frequentednooksandcornersofthefarmthoughIdidnotalwaysknowwhetherJonasorSolomonworkedinaparticularfieldto-daythatwasnoneofmybusiness.Ihavewateredtheredhuckleberry,thesandcherryandthenettletree,theredpineandtheblackash,thewhitegrapeandtheyellowviolet,whichmighthavewitheredelseindryseasons.
Inshort,Iwentonthusforalongtime,Imaysayitwithoutboasting,faithfullymindingmybusiness,tillitbecamemoreandmoreevidentthatmytownsmenwouldnotafteralladmitmeintothelistoftownofficers,normakemyplaceasinecurewithamoderateallowance.Myaccounts,whichIcansweartohavekeptfaithfully,Ihave,indeed,nevergotaudited,stilllessaccepted,stilllesspaidandsettled.However,Ihavenotsetmyheartonthat.
Notlongsince,astrollingIndianwenttosellbasketsatthehouseofawell-knownlawyerinmyneighborhood.“Doyouwishtobuyanybaskets?”heasked.“No,wedonotwantany,”wasthereply.“What!”exclaimedtheIndianashewentoutthegate,“doyoumeantostarveus?”Havingseenhisindustriouswhiteneighborssowelloff,—thatthelawyerhadonlytoweavearguments,andbysomemagic,wealthandstandingfollowed,hehadsaidtohimselfIwillgointobusinessIwillweavebasketsitisathingwhichIcando.Thinkingthatwhenhehadmadethebasketshewouldhavedonehispart,andthenitwouldbethewhiteman’stobuythem.Hehadnotdiscoveredthatitwasnecessaryforhimtomakeitworththeother’swhiletobuythem,oratleastmakehimthinkthatitwasso,ortomakesomethingelsewhichitwouldbeworthhiswhiletobuy.Itoohadwovenakindofbasketofadelicatetexture,butIhadnotmadeitworthanyone’swhiletobuythem.Yetnottheless,inmycase,didIthinkitworthmywhiletoweavethem,andinsteadofstudyinghowtomakeitworthmen’swhiletobuymybaskets,Istudiedratherhowtoavoidthenecessityofsellingthem.Thelifewhichmenpraiseandregardassuccessfulisbutonekind.Whyshouldweexaggerateanyonekindattheexpenseoftheothers?
Findingthatmyfellow-citizenswerenotlikelytooffermeanyroominthecourthouse,oranycuracyorlivinganywhereelse,butImustshiftformyself,Iturnedmyfacemoreexclusivelythanevertothewoods,whereIwasbetterknown.Ideterminedtogointobusinessatonce,andnotwaittoacquiretheusualcapital,usingsuchslendermeansasIhadalreadygot.MypurposeingoingtoWaldenPondwasnottolivecheaplynortolivedearlythere,buttotransactsomeprivatebusinesswiththefewestobstaclestobehinderedfromaccomplishingwhichforwantofalittlecommonsense,alittleenterpriseandbusinesstalent,appearednotsosadasfoolish.
Ihavealwaysendeavoredtoacquirestrictbusinesshabitstheyareindispensabletoeveryman.IfyourtradeiswiththeCelestialEmpire,thensomesmallcountinghouseonthecoast,insomeSalemharbor,willbefixtureenough.Youwillexportsucharticlesasthecountryaffords,purelynativeproducts,muchiceandpinetimberandalittlegranite,alwaysinnativebottoms.Thesewillbegoodventures.Tooverseeallthedetailsyourselfinpersontobeatoncepilotandcaptain,andownerandunderwritertobuyandsellandkeeptheaccountstoreadeveryletterreceived,andwriteorreadeverylettersenttosuperintendthedischargeofimportsnightanddaytobeuponmanypartsofthecoastalmostatthesametime—oftentherichestfreightwillbedischargeduponaJerseyshore—tobeyourowntelegraph,unweariedlysweepingthehorizon,speakingallpassingvesselsboundcoastwisetokeepupasteadydespatchofcommodities,forthesupplyofsuchadistantandexorbitantmarkettokeepyourselfinformedofthestateofthemarkets,prospectsofwarandpeaceeverywhere,andanticipatethetendenciesoftradeandcivilization,—takingadvantageoftheresultsofallexploringexpeditions,usingnewpassagesandallimprovementsinnavigation—chartstobestudied,thepositionofreefsandnewlightsandbuoystobeascertained,andever,andever,thelogarithmictablestobecorrected,forbytheerrorofsomecalculatorthevesseloftensplitsuponarockthatshouldhavereachedafriendlypier,—thereistheuntoldfateofLaPerouse—universalsciencetobekeptpacewith,studyingthelivesofallgreatdiscoverersandnavigators,greatadventurersandmerchants,fromHannoandthePh?niciansdowntoourdayinfine,accountofstocktobetakenfromtimetotime,toknowhowyoustand.Itisalabortotaskthefacultiesofaman,—suchproblemsofprofitandloss,ofinterest,oftareandtret,andgaugingofallkindsinit,asdemandauniversalknowledge.
