01-economy-第4章

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tendencies　of　trade　and　civilization　　taking　advantage　of　the

results　of　all　exploring　expeditions；　using　new　passages　and　all

improvements　in　navigation；　　charts　to　be　studied；　the　position　of

reefs　and　new　lights　and　buoys　to　be　ascertained；　and　ever；　and

ever；　the　logarithmic　tables　to　be　corrected；　for　by　the　error　of

some　calculator　the　vessel　often　splits　upon　a　rock　that　should　have

reached　a　friendly　pier　　there　is　the　untold　fate　of　La　Prouse；

　universal　science　to　be　kept　pace　with；　studying　the　lives　of　all

great　discoverers　and　navigators；　great　adventurers　and　merchants；

from　Hanno　and　the　Phoenicians　down　to　our　day；　in　fine；　account　of

stock　to　be　taken　from　time　to　time；　to　know　how　you　stand。　　It　is　a

labor　to　task　the　faculties　of　a　man　　such　problems　of　profit　and

loss；　of　interest；　of　tare　and　tret；　and　gauging　of　all　kinds　in　it；

as　demand　a　universal　knowledge。

　　　　I　have　thought　that　Walden　Pond　would　be　a　good　place　for

business；　not　solely　on　account　of　the　railroad　and　the　ice　trade；

it　offers　advantages　which　it　may　not　be　good　policy　to　divulge；　it

is　a　good　port　and　a　good　foundation。　　No　Neva　marshes　to　be　filled；

though　you　must　everywhere　build　on　piles　of　your　own　driving。　　It

is　said　that　a　flood…tide；　with　a　westerly　wind；　and　ice　in　the

Neva；　would　sweep　St。　Petersburg　from　the　face　of　the　earth。

　　　　As　this　business　was　to　be　entered　into　without　the　usual

capital；　it　may　not　be　easy　to　conjecture　where　those　means；　that

will　still　be　indispensable　to　every　such　undertaking；　were　to　be

obtained。　　As　for　Clothing；　to　come　at　once　to　the　practical　part　of

the　question；　perhaps　we　are　led　oftener　by　the　love　of　novelty　and

a　regard　for　the　opinions　of　men；　in　procuring　it；　than　by　a　true

utility。　　Let　him　who　has　work　to　do　recollect　that　the　object　of

clothing　is；　first；　to　retain　the　vital　heat；　and　secondly；　in　this

state　of　society；　to　cover　nakedness；　and　he　may　judge　how　much　of

any　necessary　or　important　work　may　be　accomplished　without　adding

to　his　wardrobe。　　Kings　and　queens　who　wear　a　suit　but　once；　though

made　by　some　tailor　or　dressmaker　to　their　majesties；　cannot　know

the　comfort　of　wearing　a　suit　that　fits。　　They　are　no　better　than

wooden　horses　to　hang　the　clean　clothes　on。　　Every　day　our　garments

become　more　assimilated　to　ourselves；　receiving　the　impress　of　the

wearer's　character；　until　we　hesitate　to　lay　them　aside　without　such

delay　and　medical　appliances　and　some　such　solemnity　even　as　our

bodies。　　No　man　ever　stood　the　lower　in　my　estimation　for　having　a

patch　in　his　clothes；　yet　I　am　sure　that　there　is　greater　anxiety；

commonly；　to　have　fashionable；　or　at　least　clean　and　unpatched

clothes；　than　to　have　a　sound　conscience。　　But　even　if　the　rent　is

not　mended；　perhaps　the　worst　vice　betrayed　is　improvidence。　　I

sometimes　try　my　acquaintances　by　such　tests　as　this　　Who　could

wear　a　patch；　or　two　extra　seams　only；　over　the　knee？　　Most　behave

as　if　they　believed　that　their　prospects　for　life　would　be　ruined　if

they　should　do　it。　　It　would　be　easier　for　them　to　hobble　to　town

with　a　broken　leg　than　with　a　broken　pantaloon。　　Often　if　an

accident　happens　to　a　gentleman's　legs；　they　can　be　mended；　but　if　a

similar　accident　happens　to　the　legs　of　his　pantaloons；　there　is　no

help　for　it；　for　he　considers；　not　what　is　truly　respectable；　but

what　is　respected。　　We　know　but　few　men；　a　great　many　coats　and

breeches。　　Dress　a　scarecrow　in　your　last　shift；　you　standing

shiftless　by；　who　would　not　soonest　salute　the　scarecrow？　　Passing　a

cornfield　the　other　day；　close　by　a　hat　and　coat　on　a　stake；　I

