ntry,fuelisanencumbrance.Asforahabitat,ifIwerenotpermittedstilltosquat,ImightpurchaseoneacreatthesamepriceforwhichthelandIcultivatedwassold—namely,eightdollarsandeightcents.Butasitwas,IconsideredthatIenhancedthevalueofthelandbysquattingonit.
Thereisacertainclassofunbelieverswhosometimesaskmesuchquestionsas,ifIthinkthatIcanliveonvegetablefoodaloneandtostrikeattherootofthematteratonce,—fortherootisfaith,—Iamaccustomedtoanswersuch,thatIcanliveonboardnails.Iftheycannotunderstandthat,theycannotunderstandmuchthatIhavetosay.Formypart,Iamgladtohearofexperimentsofthiskindbeingtriedasthatayoungmantriedforafortnighttoliveonhard,rawcornontheear,usinghisteethforallmortar.Thesquirreltribetriedthesameandsucceeded.Thehumanraceisinterestedintheseexperiments,thoughafewoldwomenwhoareincapacitatedforthem,orwhoowntheirthirdsinmills,maybealarmed.
Myfurniture,partofwhichImademyself,andtherestcostmenothingofwhichIhavenotrenderedanaccount,consistedofabed,atable,adesk,threechairs,alooking-glassthreeinchesindiameter,apairoftongsandandirons,akettle,askillet,andafrying-pan,adipper,awash-bowl,twoknivesandforks,threeplates,onecup,onespoon,ajugforoil,ajugformolasses,andajapannedlamp.Noneissopoorthatheneedsitonapumpkin.Thatisshiftlessness.ThereisaplentyofsuchchairsasIlikebestinthevillagegarretstobehadfortakingthemaway.Furniture!ThankGod,IcansitandIcanstandwithouttheaidofafurniturewarehouse.Whatmanbutaphilosopherwouldnotbeashamedtoseehisfurniturepackedinacartandgoingupcountryexposedtothelightofheavenandtheeyesofmen,abeggarlyaccountofemptyboxes?ThatisSpaulding’sfurniture.Icouldnevertellfrominspectingsuchaloadwhetheritbelongedtoasocalledrichmanorapooronetheowneralwaysseemedpoverty-stricken.Indeed,themoreyouhaveofsuchthingsthepooreryouare.Eachloadlooksasifitcontainedthecontentsofadozenshantiesandifoneshantyispoor,thisisadozentimesaspoor.Pray,forwhatdowemoveeverbuttogetridofourfurniture,ourexuvi?atlasttogofromthisworldtoanothernewlyfurnished,andleavethistobeburned?Itisthesameasifallthesetrapswerebuckledtoaman’sbelt,andhecouldnotmoveovertheroughcountrywhereourlinesarecastwithoutdraggingthem,—dragginghistrap.Hewasaluckyfoxthatlefthistailinthetrap.Themuskratwillgnawhisthirdlegofftobefree.Nowondermanhaslosthiselasticity.Howoftenheisatadeadset!“Sir,ifImaybesobold,whatdoyoumeanbyadeadset?”Ifyouareaseer,wheneveryoumeetamanyouwillseeallthatheowns,ay,andmuchthathepretendstodisown,behindhim,eventohiskitchenfurnitureandallthetrumperywhichhesavesandwillnotburn,andhewillappeartobeharnessedtoitandmakingwhatheadwayhecan.Ithinkthatthemanisatadeadsetwhohasgotthroughaknotholeorgatewaywherehissledgeloadoffurniturecannotfollowhim.IcannotbutfeelcompassionwhenIhearsometrig,compact-lookingman,seeminglyfree,allgirdedandready,speakofhis“furniture,”aswhetheritisinsuredornot.“ButwhatshallIdowithmyfurniture?”Mygaybutterflyisentangledinaspider’swebthen.Eventhosewhoseemforalongwhilenottohaveany,ifyouinquiremorenarrowlyyouwillfindhavesomestoredinsomebody’sbarn.IlookuponEnglandto-dayasanoldgentlemanwhoistravellingwithagreatdealofbaggage,trumperywhichhasaccumulatedfromlonghousekeeping,whichhehasnotthecouragetoburngreattrunk,littletrunk,bandboxandbundle.Throwawaythefirstthreeatleast.Itwouldsurpassthepowersofawellmannowadaystotakeuphisbedandwalk,andIshouldcertainlyadviseasickonetolaydownhisbedandrun.WhenIhavemetanimmigranttotteringunderabundlewhichcontainedhisall—lookinglikeanenormouswenwhichhadgrownoutofthenapeofhisneck—Ihavepitiedhim,notbecausethatwashisall,butbecausehehadallthattocarry.IfIhavegottodragmytrap,Iwilltakecarethatitbealightoneanddonotnipmeinavitalpart.Butperchanceitwouldbewisestnevertoputone’spawintoit.
