01-economy-第7章

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economy　managed　and　sustained；　I　wonder　that　the　floor　does　not　give

way　under　the　visitor　while　he　is　admiring　the　gewgaws　upon　the

mantelpiece；　and　let　him　through　into　the　cellar；　to　some　solid　and

honest　though　earthy　foundation。　　I　cannot　but　perceive　that　this

so…called　rich　and　refined　life　is　a　thing　jumped　at；　and　I　do　not

get　on　in　the　enjoyment　of　the　fine　arts　which　adorn　it；　my

attention　being　wholly　occupied　with　the　jump；　for　I　remember　that

the　greatest　genuine　leap；　due　to　human　muscles　alone；　on　record；　is

that　of　certain　wandering　Arabs；　who　are　said　to　have　cleared

twenty…five　feet　on　level　ground。　　Without　factitious　support；　man

is　sure　to　come　to　earth　again　beyond　that　distance。　　The　first

question　which　I　am　tempted　to　put　to　the　proprietor　of　such　great

impropriety　is；　Who　bolsters　you？　　Are　you　one　of　the　ninety…seven

who　fail；　or　the　three　who　succeed？　　Answer　me　these　questions；　and

then　perhaps　I　may　look　at　your　bawbles　and　find　them　ornamental。

The　cart　before　the　horse　is　neither　beautiful　nor　useful。　　Before

we　can　adorn　our　houses　with　beautiful　objects　the　walls　must　be

stripped；　and　our　lives　must　be　stripped；　and　beautiful　housekeeping

and　beautiful　living　be　laid　for　a　foundation：　now；　a　taste　for　the

beautiful　is　most　cultivated　out　of　doors；　where　there　is　no　house

and　no　housekeeper。

　　　　Old　Johnson；　in　his　〃Wonder…Working　Providence；〃　speaking　of　the

first　settlers　of　this　town；　with　whom　he　was　contemporary；　tells　us

that　〃they　burrow　themselves　in　the　earth　for　their　first　shelter

under　some　hillside；　and；　casting　the　soil　aloft　upon　timber；　they

make　a　smoky　fire　against　the　earth；　at　the　highest　side。〃　　They　did

not　〃provide　them　houses；〃　says　he；　〃till　the　earth；　by　the　Lord's

blessing；　brought　forth　bread　to　feed　them；〃　and　the　first　year's

crop　was　so　light　that　〃they　were　forced　to　cut　their　bread　very

thin　for　a　long　season。〃　　The　secretary　of　the　Province　of　New

Netherland；　writing　in　Dutch；　in　1650；　for　the　information　of　those

who　wished　to　take　up　land　there；　states　more　particularly　that

〃those　in　New　Netherland；　and　especially　in　New　England；　who　have　no

means　to　build　farmhouses　at　first　according　to　their　wishes；　dig　a

square　pit　in　the　ground；　cellar　fashion；　six　or　seven　feet　deep；　as

long　and　as　broad　as　they　think　proper；　case　the　earth　inside　with

wood　all　round　the　wall；　and　line　the　wood　with　the　bark　of　trees　or

something　else　to　prevent　the　caving　in　of　the　earth；　floor　this

cellar　with　plank；　and　wainscot　it　overhead　for　a　ceiling；　raise　a

roof　of　spars　clear　up；　and　cover　the　spars　with　bark　or　green　sods；

so　that　they　can　live　dry　and　warm　in　these　houses　with　their　entire

families　for　two；　three；　and　four　years；　it　being　understood　that

partitions　are　run　through　those　cellars　which　are　adapted　to　the

size　of　the　family。　　The　wealthy　and　principal　men　in　New　England；

in　the　beginning　of　the　colonies；　commenced　their　first

dwelling…houses　in　this　fashion　for　two　reasons：　firstly；　in　order

not　to　waste　time　in　building；　and　not　to　want　food　the　next　season；

secondly；　in　order　not　to　discourage　poor　laboring　people　whom　they

brought　over　in　numbers　from　Fatherland。　　In　the　course　of　three　or

four　years；　when　the　country　became　adapted　to　agriculture；　they

built　themselves　handsome　houses；　spending　on　them　several

thousands。〃

　　　　In　this　course　which　our　ancestors　took　there　was　a　show　of

prudence　at　least；　as　if　their　principle　were　to　satisfy　the　more

pressing　wants　first。　　But　are　the　more　pressing　wants　satisfied

now？　　When　I　think　of　acquiring　for　myself　one　of　our　luxurious

dwellings；　I　am　deterred；　for；　so　to　speak；　the　country　is　not　yet

adapted　to　human　culture；　and　we　are　still　forced　to　cut　our

spiritual　bread　far　thinner　than　our　forefathers　did　their　wheaten。

Not　that　all　architectural　ornament　is　to　be　neglected　even　in　the

rudest　periods；　but　let　our　houses　first　be　lined　with　beauty；　where

