hMinervamade,thatshe“hadnotmadeitmovable,bywhichmeansabadneighborhoodmightbeavoided”anditmaystillbeurged,forourhousesaresuchunwieldypropertythatweareoftenimprisonedratherthanhousedinthemandthebadneighborhoodtobeavoidedisourownscurvyselves.Iknowoneortwofamilies,atleast,inthistown,who,fornearlyageneration,havebeenwishingtoselltheirhousesintheoutskirtsandmoveintothevillage,buthavenotbeenabletoaccomplishit,andonlydeathwillsetthemfree.
Grantedthatthemajorityareableatlasteithertoownorhirethemodernhousewithallitsimprovements.Whilecivilizationhasbeenimprovingourhouses,ithasnotequallyimprovedthemenwhoaretoinhabitthem.Ithascreatedpalaces,butitwasnotsoeasytocreatenoblemenandkings.Andifthecivilizedman’spursuitsarenoworthierthanthesavage’s,ifheisemployedthegreaterpartofhislifeinobtaininggrossnecessariesandcomfortsmerely,whyshouldhehaveabetterdwellingthantheformer?
Buthowdothepoorminorityfare?Perhapsitwillbefound,thatjustinproportionassomehavebeenplacedinoutwardcircumstancesabovethesavage,othershavebeendegradedbelowhim.Theluxuryofoneclassiscounterbalancedbytheindigenceofanother.Ontheonesideisthepalace,ontheotherarethealmshouseand“silentpoor.”ThemyriadswhobuiltthepyramidstobethetombsofthePharaohswerefedongarlic,anditmaybewerenotdecentlyburiedthemselves.Themasonwhofinishesthecorniceofthepalacereturnsatnightperchancetoahutnotsogoodasawigwam.Itisamistaketosupposethat,inacountrywheretheusualevidencesofcivilizationexist,theconditionofaverylargebodyoftheinhabitantsmaynotbeasdegradedasthatofsavages.Irefertothedegradedpoor,notnowtothedegradedrich.ToknowthisIshouldnotneedtolookfartherthantotheshantieswhicheverywhereborderourrailroads,thatlastimprovementincivilizationwhereIseeinmydailywalkshumanbeingslivinginsties,andallwinterwithanopendoor,forthesakeoflight,withoutanyvisible,oftenimaginable,woodpile,andtheformsofbotholdandyoungarepermanentlycontractedbythelonghabitofshrinkingfromcoldandmisery,andthedevelopmentofalltheirlimbsandfacultiesischecked.Itcertainlyisfairtolookatthatclassbywhoselabortheworkswhichdistinguishthisgenerationareaccomplished.Suchtoo,toagreaterorlessextent,istheconditionoftheoperativesofeverydenominationinEngland,whichisthegreatworkhouseoftheworld.OrIcouldreferyoutoIreland,whichismarkedasoneofthewhiteorenlightenedspotsonthemap.ContrastthephysicalconditionoftheIrishwiththatoftheNorthAmericanIndian,ortheSouthSeaIslander,oranyothersavageracebeforeitwasdegradedbycontactwiththecivilizedman.YetIhavenodoubtthatthatpeople’srulersareaswiseastheaverageofcivilizedrulers.Theirconditiononlyproveswhatsqualidnessmayconsistwithcivilization.IhardlyneedrefernowtothelaborersinourSouthernStateswhoproducethestapleexportsofthiscountry,andarethemselvesastapleproductionoftheSouth.Buttoconfinemyselftothosewhoaresaidtobeinmoderatecircumstances.
Mostmenappearnevertohaveconsideredwhatahouseis,andareactuallythoughneedlesslypooralltheirlivesbecausetheythinkthattheymusthavesuchaoneastheirneighborshave.Asifoneweretowearanysortofcoatwhichthetailormightcutoutforhim,or,graduallyleavingoffpalmleafhatorcapofwoodchuckskin,complainofhardtimesbecausehecouldnotaffordtobuyhimacrown!Itispossibletoinventahousestillmoreconvenientandluxuriousthanwehave,whichyetallwouldadmitthatmancouldnotaffordtopayfor.Shallwealwaysstudytoobtainmoreofthesethings,andnotsometimestobecontentwithless?Shalltherespectablecitizenthusgravelyteach,bypreceptandexample,thenecessityoftheyoungman’sprovidingacertainnumberofsuperfluousglow-shoes,andumbrellas,andemptyguestchambersforemptyguests,beforehedies?WhyshouldnotourfurniturebeassimpleastheArab’sortheIndian’s?WhenIthinkofthebenefactorsoftherace,whomwehaveapotheosizedasmessengersfromheaven,bearersofdivinegiftstoman,Idonotseeinmymindanyretinueattheirheels,anycar-loadoffashionablefurniture.OrwhatifIweretoallow—woulditnotbeasingularallowance?—thatourfurnitureshouldbemorecomplexthantheArab’s,inproportionaswearemorallyandintellectuallyhissuperiors!Atpresentourhousesareclutteredanddefiledwithit,andagoodhousewifewouldsweepoutthegreaterpartintothedusthole,andnotleavehermorning’sworkundone.Morningwork!BytheblushesofAuroraandthemusicofMemnon,whatshouldbeman’smorningworkinthisworld?Ihadthreepiecesoflimestoneonmydesk,butIwasterrifiedtofindthattheyrequiredtobedusteddaily,whenthefurnitureofmymindwasallundustedstill,andIthrewthemoutthewindowindisgust.How,then,couldIhaveafurnishedhouse?Iwouldrathersitintheopenair,fornodustgathersonthegrass,unlesswheremanhasbrokenground.
