as true to-day may turn out to $e(alsehood to-morro", mere smoe o( o&inion, "hich some had trusted (or a cloudthat "ould s&rinle (ertiliing rain on their (ields* What old &eo&le say you cannotdo, you try and (ind that you can* /ld deeds (or old &eo&le, and ne" deeds (or ne"*/ld &eo&le did not no" enough once, &erchance, to (etch (resh (uel to ee& the

(ire a-going. ne" &eo&le &ut a little dry "ood under a &ot, and are "hirled roundthe glo$e "ith the s&eed o( $irds, in a "ay to ill old &eo&le, as the &hrase is* %geis no $etter, hardly so "ell, uali(ied (or an instructor as youth, (or it has not&ro(ited so much as it has lost* /ne may almost dou$t i( the "isest man haslearned anything o( a$solute value $y living* Practically, the old have no veryim&ortant advice to give the young, their o"n e1&erience has $een so &artial, andtheir lives have $een such misera$le (ailures, (or &rivate reasons, as they must$elieve. and it may $e that they have some (aith le(t "hich $elies that e1&erience,and they are only less young than they "ere* I have lived some thirty years on this&lanet, and I have yet to hear the (irst sylla$le o( valua$le or even earnest advice(rom my seniors* They have told me nothing, and &ro$a$ly cannot tell me anythingto the &ur&ose* !ere is li(e, an e1&eriment to a great e1tent untried $y me. $ut it

does not avail me that they have tried it* I( I have any e1&erience "hich I thinvalua$le, I am sure to re(lect that this my )entors said nothing a$out*

/ne (armer says to me, 3:ou cannot live on vegeta$le (ood solely, (or it (urnishesnothing to mae $ones "ith4. and so he religiously devotes a &art o( his day tosu&&lying his system "ith the ra" material o( $ones. "aling all the "hile he tals$ehind his o1en, "hich, "ith vegeta$le-made $ones, +er him and his lum$ering&lo" along in s&ite o( every o$stacle* Some things are really necessaries o( li(e insome circles, the most hel&less and diseased, "hich in others are lu1uries merely,and in others still are entirely unno"n*

The "hole ground o( human li(e seems to some to have $een gone over $y their

&redecessors, $oth the heights and the valleys, and all things to have $een cared(or* %ccording to Evelyn, 3the "ise Solomon &rescri$ed ordinances (or the verydistances o( trees. and the Roman &r;tors have decided ho" o(ten you may gointo your neigh$or2s land to gather the acorns "hich (all on it "ithout tres&ass, and"hat share $elongs to that neigh$or*4 !i&&ocrates has even le(t directions ho" "eshould cut our nails. that is, even "ith the ends o( the (ingers, neither shorter norlonger* 0ndou$tedly the very tedium and ennui "hich &resume to have e1haustedthe variety and the +oys o( li(e are as old as %dam* But man2s ca&acities have never$een measured. nor are "e to +udge o( "hat he can do $y any &recedents, so littlehas $een tried* Whatever have $een thy (ailures hitherto, 3$e not a((licted, mychild, (or "ho shall assign to thee "hat thou hast le(t undone64

We might try our lives $y a thousand sim&le tests. as, (or instance, that the samesun "hich ri&ens my $eans illumines at once a system o( earths lie ours* I( I hadremem$ered this it "ould have &revented some mistaes* This "as not the light in"hich I hoed them* The stars are the a&e1es o( "hat "onder(ul triangles7 Whatdistant and di((erent $eings in the various mansions o( the universe arecontem&lating the same one at the same moment7 #ature and human li(e are asvarious as our several constitutions* Who shall say "hat &ros&ect li(e o((ers toanother6 'ould a greater miracle tae &lace than (or us to loo through eachother2s eyes (or an instant6 We should live in all the ages o( the "orld in an hour.ay, in all the "orlds o( the ages* !istory, Poetry, )ythology7 5 I no" o( noreading o( another2s e1&erience so startling and in(orming as this "ould $e*

The greater &art o( "hat my neigh$ors call good I $elieve in my soul to $e $ad, andi( I re&ent o( anything, it is very liely to $e my good $ehavior* What demon&ossessed me that I $ehaved so "ell6 :ou may say the "isest thing you can, old

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man 5 you "ho have lived seventy years, not "ithout honor o( a ind 5 I hear anirresisti$le voice "hich invites me a"ay (rom all that* /ne generation a$andons theenter&rises o( another lie stranded vessels*

I thin that "e may sa(ely trust a good deal more than "e do* We may "aive +ustso much care o( ourselves as "e honestly $esto" else"here* #ature is as "ell

ada&ted to our "eaness as to our strength* The incessant an1iety and strain o(some is a "ell-nigh incura$le (orm o( disease* We are made to e1aggerate theim&ortance o( "hat "or "e do. and yet ho" much is not done $y us7 or, "hat i("e had $een taen sic6 !o" vigilant "e are7 determined not to live $y (aith i( "ecan avoid it. all the day long on the alert, at night "e un"illingly say our &rayersand commit ourselves to uncertainties* So thoroughly and sincerely are "ecom&elled to live, reverencing our li(e, and denying the &ossi$ility o( change* This isthe only "ay, "e say. $ut there are as many "ays as there can $e dra"n radii (romone centre* %ll change is a miracle to contem&late. $ut it is a miracle "hich istaing &lace every instant* 'on(ucius said, 3To no" that "e no" "hat "e no",and that "e do not no" "hat "e do not no", that is true no"ledge*4 When oneman has reduced a (act o( the imagination to $e a (act to his understanding, I

(oresee that all men at length esta$lish their lives on that $asis*

Let us consider (or a moment "hat most o( the trou$le and an1iety "hich I havere(erred to is a$out, and ho" much it is necessary that "e $e trou$led, or at leastcare(ul* It "ould $e some advantage to live a &rimitive and (rontier li(e, though inthe midst o( an out"ard civiliation, i( only to learn "hat are the gross necessarieso( li(e and "hat methods have $een taen to o$tain them. or even to loo over theold day-$oos o( the merchants, to see "hat it "as that men most commonly$ought at the stores, "hat they stored, that is, "hat are the grossest groceries* Forthe im&rovements o( ages have had $ut little in(luence on the essential la"s o(man2s e1istence. as our seletons, &ro$a$ly, are not to $e distinguished (rom thoseo( our ancestors*

By the "ords, necessary of life, I mean "hatever, o( all that man o$tains $y hiso"n e1ertions, has $een (rom the (irst, or (rom long use has $ecome, so im&ortantto human li(e that (e", i( any, "hether (rom savageness, or &overty, or &hiloso&hy,ever attem&t to do "ithout it* To many creatures there is in this sense $ut onenecessary o( li(e, Food* To the $ison o( the &rairie it is a (e" inches o( &alata$legrass, "ith "ater to drin. unless he sees the Shelter o( the (orest or themountain2s shado"* #one o( the $rute creation reuires more than Food andShelter* The necessaries o( li(e (or man in this climate may, accurately enough, $edistri$uted under the several heads o( Food, Shelter, 'lothing, and Fuel. (or not till"e have secured these are "e &re&ared to entertain the true &ro$lems o( li(e "ith(reedom and a &ros&ect o( success* )an has invented, not only houses, $ut clothes

and cooed (ood. and &ossi$ly (rom the accidental discovery o( the "armth o( (ire,and the conseuent use o( it, at (irst a lu1ury, arose the &resent necessity to sit $yit* We o$serve cats and dogs acuiring the same second nature* By &ro&er Shelterand 'lothing "e legitimately retain our o"n internal heat. $ut "ith an e1cess o(these, or o( Fuel, that is, "ith an e1ternal heat greater than our o"n internal, maynot cooery &ro&erly $e said to $egin6 8ar"in, the naturalist, says o( theinha$itants o( Tierra del Fuego, that "hile his o"n &arty, "ho "ere "ell clothed andsitting close to a (ire, "ere (ar (rom too "arm, these naed savages, "ho "ere(arther o((, "ere o$served, to his great sur&rise, 3to $e streaming "ith &ers&irationat undergoing such a roasting*4 So, "e are told, the #e" !ollander goes naed "ithim&unity, "hile the Euro&ean shivers in his clothes* Is it im&ossi$le to com$ine thehardiness o( these savages "ith the intellectualness o( the civilied man6 %ccording

to Lie$ig, man2s $ody is a stove, and (ood the (uel "hich ee&s u& the internalcom$ustion in the lungs* In cold "eather "e eat more, in "arm less* The animalheat is the result o( a slo" com$ustion, and disease and death tae &lace "hen this

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is too ra&id. or (or "ant o( (uel, or (rom some de(ect in the draught, the (ire goesout* /( course the vital heat is not to $e con(ounded "ith (ire. $ut so much (oranalogy* It a&&ears, there(ore, (rom the a$ove list, that the e1&ression, animal life,is nearly synonymous "ith the e1&ression, animal heat. (or "hile Food may $eregarded as the Fuel "hich ee&s u& the (ire "ithin us 5 and Fuel serves only to&re&are that Food or to increase the "armth o( our $odies $y addition (rom "ithout