they　come　in　contact　with　our　lives；　like　the　tenement　of　the

shellfish；　and　not　overlaid　with　it。　　But；　alas！　I　have　been　inside

one　or　two　of　them；　and　know　what　they　are　lined　with。

　　　　Though　we　are　not　so　degenerate　but　that　we　might　possibly　live

in　a　cave　or　a　wigwam　or　wear　skins　today；　it　certainly　is　better　to

accept　the　advantages；　though　so　dearly　bought；　which　the　invention

and　industry　of　mankind　offer。　　In　such　a　neighborhood　as　this；

boards　and　shingles；　lime　and　bricks；　are　cheaper　and　more　easily

obtained　than　suitable　caves；　or　whole　logs；　or　bark　in　sufficient

quantities；　or　even　well…tempered　clay　or　flat　stones。　　I　speak

understandingly　on　this　subject；　for　I　have　made　myself　acquainted

with　it　both　theoretically　and　practically。　　With　a　little　more　wit

we　might　use　these　materials　so　as　to　become　richer　than　the　richest

now　are；　and　make　our　civilization　a　blessing。　　The　civilized　man　is

a　more　experienced　and　wiser　savage。　　But　to　make　haste　to　my　own

experiment。

　　　　Near　the　end　of　March；　1845；　I　borrowed　an　axe　and　went　down　to

the　woods　by　Walden　Pond；　nearest　to　where　I　intended　to　build　my

house；　and　began　to　cut　down　some　tall；　arrowy　white　pines；　still　in

their　youth；　for　timber。　　It　is　difficult　to　begin　without

borrowing；　but　perhaps　it　is　the　most　generous　course　thus　to　permit

your　fellow…men　to　have　an　interest　in　your　enterprise。　　The　owner

of　the　axe；　as　he　released　his　hold　on　it；　said　that　it　was　the

apple　of　his　eye；　but　I　returned　it　sharper　than　I　received　it。　　It

was　a　pleasant　hillside　where　I　worked；　covered　with　pine　woods；

through　which　I　looked　out　on　the　pond；　and　a　small　open　field　in

the　woods　where　pines　and　hickories　were　springing　up。　　The　ice　in

the　pond　was　not　yet　dissolved；　though　there　were　some　open　spaces；

and　it　was　all　dark…colored　and　saturated　with　water。　　There　were

some　slight　flurries　of　snow　during　the　days　that　I　worked　there；

but　for　the　most　part　when　I　came　out　on　to　the　railroad；　on　my　way

home；　its　yellow　sand　heap　stretched　away　gleaming　in　the　hazy

atmosphere；　and　the　rails　shone　in　the　spring　sun；　and　I　heard　the

lark　and　pewee　and　other　birds　already　come　to　commence　another　year

with　us。　　They　were　pleasant　spring　days；　in　which　the　winter　of

man's　discontent　was　thawing　as　well　as　the　earth；　and　the　life　that

had　lain　torpid　began　to　stretch　itself。　　One　day；　when　my　axe　had

come　off　and　I　had　cut　a　green　hickory　for　a　wedge；　driving　it　with

a　stone；　and　had　placed　the　whole　to　soak　in　a　pond…hole　in　order　to

swell　the　wood；　I　saw　a　striped　snake　run　into　the　water；　and　he　lay

on　the　bottom；　apparently　without　inconvenience；　as　long　as　I　stayed

there；　or　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　perhaps　because　he　had　not

yet　fairly　come　out　of　the　torpid　state。　　It　appeared　to　me　that　for

a　like　reason　men　remain　in　their　present　low　and　primitive

condition；　but　if　they　should　feel　the　influence　of　the　spring　of

springs　arousing　them；　they　would　of　necessity　rise　to　a　higher　and

more　ethereal　life。　　I　had　previously　seen　the　snakes　in　frosty

mornings　in　my　path　with　portions　of　their　bodies　still　numb　and

inflexible；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　thaw　them。　　On　the　1st　of　April

it　rained　and　melted　the　ice；　and　in　the　early　part　of　the　day；

which　was　very　foggy；　I　heard　a　stray　goose　groping　about　over　the

pond　and　cackling　as　if　lost；　or　like　the　spirit　of　the　fog。

　　　　So　I　went　on　for　some　days　cutting　and　hewing　timber；　and　also

studs　and　rafters；　all　with　my　narrow　axe；　not　having　many

communicable　or　scholar…like　thoughts；　singing　to　myself；　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Men　say　they　know　many　things；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　But　lo！　they　have　taken　wings　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　arts　and　sciences；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　a　thousand　appliances；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　wind　that　blows

