Economy

    on,................0.15 Nails,...........................3.90 Hingesandscrews,...............0.14 Latch,...........................0.10 Chalk,...........................0.01 Transportation,..................1.40Icarriedagoodpart ————onmyback. Inall,.....................$28.12? Theseareallthematerialsexceptingthetimberstonesandsand,whichIclaimedbysquatter’sright.Ihavealsoasmallwood-shedadjoining,madechieflyofthestuffwhichwasleftafterbuildingthehouse. IintendtobuildmeahousewhichwillsurpassanyonthemainstreetinConcordingrandeurandluxury,assoonasitpleasesmeasmuchandwillcostmenomorethanmypresentone. Ithusfoundthatthestudentwhowishesforasheltercanobtainoneforalifetimeatanexpensenotgreaterthantherentwhichhenowpaysannually.IfIseemtoboastmorethanisbecoming,myexcuseisthatIbragforhumanityratherthanformyselfandmyshortcomingsandinconsistenciesdonotaffectthetruthofmystatement.Notwithstandingmuchcantandhypocrisy,—chaffwhichIfinditdifficulttoseparatefrommywheat,butforwhichIamassorryasanyman,—Iwillbreathefreelyandstretchmyselfinthisrespect,itissucharelieftoboththemoralandphysicalsystemandIamresolvedthatIwillnotthroughhumilitybecomethedevil’sattorney.Iwillendeavortospeakagoodwordforthetruth.AtCambridgeCollegethemererentofastudent’sroom,whichisonlyalittlelargerthanmyown,isthirtydollarseachyear,thoughthecorporationhadtheadvantageofbuildingthirty-twosidebysideandunderoneroof,andtheoccupantsufferstheinconvenienceofmanyandnoisyneighbors,andperhapsaresidenceinthefourthstory.Icannotbutthinkthatifwehadmoretruewisdomintheserespects,notonlylesseducationwouldbeneeded,because,forsooth,morewouldalreadyhavebeenacquired,butthepecuniaryexpenseofgettinganeducationwouldinagreatmeasurevanish.ThoseconvenienceswhichthestudentrequiresatCambridgeorelsewherecosthimorsomebodyelsetentimesasgreatasacrificeoflifeastheywouldwithpropermanagementonbothsides.Thosethingsforwhichthemostmoneyisdemandedareneverthethingswhichthestudentmostwants.Tuition,forinstance,isanimportantiteminthetermbill,whileforthefarmorevaluableeducationwhichhegetsbyassociatingwiththemostcultivatedofhiscontemporariesnochargeismade.Themodeoffoundingacollegeis,commonly,togetupasubscriptionofdollarsandcents,andthenfollowingblindlytheprinciplesofadivisionoflabortoitsextreme,aprinciplewhichshouldneverbefollowedbutwithcircumspection,—tocallinacontractorwhomakesthisasubjectofspeculation,andheemploysIrishmenorotheroperativesactuallytolaythefoundations,whilethestudentsthataretobearesaidtobefittingthemselvesforitandfortheseoversightssuccessivegenerationshavetopay.Ithinkthatitwouldbebetterthanthis,forthestudents,orthosewhodesiretobebenefitedbyit,eventolaythefoundationthemselves.Thestudentwhosecureshiscovetedleisureandretirementbysystematicallyshirkinganylabornecessarytomanobtainsbutanignobleandunprofitableleisure,defraudinghimselfoftheexperiencewhichalonecanmakeleisurefruitful.“But,”saysone,“youdonotmeanthatthestudentsshouldgotoworkwiththeirhandsinsteadoftheirheads?”Idonotmeanthatexactly,butImeansomethingwhichhemightthinkagooddeallikethatImeanthattheyshouldnotplaylife,orstudyitmerely,whilethecommunitysupportsthematthisexpensivegame,butearnestlyliveitfrombeginningtoend.Howcouldyouthsbetterlearntolivethanbyatoncetryingtheexperimentofliving?Methinksthiswouldexercisetheirmindsasmuchasmathematics.IfIwishedaboytoknowsomethingabouttheartsandsciences,forinstance,Iwouldnotpursuethecommoncourse,whichismerelytosendhimintotheneighborhoodofsomeprofessor,whereanythingisprofessedandpractisedbuttheartoflife—tosurveytheworldthroughatelescopeoramicroscope,andneverwithhisnaturaleyetostudychemistry,andnotlearnhowhisbreadismade,ormechanics,andnotlearnhowitisearnedtodiscovernewsatellitestoNeptune,andnotdetectthemotesinhiseyes,ortowhatvagabondheisasatellitehimselfortobedevouredbythemonstersthatswarmallaroundhim,whilecontemplatingthemonstersinadropofvinegar.Whichwouldhaveadvancedthemostattheendofamonth,—theboywhohadmadehisownjackknifefromtheorewhichhehaddugandsmelted,readingasmuchaswouldbenecessaryforthis,—ortheboywhohadattendedthelecturesonmetallurgyattheInstituteinthemeanwhile,andhadreceivedaRodgers’penknifefromhisfather?Whichwouldbemostlikelytocuthisfingers?...TomyastonishmentIwasinformedonleavingcollegethatIhadstudiednavigation!