5 Shelter and 'lothing also serve only to retain the heat thus generated anda$sor$ed*

The grand necessity, then, (or our $odies, is to ee& "arm, to ee& the vital heat inus* What &ains "e accordingly tae, not only "ith our Food, and 'lothing, andShelter, $ut "ith our $eds, "hich are our night-clothes, ro$$ing the nests and$reasts o( $irds to &re&are this shelter "ithin a shelter, as the mole has its $ed o(grass and leaves at the end o( its $urro"7 The &oor man is "ont to com&lain thatthis is a cold "orld. and to cold, no less &hysical than social, "e re(er directly agreat &art o( our ails* The summer, in some climates, maes &ossi$le to man a sorto( Elysian li(e* Fuel, e1ce&t to coo his Food, is then unnecessary. the sun is his(ire, and many o( the (ruits are su((iciently cooed $y its rays. "hile Food generally

is more various, and more easily o$tained, and 'lothing and Shelter are "holly orhal( unnecessary* %t the &resent day, and in this country, as I (ind $y my o"ne1&erience, a (e" im&lements, a ni(e, an a1e, a s&ade, a "heel$arro", etc*, and(or the studious, lam&light, stationery, and access to a (e" $oos, ran ne1t tonecessaries, and can all $e o$tained at a tri(ling cost* :et some, not "ise, go to theother side o( the glo$e, to $ar$arous and unhealthy regions, and devote themselvesto trade (or ten or t"enty years, in order that they may live 5 that is, ee&com(orta$ly "arm 5 and die in #e" England at last* The lu1uriously rich are notsim&ly e&t com(orta$ly "arm, $ut unnaturally hot. as I im&lied $e(ore, they arecooed, o( course la mode*

)ost o( the lu1uries, and many o( the so-called com(orts o( li(e, are not only not

indis&ensa$le, $ut &ositive hindrances to the elevation o( manind* With res&ect tolu1uries and com(orts, the "isest have ever lived a more sim&le and meagre li(ethan the &oor* The ancient &hiloso&hers, 'hinese, !indoo, Persian, and


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numerous, incessant, and hotter (ires, and the lie* When he has o$tained thosethings "hich are necessary to li(e, there is another alternative than to o$tain thesu&er(luities. and that is, to adventure on li(e no", his vacation (rom hum$ler toilhaving commenced* The soil, it a&&ears, is suited to the seed, (or it has sent itsradicle do"n"ard, and it may no" send its shoot u&"ard also "ith con(idence* Whyhas man rooted himsel( thus (irmly in the earth, $ut that he may rise in the same

&ro&ortion into the heavens a$ove6 5 (or the no$ler &lants are valued (or the (ruitthey $ear at last in the air and light, (ar (rom the ground, and are not treated liethe hum$ler esculents, "hich, though they may $e $iennials, are cultivated only tillthey have &er(ected their root, and o(ten cut do"n at to& (or this &ur&ose, so thatmost "ould not no" them in their (lo"ering season*

I do not mean to &rescri$e rules to strong and valiant natures, "ho "ill mind theiro"n a((airs "hether in heaven or hell, and &erchance $uild more magni(icently ands&end more lavishly than the richest, "ithout ever im&overishing themselves, notno"ing ho" they live 5 i(, indeed, there are any such, as has $een dreamed. norto those "ho (ind their encouragement and ins&iration in &recisely the &resentcondition o( things, and cherish it "ith the (ondness and enthusiasm o( lovers 5

and, to some e1tent, I recon mysel( in this num$er. I do not s&ea to those "hoare "ell em&loyed, in "hatever circumstances, and they no" "hether they are"ell em&loyed or not. 5 $ut mainly to the mass o( men "ho are discontented, andidly com&laining o( the hardness o( their lot or o( the times, "hen they mightim&rove them* There are some "ho com&lain most energetically and inconsola$lyo( any, $ecause they are, as they say, doing their duty* I also have in my mind thatseemingly "ealthy, $ut most terri$ly im&overished class o( all, "ho haveaccumulated dross, $ut no" not ho" to use it, or get rid o( it, and thus have(orged their o"n golden or silver (etters*

I( I should attem&t to tell ho" I have desired to s&end my li(e in years &ast, it"ould &ro$a$ly sur&rise those o( my readers "ho are some"hat acuainted "ith itsactual history. it "ould certainly astonish those "ho no" nothing a$out it* I "illonly hint at some o( the enter&rises "hich I have cherished*

In any "eather, at any hour o( the day or night, I have $een an1ious to im&rovethe nic o( time, and notch it on my stic too. to stand on the meeting o( t"oeternities, the &ast and (uture, "hich is &recisely the &resent moment. to toe thatline* :ou "ill &ardon some o$scurities, (or there are more secrets in my trade thanin most men2s, and yet not voluntarily e&t, $ut inse&ara$le (rom its very nature* I"ould gladly tell all that I no" a$out it, and never &aint 3#o %dmittance4 on mygate*

I long ago lost a hound, a $ay horse, and a turtle dove, and am still on their trail*)any are the travellers I have s&oen concerning them, descri$ing their tracs and"hat calls they ans"ered to* I have met one or t"o "ho had heard the hound, andthe tram& o( the horse, and even seen the dove disa&&ear $ehind a cloud, and theyseemed as an1ious to recover them as i( they had lost them themselves*

To antici&ate, not the sunrise and the da"n merely, $ut, i( &ossi$le, #ature hersel(7!o" many mornings, summer and "inter, $e(ore yet any neigh$or "as stirringa$out his $usiness, have I $een a$out mine7 #o dou$t, many o( my to"nsmen havemet me returning (rom this enter&rise, (armers starting (or Boston in the t"ilight,or "oodcho&&ers going to their "or* It is true, I never assisted the sun materially

in his rising, $ut, dou$t not, it "as o( the last im&ortance only to $e &resent at it*

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So many autumn, ay, and "inter days, s&ent outside the to"n, trying to hear "hat"as in the "ind, to hear and carry it e1&ress7 I "ell-nigh sun all my ca&ital in it,and lost my o"n $reath into the $argain, running in the (ace o( it* I( it hadconcerned either o( the &olitical &arties, de&end u&on it, it "ould have a&&eared inthe


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using such slender means as I had already got* )y &ur&ose in going to WaldenPond "as not to live chea&ly nor to live dearly there, $ut to transact some &rivate$usiness "ith the (e"est o$stacles. to $e hindered (rom accom&lishing "hich (or"ant o( a little common sense, a little enter&rise and $usiness talent, a&&eared notso sad as (oolish*

I have al"ays endeavored to acuire strict $usiness ha$its. they are indis&ensa$leto every man* I( your trade is "ith the 'elestial Em&ire, then some small countinghouse on the coast, in some Salem har$or, "ill $e (i1ture enough* :ou "ill e1&ortsuch articles as the country a((ords, &urely native &roducts, much ice and &inetim$er and a little granite, al"ays in native $ottoms* These "ill $e good ventures*To oversee all the details yoursel( in &erson. to $e at once &ilot and ca&tain, ando"ner and under"riter. to $uy and sell and ee& the accounts. to read every letterreceived, and "rite or read every letter sent. to su&erintend the discharge o(im&orts night and day. to $e u&on many &arts o( the coast almost at the same time5 o(ten the richest (reight "ill $e discharged u&on a =ersey shore. 5 to $e youro"n telegra&h, un"eariedly s"ee&ing the horion, s&eaing all &assing vessels$ound coast"ise. to ee& u& a steady des&atch o( commodities, (or the su&&ly o(

such a distant and e1or$itant maret. to ee& yoursel( in(ormed o( the state o( themarets, &ros&ects o( "ar and &eace every"here, and antici&ate the tendencies o(trade and civiliation 5 taing advantage o( the results o( all e1&loring e1&editions,using ne" &assages and all im&rovements in navigation. 5 charts to $e studied,the &osition o( ree(s and ne" lights and $uoys to $e ascertained, and ever, andever, the logarithmic ta$les to $e corrected, (or $y the error o( some calculator thevessel o(ten s&lits u&on a roc that should have reached a (riendly &ier 5 there isthe untold (ate o( La Prouse. 5 universal science to $e e&t &ace "ith, studying thelives o( all great discoverers and navigators, great adventurers and merchants,(rom !anno and the Phoenicians do"n to our day. in (ine, account o( stoc to $etaen (rom time to time, to no" ho" you stand* It is a la$or to tas the (acultieso( a man 5 such &ro$lems o( &ro(it and loss, o( interest, o( tare and tret, and

gauging o( all inds in it, as demand a universal no"ledge*

I have thought that Walden Pond "ould $e a good &lace (or $usiness, not solely onaccount o( the railroad and the ice trade. it o((ers advantages "hich it may not $egood &olicy to divulge. it is a good &ort and a good (oundation* #o #eva marshes to$e (illed. though you must every"here $uild on &iles o( your o"n driving* It is saidthat a (lood-tide, "ith a "esterly "ind, and ice in the #eva, "ould s"ee& St*Peters$urg (rom the (ace o( the earth*

%s this $usiness "as to $e entered into "ithout the usual ca&ital, it may not $eeasy to con+ecture "here those means, that "ill still $e indis&ensa$le to every suchundertaing, "ere to $e o$tained* %s (or 'lothing, to come at once to the &ractical

