01-economy-第12章

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nor　taint　meat　of　mine；　nor　will　the　sun　injure　my　furniture　or　fade

my　carpet；　and　if　he　is　sometimes　too　warm　a　friend；　I　find　it　still

better　economy　to　retreat　behind　some　curtain　which　nature　has

provided；　than　to　add　a　single　item　to　the　details　of　housekeeping。

A　lady　once　offered　me　a　mat；　but　as　I　had　no　room　to　spare　within

the　house；　nor　time　to　spare　within　or　without　to　shake　it；　I

declined　it；　preferring　to　wipe　my　feet　on　the　sod　before　my　door。

It　is　best　to　avoid　the　beginnings　of　evil。

　　　　Not　long　since　I　was　present　at　the　auction　of　a　deacon's

effects；　for　his　life　had　not　been　ineffectual：



　　〃The　evil　that　men　do　lives　after　them。〃



As　usual；　a　great　proportion　was　trumpery　which　had　begun　to

accumulate　in　his　father's　day。　　Among　the　rest　was　a　dried

tapeworm。　　And　now；　after　lying　half　a　century　in　his　garret　and

other　dust　holes；　these　things　were　not　burned；　instead　of　a

bonfire；　or　purifying　destruction　of　them；　there　was　an　auction；　or

increasing　of　them。　　The　neighbors　eagerly　collected　to　view　them；

bought　them　all；　and　carefully　transported　them　to　their　garrets　and

dust　holes；　to　lie　there　till　their　estates　are　settled；　when　they

will　start　again。　　When　a　man　dies　he　kicks　the　dust。

　　　　The　customs　of　some　savage　nations　might；　perchance；　be

profitably　imitated　by　us；　for　they　at　least　go　through　the

semblance　of　casting　their　slough　annually；　they　have　the　idea　of

the　thing；　whether　they　have　the　reality　or　not。　　Would　it　not　be

well　if　we　were　to　celebrate　such　a　〃busk；〃　or　〃feast　of　first

fruits；〃　as　Bartram　describes　to　have　been　the　custom　of　the

Mucclasse　Indians？　　〃When　a　town　celebrates　the　busk；〃　says　he；

〃having　previously　provided　themselves　with　new　clothes；　new　pots；

pans；　and　other　household　utensils　and　furniture；　they　collect　all

their　worn　out　clothes　and　other　despicable　things；　sweep　and

cleanse　their　houses；　squares；　and　the　whole　town　of　their　filth；

which　with　all　the　remaining　grain　and　other　old　provisions　they

cast　together　into　one　common　heap；　and　consume　it　with　fire。　　After

having　taken　medicine；　and　fasted　for　three　days；　all　the　fire　in

the　town　is　extinguished。　　During　this　fast　they　abstain　from　the

gratification　of　every　appetite　and　passion　whatever。　　A　general

amnesty　is　proclaimed；　all　malefactors　may　return　to　their　town。〃

　　　　〃On　the　fourth　morning；　the　high　priest；　by　rubbing　dry　wood

together；　produces　new　fire　in　the　public　square；　from　whence　every

habitation　in　the　town　is　supplied　with　the　new　and　pure　flame。〃

　　　　They　then　feast　on　the　new　corn　and　fruits；　and　dance　and　sing

for　three　days；　〃and　the　four　following　days　they　receive　visits　and

rejoice　with　their　friends　from　neighboring　towns　who　have　in　like

manner　purified　and　prepared　themselves。〃

　　　　The　Mexicans　also　practised　a　similar　purification　at　the　end　of

every　fifty…two　years；　in　the　belief　that　it　was　time　for　the　world

to　come　to　an　end。

　　　　I　have　scarcely　heard　of　a　truer　sacrament；　that　is；　as　the

dictionary　defines　it；　〃outward　and　visible　sign　of　an　inward　and

spiritual　grace；〃　than　this；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　they　were

