01-economy-第7部分

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this　I　should　not　need　to　look　farther　than　to　the　shanties　which

everywhere　border　our　railroads；　that　last　improvement　in

civilization；　where　I　see　in　my　daily　walks　human　beings　living　in

sties；　and　all　winter　with　an　open　door；　for　the　sake　of　light；

without　any　visible；　often　imaginable；　wood…pile；　and　the　forms　of

both　old　and　young　are　permanently　contracted　by　the　long　habit　of

shrinking　from　cold　and　misery；　and　the　development　of　all　their

limbs　and　faculties　is　checked。　　It　certainly　is　fair　to　look　at

that　class　by　whose　labor　the　works　which　distinguish　this

generation　are　accomplished。　　Such　too；　to　a　greater　or　less　extent；

is　the　condition　of　the　operatives　of　every　denomination　in　England；

which　is　the　great　workhouse　of　the　world。　　Or　I　could　refer　you　to

Ireland；　which　is　marked　as　one　of　the　white　or　enlightened　spots　on

the　map。　　Contrast　the　physical　condition　of　the　Irish　with　that　of

the　North　American　Indian；　or　the　South　Sea　Islander；　or　any　other

savage　race　before　it　was　degraded　by　contact　with　the　civilized

man。　　Yet　I　have　no　doubt　that　that　people's　rulers　are　as　wise　as

the　average　of　civilized　rulers。　　Their　condition　only　proves　what

squalidness　may　consist　with　civilization。　　I　hardly　need　refer　now

to　the　laborers　in　our　Southern　States　who　produce　the　staple

exports　of　this　country；　and　are　themselves　a　staple　production　of

the　South。　　But　to　confine　myself　to　those　who　are　said　to　be　in

moderate　circumstances。

　　　　Most　men　appear　never　to　have　considered　what　a　house　is；　and

are　actually　though　needlessly　poor　all　their　lives　because　they

think　that　they　must　have　such　a　one　as　their　neighbors　have。　　As　if

one　were　to　wear　any　sort　of　coat　which　the　tailor　might　cut　out　for

him；　or；　gradually　leaving　off　palm…leaf　hat　or　cap　of　woodchuck

skin；　complain　of　hard　times　because　he　could　not　afford　to　buy　him

a　crown！　　It　is　possible　to　invent　a　house　still　more　convenient　and

luxurious　than　we　have；　which　yet　all　would　admit　that　man　could　not

afford　to　pay　for。　　Shall　we　always　study　to　obtain　more　of　these

things；　and　not　sometimes　to　be　content　with　less？　　Shall　the

respectable　citizen　thus　gravely　teach；　by　precept　and　example；　the

necessity　of　the　young　man's　providing　a　certain　number　of

superfluous　glow…shoes；　and　umbrellas；　and　empty　guest　chambers　for

empty　guests；　before　he　dies？　　Why　should　not　our　furniture　be　as

simple　as　the　Arab's　or　the　Indian's？　　When　I　think　of　the

benefactors　of　the　race；　whom　we　have　apotheosized　as　messengers

from　heaven；　bearers　of　divine　gifts　to　man；　I　do　not　see　in　my　mind

any　retinue　at　their　heels；　any　carload　of　fashionable　furniture。

Or　what　if　I　were　to　allow　　would　it　not　be　a　singular　allowance？

　that　our　furniture　should　be　more　complex　than　the　Arab's；　in

proportion　as　we　are　morally　and　intellectually　his　superiors！　　At

present　our　houses　are　cluttered　and　defiled　with　it；　and　a　good

housewife　would　sweep　out　the　greater　part　into　the　dust　hole；　and

not　leave　her　morning's　work　undone。　　Morning　work！　　By　the　blushes

of　Aurora　and　the　music　of　Memnon；　what　should　be　man's　morning　work

in　this　world？　　I　had　three　pieces　of　limestone　on　my　desk；　but　I

was　terrified　to　find　that　they　required　to　be　dusted　daily；　when