&art o( the uestion, &erha&s "e are led o(tener $y the love o( novelty and a regard(or the o&inions o( men, in &rocuring it, than $y a true utility* Let him "ho has "orto do recollect that the o$+ect o( clothing is, (irst, to retain the vital heat, andsecondly, in this state o( society, to cover naedness, and he may +udge ho" mucho( any necessary or im&ortant "or may $e accom&lished "ithout adding to his"ardro$e* @ings and ueens "ho "ear a suit $ut once, though made $y some tailoror dressmaer to their ma+esties, cannot no" the com(ort o( "earing a suit that(its* They are no $etter than "ooden horses to hang the clean clothes on* Every dayour garments $ecome more assimilated to ourselves, receiving the im&ress o( the"earer2s character, until "e hesitate to lay them aside "ithout such delay andmedical a&&liances and some such solemnity even as our $odies* #o man everstood the lo"er in my estimation (or having a &atch in his clothes. yet I am sure

that there is greater an1iety, commonly, to have (ashiona$le, or at least clean andun&atched clothes, than to have a sound conscience* But even i( the rent is notmended, &erha&s the "orst vice $etrayed is im&rovidence* I sometimes try my

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acuaintances $y such tests as this 5 Who could "ear a &atch, or t"o e1tra seamsonly, over the nee6 )ost $ehave as i( they $elieved that their &ros&ects (or li(e"ould $e ruined i( they should do it* It "ould $e easier (or them to ho$$le to to"n"ith a $roen leg than "ith a $roen &antaloon* /(ten i( an accident ha&&ens to agentleman2s legs, they can $e mended. $ut i( a similar accident ha&&ens to the legso( his &antaloons, there is no hel& (or it. (or he considers, not "hat is truly

res&ecta$le, $ut "hat is res&ected* We no" $ut (e" men, a great many coats and$reeches* 8ress a scarecro" in your last shi(t, you standing shi(tless $y, "ho "ouldnot soonest salute the scarecro"6 Passing a corn(ield the other day, close $y a hatand coat on a stae, I recognied the o"ner o( the (arm* !e "as only a little more"eather-$eaten than "hen I sa" him last* I have heard o( a dog that $ared atevery stranger "ho a&&roached his master2s &remises "ith clothes on, $ut "aseasily uieted $y a naed thie(* It is an interesting uestion ho" (ar men "ouldretain their relative ran i( they "ere divested o( their clothes* 'ould you, in such acase, tell surely o( any com&any o( civilied men "hich $elonged to the mostres&ected class6 When )adam P(ei((er, in her adventurous travels round the "orld,(rom east to "est, had got so near home as %siatic Russia, she says that she (eltthe necessity o( "earing other than a travelling dress, "hen she "ent to meet the

authorities, (or she 3"as no" in a civilied country, "here*** &eo&le are +udged o($y their clothes*4 Even in our democratic #e" England to"ns the accidental&ossession o( "ealth, and its mani(estation in dress and eui&age alone, o$tain (orthe &ossessor almost universal res&ect* But they yield such res&ect, numerous asthey are, are so (ar heathen, and need to have a missionary sent to them* Beside,clothes introduced se"ing, a ind o( "or "hich you may call endless. a "oman2sdress, at least, is never done*

% man "ho has at length (ound something to do "ill not need to get a ne" suit todo it in. (or him the old "ill do, that has lain dusty in the garret (or anindeterminate &eriod* /ld shoes "ill serve a hero longer than they have served hisvalet 5 i( a hero ever has a valet 5 $are (eet are older than shoes, and he can

mae them do* /nly they "ho go to soirAes and legislative $alls must have ne"coats, coats to change as o(ten as the man changes in them* But i( my +acet andtrousers, my hat and shoes, are (it to "orshi&


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he can lay his hands on himsel( in the dar, and that he live in all res&ects socom&actly and &re&aredly that, i( an enemy tae the to"n, he can, lie the old&hiloso&her, "al out the gate em&ty-handed "ithout an1iety* While one thicgarment is, (or most &ur&oses, as good as three thin ones, and chea& clothing can$e o$tained at &rices really to suit customers. "hile a thic coat can $e $ought (or(ive dollars, "hich "ill last as many years, thic &antaloons (or t"o dollars, co"hide

$oots (or a dollar and a hal( a &air, a summer hat (or a uarter o( a dollar, and a"inter ca& (or si1ty-t"o and a hal( cents, or a $etter $e made at home at a nominalcost, "here is he so &oor that, clad in such a suit, o( his own earning, there "ill not$e (ound "ise men to do him reverence6

When I as (or a garment o( a &articular (orm, my tailoress tells me gravely, 3Theydo not mae them so no",4 not em&hasiing the 3They4 at all, as i( she uoted anauthority as im&ersonal as the Fates, and I (ind it di((icult to get made "hat I "ant,sim&ly $ecause she cannot $elieve that I mean "hat I say, that I am so rash* WhenI hear this oracular sentence, I am (or a moment a$sor$ed in thought, em&hasiingto mysel( each "ord se&arately that I may come at the meaning o( it, that I may(ind out $y "hat degree o( consanguinity Theyare related to me, and "hat

authority they may have in an a((air "hich a((ects me so nearly. and, (inally, I aminclined to ans"er her "ith eual mystery, and "ithout any more em&hasis o( the

3they4 5 3It is true, they did not mae them so recently, $ut they do no"*4 /( "hatuse this measuring o( me i( she does not measure my character, $ut only the$readth o( my shoulders, as it "ere a &eg to $ang the coat on6 We "orshi& not the


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I cannot $elieve that our (actory system is the $est mode $y "hich men may getclothing* The condition o( the o&eratives is $ecoming every day more lie that o(the English. and it cannot $e "ondered at, since, as (ar as I have heard oro$served, the &rinci&al o$+ect is, not that manind may $e "ell and honestly clad,$ut, unuestiona$ly, that cor&orations may $e enriched* In the long run men hitonly "hat they aim at* There(ore, though they should (ail immediately, they had

$etter aim at something high*

%s (or a Shelter, I "ill not deny that this is no" a necessary o( li(e, though thereare instances o( men having done "ithout it (or long &eriods in colder countriesthan this* Samuel Laing says that 3the La&lander in his sin dress, and in a sin $ag"hich he &uts over his head and shoulders, "ill slee& night a(ter night on thesno"*** in a degree o( cold "hich "ould e1tinguish the li(e o( one e1&osed to it inany "oollen clothing*4 !e had seen them aslee& thus* :et he adds, 3They are nothardier than other &eo&le*4 But, &ro$a$ly, man did not live long on the earth"ithout discovering the convenience "hich there is in a house, the domesticcom(orts, "hich &hrase may have originally signi(ied the satis(actions o( the housemore than o( the (amily. though these must $e e1tremely &artial and occasional in

those climates "here the house is associated in our thoughts "ith "inter or therainy season chie(ly, and t"o thirds o( the year, e1ce&t (or a &arasol, isunnecessary* In our climate, in the summer, it "as (ormerly almost solely acovering at night* In the Indian gaettes a "ig"am "as the sym$ol o( a day2smarch, and a ro" o( them cut or &ainted on the $ar o( a tree signi(ied that somany times they had cam&ed* )an "as not made so large lim$ed and ro$ust $utthat he must see to narro" his "orld and "all in a s&ace such as (itted him* !e"as at (irst $are and out o( doors. $ut though this "as &leasant enough in sereneand "arm "eather, $y daylight, the rainy season and the "inter, to say nothing o(the torrid sun, "ould &erha&s have ni&&ed his race in the $ud i( he had not madehaste to clothe himsel( "ith the shelter o( a house* %dam and Eve, according to the(a$le, "ore the $o"er $e(ore other clothes* )an "anted a home, a &lace o(

"armth, or com(ort, (irst o( "armth, then the "armth o( the a((ections*

We may imagine a time "hen, in the in(ancy o( the human race, some enter&risingmortal cre&t into a hollo" in a roc (or shelter* Every child $egins the "orld again,to some e1tent, and loves to stay outdoors, even in "et and cold* It &lays house, as"ell as horse, having an instinct (or it* Who does not remem$er the interest "ith"hich, "hen young, he looed at shelving rocs, or any a&&roach to a cave6 It "asthe natural yearning o( that &ortion, any &ortion o( our most &rimitive ancestor"hich still survived in us* From the cave "e have advanced to roo(s o( &alm leaves,o( $ar and $oughs, o( linen "oven and stretched, o( grass and stra", o( $oardsand shingles, o( stones and tiles* %t last, "e no" not "hat it is to live in the o&enair, and our lives are domestic in more senses than "e thin* From the hearth the

(ield is a great distance* It "ould $e "ell, &erha&s, i( "e "ere to s&end more o( ourdays and nights "ithout any o$struction $et"een us and the celestial $odies, i( the&oet did not s&ea so much (rom under a roo(, or the saint d"ell there so long*Birds do not sing in caves, nor do doves cherish their innocence in dovecots*

!o"ever, i( one designs to construct a d"elling-house, it $ehooves him to e1ercisea little :anee shre"dness, lest a(ter all he (ind himsel( in a "orhouse, a la$yrinth"ithout a clue, a museum, an almshouse, a &rison, or a s&lendid mausoleuminstead* 'onsider (irst ho" slight a shelter is a$solutely necessary* I have seenPeno$scot Indians, in this to"n, living in tents o( thin cotton cloth, "hile the sno""as nearly a (oot dee& around them, and I thought that they "ould $e glad to haveit dee&er to ee& out the "ind* Formerly, "hen ho" to get my living honestly, "ith

