Clear Sky Pure Light

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    EN OUNTERS WTH

    HENRY D V D THORE U

    l ear Sky Pur eL ht

    ompi l ed di t ed by

    H R STOPHER H LDS

    wi t han nt r oduc t i onby

    W LTER H RDNG

    and oo ngravi ngs byM H EL M URDY

    THE PENM EN PR SS LI MTED

    L i nc ol nMassachuse t t s

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    For Hugh For t m l l erand

    Davi d Gar dnerwho f i r s ti l l u s t r a t e dt o me

    t he t r u edi gni t yand val ue of t he t h e a t r e ,and f or nne McGrath eddi e Kent

    mho s t i l li l l us t r a t e t omet he v i r t u e sof Concor d

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    e l e c t i o n sf romd i f f e r e n tsour es orf romd i f f e r e n tor non - s e qu ent i a ls e c t i o n sof t hes amesourcea r e s e p a r a t e dby t heor namen t- 4 e l e c t i o n s

    s e p a r a t e dby o n l ya l i n espacear ef r o mt he

    w i t hsomema t e r i a lo m t t e d samesour e

    C o n t e n t sI n t r o d u c t i o n i x

    F o r e mo r d x i i i

    Preface Speech and S i l e n c e

    Ri ver W l dness and C i v i l i z a t i o n 7 ods 5

    On Bei ng a W i t e r 2

    Loss 25

    On I mpr ovement s 3The Woods and Wal den 37

    Resi st ance t o C i v i lGover nment 43

    Return 53

    On t he Nat ur e and Or i gi nof an Acci dent 59Fr i endshi pand Si ngul ar i t y 67

    J ohn rown 79

    Late Thought s 87

    Depar t ur e 91

    Ap pe n d i x Sources 97

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    f l cknom edgement sFOR SSI ST NCE i n s el ec t i ngand edi ti ng t he mater i alf or Cl ea rSky Pure L i ght I am deepl y gr at ef ul t oAnneMcGrath of t he Thor eau Lyceum I am a l s o i ndebt ed t o

    Wal t er Har di ng and M l t o n Mel t zer , co- author s of Thor eau P r o f i l e and es pec i a l l y t oChar l es R Ander son,e d i t o rof Thoreau sWor l d M ni atur esFr omHi s j our nal i nthose vol umes I f i r s tmade t he acquai nt ance of a numer oft he f ol l owi ngpassages My s i nc er et hanks a l s o t o J ohn

    Br i ggs, f orc r i t i c i z i n gboth t he For ewor dand t he commnt a r i e s and t o a l l t he many, many other peopl e who havecont r i but ed t o both t h i s pr oj ect and i t s t h e a t r i c a ls i b l i n g

    Grateful acknowl edgement i s made t o t he New YorkUni ver si t yP r e s s f or per mssi on t o quote mater i al fromThe Correspondenceof Henr y Davi d Thor eau ed by Wal t erHar di ng and Car l Bode N Y. U P r e s s 1958) and t o t hef i r mof Br andt and Br andt , f or per mssi on t o quote b r i e f l yf rom t he essay `The Amer i can L onel i nes s by t he l a t eThor nt on Wl der , o r i g i n a l l ypubl i shed i n t he A t l a n t i cMont hl yof August, 1952

    I n t h epr oduct i onof t he stage p o r t r a i tas i nmany otherpr oj ec t sI was t he r e c i p i e n tof t he suppor t , encour agement ,and gener ous pat r onage of Mary C Newbol d That shecoul dnot l i v et o see t h i svol ume i npr i nt touches t he eventof i t s publ i cat i onwi th sadness

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    I n t r o d u c t i o n

    WH T I S TH R about enry Davi d Thor eau t hat soi n t r i g u e sand compel s us? He hi msel f says i nWal den `How

    many a man has dat ed a new er a i nhi sl i f ef romt he r eadi ngof a book And Wal den has been t hat book f or so many ofus t has changed t he whol e pat t ern of peopl e s l i v e s Iknow wher eof I speak f or t he whol e pat t ern of my ownl i f ehas been changed by t he r eadi ng of Wal den I t has l ed

    me f or mor e t han f o r t yyears now t o devot i ng t he great erpar t of my l i f evocat i onal l y and av oc at i onal l yt o t ry i ng t ounder st and i t s aut hor more f u l l y Why Not onl y becausehe has come t o represent f orme man but a l s obecause f i n dwi t h each new day t hat my s e a r c hf orhi m gi v esnew mean-i ng new under st andi ng t o

    myown l i f e

    st he l a t e pr es i -

    dent of t he Thor eau So c i et yTed Bai l eyonce s ai d ` s hal lnever be r i dof Henry And nei t her w i l l I am Thor eaudr i ven I t woul d not be i nappropr i at e at t h i st i me t o quot eThor eau once more ` shoul d not t a l kso much about my

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    Cl ear Sky,Pur e Li ght

    s e l fi f there wer e anybody e l s ewhom knew as w e l l )Chr i st opher Chi l ds, t oo , i s , I bel i eve,Thor eau dr i ven

    As i s s o obvi ous i n hi s Foreword - and i n hi s l i f e -Wal den and Henry Thor eau have come i nt o hi s l i f eandhave become an i nt egr a lpar t of that l i f e e has become atrue Thor eauvi an, not i n that he ha s become mor e l i k eThor eau, but i n t hat he has become mor e of hi mel f Thati s t he si gn of t he true Thor eauvi an ( ` Iwoul d not have anyone adopt my mode of l i v i n g , says Thor eau, `on any ac -count f o r ,besi de that b e f o r ehe has f a i r l yl ear ned i t I mayhave f ound out anot her f ormysel f , I des i r ethat there may

    be as many di f f er e ntper sons i n t he wor l das pos s i bl e but Iwoul d have each one be veryc a r e f u lt o f ind out and pur suehi s own way, and not hi s f a t her sor hi s mot her s or hi snei ghbor s i nst ead.