—why,ifIhadtakenoneturndowntheharborIshouldhaveknownmoreaboutit.Eventhepoorstudentstudiesandistaughtonlypoliticaleconomy,whilethateconomyoflivingwhichissynonymouswithphilosophyisnotevensincerelyprofessedinourcolleges.Theconsequenceis,thatwhileheisreadingAdamSmith,Ricardo,andSay,herunshisfatherindebtirretrievably. Aswithourcolleges,sowithahundred“modernimprovements”thereisanillusionaboutthemthereisnotalwaysapositiveadvance.Thedevilgoesonexactingcompoundinteresttothelastforhisearlyshareandnumeroussucceedinginvestmentsinthem.Ourinventionsarewonttobeprettytoys,whichdistractourattentionfromseriousthings.Theyarebutimprovedmeanstoanunimprovedend,anendwhichitwasalreadybuttooeasytoarriveatasrailroadsleadtoBostonorNewYork.WeareingreathastetoconstructamagnetictelegraphfromMainetoTexasbutMaineandTexas,itmaybe,havenothingimportanttocommunicate.Eitherisinsuchapredicamentasthemanwhowasearnesttobeintroducedtoadistinguisheddeafwoman,butwhenhewaspresented,andoneendofhereartrumpetwasputintohishand,hadnothingtosay.Asifthemainobjectweretotalkfastandnottotalksensibly.WeareeagertotunnelundertheAtlanticandbringtheoldworldsomeweeksnearertothenewbutperchancethefirstnewsthatwillleakthroughintothebroad,flappingAmericanearwillbethatthePrincessAdelaidehasthewhoopingcough.Afterall,themanwhosehorsetrotsamileinaminutedoesnotcarrythemostimportantmessagesheisnotanevangelist,nordoeshecomeroundeatinglocustsandwildhoney.IdoubtifFlyingChildersevercarriedapeckofcorntomill. Onesaystome,“IwonderthatyoudonotlayupmoneyyoulovetotravelyoumighttakethecarsandgotoFitchburgto-dayandseethecountry.”ButIamwiserthanthat.Ihavelearnedthattheswiftesttravellerishethatgoesafoot.Isaytomyfriend,Supposewetrywhowillgettherefirst.Thedistanceisthirtymilesthefareninetycents.Thatisalmostaday’swages.Irememberwhenwagesweresixtycentsadayforlaborersonthisveryroad.Well,Istartnowonfoot,andgettherebeforenightIhavetravelledatthatratebytheweektogether.Youwillinthemeanwhilehaveearnedyourfare,andarrivetheresometimeto-morrow,orpossiblythisevening,ifyouareluckyenoughtogetajobinseason.InsteadofgoingtoFitchburg,youwillbeworkingherethegreaterpartoftheday.Andso,iftherailroadreachedroundtheworld,IthinkthatIshouldkeepaheadofyouandasforseeingthecountryandgettingexperienceofthatkind,Ishouldhavetocutyouracquaintancealtogether. Suchistheuniversallaw,whichnomancaneveroutwit,andwithregardtotherailroadevenwemaysayitisasbroadasitislong.Tomakearailroadroundtheworldavailabletoallmankindisequivalenttogradingthewholesurfaceoftheplanet.Menhaveanindistinctnotionthatiftheykeepupthisactivityofjointstocksandspadeslongenoughallwillatlengthridesomewhere,innexttonotime,andfornothingbutthoughacrowdrushestothedepot,andtheconductorshouts“Allaboard!”whenthesmokeisblownawayandthevaporcondensed,itwillbeperceivedthatafewareriding,buttherestarerunover,—anditwillbecalled,andwillbe,“Amelancholyaccident.”Nodoubttheycanrideatlastwhoshallhaveearnedtheirfare,thatis,iftheysurvivesolong,buttheywillprobablyhavelosttheirelasticityanddesiretotravelbythattime.Thisspendingofthebestpartofone’slifeearningmoneyinordertoenjoyaquestionablelibertyduringtheleastvaluablepartofit,remindsmeoftheEnglishmanwhowenttoIndiatomakeafortunefirst,inorderthathemightreturntoEnglandandlivethelifeofapoet.Heshouldhavegoneupgarretatonce.