walking-第2部分
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thither。 I am alarmed when it happens that I have walked a mile
into the woods bodily； without getting there in spirit。 In my
afternoon walk I would fain forget all my morning occupations and
my obligations to Society。 But it sometimes happens that I cannot
easily shake off the village。 The thought of some work will run
in my head and I am not where my body isI am out of my senses。
In my walks I would fain return to my senses。 What business have
I in the woods； if I am thinking of something out of the woods？ I
suspect myself； and cannot help a shudder when I find myself so
implicated even in what are called good worksfor this may
sometimes happen。
My vicinity affords many good walks； and though for so many years
I have walked almost every day； and sometimes for several days
together； I have not yet exhausted them。 An absolutely new
prospect is a great happiness； and I can still get this any
afternoon。 Two or three hours' walking will carry me to as
strange a country as I expect ever to see。 A single farmhouse
which I had not seen before is sometimes as good as the dominions
of the King of Dahomey。 There is in fact a sort of harmony
discoverable between the capabilities of the landscape within a
circle of ten miles' radius； or the limits of an afternoon walk；
and the threescore years and ten of human life。 It will never
become quite familiar to you。
Nowadays almost all man's improvements； so called； as the
building of houses and the cutting down of the forest and of all
large trees； simply deform the landscape； and make it more and
more tame and cheap。 A people who would begin by burning the
fences and let the forest stand！ I saw the fences half consumed；
their ends lost in the middle of the prairie； and some worldly
miser with a surveyor looking after his bounds； while heaven had
taken place around him； and he did not see the angels going to
and fro； but was looking for an old post…hole in the midst of
paradise。 I looked again； and saw him standing in the middle of a
boggy Stygian fen； surrounded by devils； and he had found his
bounds without a doubt； three little stones； where a stake had
been driven； and looking nearer； I saw that the Prince of
Darkness was his surveyor。
I can easily walk ten； fifteen； twenty； any number of miles；
commencing at my own door； without going by any house； without
crossing a road except where the fox and the mink do： first along
by the river； and then the brook； and then the meadow and the
woodside。 There are square miles in my vicinity which have no
inhabitant。 From many a hill I can see civilization and the
abodes of man afar。 The farmers and their works are scarcely more
obvious than woodchucks and their burrows。 Man and his affairs；
church and state and school； trade and commerce； and manufactures
and agriculture even politics； the most alarming of them allI
am pleased to see how little space they occupy in the landscape。
Politics is but a narrow field； and that still narrower highway
yonder leads to it。 I sometimes direct the traveler thither。 If
you would go to the political world； follow the great
roadfollow that market…man； keep his dust in your eyes； and it
will lead you straight to it； for it； too； has its place merely；
and does not occupy all space。 I pass from it as from a bean
field into the forest； and it is forgotten。 In one half…hour I
can walk off to some portion of the earth's surface where a man
does not stand from one year's end to another； and there；
consequently； politics are not； for they are but as the
cigar…smoke of a man。
The village is the place to which the roads tend； a sort of
expansion of the highway； as a lake of a river。 It is the body of
which roads are the arms and legsa trivial or quadrivial place；
the thoroughfare and ordinary of travelers。 The word is from the
Latin villa which together with via； a way； or more anciently ved
and vella； Varro derives from veho； to carry； because the villa
is the place to and from which things are carried。 They who got
their living by teaming were said vellaturam facere。 Hence； too；
the Latin word vilis and our vile； also villain。 This suggests
what kind of degeneracy villagers are liable to。 They are wayworn
by the travel that goes by and over them； without traveling
themselves。
Some do not walk at all； others walk in the highways； a few walk
across lots。 Roads are made for horses and men of business。 I do
not travel in them much； comparatively； because I am not in a
hurry to get to any tavern or grocery or livery…stable or depot
to which they lead。 I am a good horse to travel； but not from
choice a roadster。 The landscape…painter uses the figures of men
to mark a road。 He would not make that use of my figure。 I walk