the　furniture　of　my　mind　was　all　undusted　still；　and　threw　them　out

the　window　in　disgust。　　How；　then；　could　I　have　a　furnished　house？

I　would　rather　sit　in　the　open　air；　for　no　dust　gathers　on　the

grass；　unless　where　man　has　broken　ground。

　　　　It　is　the　luxurious　and　dissipated　who　set　the　fashions　which

the　herd　so　diligently　follow。　　The　traveller　who　stops　at　the　best

houses；　so　called；　soon　discovers　this；　for　the　publicans　presume

him　to　be　a　Sardanapalus；　and　if　he　resigned　himself　to　their　tender

mercies　he　would　soon　be　completely　emasculated。　　I　think　that　in

the　railroad　car　we　are　inclined　to　spend　more　on　luxury　than　on

safety　and　convenience；　and　it　threatens　without　attaining　these　to

become　no　better　than　a　modern　drawing…room；　with　its　divans；　and

ottomans；　and　sun…shades；　and　a　hundred　other　oriental　things；　which

we　are　taking　west　with　us；　invented　for　the　ladies　of　the　harem　and

the　effeminate　natives　of　the　Celestial　Empire；　which　Jonathan

should　be　ashamed　to　know　the　names　of。　　I　would　rather　sit　on　a

pumpkin　and　have　it　all　to　myself　than　be　crowded　on　a　velvet

cushion。　　I　would　rather　ride　on　earth　in　an　ox　cart；　with　a　free

circulation；　than　go　to　heaven　in　the　fancy　car　of　an　excursion

train　and　breathe　a　malaria　all　the　way。

　　　　The　very　simplicity　and　nakedness　of　man's　life　in　the　primitive

ages　imply　this　advantage；　at　least；　that　they　left　him　still　but　a

sojourner　in　nature。　　When　he　was　refreshed　with　food　and　sleep；　he

contemplated　his　journey　again。　　He　dwelt；　as　it　were；　in　a　tent　in

this　world；　and　was　either　threading　the　valleys；　or　crossing　the

plains；　or　climbing　the　mountain…tops。　　But　lo！　men　have　become　the

tools　of　their　tools。　　The　man　who　independently　plucked　the　fruits

when　he　was　hungry　is　become　a　farmer；　and　he　who　stood　under　a　tree

for　shelter；　a　housekeeper。　　We　now　no　longer　camp　as　for　a　night；

but　have　settled　down　on　earth　and　forgotten　heaven。　　We　have

adopted　Christianity　merely　as　an　improved　method　of　agri…culture。

We　have　built　for　this　world　a　family　mansion；　and　for　the　next　a

family　tomb。　　The　best　works　of　art　are　the　expression　of　man's

struggle　to　free　himself　from　this　condition；　but　the　effect　of　our

art　is　merely　to　make　this　low　state　comfortable　and　that　higher

state　to　be　forgotten。　　There　is　actually　no　place　in　this　village

for　a　work　of　fine　art；　if　any　had　come　down　to　us；　to　stand；　for

our　lives；　our　houses　and　streets；　furnish　no　proper　pedestal　for

it。　　There　is　not　a　nail　to　hang　a　picture　on；　nor　a　shelf　to

receive　the　bust　of　a　hero　or　a　saint。　　When　I　consider　how　our

houses　are　built　and　paid　for；　or　not　paid　for；　and　their　internal

economy　managed　and　sustained；　I　wonder　that　the　floor　does　not　give

way　under　the　visitor　while　he　is　admiring　the　gewgaws　upon　the

mantelpiece；　and　let　him　through　into　the　cellar；　to　some　solid　and

honest　though　earthy　foundation。　　I　cannot　but　perceive　that　this

so…called　rich　and　refined　life　is　a　thing　jumped　at；　and　I　do　not

get　on　in　the　enjoyment　of　the　fine　arts　which　adorn　it；　my

attention　being　wholly　occupied　with　the　jump；　for　I　remember　that

the　greatest　genuine　leap；　due　to　human　muscles　alone；　on　record；　is

that　of　certain　wandering　Arabs；　who　are　said　to　have　cleared

twenty…five　feet　on　level　ground。　　Without　factitious　support；　man