originally　inspired　directly　from　Heaven　to　do　thus；　though　they

have　no　Biblical　record　of　the　revelation。

　　　　For　more　than　five　years　I　maintained　myself　thus　solely　by　the

labor　of　my　hands；　and　I　found　that；　by　working　about　six　weeks　in　a

year；　I　could　meet　all　the　expenses　of　living。　　The　whole　of　my

winters；　as　well　as　most　of　my　summers；　I　had　free　and　clear　for

study。　　I　have　thoroughly　tried　school…keeping；　and　found　that　my

expenses　were　in　proportion；　or　rather　out　of　proportion；　to　my

income；　for　I　was　obliged　to　dress　and　train；　not　to　say　think　and

believe；　accordingly；　and　I　lost　my　time　into　the　bargain。　　As　I　did

not　teach　for　the　good　of　my　fellow…men；　but　simply　for　a

livelihood；　this　was　a　failure。　　I　have　tried　trade　but　I　found　that

it　would　take　ten　years　to　get　under　way　in　that；　and　that　then　I

should　probably　be　on　my　way　to　the　devil。　　I　was　actually　afraid

that　I　might　by　that　time　be　doing　what　is　called　a　good　business。

When　formerly　I　was　looking　about　to　see　what　I　could　do　for　a

living；　some　sad　experience　in　conforming　to　the　wishes　of　friends

being　fresh　in　my　mind　to　tax　my　ingenuity；　I　thought　often　and

seriously　of　picking　huckleberries；　that　surely　I　could　do；　and　its

small　profits　might　suffice　　for　my　greatest　skill　has　been　to

want　but　little　　so　little　capital　it　required；　so　little

distraction　from　my　wonted　moods；　I　foolishly　thought。　　While　my

acquaintances　went　unhesitatingly　into　trade　or　the　professions；　I

contemplated　this　occupation　as　most　like　theirs；　ranging　the　hills

all　summer　to　pick　the　berries　which　came　in　my　way；　and　thereafter

carelessly　dispose　of　them；　so；　to　keep　the　flocks　of　Admetus。　　I

also　dreamed　that　I　might　gather　the　wild　herbs；　or　carry　evergreens

to　such　villagers　as　loved　to　be　reminded　of　the　woods；　even　to　the

city；　by　hay…cart　loads。　　But　I　have　since　learned　that　trade　curses

everything　it　handles；　and　though　you　trade　in　messages　from　heaven；

the　whole　curse　of　trade　attaches　to　the　business。

　　　　As　I　preferred　some　things　to　others；　and　especially　valued　my

freedom；　as　I　could　fare　hard　and　yet　succeed　well；　I　did　not　wish

to　spend　my　time　in　earning　rich　carpets　or　other　fine　furniture；　or

delicate　cookery；　or　a　house　in　the　Grecian　or　the　Gothic　style　just

yet。　　If　there　are　any　to　whom　it　is　no　interruption　to　acquire

these　things；　and　who　know　how　to　use　them　when　acquired；　I

relinquish　to　them　the　pursuit。　　Some　are　〃industrious；〃　and　appear

to　love　labor　for　its　own　sake；　or　perhaps　because　it　keeps　them　out

of　worse　mischief；　to　such　I　have　at　present　nothing　to　say。　　Those

who　would　not　know　what　to　do　with　more　leisure　than　they　now　enjoy；

I　might　advise　to　work　twice　as　hard　as　they　do　　work　till　they

pay　for　themselves；　and　get　their　free　papers。　　For　myself　I　found

that　the　occupation　of　a　day…laborer　was　the　most　independent　of

any；　especially　as　it　required　only　thirty　or　forty　days　in　a　year

to　support　one。　　The　laborer's　day　ends　with　the　going　down　of　the

sun；　and　he　is　then　free　to　devote　himself　to　his　chosen　pursuit；

independent　of　his　labor；　but　his　employer；　who　speculates　from

month　to　month；　has　no　respite　from　one　end　of　the　year　to　the

other。

　　　　In　short；　I　am　convinced；　both　by　faith　and　experience；　that　to

maintain　one's　self　on　this　earth　is　not　a　hardship　but　a　pastime；

if　we　will　live　simply　and　wisely；　as　the　pursuits　of　the　simpler

nations　are　still　the　sports　of　the　more　artificial。　　It　is　not

necessary　that　a　man　should　earn　his　living　by　the　sweat　of　his

brow；　unless　he　sweats　easier　than　I　do。

　　　　One　young　man　of　my　acquaintance；　who　has　inherited　some　acres；

told　me　that　he　thought　he　should　live　as　I　did；　if　he　had　the

means。　　I　would　not　have　any　one　adopt　my　mode　of　living　on　any

account；　for；　beside　that　before　he　has　fairly　learned　it　I　may　have