out into a nature such as the old prophets and poets； Menu；
Moses； Homer； Chaucer； walked in。 You may name it America； but it
is not America； neither Americus Vespueius； nor Columbus； nor the
rest were the discoverers of it。 There is a truer amount of it in
mythology than in any history of America； so called； that I have
seen。
However； there are a few old roads that may be trodden with
profit； as if they led somewhere now that they are nearly
discontinued。 There is the Old Marlborough Road； which does not
go to Marlborough now； me… thinks； unless that is Marlborough
where it carries me。 I am the bolder to speak of it here； because
I presume that there are one or two such roads in every town。
THE OLD MARLBOROUGH ROAD
Where they once dug for money；
But never found any；
Where sometimes Martial Miles
Singly files；
And Elijah Wood；
I fear for no good：
No other man；
Save Elisha Dugan
O man of wild habits；
Partridges and rabbits
Who hast no cares
Only to set snares；
Who liv'st all alone；
Close to the bone
And where life is sweetest
Constantly eatest。
When the spring stirs my blood
With the instinct to travel；
I can get enough gravel
On the Old Marlborough Road。
Nobody repairs it；
For nobody wears it；
It is a living way；
As the Christians say。
Not many there be
Who enter therein；
Only the guests of the
Irishman Quin。
What is it； what is it
But a direction out there；
And the bare possibility
Of going somewhere？
Great guide…boards of stone；
But travelers none；
Cenotaphs of the towns
Named on their crowns。
It is worth going to see
Where you MIGHT be。
What king
Did the thing；
I am still wondering；
Set up how or when；
By what selectmen；
Gourgas or Lee；
Clark or Darby？
They're a great endeavor
To be something forever；
Blank tablets of stone；
Where a traveler might groan；
And in one sentence
Grave all that is known
Which another might read；
In his extreme need。
I know one or two
Lines that would do；
Literature that might stand
All over the land
Which a man could remember
Till next December；
And read again in the spring；
After the thawing。
If with fancy unfurled
You leave your abode；
You may go round the world
By the Old Marlborough Road。
At present； in this vicinity； the best part of the land is not
private property； the landscape is not owned； and the walker
enjoys comparative freedom。 But possibly the day will come when
it will be partitioned off into so…called pleasure…grounds； in
which a few will take a narrow and exclusive pleasure onlywhen
fences shall be multiplied； and man…traps and other engines
invented to confine men to the PUBLIC road； and walking over the
surface of God's earth shall be construed to mean trespassing on
some gentleman's grounds。 To enjoy a thing exclusively is
commonly to exclude yourself from the true enjoyment of it。 Let
us improve our opportunities； then； before the evil days come。
What is it that makes it so hard sometimes to determine whither
we will walk？ I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in
Nature； which； if we unconsciously yield to it； will direct us
aright。 It is not indifferent to us which way we walk。 There is a
right way； but we are very liable from heedlessness and stupidity
to take the wrong one。 We would fain take that walk； never yet
taken by us through this actual world； which is perfectly
symbolical of the path which we love to travel in the interior
and ideal world； and sometimes； no doubt； we find it difficult to
choose our direction； because it does not yet exist distinctly in
our idea。
When I go out of the house for a walk； uncertain as yet whither I
will bend my steps； and submit myself to my instinct to decide
for me； I find； strange and whimsical as it may seem； that I
finally and inevitably settle southwest； toward some particular
wood or meadow or deserted pasture or hill in that direction。 My
needle is slow to settle；varies a few degrees； and does not
always point due southwest； it is true； and it has good authority
for this variation； but it always settles between west and
south…southwest。 The future lies that way to me； and the earth
seems more unexhausted and richer on that side。 The outline which
would bound my walks would be； not a circle； but a parabola； or
rather like one of those cometary orbits which have been thought
to be non…returning curves； in this case opening westward； in
which my house occupies the place of the sun。 I turn round and
round irresolute sometimes for a quarter of an hour； until I
decide； for a thousandth time； that I will walk into the
southwest or west。 Eastward I go only by force； but westward I go
free。 Thither no business leads me。 It is hard for me to believe
that I shall find fair landscapes or sufficient wildness and
freedom behind the eastern horizon。 I am not excited by the
prospect of a walk thither； but I believe that the forest which