recognized　the　owner　of　the　farm。　　He　was　only　a　little　more

weather…beaten　than　when　I　saw　him　last。　　I　have　heard　of　a　dog　that

barked　at　every　stranger　who　approached　his　master's　premises　with

clothes　on；　but　was　easily　quieted　by　a　naked　thief。　　It　is　an

interesting　question　how　far　men　would　retain　their　relative　rank　if

they　were　divested　of　their　clothes。　　Could　you；　in　such　a　case；

tell　surely　of　any　company　of　civilized　men　which　belonged　to　the

most　respected　class？　　When　Madam　Pfeiffer；　in　her　adventurous

travels　round　the　world；　from　east　to　west；　had　got　so　near　home　as

Asiatic　Russia；　she　says　that　she　felt　the　necessity　of　wearing

other　than　a　travelling　dress；　when　she　went　to　meet　the

authorities；　for　she　〃was　now　in　a　civilized　country；　where　。。。

people　are　judged　of　by　their　clothes。〃　　Even　in　our　democratic　New

England　towns　the　accidental　possession　of　wealth；　and　its

manifestation　in　dress　and　equipage　alone；　obtain　for　the　possessor

almost　universal　respect。　　But　they　yield　such　respect；　numerous　as

they　are；　are　so　far　heathen；　and　need　to　have　a　missionary　sent　to

them。　　Beside；　clothes　introduced　sewing；　a　kind　of　work　which　you

may　call　endless；　a　woman's　dress；　at　least；　is　never　done。

　　　　A　man　who　has　at　length　found　something　to　do　will　not　need　to

get　a　new　suit　to　do　it　in；　for　him　the　old　will　do；　that　has　lain

dusty　in　the　garret　for　an　indeterminate　period。　　Old　shoes　will

serve　a　hero　longer　than　they　have　served　his　valet　　if　a　hero

ever　has　a　valet　　bare　feet　are　older　than　shoes；　and　he　can　make

them　do。　　Only　they　who　go　to　soires　and　legislative　balls　must

have　new　coats；　coats　to　change　as　often　as　the　man　changes　in　them。

But　if　my　jacket　and　trousers；　my　hat　and　shoes；　are　fit　to　worship

God　in；　they　will　do；　will　they　not？　　Who　ever　saw　his　old　clothes

　his　old　coat；　actually　worn　out；　resolved　into　its　primitive

elements；　so　that　it　was　not　a　deed　of　charity　to　bestow　it　on　some

poor　boy；　by　him　perchance　to　be　bestowed　on　some　poorer　still；　or

shall　we　say　richer；　who　could　do　with　less？　　I　say；　beware　of　all

enterprises　that　require　new　clothes；　and　not　rather　a　new　wearer　of

clothes。　　If　there　is　not　a　new　man；　how　can　the　new　clothes　be　made

to　fit？　　If　you　have　any　enterprise　before　you；　try　it　in　your　old

clothes。　　All　men　want；　not　something　to　do　with；　but　something　to

do；　or　rather　something　to　be。　　Perhaps　we　should　never　procure　a

new　suit；　however　ragged　or　dirty　the　old；　until　we　have　so

conducted；　so　enterprised　or　sailed　in　some　way；　that　we　feel　like

new　men　in　the　old；　and　that　to　retain　it　would　be　like　keeping　new

wine　in　old　bottles。　　Our　moulting　season；　like　that　of　the　fowls；

must　be　a　crisis　in　our　lives。　　The　loon　retires　to　solitary　ponds

to　spend　it。　　Thus　also　the　snake　casts　its　slough；　and　the

caterpillar　its　wormy　coat；　by　an　internal　industry　and　expansion；

for　clothes　are　but　our　outmost　cuticle　and　mortal　coil。　　Otherwise

we　shall　be　found　sailing　under　false　colors；　and　be　inevitably

cashiered　at　last　by　our　own　opinion；　as　well　as　that　of　mankind。

　　　　We　don　garment　after　garment；　as　if　we　grew　like　exogenous

plants　by　addition　without。　　Our　outside　and　often　thin　and　fanciful

clothes　are　our　epidermis；　or　false　skin；　which　partakes　not　of　our

life；　and　may　be　stripped　off　here　and　there　without　fatal　injury；

our　thicker　garments；　constantly　worn；　are　our　cellular　integument；

or　cortex；　but　our　shirts　are　our　liber；　or　true　bark；　which　cannot

be　removed　without　girdling　and　so　destroying　the　man。　　I　believe

that　all　races　at　some　seasons　wear　something　equivalent　to　the

