arspiralgroovefromtoptobottom,aninchormoredeep,andfourorfiveincheswide,asyouwouldgrooveawalking-stick.Ipasseditagaintheotherday,andwasstruckwithaweonlookingupandbeholdingthatmark,nowmoredistinctthanever,whereaterrificandresistlessboltcamedownoutoftheharmlessskyeightyearsago.Menfrequentlysaytome,“Ishouldthinkyouwouldfeellonesomedownthere,andwanttobenearertofolks,rainyandsnowydaysandnightsespecially.”Iamtemptedtoreplytosuch,—Thiswholeearthwhichweinhabitisbutapointinspace.Howfarapart,thinkyou,dwellthetwomostdistantinhabitantsofyonderstar,thebreadthofwhosediskcannotbeappreciatedbyourinstruments?WhyshouldIfeellonely?isnotourplanetintheMilkyWay?Thiswhichyouputseemstomenottobethemostimportantquestion.Whatsortofspaceisthatwhichseparatesamanfromhisfellowsandmakeshimsolitary?Ihavefoundthatnoexertionofthelegscanbringtwomindsmuchnearertooneanother.Whatdowewantmosttodwellnearto?Nottomanymensurely,thedepot,thepost-office,thebar-room,themeeting-house,theschool-house,thegrocery,BeaconHill,ortheFivePoints,wheremenmostcongregate,buttotheperennialsourceofourlife,whenceinallourexperiencewehavefoundthattoissue,asthewillowstandsnearthewaterandsendsoutitsrootsinthatdirection.Thiswillvarywithdifferentnatures,butthisistheplacewhereawisemanwilldighiscellar....Ioneeveningovertookoneofmytownsmen,whohasaccumulatedwhatiscalled“ahandsomeproperty,”—thoughInevergotafairviewofit,—ontheWaldenroad,drivingapairofcattletomarket,whoinquiredofmehowIcouldbringmymindtogiveupsomanyofthecomfortsoflife.IansweredthatIwasverysureIlikeditpassablywellIwasnotjoking.AndsoIwenthometomybed,andlefthimtopickhiswaythroughthedarknessandthemudtoBrighton,—orBright-town,—whichplacehewouldreachsometimeinthemorning.
Anyprospectofawakeningorcomingtolifetoadeadmanmakesindifferentalltimesandplaces.Theplacewherethatmayoccurisalwaysthesame,andindescribablypleasanttoalloursenses.Forthemostpartweallowonlyou