01-economy-第9章

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become　no　better　than　a　modern　drawing…room；　with　its　divans；　and

ottomans；　and　sun…shades；　and　a　hundred　other　oriental　things；　which

we　are　taking　west　with　us；　invented　for　the　ladies　of　the　harem　and

the　effeminate　natives　of　the　Celestial　Empire；　which　Jonathan

should　be　ashamed　to　know　the　names　of。　　I　would　rather　sit　on　a

pumpkin　and　have　it　all　to　myself　than　be　crowded　on　a　velvet

cushion。　　I　would　rather　ride　on　earth　in　an　ox　cart；　with　a　free

circulation；　than　go　to　heaven　in　the　fancy　car　of　an　excursion

train　and　breathe　a　malaria　all　the　way。

　　　　The　very　simplicity　and　nakedness　of　man's　life　in　the　primitive

ages　imply　this　advantage；　at　least；　that　they　left　him　still　but　a

sojourner　in　nature。　　When　he　was　refreshed　with　food　and　sleep；　he

contemplated　his　journey　again。　　He　dwelt；　as　it　were；　in　a　tent　in

this　world；　and　was　either　threading　the　valleys；　or　crossing　the

plains；　or　climbing　the　mountain…tops。　　But　lo！　men　have　become　the

tools　of　their　tools。　　The　man　who　independently　plucked　the　fruits

when　he　was　hungry　is　become　a　farmer；　and　he　who　stood　under　a　tree

for　shelter；　a　housekeeper。　　We　now　no　longer　camp　as　for　a　night；

but　have　settled　down　on　earth　and　forgotten　heaven。　　We　have

adopted　Christianity　merely　as　an　improved　method　of　agri…culture。

We　have　built　for　this　world　a　family　mansion；　and　for　the　next　a

family　tomb。　　The　best　works　of　art　are　the　expression　of　man's

struggle　to　free　himself　from　this　condition；　but　the　effect　of　our

art　is　merely　to　make　this　low　state　comfortable　and　that　higher

state　to　be　forgotten。　　There　is　actually　no　place　in　this　village

for　a　work　of　fine　art；　if　any　had　come　down　to　us；　to　stand；　for

our　lives；　our　houses　and　streets；　furnish　no　proper　pedestal　for

it。　　There　is　not　a　nail　to　hang　a　picture　on；　nor　a　shelf　to

receive　the　bust　of　a　hero　or　a　saint。　　When　I　consider　how　our

houses　are　built　and　paid　for；　or　not　paid　for；　and　their　internal

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　san