IhavethoughtthatWaldenPondwouldbeagoodplaceforbusiness,notsolelyonaccountoftherailroadandtheicetradeitoffersadvantageswhichitmaynotbegoodpolicytodivulgeitisagoodportandagoodfoundation.NoNevamarshestobefilledthoughyoumusteverywherebuildonpilesofyourowndriving.Itissaidthataflood-tide,withawesterlywind,andiceintheNeva,wouldsweepSt.Petersburgfromthefaceoftheearth.
Asthisbusinesswastobeenteredintowithouttheusualcapital,itmaynotbeeasytoconjecturewherethosemeans,thatwillstillbeindispensabletoeverysuchundertaking,weretobeobtained.AsforClothing,tocomeatoncetothepracticalpartofthequestion,perhapsweareledoftenerbytheloveofnovelty,andaregardfortheopinionsofmen,inprocuringit,thanbyatrueutility.Lethimwhohasworktodorecollectthattheobjectofclothingis,first,toretainthevitalheat,andsecondly,inthisstateofsociety,tocovernakedness,andhemayjudgehowmuchofanynecessaryorimportantworkmaybeaccomplishedwithoutaddingtohiswardrobe.Kingsandqueenswhowearasuitbutonce,thoughmadebysometailorordressmakertotheirmajesties,cannotknowthecomfortofwearingasuitthatfits.Theyarenobetterthanwoodenhorsestohangthecleanclotheson.Everydayourgarmentsbecomemoreassimilatedtoourselves,receivingtheimpressofthewearer’scharacter,untilwehesitatetolaythemaside,withoutsuchdelayandmedicalappliancesandsomesuchsolemnityevenasourbodies.NomaneverstoodthelowerinmyestimationforhavingapatchinhisclothesyetIamsurethatthereisgreateranxiety,commonly,tohavefashionable,oratleastcleanandunpatchedclothes,thantohaveasoundconscience.Buteveniftherentisnotmended,perhapstheworstvicebetrayedisimprovidence.Isometimestrymyacquaintancesbysuchtestsasthis—whocouldwearapatch,ortwoextraseamsonly,overtheknee?Mostbehaveasiftheybelievedthattheirprospectsforlifewouldberuinediftheyshoulddoit.Itwouldbeeasierforthemtohobbletotownwithabrokenlegthanwithabrokenpantaloon.Oftenifanaccidenthappenstoagentleman’slegs,theycanbemendedbutifasimilaraccidenthappenstothelegsofhispantaloons,thereisnohelpforitforheconsiders,notwhatistrulyrespectable,butwhatisrespected.Weknowbutfewmen,agreatmanycoatsandbreeches.Dressascarecrowinyourlastshift,youstandingshiftlessby,whowouldnotsoonestsalutethescarecrow?Passingacornfieldtheotherday,closebyahatandcoatonastake,Irecognizedtheownerofthefarm.Hewasonlyalittlemoreweather-beatenthanwhenIsawhimlast.Ihaveheardofadogthatbarkedateverystrangerwhoapproachedhismaster’spremiseswithclotheson,butwaseasilyquietedbyanakedthief.Itisaninterestingquestionhowfarmenwouldretaintheirrelativerankiftheyweredivestedoftheirclothes.Couldyou,insuchacase,tellsurelyofanycompanyofcivilizedmen,whichbelongedtothemostrespectedclass?WhenMadamPfeiffer,inheradventuroustravelsroundtheworld,fromeasttowest,hadgotsonearhomeasAsiaticRussia,shesaysthatshefeltthenecessityofwearingotherthanatravellingdress,whenshewenttomeettheauthorities,forshe“wasnowinacivilizedcountry,where———peoplearejudgedofbytheirclothes.”EveninourdemocraticNewEnglandtownstheaccidentalpossessionofwealth,anditsmanifestationindressandequipagealone,obtainforthepossessoralmostuniversalrespect.Buttheyyieldsuchrespect,numerousastheyare,aresofarheathen,andneedtohaveamissionarysenttothem.Beside,clothesintroducedsewing,akindofworkwhichyoumaycallendlessawoman’sdress,atleast,isneverdone.
