01-economy-第6章

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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　they

may　discover　the　particular　figure　which　this　generation　requires

today。　　The　manufacturers　have　learned　that　this　taste　is　merely

whimsical。　　Of　two　patterns　which　differ　only　by　a　few　threads　more

or　less　of　a　particular　color；　the　one　will　be　sold　readily；　the

other　lie　on　the　shelf；　though　it　frequently　happens　that　after　the

lapse　of　a　season　the　latter　becomes　the　most　fashionable。

Comparatively；　tattooing　is　not　the　hideous　custom　which　it　is

called。　　It　is　not　barbarous　merely　because　the　printing　is

skin…deep　and　unalterable。

　　　　I　cannot　believe　that　our　factory　system　is　the　best　mode　by

which　men　may　get　clothing。　　The　condition　of　the　operatives　is

becoming　every　day　more　like　that　of　the　English；　and　it　cannot　be

wondered　at；　since；　as　far　as　I　have　heard　or　observed；　the

principal　object　is；　not　that　mankind　may　be　well　and　honestly　clad；

but；　unquestionably；　that　corporations　may　be　enriched。　　In　the　long

run　men　hit　only　what　they　aim　at。　　Therefore；　though　they　should

fail　immediately；　they　had　better　aim　at　something　high。

　　　　As　for　a　Shelter；　I　will　not　deny　that　this　is　now　a　necessary

of　life；　though　there　are　instances　of　men　having　done　without　it

for　long　periods　in　colder　countries　than　this。　　Samuel　Laing　says

that　〃the　Laplander　in　his　skin　dress；　and　in　a　skin　bag　which　he

puts　over　his　head　and　shoulders；　will　sleep　night　after　night　on

the　snow　。。。　in　a　degree　of　cold　which　would　extinguish　the　life　of

one　exposed　to　it　in　any　woollen　clothing。〃　　He　had　seen　them　asleep

thus。　　Yet　he　adds；　〃They　are　not　hardier　than　other　people。〃　　But；

probably；　man　did　not　live　long　on　the　earth　without　discovering　the

convenience　which　there　is　in　a　house；　the　domestic　comforts；　which

phrase　may　have　originally　signified　the　satisfactions　of　the　house

more　than　of　the　family；　though　these　must　be　extremely　partial　and

occasional　in　those　climates　where　the　house　is　associated　in　our

thoughts　with　winter　or　the　rainy　season　chiefly；　and　two　thirds　of

the　year；　except　for　a　parasol；　is　unnecessary。　　In　our　climate；　in

the　summer；　it　was　formerly　almost　solely　a　covering　at　night。　　In

the　Indian　gazettes　a　wigwam　was　the　symbol　of　a　day's　march；　and　a

row　of　them　cut　or　painted　on　the　bark　of　a　tree　signified　that　so

many　times　they　had　camped。　　Man　was　not　made　so　large　limbed　and

robust　but　that　he　must　seek　to　narrow　his　world　and　wall　in　a　space

such　as　fitted　him。　　He　was　at　first　bare　and　out　of　doors；　but

though　this　was　pleasant　enough　in　serene　and　warm　weather；　by

daylight；　the　rainy　season　and　the　winter；　to　say　nothing　of　the

torrid　sun；　would　perhaps　have　nipped　his　race　in　the　bud　if　he　had

not　made　haste　to　clothe　himself　with　the　shelter　of　a　house。　　Adam

and　Eve；　according　to　the　fable；　wore　the　bower　before　other

clothes。　　Man　wanted　a　home；　a　place　of　warmth；　or　comfort；　first　of

warmth；　then　the　warmth　of　the　affections。

　　　　We　may　imagine　a　time　when；　in　the　infancy　of　the　human　race；

some　enterprising　mortal　crept　into　a　hollow　in　a　rock　for　shelter。

Every　child　begins　the　world　again；　to　some　extent；　and　loves　to

stay　outdoors；　even　in　wet　and　cold。　　It　plays　house；　as　well　as

horse；　having　an　instinct　for　it。　　Who　does　not　remember　the

interest　with　which；　when　young；　he　looked　at　shelving　rocks；　or　any

approach　to　a　cave？　　It　was　the　natural　yearning　of　that　portion；

any　portion　of　our　most　primitive　ancestor　which　still　survived　in

us。　　From　the　cave　we　have　advanced　to　roofs　of　palm　leaves；　of　bark

and　boughs；　of　linen　woven　and　stretched；　of　grass　and　straw；　of

boards　and　shingles；　of　stones　and　tiles。　　At　last；　we　know　not　what

it　is　to　live　in　the　open　air；　and　our　lives　are　domestic　in　more

senses　than　we　think。　　From　the　hearth　the　field　is　a　great

distance。　　It　would　be　well；　perhaps；　if　we　were　to　spend　more　of

our　days　and　nights　without　any　obstruction　betwee