(reedom le(t (or my &ro&er &ursuits, "as a uestion "hich ve1ed me even morethan it does no", (or un(ortunately I am $ecome some"hat callous, I used to see alarge $o1 $y the railroad, si1 (eet long $y three "ide, in "hich the la$orers loced

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u& their tools at night. and it suggested to me that every man "ho "as hard&ushed might get such a one (or a dollar, and, having $ored a (e" auger holes in it,to admit the air at least, get into it "hen it rained and at night, and hoo do"n thelid, and so have (reedom in his love, and in his soul $e (ree* This did not a&&ear the"orst, nor $y any means a des&ica$le alternative* :ou could sit u& as late as you&leased, and, "henever you got u&, go a$road "ithout any landlord or house-lord

dogging you (or rent* )any a man is harassed to death to &ay the rent o( a largerand more lu1urious $o1 "ho "ould not have (roen to death in such a $o1 as this* Iam (ar (rom +esting* Economy is a su$+ect "hich admits o( $eing treated "ith levity,$ut it cannot so $e dis&osed o(* % com(orta$le house (or a rude and hardy race,that lived mostly out o( doors, "as once made here almost entirely o( suchmaterials as #ature (urnished ready to their hands*


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$ut a dou$t(ul choice o( evils* Would the savage have $een "ise to e1change his"ig"am (or a &alace on these terms6

It may $e guessed that I reduce almost the "hole advantage o( holding thissu&er(luous &ro&erty as a (und in store against the (uture, so (ar as the individual isconcerned, mainly to the de(raying o( (uneral e1&enses* But &erha&s a man is not

reuired to $ury himsel(* #evertheless this &oints to an im&ortant distinction$et"een the civilied man and the savage. and, no dou$t, they have designs on us(or our $ene(it, in maing the li(e o( a civilied &eo&le an institution, in "hich theli(e o( the individual is to a great e1tent a$sor$ed, in order to &reserve and &er(ectthat o( the race* But I "ish to sho" at "hat a sacri(ice this advantage is at &resento$tained, and to suggest that "e may &ossi$ly so live as to secure all theadvantage "ithout su((ering any o( the disadvantage* What mean ye $y saying thatthe &oor ye have al"ays "ith you, or that the (athers have eaten sour gra&es, andthe children2s teeth are set on edge6

3%s I live, saith the Lord


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"oodchuc sin, com&lain o( hard times $ecause he could not a((ord to $uy him acro"n7 It is &ossi$le to invent a house still more convenient and lu1urious than "ehave, "hich yet all "ould admit that man could not a((ord to &ay (or* Shall "eal"ays study to o$tain more o( these things, and not sometimes to $e content "ithless6 Shall the res&ecta$le citien thus gravely teach, $y &rece&t and e1am&le, thenecessity o( the young man2s &roviding a certain num$er o( su&er(luous glo"-

shoes, and um$rellas, and em&ty guest cham$ers (or em&ty guests, $e(ore he dies6Why should not our (urniture $e as sim&le as the %ra$2s or the Indian2s6 When Ithin o( the $ene(actors o( the race, "hom "e have a&otheosied as messengers(rom heaven, $earers o( divine gi(ts to man, I do not see in my mind any retinue attheir heels, any carload o( (ashiona$le (urniture* /r "hat i( I "ere to allo" 5 "ouldit not $e a singular allo"ance6 5 that our (urniture should $e more com&le1 thanthe %ra$2s, in &ro&ortion as "e are morally and intellectually his su&eriors7 %t&resent our houses are cluttered and de(iled "ith it, and a good house"i(e "oulds"ee& out the greater &art into the dust hole, and not leave her morning2s "orundone* )orning "or7 By the $lushes o( %urora and the music o( )emnon, "hatshould $e man2s morning workin this "orld6 I had three &ieces o( limestone on mydes, $ut I "as terri(ied to (ind that they reuired to $e dusted daily, "hen the

(urniture o( my mind "as all undusted still, and thre" them out the "indo" indisgust* !o", then, could I have a (urnished house6 I "ould rather sit in the o&enair, (or no dust gathers on the grass, unless "here man has $roen ground*

It is the lu1urious and dissi&ated "ho set the (ashions "hich the herd so diligently(ollo"* The traveller "ho sto&s at the $est houses, so called, soon discovers this,(or the &u$licans &resume him to $e a Sardana&alus, and i( he resigned himsel( totheir tender mercies he "ould soon $e com&letely emasculated* I thin that in therailroad car "e are inclined to s&end more on lu1ury than on sa(ety andconvenience, and it threatens "ithout attaining these to $ecome no $etter than amodern dra"ing-room, "ith its divans, and ottomans, and sun-shades, and ahundred other oriental things, "hich "e are taing "est "ith us, invented (or the

ladies o( the harem and the e((eminate natives o( the 'elestial Em&ire, "hich=onathan should $e ashamed to no" the names o(* I "ould rather sit on a&um&in and have it all to mysel( than $e cro"ded on a velvet cushion* I "ouldrather ride on earth in an o1 cart, "ith a (ree circulation, than go to heaven in the(ancy car o( an e1cursion train and $reathe a malariaall the "ay*

The very sim&licity and naedness o( man2s li(e in the &rimitive ages im&ly thisadvantage, at least, that they le(t him still $ut a so+ourner in nature* When he "asre(reshed "ith (ood and slee&, he contem&lated his +ourney again* !e d"elt, as it"ere, in a tent in this "orld, and "as either threading the valleys, or crossing the&lains, or clim$ing the mountain-to&s* But lo7 men have $ecome the tools o( theirtools* The man "ho inde&endently &luced the (ruits "hen he "as hungry is

$ecome a (armer. and he "ho stood under a tree (or shelter, a houseee&er* Weno" no longer cam& as (or a night, $ut have settled do"n on earth and (orgottenheaven* We have ado&ted 'hristianity merely as an im&roved method o( agri-culture* We have $uilt (or this "orld a (amily mansion, and (or the ne1t a (amilytom$* The $est "ors o( art are the e1&ression o( man2s struggle to (ree himsel((rom this condition, $ut the e((ect o( our art is merely to mae this lo" statecom(orta$le and that higher state to $e (orgotten* There is actually no &lace in thisvillage (or a "or o( fineart, i( any had come do"n to us, to stand, (or our lives,our houses and streets, (urnish no &ro&er &edestal (or it* There is not a nail to hanga &icture on, nor a shel( to receive the $ust o( a hero or a saint* When I considerho" our houses are $uilt and &aid (or, or not &aid (or, and their internal economymanaged and sustained, I "onder that the (loor does not give "ay under the visitor"hile he is admiring the ge"ga"s u&on the mantel&iece, and let him through intothe cellar, to some solid and honest though earthy (oundation* I cannot $ut&erceive that this so-called rich and re(ined li(e is a thing +um&ed at, and I do not

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get on in the en+oyment o( the (ine arts "hich adorn it, my attention $eing "hollyoccu&ied "ith the +um&. (or I remem$er that the greatest genuine lea&, due tohuman muscles alone, on record, is that o( certain "andering %ra$s, "ho are saidto have cleared t"enty-(ive (eet on level ground* Without (actitious su&&ort, man issure to come to earth again $eyond that distance* The (irst uestion "hich I amtem&ted to &ut to the &ro&rietor o( such great im&ro&riety is, Who $olsters you6

%re you one o( the ninety-seven "ho (ail, or the three "ho succeed6 %ns"er methese uestions, and then &erha&s I may loo at your $a"$les and (ind themornamental* The cart $e(ore the horse is neither $eauti(ul nor use(ul* Be(ore "e canadorn our houses "ith $eauti(ul o$+ects the "alls must $e stri&&ed, and our livesmust $e stri&&ed, and $eauti(ul houseee&ing and $eauti(ul living $e laid (or a(oundation9 no", a taste (or the $eauti(ul is most cultivated out o( doors, "herethere is no house and no houseee&er*

/ld =ohnson, in his 3Wonder-Woring Providence,4 s&eaing o( the (irst settlers o(this to"n, "ith "hom he "as contem&orary, tells us that 3they $urro" themselvesin the earth (or their (irst shelter under some hillside, and, casting the soil alo(tu&on tim$er, they mae a smoy (ire against the earth, at the highest side*4 They

did not 3&rovide them houses,4 says he, 3till the earth, $y the Lord2s $lessing,$rought (orth $read to (eed them,4 and the (irst year2s cro& "as so light that 3they"ere (orced to cut their $read very thin (or a long season*4 The secretary o( theProvince o( #e" #etherland, "riting in 8utch, in CDGH, (or the in(ormation o( those"ho "ished to tae u& land there, states more &articularly that 3those in #e"#etherland, and es&ecially in #e" England, "ho have no means to $uild(armhouses at (irst according to their "ishes, dig a suare &it in the ground, cellar(ashion, si1 or seven (eet dee&, as long and as $road as they thin &ro&er, case theearth inside "ith "ood all round the "all, and line the "ood "ith the $ar o( treesor something else to &revent the caving in o( the earth. (loor this cellar "ith &lan,and "ainscot it overhead (or a ceiling, raise a roo( o( s&ars clear u&, and cover thes&ars "ith $ar or green sods, so that they can live dry and "arm in these houses

