18-conclusion-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Conclusion



　　　　To　the　sick　the　doctors　wisely　recommend　a　change　of　air　and

scenery。　　Thank　Heaven；　here　is　not　all　the　world。　　The　buckeye　does

not　grow　in　New　England；　and　the　mockingbird　is　rarely　heard　here。

The　wild　goose　is　more　of　a　cosmopolite　than　we；　he　breaks　his　fast

in　Canada；　takes　a　luncheon　in　the　Ohio；　and　plumes　himself　for　the

night　in　a　southern　bayou。　　Even　the　bison；　to　some　extent；　keeps

pace　with　the　seasons　cropping　the　pastures　of　the　Colorado　only

till　a　greener　and　sweeter　grass　awaits　him　by　the　Yellowstone。　　Yet

we　think　that　if　rail　fences　are　pulled　down；　and　stone　walls　piled

up　on　our　farms；　bounds　are　henceforth　set　to　our　lives　and　our

fates　decided。　　If　you　are　chosen　town　clerk；　forsooth；　you　cannot

go　to　Tierra　del　Fuego　this　summer：　but　you　may　go　to　the　land　of

infernal　fire　nevertheless。　　The　universe　is　wider　than　our　views　of

it。

　　　　Yet　we　should　oftener　look　over　the　tafferel　of　our　craft；　like

curious　passengers；　and　not　make　the　voyage　like　stupid　sailors

picking　oakum。　　The　other　side　of　the　globe　is　but　the　home　of　our

correspondent。　　Our　voyaging　is　only　great…circle　sailing；　and　the

doctors　prescribe　for　diseases　of　the　skin　merely。　　One　hastens　to

southern　Africa　to　chase　the　giraffe；　but　surely　that　is　not　the

game　he　would　be　after。　　How　long；　pray；　would　a　man　hunt　giraffes

if　he　could？　　Snipes　and　woodcocks　also　may　afford　rare　sport；　but　I

trust　it　would　be　nobler　game　to　shoot　one's　self。



　　　　　　　　　　〃Direct　your　eye　right　inward；　and　you'll　find

　　　　　　　　　　　A　thousand　regions　in　your　mind

　　　　　　　　　　　Yet　undiscovered。　　Travel　them；　and　be

　　　　　　　　　　　Expert　in　home…cosmography。〃



What　does　Africa　　what　does　the　West　stand　for？　　Is　not　our　own

interior　white　on　the　chart？　black　though　it　may　prove；　like　the

coast；　when　discovered。　　Is　it　the　source　of　the　Nile；　or　the　Niger；

or　the　Mississippi；　or　a　Northwest　Passage　around　this　continent；

that　we　would　find？　　Are　these　the　problems　which　most　concern

mankind？　　Is　Franklin　the　only　man　who　is　lost；　that　his　wife　should

be　so　earnest　to　find　him？　　Does　Mr。　Grinnell　know　where　he　himself

is？　　Be　rather　the　Mungo　Park；　the　Lewis　and　Clark　and　Frobisher；　of

your　own　streams　and　oceans；　explore　your　own　higher　latitudes　

with　shiploads　of　preserved　meats　to　support　you；　if　they　be

necessary；　and　pile　the　empty　cans　sky…high　for　a　sign。　　Were

preserved　meats　invented　to　preserve　meat　merely？　　Nay；　be　a

Columbus　to　whole　new　continents　and　worlds　within　you；　opening　new

channels；　not　of　trade；　but　of　thought。　　Every　man　is　the　lord　of　a

realm　beside　which　the　earthly　empire　of　the　Czar　is　but　a　petty

state；　a　hummock　left　by　the　ice。　　Yet　some　can　be　patriotic　who

have　no　self…respect；　and　sacrifice　the　greater　to　the　less。　　They

love　the　soil　which　makes　their　graves；　but　have　no　sympathy　with

the　spirit　which　may　still　animate　their　clay。　　Patriotism　is　a

maggot　in　their　heads。　　What　was　the　meaning　of　that　South…Sea

Exploring　Expedition；　with　all　its　parade　and　expense；　but　an

indirect　recognition　of　the　fact　that　there　are　continents　and　seas

in　the　moral　world　to　which　every　man　is　an　isthmus　or　an　inlet；　yet

unexplored　by　him；　but　that　it　is　easier　to　sail　many　thousand　miles

through　cold　and　storm　and　cannibals；　in　a　government　ship；　with

five　hundred　men　and　boys　to　assist　one；　than　it　is　to　explore　the

private　sea；　the　Atlantic　and　Pacific　Ocean　of　one's　being　alone。



　　　　　　　　　　〃Erret；　et　extremos　alter　scrutetur　Iberos。

　　　　　　　　　　　Plus　habet　hic　vitae；　plus　habet　ille　viae。〃



　　　　Let　them　wander　and　scrutinize　the　outlandish　Australians。

　　　　I　have　more　of　God；　they　more　of　the　road。



It　is　not　worth　the　while　to　go　round　the　world　to　count　the　cats　in

Zanzibar。　　Yet　do　this　even　till　you　can　do　better；　and　you　may

perhaps　find　some　〃Symmes'　Hole〃　by　which　to　get　at　the　inside　at

last。　　England　and　France；　Spain　and　Portugal；　Gold　Coast　and　Slave