“What!”exclaimamillionIrishmenstartingupfromalltheshantiesintheland,“isnotthisrailroadwhichwehavebuiltagoodthing?”Yes,Ianswer,comparativelygood,thatis,youmighthavedoneworsebutIwish,asyouarebrothersofmine,thatyoucouldhavespentyourtimebetterthandigginginthisdirt. BeforeIfinishedmyhouse,wishingtoearntenortwelvedollarsbysomehonestandagreeablemethod,inordertomeetmyunusualexpenses,Iplantedabouttwoacresandahalfoflightandsandysoilnearitchieflywithbeans,butalsoasmallpartwithpotatoes,corn,peas,andturnips.Thewholelotcontainselevenacres,mostlygrowinguptopinesandhickories,andwassoldtheprecedingseasonforeightdollarsandeightcentsanacre.Onefarmersaidthatitwas“goodfornothingbuttoraisecheepingsquirrelson.”Iputnomanurewhateveronthisland,notbeingtheowner,butmerelyasquatter,andnotexpectingtocultivatesomuchagain,andIdidnotquitehoeitallonce.Igotoutseveralcordsofstumpsinploughing,whichsuppliedmewithfuelforalongtime,andleftsmallcirclesofvirginmould,easilydistinguishablethroughthesummerbythegreaterluxurianceofthebeansthere.Thedeadandforthemostpartunmerchantablewoodbehindmyhouse,andthedriftwoodfromthepond,havesuppliedtheremainderofmyfuel.Iwasobligedtohireateamandamanfortheploughing,thoughIheldtheploughmyself.Myfarmoutgoesforthefirstseasonwere,forimplements,seed,work,&c.,$14.72?.Theseedcornwasgivenme.Thisnevercostsanythingtospeakof,unlessyouplantmorethanenough.Igottwelvebushelsofbeans,andeighteenbushelsofpotatoes,besidesomepeasandsweetcorn.Theyellowcornandturnipsweretoolatetocometoanything.Mywholeincomefromthefarmwas $23.44 Deductingtheoutgoes,...........14.72? ———— Thereareleft,.................$8.71?, besideproduceconsumedandonhandatthetimethisestimatewasmadeofthevalueof$4.50,—theamountonhandmuchmorethanbalancingalittlegrasswhichIdidnotraise.Allthingsconsidered,thatis,consideringtheimportanceofaman’ssoulandofto-day,notwithstandingtheshorttimeoccupiedbymyexperiment,nay,partlyevenbecauseofitstransientcharacter,IbelievethatthatwasdoingbetterthananyfarmerinConcorddidthatyear. ThenextyearIdidbetterstill,forIspadedupallthelandwhichIrequired,aboutathirdofanacre,andIlearnedfromtheexperienceofbothyears,notbeingintheleastawedbymanycelebratedworksonhusbandry,ArthurYoungamongtherest,thatifonewouldlivesimplyandeatonlythecropwhichheraised,andraisenomorethanheate,andnotexchangeitforaninsufficientquantityofmoreluxuriousandexpensivethings,hewouldneedtocultivateonlyafewrodsofground,andthatitwouldbecheapertospadeupthatthantouseoxentoploughit,andtoselectafreshspotfromtimetotimethantomanuretheold,andhecoulddoallhisnecessaryfarmworkasitwerewithhislefthandatoddhoursinthesummerandthushewouldnotbetiedtoanox,orhorse,orcow,orpig,asatpresent.Idesiretospeakimpartiallyonthispoint,andasonenotinterestedinthesuccessorfailureofthepresenteconomicalandsocialarrangements.IwasmoreindependentthananyfarmerinConcord,forIwasnotanchoredtoahouseorfarm,butcouldfollowthebentofmygenius,whichisaverycrookedone,everymoment.Besidebeingbetteroffthantheyalready,ifmyhousehadbeenburnedormycropshadfailed,Ishouldhavebeennearlyaswelloffasbefore. Iamwonttothinkthatmenarenotsomuchthekeepersofherdsasherdsarethekeepersofmen,theformeraresomuchthefreer.Menandoxenexchangeworkbutifweconsidernecessaryworkonly,theoxenwillbeseentohavegreatlytheadvantage,theirfarmissomuchthelarger.Mandoessomeofhispartoftheexchangeworkinhissixweeksofhaying,anditisnoboy’splay.Certainlynonationthatlivedsimplyinallrespects,thatis,nonationofphilosophers,wouldcommitsogreatablunderastousethelaborofanimals.True,thereneverwasandisnotlikelysoontobeanationofphilosophers,noramIcertainitisdesirablethatthereshouldbe.However,Ishouldneverhavebrokenahorseorbullandtakenhimtoboardforanyworkhemightdoforme,forfearIshouldbecomeahorse-manoraherds-manmerelyandifsocietyseemstobethegainerbysodoing,arewecertainthatwhatisoneman’sgainisnotanother’sloss,andthatthestable-boyhasequalcausewithhismastertobesatisfied?Grantedthatsomepublicworkswouldnothavebeenconstructedwithoutthisaid,andletmansharethegloryofsuchwiththeoxandhorsedoe