"ith their entire (amilies (or t"o, three, and (our years, it $eing understood that&artitions are run through those cellars "hich are ada&ted to the sie o( the (amily*The "ealthy and &rinci&al men in #e" England, in the $eginning o( the colonies,commenced their (irst d"elling-houses in this (ashion (or t"o reasons9 (irstly, inorder not to "aste time in $uilding, and not to "ant (ood the ne1t season.secondly, in order not to discourage &oor la$oring &eo&le "hom they $rought overin num$ers (rom Fatherland* In the course o( three or (our years, "hen the country$ecame ada&ted to agriculture, they $uilt themselves handsome houses, s&endingon them several thousands*4

In this course "hich our ancestors too there "as a sho" o( &rudence at least, as i(their &rinci&le "ere to satis(y the more &ressing "ants (irst* But are the more

&ressing "ants satis(ied no"6 When I thin o( acuiring (or mysel( one o( ourlu1urious d"ellings, I am deterred, (or, so to s&ea, the country is not yet ada&tedto humanculture, and "e are still (orced to cut our spiritual$read (ar thinner thanour (ore(athers did their "heaten* #ot that all architectural ornament is to $eneglected even in the rudest &eriods. $ut let our houses (irst $e lined "ith $eauty,"here they come in contact "ith our lives, lie the tenement o( the shell(ish, andnot overlaid "ith it* But, alas7 I have $een inside one or t"o o( them, and no""hat they are lined "ith*

Though "e are not so degenerate $ut that "e might &ossi$ly live in a cave or a"ig"am or "ear sins today, it certainly is $etter to acce&t the advantages, thoughso dearly $ought, "hich the invention and industry o( manind o((er* In such a

neigh$orhood as this, $oards and shingles, lime and $rics, are chea&er and moreeasily o$tained than suita$le caves, or "hole logs, or $ar in su((icient uantities,or even "ell-tem&ered clay or (lat stones* I s&ea understandingly on this su$+ect,

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(or I have made mysel( acuainted "ith it $oth theoretically and &ractically* With alittle more "it "e might use these materials so as to $ecome richer than the richestno" are, and mae our civiliation a $lessing* The civilied man is a moree1&erienced and "iser savage* But to mae haste to my o"n e1&eriment*

#ear the end o( )arch, CG, I $orro"ed an a1e and "ent do"n to the "oods $y

Walden Pond, nearest to "here I intended to $uild my house, and $egan to cutdo"n some tall, arro"y "hite &ines, still in their youth, (or tim$er* It is di((icult to$egin "ithout $orro"ing, $ut &erha&s it is the most generous course thus to &ermityour (ello"-men to have an interest in your enter&rise* The o"ner o( the a1e, as hereleased his hold on it, said that it "as the a&&le o( his eye. $ut I returned itshar&er than I received it* It "as a &leasant hillside "here I "ored, covered "ith&ine "oods, through "hich I looed out on the &ond, and a small o&en (ield in the"oods "here &ines and hicories "ere s&ringing u&* The ice in the &ond "as notyet dissolved, though there "ere some o&en s&aces, and it "as all dar-colored andsaturated "ith "ater* There "ere some slight (lurries o( sno" during the days that I"ored there. $ut (or the most &art "hen I came out on to the railroad, on my "ayhome, its yello" sand hea& stretched a"ay gleaming in the hay atmos&here, and

the rails shone in the s&ring sun, and I heard the lar and &e"ee and other $irdsalready come to commence another year "ith us* They "ere &leasant s&ring days,in "hich the "inter o( man2s discontent "as tha"ing as "ell as the earth, and theli(e that had lain tor&id $egan to stretch itsel(* /ne day, "hen my a1e had come o((and I had cut a green hicory (or a "edge, driving it "ith a stone, and had &lacedthe "hole to soa in a &ond-hole in order to s"ell the "ood, I sa" a stri&ed snaerun into the "ater, and he lay on the $ottom, a&&arently "ithout inconvenience, aslong as I stayed there, or more than a uarter o( an hour. &erha&s $ecause he hadnot yet (airly come out o( the tor&id state* It a&&eared to me that (or a lie reasonmen remain in their &resent lo" and &rimitive condition. $ut i( they should (eel thein(luence o( the s&ring o( s&rings arousing them, they "ould o( necessity rise to ahigher and more ethereal li(e* I had &reviously seen the snaes in (rosty mornings

in my &ath "ith &ortions o( their $odies still num$ and in(le1i$le, "aiting (or the sunto tha" them* /n the Csto( %&ril it rained and melted the ice, and in the early &arto( the day, "hich "as very (oggy, I heard a stray goose gro&ing a$out over the&ond and cacling as i( lost, or lie the s&irit o( the (og*

So I "ent on (or some days cutting and he"ing tim$er, and also studs and ra(ters,all "ith my narro" a1e, not having many communica$le or scholar-lie thoughts,singing to mysel(,5

)en say they no" many things.But lo7 they have taen "ings 5The arts and sciences,

%nd a thousand a&&liances.The "ind that $lo"sIs all that any $ody no"s*

I he"ed the main tim$ers si1 inches suare, most o( the studs on t"o sides only,and the ra(ters and (loor tim$ers on one side, leaving the rest o( the $ar on, sothat they "ere +ust as straight and much stronger than sa"ed ones* Each stic "ascare(ully mortised or tenoned $y its stum&, (or I had $orro"ed other tools $y thistime* )y days in the "oods "ere not very long ones. yet I usually carried mydinner o( $read and $utter, and read the ne"s&a&er in "hich it "as "ra&&ed, atnoon, sitting amid the green &ine $oughs "hich I had cut o((, and to my $read "asim&arted some o( their (ragrance, (or my hands "ere covered "ith a thic coat o(

&itch* Be(ore I had done I "as more the (riend than the (oe o( the &ine tree, thoughI had cut do"n some o( them, having $ecome $etter acuainted "ith it* Sometimes

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a ram$ler in the "ood "as attracted $y the sound o( my a1e, and "e chatted&leasantly over the chi&s "hich I had made*

By the middle o( %&ril, (or I made no haste in my "or, $ut rather made the mosto( it, my house "as (ramed and ready (or the raising* I had already $ought theshanty o( =ames 'ollins, an Irishman "ho "ored on the Fitch$urg Railroad, (or

$oards* =ames 'ollins2 shanty "as considered an uncommonly (ine one* When Icalled to see it he "as not at home* I "aled a$out the outside, at (irst uno$served(rom "ithin, the "indo" "as so dee& and high* It "as o( small dimensions, "ith a&eaed cottage roo(, and not much else to $e seen, the dirt $eing raised (ive (eetall around as i( it "ere a com&ost hea&* The roo( "as the soundest &art, though agood deal "ar&ed and made $rittle $y the sun* 8oorsill there "as none, $ut a&erennial &assage (or the hens under the door $oard* )rs* '* came to the door andased me to vie" it (rom the inside* The hens "ere driven in $y my a&&roach* It"as dar, and had a dirt (loor (or the most &art, dan, clammy, and aguish, onlyhere a $oard and there a $oard "hich "ould not $ear removal* She lighted a lam&to sho" me the inside o( the roo( and the "alls, and also that the $oard (loore1tended under the $ed, "arning me not to ste& into the cellar, a sort o( dust hole

t"o (eet dee&* In her o"n "ords, they "ere 3good $oards overhead, good $oardsall around, and a good "indo"4 5 o( t"o "hole suares originally, only the cat had&assed out that "ay lately* There "as a stove, a $ed, and a &lace to sit, an in(ant inthe house "here it "as $orn, a sil &arasol, gilt-(ramed looing-glass, and a &atentne" co((ee-mill nailed to an oa sa&ling, all told* The $argain "as soon concluded,(or =ames had in the mean"hile returned* I to &ay (our dollars and t"enty-(ivecents tonight, he to vacate at (ive tomorro" morning, selling to no$ody elsemean"hile9 I to tae &ossession at si1* It "ere "ell, he said, to $e there early, andantici&ate certain indistinct $ut "holly un+ust claims on the score o( ground rentand (uel* This he assured me "as the only encum$rance* %t si1 I &assed him andhis (amily on the road* /ne large $undle held their all 5 $ed, co((ee-mill, looing-glass, hens 5 all $ut the cat. she too to the "oods and $ecame a "ild cat, and, as

I learned a(ter"ard, trod in a tra& set (or "oodchucs, and so $ecame a dead cat atlast*