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Is　all　that　any　body　knows。



　　　　I　hewed　the　main　timbers　six　inches　square；　most　of　the　studs　on

two　sides　only；　and　the　rafters　and　floor　timbers　on　one　side；

leaving　the　rest　of　the　bark　on；　so　that　they　were　just　as　straight

and　much　stronger　than　sawed　ones。　　Each　stick　was　carefully

mortised　or　tenoned　by　its　stump；　for　I　had　borrowed　other　tools　by

this　time。　　My　days　in　the　woods　were　not　very　long　ones；　yet　I

usually　carried　my　dinner　of　bread　and　butter；　and　read　the

newspaper　in　which　it　was　wrapped；　at　noon；　sitting　amid　the　green

pine　boughs　which　I　had　cut　off；　and　to　my　bread　was　imparted　some

of　their　fragrance；　for　my　hands　were　covered　with　a　thick　coat　of

pitch。　　Before　I　had　done　I　was　more　the　friend　than　the　foe　of　the

pine　tree；　though　I　had　cut　down　some　of　them；　having　become　better

acquainted　with　it。　　Sometimes　a　rambler　in　the　wood　was　attracted

by　the　sound　of　my　axe；　and　we　chatted　pleasantly　over　the　chips

which　I　had　made。

　　　　By　the　middle　of　April；　for　I　made　no　haste　in　my　work；　but

rather　made　the　most　of　it；　my　house　was　framed　and　ready　for　the

raising。　　I　had　already　bought　the　shanty　of　James　Collins；　an

Irishman　who　worked　on　the　Fitchburg　Railroad；　for　boards。　　James

Collins'　shanty　was　considered　an　uncommonly　fine　one。　　When　I

called　to　see　it　he　was　not　at　home。　　I　walked　about　the　outside；　at

first　unobserved　from　within；　the　window　was　so　deep　and　high。　　It

was　of　small　dimensions；　with　a　peaked　cottage　roof；　and　not　much

else　to　be　seen；　the　dirt　being　raised　five　feet　all　around　as　if　it

were　a　compost　heap。　　The　roof　was　the　soundest　part；　though　a　good

deal　warped　and　made　brittle　by　the　sun。　　Doorsill　there　was　none；

but　a　perennial　passage　for　the　hens　under　the　door　board。　　Mrs。　C。

came　to　the　door　and　asked　me　to　view　it　from　the　inside。　　The　hens

were　driven　in　by　my　approach。　　It　was　dark；　and　had　a　dirt　floor

for　the　most　part；　dank；　clammy；　and　aguish；　only　here　a　board　and

there　a　board　which　would　not　bear　removal。　　She　lighted　a　lamp　to

show　me　the　inside　of　the　roof　and　the　walls；　and　also　that　the

board　floor　extended　under　the　bed；　warning　me　not　to　step　into　the

cellar；　a　sort　of　dust　hole　two　feet　deep。　　In　her　own　words；　they

were　〃good　boards　overhead；　good　boards　all　around；　and　a　good

window〃　　of　two　whole　squares　originally；　only　the　cat　had　passed

out　that　way　lately。　　There　was　a　stove；　a　bed；　and　a　place　to　sit；

an　infant　in　the　house　where　it　was　born；　a　silk　parasol；

gilt…framed　looking…glass；　and　a　patent　new　coffee…mill　nailed　to　an

oak　sapling；　all　told。　　The　bargain　was　soon　concluded；　for　James

had　in　the　meanwhile　returned。　　I　to　pay　four　dollars　and

twenty…five　cents　tonight；　he　to　vacate　at　five　tomorrow　morning；

selling　to　nobody　else　meanwhile：　I　to　take　possession　at　six。　　It

were　well；　he　said；　to　be　there　early；　and　anticipate　certain

indistinct　but　wholly　unjust　claims　on　the　score　of　ground　rent　and

fuel。　　This　he　assured　me　was　the　only　encumbrance。　　At　six　I　passed

him　and　his　family　on　the　road。　　One　large　bundle　held　their　all　

bed；　c