01-economy-第14节

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for　all　mortar。　　The　squirrel　tribe　tried　the　same　and　succeeded。

The　human　race　is　interested　in　these　experiments；　though　a　few　old

women　who　are　incapacitated　for　them；　or　who　own　their　thirds　in

mills；　may　be　alarmed。

　　　　My　furniture；　part　of　which　I　made　myself　　and　the　rest　cost

me　nothing　of　which　I　have　not　rendered　an　account　　consisted　of　a

bed；　a　table；　a　desk；　three　chairs；　a　looking…glass　three　inches　in

diameter；　a　pair　of　tongs　and　andirons；　a　kettle；　a　skillet；　and　a

frying…pan；　a　dipper；　a　wash…bowl；　two　knives　and　forks；　three

plates；　one　cup；　one　spoon；　a　jug　for　oil；　a　jug　for　molasses；　and　a

japanned　lamp。　　None　is　so　poor　that　he　need　sit　on　a　pumpkin。　　That

is　shiftlessness。　　There　is　a　plenty　of　such　chairs　as　I　like　best

in　the　village　garrets　to　be　had　for　taking　them　away。　　Furniture！

Thank　God；　I　can　sit　and　I　can　stand　without　the　aid　of　a　furniture

warehouse。　　What　man　but　a　philosopher　would　not　be　ashamed　to　see

his　furniture　packed　in　a　cart　and　going　up　country　exposed　to　the

light　of　heaven　and　the　eyes　of　men；　a　beggarly　account　of　empty

boxes？　　That　is　Spaulding's　furniture。　　I　could　never　tell　from

inspecting　such　a　load　whether　it　belonged　to　a　so…called　rich　man

or　a　poor　one；　the　owner　always　seemed　poverty…stricken。　　Indeed；

the　more　you　have　of　such　things　the　poorer　you　are。　　Each　load

looks　as　if　it　contained　the　contents　of　a　dozen　shanties；　and　if

one　shanty　is　poor；　this　is　a　dozen　times　as　poor。　　Pray；　for　what

do　we　move　ever　but　to　get　rid　of　our　furniture；　our　exuvioe：　at

last　to　go　from　this　world　to　another　newly　furnished；　and　leave

this　to　be　burned？　　It　is　the　same　as　if　all　these　traps　were

buckled　to　a　man's　belt；　and　he　could　not　move　over　the　rough

country　where　our　lines　are　cast　without　dragging　them　　dragging

his　trap。　　He　was　a　lucky　fox　that　left　his　tail　in　the　trap。　　The

muskrat　will　gnaw　his　third　leg　off　to　be　free。　　No　wonder　man　has

lost　his　elasticity。　　How　often　he　is　at　a　dead　set！　　〃Sir；　if　I　may

be　so　bold；　what　do　you　mean　by　a　dead　set？〃　　If　you　are　a　seer；

whenever　you　meet　a　man　you　will　see　all　that　he　owns；　ay；　and　much

that　he　pretends　to　disown；　behind　him；　even　to　his　kitchen

furniture　and　all　the　trumpery　which　he　saves　and　will　not　burn；　and

he　will　appear　to　be　harnessed　to　it　and　making　what　headway　he　can。

I　think　that　the　man　is　at　a　dead　set　who　has　got　through　a

knot…hole　or　gateway　where　his　sledge　load　of　furniture　cannot

follow　him。　　I　cannot　but　feel　compassion　when　I　hear　some　trig；

compact…looking　man；　seemingly　free；　all　girded　and　ready；　speak　of

his　〃furniture；〃　as　whether　it　is　insured　or　not。　　〃But　what　shall　I

do　with　my　furniture？〃　　My　gay　butterfly　is　entangled　in　a

spider's　web　then。　　Even　those　who　seem　for　a　long　while　not　to　have

any；　if　you　inquire　more　narrowly　you　will　find　have　some　stored　in

somebody's　barn。　　I　look　upon　England　today　as　an　old　gentleman　who

is　travelling　with　a　great　deal　of　baggage；　trumpery　which　has

accumulated　from　long　housekeeping；　which　he　has　not　the　courage　to

burn；　great　trunk；　little　trunk；　bandbox；　and　bundle。　　Throw　away

the　first　three　at　least。　　It　would　surpass　the　powers　of　a　well　man

nowadays　to　take　up　his　bed　and　walk；　and　I　should　certainly　advise

a　sick　one　to　lay　down　his　bed　and　run。　　When　I　have　met　an

immigrant　tottering　under　a　bundle　which　contained　his　all　

looking　like　an　enormous　wen　which　had　grown　out　of　the　nape　of　his

neck　　I　have　pitied　him；　not　because　that　was　his　all；　but　because

he　had　all　that　to　carry。　　If　I　have　got　to　drag　my　trap；　I　will

take　care　that　it　be　a　light　one　and　do　not　nip　me　in　a　vital　part。

But　perchance　it　would　be　wisest　never　to　put　one's　paw　into　it。

　　　　I　would　observe；　by　the　way；　that　it　costs　me　nothing　for

curtains；　for　I　have　no　gazers　to　shut　out　but　the　sun　and　moon；　and

I　am　willing　that　they　should　look　in。　　The　moon　will　not　sour　milk

nor　taint　meat　of　mine；　nor　will　the　sun　injure　my　furniture　or　fade

my　carpet；　and　if　he　is　sometimes　too　warm　a　friend；　I　find　it　still

better　economy　to　retreat　behind　some　curtain　which　nature　has

provided；　than　to　add　a　single　item　to　the　details　of　housekeeping。

A　lady　once　offered　me　a　mat；　but　as　I　had　no　room　to　spare　within

the　house；　nor　time　to　spare　within　or　without　to　shake　it；　I

declined　it；　preferring　to　wipe　my　feet　on　the　sod　before　my　door。

It　is　best　to　avoid　the　beginnings　of　evil。