I too do"n this d"elling the same morning, dra"ing the nails, and removed it tothe &ond-side $y small cartloads, s&reading the $oards on the grass there to $leachand "ar& $ac again in the sun* /ne early thrush gave me a note or t"o as I drovealong the "oodland &ath* I "as in(ormed treacherously $y a young Patric thatneigh$or Seeley, an Irishman, in the intervals o( the carting, trans(erred the stilltolera$le, straight, and driva$le nails, sta&les, and s&ies to his &ocet, and thenstood "hen I came $ac to &ass the time o( day, and loo (reshly u&, unconcerned,"ith s&ring thoughts, at the devastation. there $eing a dearth o( "or, as he said*!e "as there to re&resent s&ectatordom, and hel& mae this seemingly insigni(icant

event one "ith the removal o( the gods o( Troy*

I dug my cellar in the side o( a hill slo&ing to the south, "here a "oodchuc had(ormerly dug his $urro", do"n through sumach and $lac$erry roots, and thelo"est stain o( vegetation, si1 (eet suare $y seven dee&, to a (ine sand "here&otatoes "ould not (reee in any "inter* The sides "ere le(t shelving, and notstoned. $ut the sun having never shone on them, the sand still ee&s its &lace* It"as $ut t"o hours2 "or* I too &articular &leasure in this $reaing o( ground, (or inalmost all latitudes men dig into the earth (or an eua$le tem&erature* 0nder themost s&lendid house in the city is still to $e (ound the cellar "here they store theirroots as o( old, and long a(ter the su&erstructure has disa&&eared &osterity remarits dent in the earth* The house is still $ut a sort o( &orch at the entrance o( a

$urro"*

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%t length, in the $eginning o( )ay, "ith the hel& o( some o( my acuaintances,rather to im&rove so good an occasion (or neigh$orliness than (rom any necessity, Iset u& the (rame o( my house* #o man "as ever more honored in the character o(his raisers than I* They are destined, I trust, to assist at the raising o( lo(tierstructures one day* I $egan to occu&y my house on the tho( =uly, as soon as it "as$oarded and roo(ed, (or the $oards "ere care(ully (eather-edged and la&&ed, so

that it "as &er(ectly im&ervious to rain, $ut $e(ore $oarding I laid the (oundation o(a chimney at one end, $ringing t"o cartloads o( stones u& the hill (rom the &ond inmy arms* I $uilt the chimney a(ter my hoeing in the (all, $e(ore a (ire $ecamenecessary (or "armth, doing my cooing in the mean"hile out o( doors on theground, early in the morning9 "hich mode I still thin is in some res&ects moreconvenient and agreea$le than the usual one* When it stormed $e(ore my $read"as $aed, I (i1ed a (e" $oards over the (ire, and sat under them to "atch my loa(,and &assed some &leasant hours in that "ay* In those days, "hen my hands "eremuch em&loyed, I read $ut little, $ut the least scra&s o( &a&er "hich lay on theground, my holder, or ta$lecloth, a((orded me as much entertainment, in (actans"ered the same &ur&ose as the Iliad*

It "ould $e "orth the "hile to $uild still more deli$erately than I did, considering,(or instance, "hat (oundation a door, a "indo", a cellar, a garret, have in thenature o( man, and &erchance never raising any su&erstructure until "e (ound a$etter reason (or it than our tem&oral necessities even* There is some o( the same(itness in a man2s $uilding his o"n house that there is in a $ird2s $uilding its o"nnest* Who no"s $ut i( men constructed their d"ellings "ith their o"n hands, and&rovided (ood (or themselves and (amilies sim&ly and honestly enough, the &oetic(aculty "ould $e universally develo&ed, as $irds universally sing "hen they are soengaged6 But alas7 "e do lie co"$irds and cucoos, "hich lay their eggs in nests"hich other $irds have $uilt, and cheer no traveller "ith their chattering and

unmusical notes* Shall "e (orever resign the &leasure o( construction to thecar&enter6 What does architecture amount to in the e1&erience o( the mass o(men6 I never in all my "als came across a man engaged in so sim&le and naturalan occu&ation as $uilding his house* We $elong to the community* It is not thetailor alone "ho is the ninth &art o( a man. it is as much the &reacher, and themerchant, and the (armer* Where is this division o( la$or to end6 and "hat o$+ectdoes it (inally serve6 #o dou$t another mayalso thin (or me. $ut it is not there(oredesira$le that he should do so to the e1clusion o( my thining (or mysel(*

True, there are architects so called in this country, and I have heard o( one at least&ossessed "ith the idea o( maing architectural ornaments have a core o( truth, anecessity, and hence a $eauty, as i( it "ere a revelation to him* %ll very "ell

&erha&s (rom his &oint o( vie", $ut only a little $etter than the commondilettantism* % sentimental re(ormer in architecture, he $egan at the cornice, not atthe (oundation* It "as only ho" to &ut a core o( truth "ithin the ornaments, thatevery sugar&lum, in (act, might have an almond or cara"ay seed in it 5 though Ihold that almonds are most "holesome "ithout the sugar 5 and not ho" theinha$itant, the ind"eller, might $uild truly "ithin and "ithout, and let theornaments tae care o( themselves* What reasona$le man ever su&&osed thatornaments "ere something out"ard and in the sin merely 5 that the tortoise gothis s&otted shell, or the shell-(ish its mother-o2-&earl tints, $y such a contract asthe inha$itants o( Broad"ay their Trinity 'hurch6 But a man has no more to do "iththe style o( architecture o( his house than a tortoise "ith that o( its shell9 nor needthe soldier $e so idle as to try to &aint the &recise color o( his virtue on his

standard* The enemy "ill (ind it out* !e may turn &ale "hen the trial comes* Thisman seemed to me to lean over the cornice, and timidly "his&er his hal( truth tothe rude occu&ants "ho really ne" it $etter than he* What o( architectural $eauty

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I no" see, I no" has gradually gro"n (rom "ithin out"ard, out o( the necessitiesand character o( the ind"eller, "ho is the only $uilder 5 out o( some unconscioustruth(ulness, and no$leness, "ithout ever a thought (or the a&&earance and"hatever additional $eauty o( this ind is destined to $e &roduced "ill $e &receded$y a lie unconscious $eauty o( li(e* The most interesting d"ellings in this country,as the &ainter no"s, are the most un&retending, hum$le log huts and cottages o(

the &oor commonly. it is the li(e o( the inha$itants "hose shells they are, and notany &eculiarity in their sur(aces merely, "hich maes them &icturesue. andeually interesting "ill $e the citien2s su$ur$an $o1, "hen his li(e shall $e assim&le and as agreea$le to the imagination, and there is as little straining a(tere((ect in the style o( his d"elling* % great &ro&ortion o( architectural ornaments areliterally hollo", and a Se&tem$er gale "ould stri& them o((, lie $orro"ed &lumes,"ithout in+ury to the su$stantials* They can do "ithout architecture "ho have noolives nor "ines in the cellar* What i( an eual ado "ere made a$out the ornamentso( style in literature, and the architects o( our $i$les s&ent as much time a$out theircornices as the architects o( our churches do6 So are made the belleslettresandthe beau!artsand their &ro(essors* )uch it concerns a man, (orsooth, ho" a (e"stics are slanted over him or under him, and "hat colors are dau$ed u&on his $o1*

It "ould signi(y some"hat, i(, in any earnest sense, he slanted them and dau$ed it.$ut the s&irit having de&arted out o( the tenant, it is o( a &iece "ith constructing hiso"n co((in 5 the architecture o( the grave 5 and 3car&enter4 is $ut another name(or 3co((in-maer*4 /ne man says, in his des&air or indi((erence to li(e, tae u& ahand(ul o( the earth at your (eet, and &aint your house that color* Is he thining o(his last and narro" house6 Toss u& a co&&er (or it as "ell* What an a$undance o(leisure $e must have7 Why do you tae u& a hand(ul o( dirt6 Better &aint yourhouse your o"n com&le1ion. let it turn &ale or $lush (or you* %n enter&rise toim&rove the style o( cottage architecture7 When you have got my ornaments ready,I "ill "ear them*

Be(ore "inter I $uilt a chimney, and shingled the sides o( my house, "hich "ere

already im&ervious to rain, "ith im&er(ect and sa&&y shingles made o( the (irst sliceo( the log, "hose edges I "as o$liged to straighten "ith a &lane*

I have thus a tight shingled and &lastered house, ten (eet "ide $y (i(teen long, andeight-(eet &osts, "ith a garret and a closet, a large "indo" on each side, t"o tra&doors, one door at the end, and a $ric (ire&lace o&&osite* The e1act cost o( myhouse, &aying the usual &rice (or such materials as I used, $ut not counting the"or, all o( "hich "as done $y mysel(, "as as (ollo"s. and I give the details$ecause very (e" are a$le to tell e1actly "hat their houses cost, and (e"er still, i(any, the se&arate cost o( the various materials "hich com&ose them95

In all* JK*CK-CK

Boards* J *HM-CK., mostly shanty $oards*

Re(use shingles (or roo( sides* J *HH

Laths* J C*KG

T"o second-hand "indo"s "ith glass* J K*M

/ne thousand old $ric* J *HH

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T"o cass o( lime* J K*H That "as high*

!air* J H*MC )ore than I needed*

)antle-tree iron* J H*CG

#ails* J M*NH

!inges and scre"s* J H*C

Latch* J H*CH

'hal* J H*HC

Trans&ortation* J C*H I carried a good &art on my $ac*

These are all the materials, e1ce&ting the tim$er, stones, and sand, "hich I claimed$y suatter2s right* I have also a small "oodshed ad+oining, made chie(ly o( thestu(( "hich "as le(t a(ter $uilding the house*

