01-economy-第15章

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taught　the　leavening　process；　and　through　the　various　fermentations

thereafter；　till　I　came　to　〃good；　sweet；　wholesome　bread；〃　the　staff

of　life。　　Leaven；　which　some　deem　the　soul　of　bread；　the　spiritus

which　fills　its　cellular　tissue；　which　is　religiously　preserved　like

the　vestal　fire　　some　precious　bottleful；　I　suppose；　first　brought

over　in　the　Mayflower；　did　the　business　for　America；　and　its

influence　is　still　rising；　swelling；　spreading；　in　cerealian　billows

over　the　land　　this　seed　I　regularly　and　faithfully　procured　from

the　village；　till　at　length　one　morning　I　forgot　the　rules；　and

scalded　my　yeast；　by　which　accident　I　discovered　that　even　this　was

not　indispensable　　for　my　discoveries　were　not　by　the　synthetic

but　analytic　process　　and　I　have　gladly　omitted　it　since；　though

most　housewives　earnestly　assured　me　that　safe　and　wholesome　bread

without　yeast　might　not　be；　and　elderly　people　prophesied　a　speedy

decay　of　the　vital　forces。　　Yet　I　find　it　not　to　be　an　essential

ingredient；　and　after　going　without　it　for　a　year　am　still　in　the

land　of　the　living；　and　I　am　glad　to　escape　the　trivialness　of

carrying　a　bottleful　in　my　pocket；　which　would　sometimes　pop　and

discharge　its　contents　to　my　discomfiture。　　It　is　simpler　and　more

respectable　to　omit　it。　　Man　is　an　animal　who　more　than　any　other

can　adapt　himself　to　all　climates　and　circumstances。　　Neither　did　I

put　any　sal…soda；　or　other　acid　or　alkali；　into　my　bread。　　It　would

seem　that　I　made　it　according　to　the　recipe　which　Marcus　Porcius

Cato　gave　about　two　centuries　before　Christ。　　〃Panem　depsticium　sic

facito。　　Manus　mortariumque　bene　lavato。　　Farinam　in　mortarium

indito；　aquae　paulatim　addito；　subigitoque　pulchre。　　Ubi　bene

subegeris；　defingito；　coquitoque　sub　testu。〃　　Which　I　take　to　mean；

　〃Make　kneaded　bread　thus。　　Wash　your　hands　and　trough　well。　　Put

the　meal　into　the　trough；　add　water　gradually；　and　knead　it

thoroughly。　　When　you　have　kneaded　it　well；　mould　it；　and　bake　it

under　a　cover；〃　that　is；　in　a　baking　kettle。　　Not　a　word　about

leaven。　　But　I　did　not　always　use　this　staff　of　life。　　At　one　time；

owing　to　the　emptiness　of　my　purse；　I　saw　none　of　it　for　more　than　a

month。

　　　　Every　New　Englander　might　easily　raise　all　his　own　breadstuffs

in　this　land　of　rye　and　Indian　corn；　and　not　depend　on　distant　and

fluctuating　markets　for　them。　　Yet　so　far　are　we　from　simplicity　and

independence　that；　in　Concord；　fresh　and　sweet　meal　is　rarely　sold

in　the　shops；　and　hominy　and　corn　in　a　still　coarser　form　are　hardly

used　by　any。　　For　the　most　part　the　farmer　gives　to　his　cattle　and

hogs　the　grain　of　his　own　producing；　and　buys　flour；　which　is　at

least　no　more　wholesome；　at　a　greater　cost；　at　the　store。　　I　saw

that　I　could　easily　raise　my　bushel　or　two　of　rye　and　Indian　corn；

for　the　former　will　grow　on　the　poorest　land；　and　the　latter　does

not　require　the　best；　and　grind　them　in　a　hand…mill；　and　so　do

without　rice　and　pork；　and　if　I　must　have　some　concentrated　sweet；　I

found　by　experiment　that　I　could　make　a　very　good　molasses　either　of

pumpkins　or　beets；　and　I　knew　that　I　needed　only　to　set　out　a　few

maples　to　obtain　it　more　easily　still；　and　while　these　were　growing

I　could　use　various　substitutes　beside　those　which　I　have　named。

〃For；〃　as　the　Forefathers　sang；



　　　　　　　〃we　can　make　liquor　to　sweeten　our　lips

　　　　　　　　Of　pumpkins　and　parsnips　and　walnut…tree　chips。〃



Finally；　as　for　salt；　that　grossest　of　groceries；　to　obtain　this

might　be　a　fit　occasion　for　a　visit　to　the　seashore；　or；　if　I　did

without　it　altogether；　I　should　probably　drink　the　less　water。　　I　do

not　learn　that　the　Indians　ever　troubled　themselves　to　go　after　it。

　　　　Thus　I　could　avoid　all　trade　and　barter；　so　far　as　my　food　was

concerned；　and　having　a　shelter　already；　it　would　only　remain　to　get

clothing　and　fuel。　　The　pantaloons　which　I　now　wear　were　woven　in　a

farmer's　family　　thank　Heaven　there　is　so　much　virtue　still　in