Iwouldobserve,bytheway,thatitcostsmenothingforcurtains,forIhavenogazerstoshutoutbutthesunandmoon,andIamwillingthattheyshouldlookin.Themoonwillnotsourmilknortaintmeatofmine,norwillthesuninjuremyfurnitureorfademycarpet,andifheissometimestoowarmafriend,Ifinditstillbettereconomytoretreatbehindsomecurtainwhichnaturehasprovided,thantoaddasingleitemtothedetailsofhousekeeping.Aladyonceofferedmeamat,butasIhadnoroomtosparewithinthehouse,nortimetosparewithinorwithouttoshakeit,Ideclinedit,preferringtowipemyfeetonthesodbeforemydoor.Itisbesttoavoidthebeginningsofevil.
NotlongsinceIwaspresentattheauctionofadeacon’seffects,forhislifehadnotbeenineffectual:—
“Theevilthatmendolivesafterthem.”
Asusual,agreatproportionwastrumperywhichhadbeguntoaccumulateinhisfather’sday.Amongtherestwasadriedtapeworm.Andnow,afterlyinghalfacenturyinhisgarretandotherdustholes,thesethingswerenotburnedinsteadofabonfire,orpurifyingdestructionofthem,therewasanauction,orincreasingofthem.Theneighborseagerlycollectedtoviewthem,boughtthemall,andcarefullytransportedthemtotheirgarretsanddustholes,tolietheretilltheirestatesaresettled,whentheywillstartagain.Whenamandieshekicksthedust.
Thecustomsofsomesavagenationsmight,perchance,beprofitablyimitatedbyus,fortheyatleastgothroughthesemblanceofcastingtheirsloughannuallytheyhavetheideaofthething,whethertheyhavetherealityornot.Woulditnotbewellifweweretocelebratesucha“busk,”or“feastoffirstfruits,”asBartramdescribestohavebeenthecustomoftheMucclasseIndians?“Whenatowncelebratesthebusk,”sayshe,“havingpreviouslyprovidedthemselveswithnewclothes,newpots,pans,andotherhouseholdutensilsandfurniture,theycollectalltheirwornoutclothesandotherdespicablethings,sweepandcleansetheirhouses,squares,andthewholetownoftheirfilth,whichwithalltheremaininggrainandotheroldprovisionstheycasttogetherintoonecommonheap,andconsumeitwithfire.Afterhavingtakenmedicine,andfastedforthreedays,allthefireinthetownisextinguished.Duringthisfasttheyabstainfromthegratificationofeveryappetiteandpassionwhatever.Ageneralamnestyisproclaimedallmalefactorsmayreturntotheirtown.—”
“Onthefourthmorning,thehighpriest,byrubbingdrywoodtogether,producesnewfireinthepublicsquare,fromwhenceeveryhabitationinthetownissuppliedwiththenewandpureflame.”
Theythenfeastonthenewcornandfruits,anddanceandsingforthreedays,“andthefourfollowingdaystheyreceivevisitsandrejoicewiththeirfriendsfromneighboringtownswhohaveinlikemannerpurifiedandpreparedthemselves.”
TheMexicansalsopractisedasimilarpurificationattheendofeveryfifty-twoyears,inthebeliefthatitwastimefortheworldtocometoanend.
Ihavescarcelyheardofatruersacrament,thatis,asthedictionarydefinesit,“outwardandvisiblesignofaninwardandspiritualgrace,”thanthis,andIhavenodoubtthattheywereoriginallyinspireddirectlyfromHeaventodothus,thoughtheyhavenobiblicalrecordoftherevelation.
FormorethanfiveyearsImaintainedmyselfthussolelybythelaborofmyhands,andIfound,thatbyworkingaboutsixweeksinayear,Icouldmeetalltheexpensesofliving.Thewholeofmywinters,aswellasmostofmysummers,Ihadfreeandclearforstudy.Ihavethoroughlytriedschool-keeping,andfoundthatmyexpenseswereinproportion,orratheroutofproportion,tomyincome,forIwasobligedtodressandtrain,nottosaythinkandbelieve,accordingly,andIlostmytimeintothebargain.AsIdidnotteachforthegoodofmyfellow-men,butsimplyforalivelihood,thiswasafailure.IhavetriedtradebutIfoundthatitwouldtaketenyearstogetunderwayinthat,andthatthenIshouldprobablybeonmywaytothedevil.IwasactuallyafraidthatImightbythattimebedoingwhatiscalledagoodbusiness.WhenformerlyIwaslookingabouttoseewhatIcoulddoforaliving,somesadexperienceinconformingtothewishesoffriendsbeingfreshinmymindtotaxmyingenuity,IthoughtoftenandseriouslyofpickinghuckleberriesthatsurelyIcoulddo,anditssmallprofitsmightsuffice,—formygreatestskillhasbeentowantbutlittle,—solittlecapitalitrequired,solittledistractionfrommywontedmoods,Ifoolishlythought.Whilemyacquaintanceswentunhesitatinglyintotradeortheprofessions,Icontemplatedthisoccupationasmostliketheirsrangingthehillsallsummertopicktheberrieswhichcameinmyway,andthereaftercarelesslydisposeofthemso,tokeeptheflocksofAdmetus.IalsodreamedthatImightgatherthewildherbs,orcarryevergreenstosuchvillagersaslovedtoberemindedofthewoods,eventothecity,byhay-cartloads.ButIhavesincelearnedthattradecurseseverythingithandlesandthoughyoutradeinmessagesfromheaven,thewholecurseoftradeattachestothebusiness.