shirt。　　It　is　desirable　that　a　man　be　clad　so　simply　that　he　can　lay

his　hands　on　himself　in　the　dark；　and　that　he　live　in　all　respects

so　compactly　and　preparedly　that；　if　an　enemy　take　the　town；　he　can；

like　the　old　philosopher；　walk　out　the　gate　empty…handed　without

anxiety。　　While　one　thick　garment　is；　for　most　purposes；　as　good　as

three　thin　ones；　and　cheap　clothing　can　be　obtained　at　prices　really

to　suit　customers；　while　a　thick　coat　can　be　bought　for　five

dollars；　which　will　last　as　many　years；　thick　pantaloons　for　two

dollars；　cowhide　boots　for　a　dollar　and　a　half　a　pair；　a　summer　hat

for　a　quarter　of　a　dollar；　and　a　winter　cap　for　sixty…two　and　a　half

cents；　or　a　better　be　made　at　home　at　a　nominal　cost；　where　is　he　so

poor　that；　clad　in　such　a　suit；　of　his　own　earning；　there　will　not

be　found　wise　men　to　do　him　reverence？

　　　　When　I　ask　for　a　garment　of　a　particular　form；　my　tailoress

tells　me　gravely；　〃They　do　not　make　them　so　now；〃　not　emphasizing

the　〃They〃　at　all；　as　if　she　quoted　an　authority　as　impersonal　as

the　Fates；　and　I　find　it　difficult　to　get　made　what　I　want；　simply

because　she　cannot　believe　that　I　mean　what　I　say；　that　I　am　so

rash。　　When　I　hear　this　oracular　sentence；　I　am　for　a　moment

absorbed　in　thought；　emphasizing　to　myself　each　word　separately　that

I　may　come　at　the　meaning　of　it；　that　I　may　find　out　by　what　degree

of　consanguinity　They　are　related　to　me；　and　what　authority　they

may　have　in　an　affair　which　affects　me　so　nearly；　and；　finally；　I　am

inclined　to　answer　her　with　equal　mystery；　and　without　any　more

emphasis　of　the　〃they〃　　〃It　is　true；　they　did　not　make　them　so

recently；　but　they　do　now。〃　　Of　what　use　this　measuring　of　me　if　she

does　not　measure　my　character；　but　only　the　breadth　of　my　shoulders；

as　it　were　a　peg　to　bang　the　coat　on？　　We　worship　not　the　Graces；

nor　the　Parcae；　but　Fashion。　　She　spins　and　weaves　and　cuts　with

full　authority。　　The　head　monkey　at　Paris　puts　on　a　traveller's　cap；

and　all　the　monkeys　in　America　do　the　same。　　I　sometimes　despair　of

getting　anything　quite　simple　and　honest　done　in　this　world　by　the

help　of　men。　　They　would　have　to　be　passed　through　a　powerful　press

first；　to　squeeze　their　old　notions　out　of　them；　so　that　they　would

not　soon　get　upon　their　legs　again；　and　then　there　would　be　some　one

in　the　company　with　a　maggot　in　his　head；　hatched　from　an　egg

deposited　there　nobody　knows　when；　for　not　even　fire　kills　these

things；　and　you　would　have　lost　your　labor。　　Nevertheless；　we　will

not　forget　that　some　Egyptian　wheat　was　handed　down　to　us　by　a

mummy。

　　　　On　the　whole；　I　think　that　it　cannot　be　maintained　that　dressing

has　in　this　or　any　country　risen　to　the　dignity　of　an　art。　　At

present　men　make　shift　to　wear　what　they　can　get。　　Like　shipwrecked

sailors；　they　put　on　what　they　can　find　on　the　beach；　and　at　a

little　distance；　whether　of　space　or　time；　laugh　at　each　other's

masquerade。　　Every　generation　laughs　at　the　old　fashions；　but

follows　religiously　the　new。　　We　are　amused　at　beholding　the　costume

of　Henry　VIII；　or　Queen　Elizabeth；　as　much　as　if　it　was　that　of　the

King　and　Queen　of　the　Cannibal　Islands。　　All　costume　off　a　man　is

pitiful　or　grotesque。　　It　is　only　the　serious　eye　peering　from　and

the　sincere　life　passed　within　it　which　restrain　laughter　and

consecrate　the　costume　of　any　people。　　Let　Harlequin　be　taken　with　a

fit　of　the　colic　and　his　trappings　will　have　to　serve　that　mood　too。

When　the　soldier　is　hit　by　a　cannonball；　rags　are　as　becoming　as

purple。

　　　　The　childish　and　savage　taste　of　men　and　women　for　new　patterns

keeps　how　many　shaking　and　squinting　through　kaleidoscopes　that　the