　　　　Not　long　since　I　was　present　at　the　auction　of　a　deacon's

effects；　for　his　life　had　not　been　ineffectual：



　　〃The　evil　that　men　do　lives　after　them。〃



As　usual；　a　great　proportion　was　trumpery　which　had　begun　to

accumulate　in　his　father's　day。　　Among　the　rest　was　a　dried

tapeworm。　　And　now；　after　lying　half　a　century　in　his　garret　and

other　dust　holes；　these　things　were　not　burned；　instead　of　a

bonfire；　or　purifying　destruction　of　them；　there　was　an　auction；　or

increasing　of　them。　　The　neighbors　eagerly　collected　to　view　them；

bought　them　all；　and　carefully　transported　them　to　their　garrets　and

dust　holes；　to　lie　there　till　their　estates　are　settled；　when　they

will　start　again。　　When　a　man　dies　he　kicks　the　dust。

　　　　The　customs　of　some　savage　nations　might；　perchance；　be

profitably　imitated　by　us；　for　they　at　least　go　through　the

semblance　of　casting　their　slough　annually；　they　have　the　idea　of

the　thing；　whether　they　have　the　reality　or　not。　　Would　it　not　be

well　if　we　were　to　celebrate　such　a　〃busk；〃　or　〃feast　of　first

fruits；〃　as　Bartram　describes　to　have　been　the　custom　of　the

Mucclasse　Indians？　　〃When　a　town　celebrates　the　busk；〃　says　he；

〃having　previously　provided　themselves　with　new　clothes；　new　pots；

pans；　and　other　household　utensils　and　furniture；　they　collect　all

their　worn　out　clothes　and　other　despicable　things；　sweep　and

cleanse　their　houses；　squares；　and　the　whole　town　of　their　filth；

which　with　all　the　remaining　grain　and　other　old　provisions　they

cast　together　into　one　common　heap；　and　consume　it　with　fire。　　After

having　taken　medicine；　and　fasted　for　three　days；　all　the　fire　in

the　town　is　extinguished。　　During　this　fast　they　abstain　from　the

gratification　of　every　appetite　and　passion　whatever。　　A　general

amnesty　is　proclaimed；　all　malefactors　may　return　to　their　town。〃

　　　　〃On　the　fourth　morning；　the　high　priest；　by　rubbing　dry　wood

together；　produces　new　fire　in　the　public　square；　from　whence　every

habitation　in　the　town　is　supplied　with　the　new　and　pure　flame。〃

　　　　They　then　feast　on　the　new　corn　and　fruits；　and　dance　and　sing

for　three　days；　〃and　the　four　following　days　they　receive　visits　and

rejoice　with　their　friends　from　neighboring　towns　who　have　in　like

manner　purified　and　prepared　themselves。〃

　　　　The　Mexicans　also　practised　a　similar　purification　at　the　end　of

every　fifty…two　years；　in　the　belief　that　it　was　time　for　the　world

to　come　to　an　end。

　　　　I　have　scarcely　heard　of　a　truer　sacrament；　that　is；　as　the

dictionary　defines　it；　〃outward　and　visible　sign　of　an　inward　and

spiritual　grace；〃　than　this；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　they　were

originally　inspired　directly　from　Heaven　to　do　thus；　though　they

have　no　Biblical　record　of　the　revelation。

　　　　For　more　than　five　years　I　maintained　myself　thus　solely　by　the

labor　of　my　hands；　and　I　found　that；　by　working　about　six　weeks　in　a

year；　I　could　meet　all　the　expenses　of　living。　　The　whole　of　my

winters；　as　well　as　most　of　my　summers；　I　had　free　and　clear　for

study。　　I　have　thoroughly　tried　school…keeping；　and　found　that　my

expenses　were　in　proportion；　or　rather　out　of　proportion；　to　my

income；　for　I　was　obliged　to　dress　and　train；　not　to　say　think　and

believe；　accordingly；　and　I　lost　my　time　into　the　bargain。　　As　I　did

not　teach　for　the　good　of　my　fellow…men；　but　simply　for　a

livelihood；　this　was　a　failure。　　I　have　tried　trade　but　I　found　that

it　would　take　ten　years　to　get　under　way　in　that；　and　that　then　I

should　probably　be　on　my　way　to　the　devil。　　I　was　actually　afraid

that　I　might　by　that　time　be　doing　what　is　called　a　good　business。

When　formerly　I　was　looking　about　to　see　what　I　could　do　for　a

living；　some　sad　experience　in　conforming　to　the　wishes　of　friends

being　fresh　in　my　mind　to　tax　my　ingenuity；　I　thought　often　and

seriously　of　picking　huckleberries；　that　surely　I　could　do；　and　its

small　profits　might　suffice　　for　my　greatest　skill　has　been　to

want　but　little　　so　little　capital　it　required；　so　little

distraction　from　my　wonted　moods；　I　foolishly　thought。　　While　my

acquaintances　went　unhesitatingly　into　trade　or　the　professions；　I

contemplated　this　occupation　as　most　like　theirs；　ranging　the　hills

all　summer　to　pick　the　berries　which　came　in　my　way；　and　thereafter

carelessly　dispose　of　them；　so；　to　keep　the　flocks　of　Admetus。　　I

also　dreamed　that　I　might　gather　the　wild　herbs；　or　carry　evergreens

to　such　villagers　as　loved　to　be　reminded　of　the　woods；　even　to　the

city；　by　hay…cart　loads。　　But　I　h