AsIpreferredsomethingstoothers,andespeciallyvaluedmyfreedom,asIcouldfarehardandyetsucceedwell,Ididnotwishtospendmytimeinearningrichcarpetsorotherfinefurniture,ordelicatecookery,orahouseintheGrecianortheGothicstylejustyet.Ifthereareanytowhomitisnointerruptiontoacquirethesethings,andwhoknowhowtousethemwhenacquired,Irelinquishtothemthepursuit.Someare“industrious,”andappeartolovelaborforitsownsake,orperhapsbecauseitkeepsthemoutofworsemischieftosuchIhaveatpresentnothingtosay.Thosewhowouldnotknowwhattodowithmoreleisurethantheynowenjoy,Imightadvisetoworktwiceashardastheydo,—worktilltheypayforthemselves,andgettheirfreepapers.FormyselfIfoundthattheoccupationofaday-laborerwasthemostindependentofany,especiallyasitrequiredonlythirtyorfortydaysinayeartosupportone.Thelaborer’sdayendswiththegoingdownofthesun,andheisthenfreetodevotehimselftohischosenpursuit,independentofhislaborbuthisemployer,whospeculatesfrommonthtomonth,hasnorespitefromoneendoftheyeartotheother.
Inshort,Iamconvinced,bothbyfaithandexperience,thattomaintainone’sselfonthisearthisnotahardshipbutapastime,ifwewilllivesimplyandwiselyasthepursuitsofthesimplernationsarestillthesportsofthemoreartificial.Itisnotnecessarythatamanshouldearnhislivingbythesweatofhisbrow,unlesshesweatseasierthanIdo.
Oneyoungmanofmyacquaintance,whohasinheritedsomeacres,toldmethathethoughtheshouldliveasIdid,ifhehadthemeans.Iwouldnothaveanyoneadoptmymodeoflivingonanyaccountfor,besidethatbeforehehasfairlylearneditImayhavefoundoutanotherformyself,IdesirethattheremaybeasmanydifferentpersonsintheworldaspossiblebutIwouldhaveeachonebeverycarefultofindoutandpursuehisownway,andnothisfather’sorhismother’sorhisneighbor’sinstead.Theyouthmaybuildorplantorsail,onlylethimnotbehinderedfromdoingthatwhichhetellsmehewouldliketodo.Itisbyamathematicalpointonlythatwearewise,asthesailororthefugitiveslavekeepsthepolestarinhiseyebutthatissufficientguidanceforallourlife.Wemaynotarriveatourportwithinacalculableperiod,butwewouldpreservethetruecourse.
Undoubtedly,inthiscase,whatistrueforoneistruerstillforathousand,asalargehouseisnotproportionallymoreexpensivethanasmallone,sinceoneroofmaycover,onecellarunderlie,andonewallseparateseveralapartments.Butformypart,Ipreferredthesolitarydwelling.Moreover,itwillcommonlybecheapertobuildthewholeyourselfthantoconvinceanotheroftheadvantageofthecommonwallandwhenyouhavedonethis,thecommonpartition,tobemuchcheaper,mustbeathinone,andthatothermayproveabadneighbor,andalsonotkeephissideinrepair.Theonlyco?perationwhichiscommonlypossibleisexceedinglypartialandsuperficialandwhatlittletrueco?perationthereis,isasifitwerenot,beingaharmonyinaudibletomen.Ifamanhasfaith,hewillco?peratewithequalfaitheverywhereifhehasnotfaith,hewillcontinuetoliveliketherestoftheworld,whatevercompanyheisjoinedto.Toco?perate,inthehighestaswellasthelowestsense,meanstogetourlivingtogether.Ihearditproposedlatelythattwoyoungmenshouldtraveltogetherovertheworld,theonewithoutmoney,earninghismeansashewent,beforethemastandbehindtheplow,theothercarryingabillofexchangeinhispocket.Itwaseasytoseethattheycouldnotlongbecompanionsorco?perate,sinceonewouldnotoperateatall.Theywouldpartatthefirstinterestingcrisisintheiradventures.Aboveall,asIhaveimplied,themanwhogoesalonecanstartto-daybuthewhotravelswithanothermustwaittillthatotherisready,anditmaybealongtimebeforetheygetoff.
Butallthisisveryselfish,Ihaveheardsomeofmytownsmensay.IconfessthatIhavehithertoindulgedverylittleinphilanthropicenterprises.Ihavemadesomesacrificestoasense