found　out　another　for　myself；　I　desire　that　there　may　be　as　many

different　persons　in　the　world　as　possible；　but　I　would　have　each

one　be　very　careful　to　find　out　and　pursue　his　own　way；　and　not　his

father's　or　his　mother's　or　his　neighbor's　instead。　　The　youth　may

build　or　plant　or　sail；　only　let　him　not　be　hindered　from　doing　that

which　he　tells　me　he　would　like　to　do。　　It　is　by　a　mathematical

point　only　that　we　are　wise；　as　the　sailor　or　the　fugitive　slave

keeps　the　polestar　in　his　eye；　but　that　is　sufficient　guidance　for

all　our　life。　　We　may　not　arrive　at　our　port　within　a　calculable

period；　but　we　would　preserve　the　true　course。

　　　　Undoubtedly；　in　this　case；　what　is　true　for　one　is　truer　still

for　a　thousand；　as　a　large　house　is　not　proportionally　more

expensive　than　a　small　one；　since　one　roof　may　cover；　one　cellar

underlie；　and　one　wall　separate　several　apartments。　　But　for　my

part；　I　preferred　the　solitary　dwelling。　　Moreover；　it　will　commonly

be　cheaper　to　build　the　whole　yourself　than　to　convince　another　of

the　advantage　of　the　common　wall；　and　when　you　have　done　this；　the

common　partition；　to　be　much　cheaper；　must　be　a　thin　one；　and　that

other　may　prove　a　bad　neighbor；　and　also　not　keep　his　side　in

repair。　　The　only　co…operation　which　is　commonly　possible　is

exceedingly　partial　and　superficial；　and　what　little　true

co…operation　there　is；　is　as　if　it　were　not；　being　a　harmony

inaudible　to　men。　　If　a　man　has　faith；　he　will　co…operate　with　equal

faith　everywhere；　if　he　has　not　faith；　he　will　continue　to　live　like

the　rest　of　the　world；　whatever　company　he　is　joined　to。　　To

co…operate　in　the　highest　as　well　as　the　lowest　sense；　means　to　get

our　living　together。　　I　heard　it　proposed　lately　that　two　young　men

should　travel　together　over　the　world；　the　one　without　money；

earning　his　means　as　he　went；　before　the　mast　and　behind　the　plow；

the　other　carrying　a　bill　of　exchange　in　his　pocket。　　It　was　easy　to

see　that　they　could　not　long　be　companions　or　co…operate；　since　one

would　not　operate　at　all。　　They　would　part　at　the　first　interesting

crisis　in　their　adventures。　　Above　all；　as　I　have　implied；　the　man

who　goes　alone　can　start　today；　but　he　who　travels　with　another　must

wait　till　that　other　is　ready；　and　it　may　be　a　long　time　before　they

get　off。

　　　　But　all　this　is　very　selfish；　I　have　heard　some　of　my　townsmen

say。　　I　confess　that　I　have　hitherto　indulged　very　little　in

philanthropic　enterprises。　　I　have　made　some　sacrifices　to　a　sense

of　duty；　and　among　others　have　sacrificed　this　pleasure　also。　　There

are　those　who　have　used　all　their　arts　to　persuade　me　to　undertake

the　support　of　some　poor　family　in　the　town；　and　if　I　had　nothing　to

do　　for　the　devil　finds　employment　for　the　idle　　I　might　try　my

hand　at　some　such　pastime　as　that。　　However；　when　I　have　thought　to

indulge　myself　in　this　respect；　and　lay　their　Heaven　under　an

obligation　by　maintaining　certain　poor　persons　in　all　respects　as

comfortably　as　I　maintain　myself；　and　have　even　ventured　so　far　as

to　make　them　the　offer；　they　have　one　and　all　unhesitatingly

preferred　to　remain　poor。　　While　my　townsmen　and　women　are　devoted

in　so　many　ways　to　the　good　of　their　fellows；　I　trust　that　one　at

least　may　be　spared　to　other　and　less　humane　pursuits。　　You　must

have　a　genius　for　charity　as　well　as　for　anything　else。　　As　for

Doing…good；　that　is　one　of　the　professions　which　are　full。

Moreover；　I　have　tried　it　fairly；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　am

satisfied　that　it　does　not　agree　with　my　constitution。　　Probably　I

should　not　consciously　and　deliberately　forsake　my　particular

calling　to　do　the　good　which　society　demands　of　me；　to　save　the

universe　from　annihilation；　and　I　believe　that　a　like　but　infinitely

greater　steadfastness　elsewhere　is　all　that　now　preserves　it。　　But　I

would　not　stand　between　any　man　and　his　genius；　and　to　him　who　does

this　wo