Amanwhohasatlengthfoundsomethingtodowillnotneedtogetanewsuittodoitinforhimtheoldwilldo,thathaslaindustyinthegarretforanindeterminateperiod.Oldshoeswillserveaherolongerthantheyhaveservedhisvalet,—ifaheroeverhasavalet,—barefeetareolderthanshoes,andhecanmakethemdo.Onlytheywhogotosoiréesandlegislativehallsmusthavenewcoats,coatstochangeasoftenasthemanchangesinthem.Butifmyjacketandtrousers,myhatandshoes,arefittoworshipGodin,theywilldowilltheynot?Whoeversawhisoldclothes,—hisoldcoat,actuallywornout,resolvedintoitsprimitiveelements,sothatitwasnotadeedofcharitytobestowitonsomepoorboy,byhimperchancetobebestowedonsomepoorerstill,orshallwesayricher,whocoulddowithless?Isay,bewareofallenterprisesthatrequirenewclothes,andnotratheranewwearerofclothes.Ifthereisnotanewman,howcanthenewclothesbemadetofit?Ifyouhaveanyenterprisebeforeyou,tryitinyouroldclothes.Allmenwant,notsomethingtodowith,butsomethingtodo,orrathersomethingtobe.Perhapsweshouldneverprocureanewsuit,howeverraggedordirtytheold,untilwehavesoconducted,soenterprisedorsailedinsomeway,thatwefeellikenewmenintheold,andthattoretainitwouldbelikekeepingnewwineinoldbottles.Ourmoultingseason,likethatofthefowls,mustbeacrisisinourlives.Theloonretirestosolitarypondstospendit.Thusalsothesnakecastsitsslough,andthecaterpillaritswormycoat,byaninternalindustryandexpansionforclothesarebutouroutmostcuticleandmortalcoil.Otherwiseweshallbefoundsailingunderfalsecolors,andbeinevitablycashieredatlastbyourownopinion,aswellasthatofmankind.
Wedongarmentaftergarment,asifwegrewlikeexogenousplantsbyadditionwithout.Ouroutsideandoftenthinandfancifulclothesareourepidermis,orfalseskin,whichpartakesnotofourlife,andmaybestrippedoffhereandtherewithoutfatalinjuryourthickergarments,constantlyworn,areourcellularintegument,orcortexbutourshirtsareourliberortruebark,whichcannotberemovedwithoutgirdlingandsodestroyingtheman.Ibelievethatallracesatsomeseasonswearsomethingequivalenttotheshirt.Itisdesirablethatamanbecladsosimplythathecanlayhishandsonhimselfinthedark,andthatheliveinallrespectssocompactlyandpreparedly,that,ifanenemytakethetown,hecan,liketheoldphilosopher,walkoutthegateempty-handedwithoutanxiety.Whileonethickgarmentis,formostpurposes,asgoodasthreethinones,andcheapclothingcanbeobtainedatpricesreallytosuitcustomerswhileathickcoatcanbeboughtforfivedollars,whichwilllastasmanyyears,thickpantaloonsfortwodollars,cowhidebootsforadollarandahalfapair,asummerhatforaquarterofadollar,andawintercapforsixty-twoandahalfcents,orabetterbemadeathomeatanominalcost,whereishesopoorthat,cladinsuchasuit,ofhisownearning,therewillnotbefoundwisementodohimreverence?
WhenIaskforagarmentofaparticularform,mytailoresstellsmegravely,“Theydonotmakethemsonow,”notemphasizingthe“They”atall,asifshequotedanauthorityasimpersonalastheFates,andIfinditdifficulttogetmadewhatIwant,simplybecauseshecannotbelievethatImeanwhatIsay,thatIamsorash.WhenIhearthisoracularsentence,Iamforamomentabsorbedinthought,emphasizingtomyselfeachwordseparatelythatImaycomeatthemeaningofit,thatImayfindoutbywhatdegreeofconsanguinityTheyarerelatedtome,andwhatauthoritytheymayhaveinanaffairwhichaffectsmesonearlyand,finally,Iaminclinedtoanswerherwithequalmystery,andwithoutanymoreemphasisofthe“they,”—“Itistrue,theydidnotmakethemsorecently,buttheydonow.”Ofwhatusethismeasuringofmeifshedoesnotmeasuremycharacter,butonlythebreadthofmyshoulders,asitwereapegtohangthecoaton?WeworshipnottheGraces,northeParc?,butFashion.Shespinsandweavesandcutswithfullauthority.TheheadmonkeyatParisputsonatraveller’scap,andallthemonkeysinAmericadothesame.Isometimesdespairofgettinganythingquitesimpleandhonestdoneinthisworldbythehelpofmen.Theywouldhavetobepassedthroughapowerfulpressfirst,tosqueezetheiroldnotionsoutofthem,sothattheywouldnotsoongetupontheirlegsagain,andthentherewouldbesomeoneinthecompanywithamaggotinhishead,hatchedfromaneggdepositedtherenobodyknowswhen,fornotevenfirekillsthesethings,andyouwouldhavelostyourlabor.Nevertheless,wewillnotforgetthatsomeEgyptianwheatwashandeddowntousbyamummy.
Onthewhole,Ithinkthatitcannotbemaintainedthatdressinghasinthisoranycountryrisentothedignityofanart.Atpresentmenmakeshifttowearwhattheycanget.Likeshipwreckedsailors,theyputonwhattheycanfindonthebeach,andatalittledistance,whetherofspaceortime,laughateachother’smasquerade.Everygenerationlaughsattheoldfashions,butfollowsreligiouslythenew.Weareamused