I intend to $uild me a house "hich "ill sur&ass any on the main street in 'oncordin grandeur and lu1ury, as soon as it &leases me as much and "ill cost me no morethan my &resent one*

I thus (ound that the student "ho "ishes (or a shelter can o$tain one (or a li(etimeat an e1&ense not greater than the rent "hich he no" &ays annually* I( I seem to$oast more than is $ecoming, my e1cuse is that I $rag (or humanity rather than (ormysel(. and my shortcomings and inconsistencies do not a((ect the truth o( mystatement* #ot"ithstanding much cant and hy&ocrisy 5 cha(( "hich I (ind it di((icultto se&arate (rom my "heat, $ut (or "hich I am as sorry as any man 5 I "ill$reathe (reely and stretch mysel( in this res&ect, it is such a relie( to $oth the moraland &hysical system. and I am resolved that I "ill not through humility $ecome the

devil2s attorney* I "ill endeavor to s&ea a good "ord (or the truth* %t 'am$ridge'ollege the mere rent o( a student2s room, "hich is only a little larger than my o"n,is thirty dollars each year, though the cor&oration had the advantage o( $uildingthirty-t"o side $y side and under one roo(, and the occu&ant su((ers theinconvenience o( many and noisy neigh$ors, and &erha&s a residence in the (ourthstory* I cannot $ut thin that i( "e had more true "isdom in these res&ects, notonly less education "ould $e needed, $ecause, (orsooth, more "ould already have$een acuired, $ut the &ecuniary e1&ense o( getting an education "ould in a greatmeasure vanish* Those conveniences "hich the student reuires at 'am$ridge orelse"here cost him or some$ody else ten times as great a sacri(ice o( li(e as they"ould "ith &ro&er management on $oth sides* Those things (or "hich the mostmoney is demanded are never the things "hich the student most "ants* Tuition, (or

instance, is an im&ortant item in the term $ill, "hile (or the (ar more valua$leeducation "hich he gets $y associating "ith the most cultivated o( hiscontem&oraries no charge is made* The mode o( (ounding a college is, commonly,

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to get u& a su$scri&tion o( dollars and cents, and then, (ollo"ing $lindly the&rinci&les o( a division o( la$or to its e1treme 5 a &rinci&le "hich should never $e(ollo"ed $ut "ith circums&ection 5 to call in a contractor "ho maes this a su$+ecto( s&eculation, and he em&loys Irishmen or other o&eratives actually to lay the(oundations, "hile the students that are to $e are said to $e (itting themselves (orit. and (or these oversights successive generations have to &ay* I thin that it

"ould $e $etter than this, (or the students, or those "ho desire to $e $ene(ited $yit, even to lay the (oundation themselves* The student "ho secures his covetedleisure and retirement $y systematically shiring any la$or necessary to mano$tains $ut an igno$le and un&ro(ita$le leisure, de(rauding himsel( o( thee1&erience "hich alone can mae leisure (ruit(ul* 3But,4 says one, 3you do notmean that the students should go to "or "ith their hands instead o( their heads64I do not mean that e1actly, $ut I mean something "hich he might thin a good deallie that. I mean that they should notplayli(e, or studyit merely, "hile thecommunity su&&orts them at this e1&ensive game, $ut earnestly live it (rom$eginning to end* !o" could youths $etter learn to live than $y at once trying thee1&eriment o( living6 )ethins this "ould e1ercise their minds as much asmathematics* I( I "ished a $oy to no" something a$out the arts and sciences, (or

instance, I "ould not &ursue the common course, "hich is merely to send him intothe neigh$orhood o( some &ro(essor, "here anything is &ro(essed and &ractised $utthe art o( li(e. 5 to survey the "orld through a telesco&e or a microsco&e, andnever "ith his natural eye. to study chemistry, and not learn ho" his $read ismade, or mechanics, and not learn ho" it is earned. to discover ne" satellites to#e&tune, and not detect the motes in his eyes, or to "hat vaga$ond he is a satellitehimsel(. or to $e devoured $y the monsters that s"arm all around him, "hilecontem&lating the monsters in a dro& o( vinegar* Which "ould have advanced themost at the end o( a month 5 the $oy "ho had made his o"n +acni(e (rom theore "hich he had dug and smelted, reading as much as "ould $e necessary (or this5 or the $oy "ho had attended the lectures on metallurgy at the Institute in themean"hile, and had received a Rodgers2 &enni(e (rom his (ather6 Which "ould $e

most liely to cut his (ingers6*** To my astonishment I "as in(ormed on leavingcollege that I had studied navigation7 5 "hy, i( I had taen one turn do"n thehar$or I should have no"n more a$out it* Even the &oor student studies and istaught onlypoliticaleconomy, "hile that economy o( living "hich is synonymous"ith &hiloso&hy is not even sincerely &ro(essed in our colleges* The conseuence is,that "hile he is reading %dam Smith, Ricardo, and Say, he runs his (ather in de$tirretrieva$ly*

%s "ith our colleges, so "ith a hundred 3modern im&rovements4. there is anillusion a$out them. there is not al"ays a &ositive advance* The devil goes one1acting com&ound interest to the last (or his early share and numerous succeedinginvestments in them* /ur inventions are "ont to $e &retty toys, "hich distract our

attention (rom serious things* They are $ut im&roved means to an unim&roved end,an end "hich it "as already $ut too easy to arrive at. as railroads lead to Boston or#e" :or* We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegra&h (rom )aine toTe1as. $ut )aine and Te1as, it may $e, have nothing im&ortant to communicate*Either is in such a &redicament as the man "ho "as earnest to $e introduced to adistinguished dea( "oman, $ut "hen he "as &resented, and one end o( her eartrum&et "as &ut into his hand, had nothing to say* %s i( the main o$+ect "ere total (ast and not to tal sensi$ly* We are eager to tunnel under the %tlantic and$ring the /ld World some "ees nearer to the #e". $ut &erchance the (irst ne"sthat "ill lea through into the $road, (la&&ing %merican ear "ill $e that the Princess%delaide has the "hoo&ing cough* %(ter all, the man "hose horse trots a mile in aminute does not carry the most im&ortant messages. he is not an evangelist, nordoes he come round eating locusts and "ild honey* I dou$t i( Flying 'hilders evercarried a &ec o( corn to mill*

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/ne says to me, 3I "onder that you do not lay u& money. you love to travel. youmight tae the cars and go to Fitch$urg today and see the country*4 But I am "iserthan that* I have learned that the s"i(test traveller is he that goes a(oot* I say tomy (riend, Su&&ose "e try "ho "ill get there (irst* The distance is thirty miles. the(are ninety cents* That is almost a day2s "ages* I remem$er "hen "ages "ere si1tycents a day (or la$orers on this very road* Well, I start no" on (oot, and get there

$e(ore night. I have travelled at that rate $y the "ee together* :ou "ill in themean"hile have earned your (are, and arrive there some time tomorro", or&ossi$ly this evening, i( you are lucy enough to get a +o$ in season* Instead o(going to Fitch$urg, you "ill $e "oring here the greater &art o( the day* %nd so, i(the railroad reached round the "orld, I thin that I should ee& ahead o( you. andas (or seeing the country and getting e1&erience o( that ind, I should have to cutyour acuaintance altogether*

Such is the universal la", "hich no man can ever out"it, and "ith regard to therailroad even "e may say it is as $road as it is long* To mae a railroad round the"orld availa$le to all manind is euivalent to grading the "hole sur(ace o( the&lanet* )en have an indistinct notion that i( they ee& u& this activity o( +oint

stocs and s&ades long enough all "ill at length ride some"here, in ne1t to notime, and (or nothing. $ut though a cro"d rushes to the de&ot, and the conductorshouts 3%ll a$oard74 "hen the smoe is $lo"n a"ay and the va&or condensed, it"ill $e &erceived that a (e" are riding, $ut the rest are run over 5 and it "ill $ecalled, and "ill $e, 3% melancholy accident*4 #o dou$t they can ride at last "hoshall have earned their (are, that is, i( they survive so long, $ut they "ill &ro$a$lyhave lost their elasticity and desire to travel $y that time* This s&ending o( the $est&art o( one2s li(e earning money in order to en+oy a uestiona$le li$erty during theleast valua$le &art o( it reminds me o( the Englishman "ho "ent to India to mae a(ortune (irst, in order that he might return to England and live the li(e o( a &oet* !eshould have gone u& garret at once* 3What74 e1claim a million Irishmen starting u&(rom all the shanties in the land, 3is not this railroad "hich "e have $uilt a good

thing64 :es, I ans"er, com&aratively good, that is, you might have done "orse. $utI "ish, as you are $rothers o( mine, that you could have s&ent your time $etterthan digging in this dirt*

Be(ore I (inished my house, "ishing to earn ten or t"elve dollars $y some honestand agreea$le method, in order to meet my unusual e1&enses, I &lanted a$out t"oacres and a hal( o( light and sandy soil near it chie(ly "ith $eans, $ut also a small&art "ith &otatoes, corn, &eas, and turni&s* The "hole lot contains eleven acres,mostly gro"ing u& to &ines and hicories, and "as sold the &receding season (oreight dollars and eight cents an acre* /ne (armer said that it "as 3good (or nothing