Itistheluxuriousanddissipatedwhosetthefashionswhichtheherdsodiligentlyfollow.Thetravellerwhostopsatthebesthouses,socalled,soondiscoversthis,forthepublicanspresumehimtobeaSardanapalus,andifheresignedhimselftotheirtendermercieshewouldsoonbecompletelyemasculated.Ithinkthatintherailroadcarweareinclinedtospendmoreonluxurythanonsafetyandconvenience,anditthreatenswithoutattainingthesetobecomenobetterthanamoderndrawingroom,withitsdivans,andottomans,andsun-shades,andahundredotherorientalthings,whichwearetakingwestwithus,inventedfortheladiesoftheharemandtheeffeminatenativesoftheCelestialEmpire,whichJonathanshouldbeashamedtoknowthenamesof.Iwouldrathersitonapumpkinandhaveitalltomyselfthanbecrowdedonavelvetcushion.Iwouldratherrideonearthinanoxcartwithafreecirculation,thangotoheaveninthefancycarofanexcursiontrainandbreatheamalariaalltheway.
Theverysimplicityandnakednessofman’slifeintheprimitiveagesimplythisadvantageatleast,thattheylefthimstillbutasojournerinnature.Whenhewasrefreshedwithfoodandsleephecontemplatedhisjourneyagain.Hedwelt,asitwere,inatentinthisworld,andwaseitherthreadingthevalleys,orcrossingtheplains,orclimbingthemountaintops.Butlo!menhavebecomethetoolsoftheirtools.Themanwhoindependentlypluckedthefruitswhenhewashungryisbecomeafarmerandhewhostoodunderatreeforshelter,ahousekeeper.Wenownolongercampasforanight,buthavesettleddownonearthandforgottenheaven.WehaveadoptedChristianitymerelyasanimprovedmethodofagri-culture.Wehavebuiltforthisworldafamilymansion,andforthenextafamilytomb.Thebestworksofartaretheexpressionofman’sstruggletofreehimselffromthiscondition,buttheeffectofourartismerelytomakethislowstatecomfortableandthathigherstatetobeforgotten.Thereisactuallynoplaceinthisvillageforaworkoffineart,ifanyhadcomedowntous,tostand,forourlives,ourhousesandstreets,furnishnoproperpedestalforit.Thereisnotanailtohangapictureon,norashelftoreceivethebustofaheroorasaint.WhenIconsiderhowourhousesarebuiltandpaidfor,ornotpaidfor,andtheirinternaleconomymanagedandsustained,Iwonderthatthefloordoesnotgivewayunderthevisitorwhileheisadmiringthegewgawsuponthemantel-piece,andlethimthroughintothecellar,tosomesolidandhonestthoughearthyfoundation.Icannotbutperceivethatthissocalledrichandrefinedlifeisathingjumpedat,andIdonotgetonintheenjoymentofthefineartswhichadornit,myattentionbeingwhollyoccupiedwiththejumpforIrememberthatthegreatestgenuineleap,duetohumanmusclesalone,onrecord,isthatofcertainwanderingArabs,whoaresaidtohaveclearedtwenty-fivefeetonlevelground.Withoutfactitioussupport,manissuretocometoearthagainbeyondthatdistance.ThefirstquestionwhichIamtemptedtoputtotheproprietorofsuchgreatimproprietyis,Whobolstersyou?Areyouoneoftheninety-sevenwhofail,orofthethreewhosucceed?Answermethesequestions,andthenperhapsImaylookatyourbawblesandfindthemornamental.Thecartbeforethehorseisneitherbeautifulnoruseful.Beforewecanadornourhouseswithbeautifulobjectsthewallsmustbestripped,andourlivesmustbestripped,andbeautifulhousekeepingandbeautifullivingbelaidforafoundation:now,atasteforthebeautifulismostcultivatedoutofdoors,wherethereisnohouseandnohousekeeper.
