erdoesnotknowitformanyyearswhenapoethasputhisfarminrhyme,themostadmirablekindofinvisiblefence,hasfairlyimpoundedit,milkedit,skimmedit,andgotallthecream,andleftthefarmeronlytheskimmedmilk.
TherealattractionsoftheHollowellfarm,tome,wereitscompleteretirement,being,abouttwomilesfromthevillage,halfamilefromthenearestneighbor,andseparatedfromthehighwaybyabroadfielditsboundingontheriver,whichtheownersaidprotecteditbyitsfogsfromfrostsinthespring,thoughthatwasnothingtomethegraycolorandruinousstateofthehouseandbarn,andthedilapidatedfences,whichputsuchanintervalbetweenmeandthelastoccupantthehollowandlichen-coveredappletrees,gnawedbyrabbits,showingwhatkindofneighborsIshouldhavebutaboveall,therecollectionIhadofitfrommyearliestvoyagesuptheriver,whenthehousewasconcealedbehindadensegroveofredmaples,throughwhichIheardthehouse-dogbark.Iwasinhastetobuyit,beforetheproprietorfinishedgettingoutsomerocks,cuttingdownthehollowappletrees,andgrubbingupsomeyoungbircheswhichhadsprungupinthepasture,or,inshort,hadmadeanymoreofhisimprovements.ToenjoytheseadvantagesIwasreadytocarryitonlikeAtlas,totaketheworldonmyshoulders,—Ineverheardwhatcompensationhereceivedforthat,—anddoallthosethingswhichhadnoothermotiveorexcusebutthatImightpayforitandbeunmolestedinmypossessionofitforIknewallthewhilethatitwouldyieldthemostabundantcropofthekindIwantedifIcouldonlyaffordtoletitalone.ButitturnedoutasIhavesaid.
AllthatIcouldsay,then,withrespecttofarmingonalargescale,(Ihavealwayscultivatedagarden,)was,thatIhadhadmyseedsready.Manythinkthatseedsimprovewithage.IhavenodoubtthattimediscriminatesbetweenthegoodandthebadandwhenatlastIshallplant,Ishallbelesslikelytobedisappointed.ButIwouldsaytomyfellows,onceforall,Aslongaspossiblelivefreeanduncommitted.Itmakesbutlittledifferencewhetheryouarecommittedtoafarmorthecountyjail.
OldCato,whose“DeReRustica”ismy“Cultivator,”says,andtheonlytranslationIhaveseenmakessheernonsenseofthepassage,“Whenyouthinkofgettingafarm,turnitthusinyourmind,nottobuygreedilynorspareyourpainstolookatit,anddonotthinkitenoughtogorounditonce.Theofteneryougotherethemoreitwillpleaseyou,ifitisgood.”IthinkIshallnotbuygreedily,butgoroundandrounditaslongasIlive,andbeburiedinitfirst,thatitmaypleasemethemoreatlast.
Thepresentwasmynextexperimentofthiskind,whichIpurposetodescribemoreatlengthforconvenience,puttingtheexperienceoftwoyearsintoone.AsIhavesaid,Idonotproposetowriteanodetodejection,buttobragaslustilyaschanticleerinthemorning,standingonhisroost,ifonlytowakemyneighborsup.
WhenfirstItookupmyabodeinthewoods,thatis,begantospendmynightsaswellasdaysthere,which,byaccident,wasonIndependenceDay,ortheFourthofJuly,1845,myhousewasnotfinishedforwinter,butwasmerel