Coast；　all　front　on　this　private　sea；　but　no　bark　from　them　has

ventured　out　of　sight　of　land；　though　it　is　without　doubt　the　direct

way　to　India。　　If　you　would　learn　to　speak　all　tongues　and　conform

to　the　customs　of　all　nations；　if　you　would　travel　farther　than　all

travellers；　be　naturalized　in　all　climes；　and　cause　the　Sphinx　to

dash　her　head　against　a　stone；　even　obey　the　precept　of　the　old

philosopher；　and　Explore　thyself。　　Herein　are　demanded　the　eye　and

the　nerve。　　Only　the　defeated　and　deserters　go　to　the　wars；　cowards

that　run　away　and　enlist。　　Start　now　on　that　farthest　western　way；

which　does　not　pause　at　the　Mississippi　or　the　Pacific；　nor　conduct

toward　a　wornout　China　or　Japan；　but　leads　on　direct；　a　tangent　to

this　sphere；　summer　and　winter；　day　and　night；　sun　down；　moon　down；

and　at　last　earth　down　too。

　　　　It　is　said　that　Mirabeau　took　to　highway　robbery　〃to　ascertain

what　degree　of　resolution　was　necessary　in　order　to　place　one's　self

in　formal　opposition　to　the　most　sacred　laws　of　society。〃　　He

declared　that　〃a　soldier　who　fights　in　the　ranks　does　not　require

half　so　much　courage　as　a　footpad〃　　〃that　honor　and　religion　have

never　stood　in　the　way　of　a　well…considered　and　a　firm　resolve。〃

This　was　manly；　as　the　world　goes；　and　yet　it　was　idle；　if　not

desperate。　　A　saner　man　would　have　found　himself　often　enough　〃in

formal　opposition〃　to　what　are　deemed　〃the　most　sacred　laws　of

society；〃　through　obedience　to　yet　more　sacred　laws；　and　so　have

tested　his　resolution　without　going　out　of　his　way。　　It　is　not　for　a

man　to　put　himself　in　such　an　attitude　to　society；　but　to　maintain

himself　in　whatever　attitude　he　find　himself　through　obedience　to

the　laws　of　his　being；　which　will　never　be　one　of　opposition　to　a

just　government；　if　he　should　chance　to　meet　with　such。

　　　　I　left　the　woods　for　as　good　a　reason　as　I　went　there。　　Perhaps

it　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　several　more　lives　to　live；　and　could　not

spare　any　more　time　for　that　one。　　It　is　remarkable　how　easily　and

insensibly　we　fall　into　a　particular　route；　and　make　a　beaten　track

for　ourselves。　　I　had　not　lived　there　a　week　before　my　feet　wore　a

path　from　my　door　to　the　pond…side；　and　though　it　is　five　or　six

years　since　I　trod　it；　it　is　still　quite　distinct。　　It　is　true；　I

fear；　that　others　may　have　fallen　into　it；　and　so　helped　to　keep　it

open。　　The　surface　of　the　earth　is　soft　and　impressible　by　the　feet

of　men；　and　so　with　the　paths　which　the　mind　travels。　　How　worn　and

dusty；　then；　must　be　the　highways　of　the　world；　how　deep　the　ruts　of

tradition　and　conformity！　　I　did　not　wish　to　take　a　cabin　passage；

but　rather　to　go　before　the　mast　and　on　the　deck　of　the　world；　for

there　I　could　best　see　the　moonlight　amid　the　mountains。　　I　do　not

wish　to　go　below　now。

　　　　I　learned　this；　at　least；　by　my　experiment：　that　if　one　advances

confidently　in　the　direction　of　his　dreams；　and　endeavors　to　live

the　life　which　he　has　imagined；　he　will　meet　with　a　success

unexpected　in　common　hours。　　He　will　put　some　things　behind；　will

pass　an　invisible　boundary；　new；　universal；　and　more　liberal　laws

will　begin　to　establish　themselves　around　and　within　him；　or　the　old

laws　be　expanded；　and　interpreted　in　his　favor　in　a　more　liberal

sense；　and　he　will　live　with　the　license　of　a　higher　order　of

beings。　　In　proportion　as　he　simplifies　his　life；　the　laws　of　the

universe　will　appear　less　complex；　and　solitude　will　not　be

solitude；　nor　poverty　poverty；　nor　weakness　weakness。　　If　you　have

built　castles　in　the　air；　your　work　need　not　be　lost；　that　is　where

they　should　be。　　Now　put　the　foundations　under　them。

　　　　It　is　a　ridiculous　demand　which　England　and　America　make；　that

you　shall　speak　so　that　they　can　understand　you。　　Neither　men　nor

toadstools　grow　so。　　As　if　that　were　important；　and　there　were　not

enough　to　understand　you　without　them。　　As　if　Nature　could　support

but　one　order　of　understandings；　could　not　sustain　birds　as　well