OldJohnson,inhis“Wonder-WorkingProvidence,”speakingofthefirstsettlersofthistown,withwhomhewascontemporary,tellsusthat“theyburrowthemselvesintheearthfortheirfirstshelterundersomehillside,and,castingthesoilaloftupontimber,theymakeasmokyfireagainsttheearth,atthehighestside.”Theydidnot“providethemhouses,”sayshe,“tilltheearth,bytheLord’sblessing,broughtforthbreadtofeedthem,”andthefirstyear’scropwassolightthat“theywereforcedtocuttheirbreadverythinforalongseason.”ThesecretaryoftheProvinceofNewNetherland,writinginDutch,in1650,fortheinformationofthosewhowishedtotakeuplandthere,statesmoreparticularlythat“thoseinNewNetherland,andespeciallyinNewEngland,whohavenomeanstobuildfarmhousesatfirstaccordingtotheirwishes,digasquarepitintheground,cellarfashion,sixorsevenfeetdeep,aslongandasbroadastheythinkproper,casetheearthinsidewithwoodallroundthewall,andlinethewoodwiththebarkoftreesorsomethingelsetopreventthecavinginoftheearthfloorthiscellarwithplank,andwainscotitoverheadforaceiling,raisearoofofsparsclearup,andcoverthesparswithbarkorgreensods,sothattheycanlivedryandwarminthesehouseswiththeirentirefamiliesfortwo,three,andfouryears,itbeingunderstoodthatpartitionsarerunthroughthosecellarswhichareadaptedtothesizeofthefamily.ThewealthyandprincipalmeninNewEngland,inthebeginningofthecolonies,commencedtheirfirstdwellinghousesinthisfashionfortworeasonsfirstly,inordernottowastetimeinbuilding,andnottowantfoodthenextseasonsecondly,inordernottodiscouragepoorlaboringpeoplewhomtheybroughtoverinnumbersfromFatherland.Inthecourseofthreeorfouryears,whenthecountrybecameadaptedtoagriculture,theybuiltthemselveshandsomehouses,spendingonthemseveralthousands.”
Inthiscoursewhichourancestorstooktherewasashowofprudenceatleast,asiftheirprincipleweretosatisfythemorepressingwantsfirst.Butarethemorepressingwantssatisfiednow?WhenIthinkofacquiringformyselfoneofourluxuriousdwellings,Iamdeterred,for,sotospeak,thecountryisnotyetadaptedtohumanculture,andwearestillforcedtocutourspiritualbreadfarthinnerthanourforefathersdidtheirwheaten.Notthatallarchitecturalornamentistobeneglectedevenintherudestperiodsbutletourhousesfirstbelinedwithbeauty,wheretheycomeincontactwithourlives,likethetenementoftheshellfish,andnotoverlaidwithit.But,alas!Ihavebeeninsideoneortwoofthem,andknowwhattheyarelinedwith.
Thoughwearenotsodegeneratebutthatwemightpossiblyliveinacaveorawigwamorwearskinstoday,itcertainlyisbettertoaccepttheadvantages,thoughsodearlybought,whichtheinventionandindustryofmankindoffer.Insuchaneighborhoodasthis,boardsandshingles,limeandbricks,arecheaperandmoreeasilyobtainedthansuitablecaves,orwholelogs,orbarkinsufficientquantities,orevenwell-temperedclayorflatstones.Ispeakunderstandinglyonthissubject,forIhavemademyselfacquaintedwithitboththeoreticallyandpractically.Withalittlemorewitwemightusethesematerialssoastobecomericherthantherichestnoware,andmakeourcivilizationablessing.Thecivilizedmanisamoreexperiencedandwisersavage.Buttomakehastetomyownexperiment.
NeartheendofMarch,1845,IborrowedanaxeandwentdowntothewoodsbyWaldenPond,nearesttowhereIintendedtobuildmyhouse,andbegantocutdownsometall,arrowywhitepines,stillintheiryouth,fortimber.Itisdifficulttobeginwithoutborrowing,butperhapsitisthemostgenerouscoursethustopermityourfellow-mentohaveaninterestinyourenterprise.Theowneroftheaxe,ashereleasedhisholdonit,saidthatitwastheappleofhiseyebutIreturneditsharperthanIreceivedit.ItwasapleasanthillsidewhereIworked,coveredwithpinewoods,throughwhichIlookedoutonthepond,andasmallopenfieldinthewoodswherepinesandhickorieswerespringingup.Theiceinthepondwasnotyetdissolved,thoughthereweresomeopenspaces,anditwasalldarkcoloredandsaturatedwithwater.ThereweresomeslightflurriesofsnowduringthedaysthatIworkedtherebutforthemostpartwhenIcameoutontotherailroad,onmywayhome,itsyellowsandheapstretchedawaygleaminginthehazyatmosphere,andtherailsshoneinthespringsun,andIheardthelarkandpeweeandotherbirdsalreadycometocommenceanotheryearwithus.Theywerepleasantspringdays,inwhichthewinterofman’sdi