$ut to raise chee&ing suirrels on*4 I &ut no manure "hatever on this land, not$eing the o"ner, $ut merely a suatter, and not e1&ecting to cultivate so muchagain, and I did not uite hoe it all once* I got out several cords o( stum&s in&lo"ing, "hich su&&lied me "ith (uel (or a long time, and le(t small circles o( virginmould, easily distinguisha$le through the summer $y the greater lu1uriance o( the$eans there* The dead and (or the most &art unmerchanta$le "ood $ehind myhouse, and the dri(t"ood (rom the &ond, have su&&lied the remainder o( my (uel* I"as o$liged to hire a team and a man (or the &lo"ing, though I held the &lo"mysel(* )y (arm outgoes (or the (irst season "ere, (or im&lements, seed, "or,etc*, JC*K-CK* The seed corn "as given me* This never costs anything to s&eao(, unless you &lant more than enough* I got t"elve $ushels o( $eans, and eighteen$ushels o( &otatoes, $eside some &eas and s"eet corn* The yello" corn and turni&s

"ere too late to come to anything* )y "hole income (rom the (arm "as

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J *C-CK

J KM*

8educting the outgoes C*K-CK

$eside &roduce consumed and on hand at the time this estimate "as made o( thevalue o( J*GH 5 the amount on hand much more than $alancing a little grass"hich I did not raise* %ll things considered, that is, considering the im&ortance o( aman2s soul and o( today, not"ithstanding the short time occu&ied $y mye1&eriment, nay, &artly even $ecause o( its transient character, I $elieve that that"as doing $etter than any (armer in 'oncord did that year*

The ne1t year I did $etter still, (or I s&aded u& all the land "hich I reuired, a$outa third o( an acre, and I learned (rom the e1&erience o( $oth years, not $eing in theleast a"ed $y many cele$rated "ors on hus$andry, %rthur :oung among the rest,that i( one "ould live sim&ly and eat only the cro& "hich he raised, and raise nomore than he ate, and not e1change it (or an insu((icient uantity o( more lu1uriousand e1&ensive things, he "ould need to cultivate only a (e" rods o( ground, andthat it "ould $e chea&er to s&ade u& that than to use o1en to &lo" it, and to selecta (resh s&ot (rom time to time than to manure the old, and he could do all hisnecessary (arm "or as it "ere "ith his le(t hand at odd hours in the summer. andthus he "ould not $e tied to an o1, or horse, or co", or &ig, as at &resent* I desireto s&ea im&artially on this &oint, and as one not interested in the success or

(ailure o( the &resent economical and social arrangements* I "as more inde&endentthan any (armer in 'oncord, (or I "as not anchored to a house or (arm, $ut could(ollo" the $ent o( my genius, "hich is a very crooed one, every moment* Beside$eing $etter o(( than they already, i( my house had $een $urned or my cro&s had(ailed, I should have $een nearly as "ell o(( as $e(ore*

I am "ont to thin that men are not so much the ee&ers o( herds as herds are theee&ers o( men, the (ormer are so much the (reer* )en and o1en e1change "or.$ut i( "e consider necessary "or only, the o1en "ill $e seen to have greatly theadvantage, their (arm is so much the larger* )an does some o( his &art o( thee1change "or in his si1 "ees o( haying, and it is no $oy2s &lay* 'ertainly nonation that lived sim&ly in all res&ects, that is, no nation o( &hiloso&hers, "ould

commit so great a $lunder as to use the la$or o( animals* True, there never "asand is not liely soon to $e a nation o( &hiloso&hers, nor am I certain it is desira$lethat there should $e* !o"ever, Ishould never have $roen a horse or $ull andtaen him to $oard (or any "or he might do (or me, (or (ear I should $ecome ahorseman or a herdsman merely. and i( society seems to $e the gainer $y so doing,are "e certain that "hat is one man2s gain is not another2s loss, and that thesta$le-$oy has eual cause "ith his master to $e satis(ied6


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(armer is still measured $y the degree to "hich the $arn overshado"s the house*This to"n is said to have the largest houses (or o1en, co"s, and horses herea$outs,and it is not $ehindhand in its &u$lic $uildings. $ut there are very (e" halls (or (ree"orshi& or (ree s&eech in this county* It should not $e $y their architecture, $ut"hy not even $y their &o"er o( a$stract thought, that nations should see tocommemorate themselves6 !o" much more admira$le the Bhagvat-


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Por J H*KK

%ll e1&eriments "hich (ailed9

Flour J H* 'osts more than Indian meal, $oth money and trou$le*

Sugar J H*H

Lard J H*DG

%&&les J H*KG

8ried a&&le J H*KK

S"eet &otatoes J H*CH

/ne &um&in J H*HD

/ne "atermelon J H*HK

Salt J H*HM

:es, I did eat J*, all told. $ut I should not thus un$lushingly &u$lish my guilt, i(I did not no" that most o( my readers "ere eually guilty "ith mysel(, and thattheir deeds "ould loo no $etter in &rint* The ne1t year I sometimes caught a messo( (ish (or my dinner, and once I "ent so (ar as to slaughter a "oodchuc "hichravaged my $ean-(ield 5 e((ect his transmigration, as a Tartar "ould say 5 anddevour him, &artly (or e1&eriment2s sae. $ut though it a((orded me a momentaryen+oyment, not"ithstanding a musy (lavor, I sa" that the longest use "ould notmae that a good &ractice, ho"ever it might seem to have your "oodchucs readydressed $y the village $utcher*

'lothing and some incidental e1&enses "ithin the same dates, though little can $ein(erred (rom this item, amounted to

J*H-M

/il and some household utensils J K*HH

So that all the &ecuniary outgoes, e1ce&ting (or "ashing and mending, "hich (orthe most &art "ere done out o( the house, and their $ills have not yet $eenreceived 5 and these are all and more than all the "ays $y "hich moneynecessarily goes out in this &art o( the "orld 5 "ere

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In all J DC*NN-M

!ouse J K*CK-CK

Farm one year J C*K-CK

Food eight months J *

'lothing, etc*, eight months J *H-M

/il, etc*, eight months J K*HH

I address mysel( no" to those o( my readers "ho have a living to get* %nd to meetthis I have (or (arm &roduce sold

In all J MD*,

J KM*

Earned $y day-la$or J CM*M

"hich su$tracted (rom the sum o( the outgoes leaves a $alance o( JKG*KC-M onthe one side 5 this $eing very nearly the means "ith "hich I started, and themeasure o( e1&enses to $e incurred 5 and on the other, $eside the leisure andinde&endence and health thus secured, a com(orta$le house (or me as long as Ichoose to occu&y it*

These statistics, ho"ever accidental and there(ore uninstructive they may a&&ear,as they have a certain com&leteness, have a certain value also* #othing "as givenme o( "hich I have not rendered some account* It a&&ears (rom the a$oveestimate, that my (ood alone cost me in money a$out t"enty-seven cents a "ee*It "as, (or nearly t"o years a(ter this, rye and Indian meal "ithout yeast, &otatoes,rice, a very little salt &or, molasses, and salt. and my drin, "ater* It "as (it that I

should live on rice, mainly, "ho love so "ell the &hiloso&hy o( India* To meet theo$+ections o( some inveterate cavillers, I may as "ell state, that i( I dined outoccasionally, as I al"ays had done, and I trust shall have o&&ortunities to do again,it "as (reuently to the detriment o( my domestic arrangements* But the diningout, $eing, as I have stated, a constant element, does not in the least a((ect acom&arative statement lie this*

I learned (rom my t"o years2 e1&erience that it "ould cost incredi$ly little trou$leto o$tain one2s necessary (ood, even in this latitude. that a man may use as sim&lea diet as the animals, and yet retain health and strength* I have made asatis(actory dinner, satis(actory on several accounts, sim&ly o(( a dish o( &urslane>"ortulaca oleracea? "hich I gathered in my corn(ield, $oiled and salted* I give the

Latin on account o( the savoriness o( the trivial name* %nd &ray "hat more can areasona$le man desire, in &eace(ul times, in ordinary noons, than a su((icient

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num$er o( ears o( green s"eet corn $oiled, "ith the addition o( salt6 Even the littlevariety "hich I used "as a yielding to the demands o( a&&etite, and not o( health*:et men have come to such a &ass that they (reuently starve, not (or "ant o(necessaries, $ut (or "ant o( lu1uries. and I no" a good "oman "ho thins thather son lost his li(e $ecause he too to drining "ater only*

The reader "ill &erceive that I am treating the su$+ect rather (rom an economicthan a dietetic &oint o( vie", and he "ill not venture to &ut my a$stemiousness tothe test unless he has a "ell-stoced larder*

Bread I at (irst made o( &ure Indian meal and salt, genuine hoe-caes, "hich I$aed $e(ore my (ire out o( doors on a shingle or the end o( a stic o( tim$er sa"edo(( in $uilding my house. $ut it "as "ont to get smoed and to have a &iny (lavor* Itried (lour also. $ut have at last (ound a mi1ture o( rye and Indian meal mostconvenient and agreea$le* In cold "eather it "as no little amusement to $aeseveral small loaves o( this in succession, tending and turning them as care(ully asan Egy&

walden life in the woods - henry david thoreau

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