man；　for　I　think　the　fall　from　the　farmer　to　the　operative　as　great

and　memorable　as　that　from　the　man　to　the　farmer；　　and　in　a　new

country；　fuel　is　an　encumbrance。　　As　for　a　habitat；　if　I　were　not

permitted　still　to　squat；　I　might　purchase　one　acre　at　the　same

price　for　which　the　land　I　cultivated　was　sold　　namely；　eight

dollars　and　eight　cents。　　But　as　it　was；　I　considered　that　I

enhanced　the　value　of　the　land　by　squatting　on　it。

　　　　There　is　a　certain　class　of　unbelievers　who　sometimes　ask　me

such　questions　as；　if　I　think　that　I　can　live　on　vegetable　food

alone；　and　to　strike　at　the　root　of　the　matter　at　once　　for　the

root　is　faith　　I　am　accustomed　to　answer　such；　that　I　can　live　on

board　nails。　　If　they　cannot　understand　that；　they　cannot　understand

much　that　I　have　to　say。　　For　my　part；　I　am　glad　to　bear　of

experiments　of　this　kind　being　tried；　as　that　a　young　man　tried　for

a　fortnight　to　live　on　hard；　raw　corn　on　the　ear；　using　his　teeth

for　all　mortar。　　The　squirrel　tribe　tried　the　same　and　succeeded。

The　human　race　is　interested　in　these　experiments；　though　a　few　old

women　who　are　incapacitated　for　them；　or　who　own　their　thirds　in

mills；　may　be　alarmed。

　　　　My　furniture；　part　of　which　I　made　myself　　and　the　rest　cost

me　nothing　of　which　I　have　not　rendered　an　account　　consisted　of　a

bed；　a　table；　a　desk；　three　chairs；　a　looking…glass　three　inches　in

diameter；　a　pair　of　tongs　and　andirons；　a　kettle；　a　skillet；　and　a

frying…pan；　a　dipper；　a　wash…bowl；　two　knives　and　forks；　three

plates；　one　cup；　one　spoon；　a　jug　for　oil；　a　jug　for　molasses；　and　a

japanned　lamp。　　None　is　so　poor　that　he　need　sit　on　a　pumpkin。　　That

is　shiftlessness。　　There　is　a　plenty　of　such　chairs　as　I　like　best

in　the　village　garrets　to　be　had　for　taking　them　away。　　Furniture！

Thank　God；　I　can　sit　and　I　can　stand　without　the　aid　of　a　furniture

warehouse。　　What　man　but　a　philosopher　would　not　be　ashamed　to　see

his　furniture　packed　in　a　cart　and　going　up　country　exposed　to　the

light　of　heaven　and　the　eyes　of　men；　a　beggarly　account　of　empty

boxes？　　That　is　Spaulding's　furniture。　　I　could　never　tell　from

inspecting　such　a　load　whether　it　belonged　to　a　so…called　rich　man

or　a　poor　one；　the　owner　always　seemed　poverty…stricken。　　Indeed；

the　more　you　have　of　such　things　the　poorer　you　are。　　Each　load

looks　as　if　it　contained　the　contents　of　a　dozen　shanties；　and　if

one　shanty　is　poor；　this　is　a　dozen　times　as　poor。　　Pray；　for　what

do　we　move　ever　but　to　get　rid　of　our　furniture；　our　exuvioe：　at

last　to　go　from　this　world　to　another　newly　furnished；　and　leave

this　to　be　burned？　　It　is　the　same　as　if　all　these　traps　were

buckled　to　a　man's　belt；　and　he　could　not　move　over　the　rough

country　where　our　lines　are　cast　without　dragging　them　　dragging

his　trap。　　He　was　a　lucky　fox　that　left　his　tail　in　the　trap。　　The

muskrat　will　gnaw　his　third　leg　off　to　be　free。　　No　wonder　man　has

lost　his　elasticity。　　How　often　he　is　at　a　dead　set！　　〃Sir；　if　I　may

be　so　bold；　what　do　you　mean　by　a　dead　set？〃　　If　you　are　a　seer；

whenever　you　meet　a　man　you　will　see　all　that　he　owns；　ay；　and　much

that　he　pretends　to　disown；　behind　him；　even　to　his　kitchen

furniture　and　all　the　trumpery　which　he　saves　and　will　not　burn；　and

he　will　appear　to　be　harnessed　to　it　and　making　what　headway　he　can。

I　think　that　the　man　is　at　a　dead　set　who　has　got　through　a

knot…hole　or　gateway　where　his　sledge　load　of　furniture　cannot

follow　him。　　I　cannot　but　feel　compassion　when　I　hear　some　trig；

compact…looking　man；　seemingly　free；　all　girded　and　ready；　speak　of

his　〃furniture；〃　as　whether　it　is　insured　or　not。　　〃But　what　shall　I

do　with　my　furniture？〃　　My　gay　butterfly　is　entangled　in　a

spider's　web　then。　　Even　those　who　seem　for　a　long　while　not　to　have

any；　if　you　inquire　more　narrowly　you　will　find　have　some　stored　in

somebody's　barn。　　I　look　upon　England　today　as　an　old　gentleman　who

is　travelling　with　a　great　deal　of　baggage；　trumpery　which　has

accumulated　from　long　housekeeping；　which　he