is　sure　to　come　to　earth　again　beyond　that　distance。　　The　first

question　which　I　am　tempted　to　put　to　the　proprietor　of　such　great

impropriety　is；　Who　bolsters　you？　　Are　you　one　of　the　ninety…seven

who　fail；　or　the　three　who　succeed？　　Answer　me　these　questions；　and

then　perhaps　I　may　look　at　your　bawbles　and　find　them　ornamental。

The　cart　before　the　horse　is　neither　beautiful　nor　useful。　　Before

we　can　adorn　our　houses　with　beautiful　objects　the　walls　must　be

stripped；　and　our　lives　must　be　stripped；　and　beautiful　housekeeping

and　beautiful　living　be　laid　for　a　foundation：　now；　a　taste　for　the

beautiful　is　most　cultivated　out　of　doors；　where　there　is　no　house

and　no　housekeeper。

　　　　Old　Johnson；　in　his　〃Wonder…Working　Providence；〃　speaking　of　the

first　settlers　of　this　town；　with　whom　he　was　contemporary；　tells　us

that　〃they　burrow　themselves　in　the　earth　for　their　first　shelter

under　some　hillside；　and；　casting　the　soil　aloft　upon　timber；　they

make　a　smoky　fire　against　the　earth；　at　the　highest　side。〃　　They　did

not　〃provide　them　houses；〃　says　he；　〃till　the　earth；　by　the　Lord's

blessing；　brought　forth　bread　to　feed　them；〃　and　the　first　year's

crop　was　so　light　that　〃they　were　forced　to　cut　their　bread　very

thin　for　a　long　season。〃　　The　secretary　of　the　Province　of　New

Netherland；　writing　in　Dutch；　in　1650；　for　the　information　of　those

who　wished　to　take　up　land　there；　states　more　particularly　that

〃those　in　New　Netherland；　and　especially　in　New　England；　who　have　no

means　to　build　farmhouses　at　first　according　to　their　wishes；　dig　a

square　pit　in　the　ground；　cellar　fashion；　six　or　seven　feet　deep；　as

long　and　as　broad　as　they　think　proper；　case　the　earth　inside　with

wood　all　round　the　wall；　and　line　the　wood　with　the　bark　of　trees　or

something　else　to　prevent　the　caving　in　of　the　earth；　floor　this

cellar　with　plank；　and　wainscot　it　overhead　for　a　ceiling；　raise　a

roof　of　spars　clear　up；　and　cover　the　spars　with　bark　or　green　sods；

so　that　they　can　live　dry　and　warm　in　these　houses　with　their　entire

families　for　two；　three；　and　four　years；　it　being　understood　that

partitions　are　run　through　those　cellars　which　are　adapted　to　the

size　of　the　family。　　The　wealthy　and　principal　men　in　New　England；

in　the　beginning　of　the　colonies；　commenced　their　first

dwelling…houses　in　this　fashion　for　two　reasons：　firstly；　in　order

not　to　waste　time　in　building；　and　not　to　want　food　the　next　season；

secondly；　in　order　not　to　discourage　poor　laboring　people　whom　they

brought　over　in　numbers　from　Fatherland。　　In　the　course　of　three　or

four　years；　when　the　country　became　adapted　to　agriculture；　they

built　themselves　handsome　houses；　spending　on　them　several

thousands。〃

　　　　In　this　course　which　our　ancestors　took　there　was　a　show　of

prudence　at　least；　as　if　their　principle　were　to　satisfy　the　more

pressing　wants　first。　　But　are　the　more　pressing　wants　satisfied

now？　　When　I　think　of　acquiring　for　myself　one　of　our　luxurious

dwellings；　I　am　deterred；　for；　so　to　speak；　the　country　is　not　yet

adapted　to　human　culture；　and　we　are　still　forced　to　cut　our

spiritual　bread　far　thinner　than　our　forefathers　did　their　wheaten。

Not　that　all　architectural　ornament　is　to　be　neglected　even　in　the

rudest　periods；　but　let　our　houses　first　be　lined　with　beauty；　where

they　come