    Ther e have been many at t empt s t o r e c r e a t e enry

    Thor eau i n poetry and f i c t i o nand dr ama One of my ownf i r s tp r o j e c t son Thor eau near l y f o r t yyears ago was t ocompi l e a `Bi bl i ogr aphyof Thor eau i n Poet r y, Fi ct i onandDr ama ( B u l l e t i nof Bi bl i ogr aphy, May 1943 and i t l i s t e dmore t han a hundr ed such at t empt s ( I fthat l i s twer e t o be

    br ought up- t o- date, i t woul d bethree or f our t i mes that

    l o ng,f or t he at t empt s have p r o l i f e r a t e d. But one of thedi senchant i ng r e s u l t sof my st udy was t he r e a l i z a t i o nofhow f ewof those p o e t s ,pl aywr i ght s, and n o v e l i s t scaughtt he true s p i r i tof t heman they wer e t r yi ng t o depi ct They

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    I nt r oduct i on

    sent i ment al i zedhi m or made hi m cut e or made hi m ob-

    noxi ous The Thor eau they cr eat ed usual l y turned out nott o be t heThor eau, but t h e i rThor eau

    I t was t hus wi t h some t r epi dat i on that t hr ee year s agoon a v i s i tt o Concor d I wal ked one eveni ng i nt o t he communi t y pl ayhouse on Wal den S t r e e tt o f i r s ts ee Chr i st opher Chi l ds performhi s Cl ear Sky, Pur e Li ght Al t hough Iknew somewhat of hi s pr oj ect - I hadcor r esponded w t hhi m and t al ked o c c a s i o n a l l yon t hephone when he was r e-sear chi ng t he backgr ound f or hi spl ay s o that I knew hi si nt ent was g r e a t , and al t hough s e v e r a lf r i e n d sof m ne

    whose opi ni ons on Thor eau I respected hi ghl y, ent husi as-t i c a l l yendor sed i t , I entered t he theatre wi t h some ms-gi vi ngs and evenan admxture of host i l i t y- I di dnot wantt o endur e someone el s e smsconcept i ons of Thor eau Iwant ed t o s ee the t r ue Thor eauor none a t al l But I must

    conf ess that msgi vi ngs and h o s t i l i t yl a s t ed a tt he mostt enmnutes once t he cur t ai n was up and t he per f or mancehad begun, f or here t hr ough t he geni us of Chr i st opherChi l ds I was s e ei ngt he e r i na c eo us ,t he gent l e t he pro-f ound, t he l i ght hear t ed t he j oyous, t he t hought f ul Thor eau

    I had come t o know a f t e ryears of s e a r c h Thi s was notChr i st opher Chi l dsThor eau i t was t heThor eau any years ago my o l df r i e n dLeonar d Cray wr ot e a

    l i t t l epl ea agai nst a l lt he - i s t sand - i sm t r yi ng totake overHenry Thor eau t o pr ove that he was a communi s t or an

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    Cl earSky Pur e Li ght

    ant i communi st a p a c i f i s tor a war monger a nudi st or apur i t an or what ever ray e n t i t l e dhi s l i t t l epl ea `LetThor eau e Thor eau Chr i st opherChi l ds has nott r i e dt omake Thor eauover in to any pr econcei vedi mage He haspresented hi m honest l y and f a i t h f u l l yas he was He has` l e t Thor eau be Thor eau That was t he charm of t hedr amat i zat i onof Cl ear SkyPur e Li ght nd that charmhascar r i ed over t o t h i s book ver si on t oo Read i t and meetHenry Thor eau j u s t asper t i nent and i mper t i nent t o useone of hi sown f a v o r i t epuns as he was i n rea l l i f

    W LTER H R NGS t a t eUni ver s i t yof New Torkat GeneseoApr i l5 1978

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    Foreword

    I M by pr of essi onan actor I r es i dehowever by choi ceor by chance I have never been abl e t o deci de whi ch pr i mar i l yout si de t he mai nst r eamof t heAmer i cantheatre I n a t r i b u t a r yperhaps but one I seem t o have l a r g e l yt omysel f There ar e f ewot her ves s e l si n s i g h t t houghoccas i o n a l l yand d e l i g h t f u l l yone comes w t h i nh a i l i n gdi st anceand we converse a c r o s st he wat er about t he w nd t heweat her or t he t i des

    Qui t e probabl y my s i t u a t i o nwoul d be anal agous nomat t er what my pr of essi on I was a t eacher b e f o r eI was ana c t o r and i s o l a t e df r o mt he maj or i t y ofmy col l eaguesthenas now Thi s vol ume mar ks t he r enewal of an ol dacquai n

    tance wi t h t he l i t e r a r ypr of es s i onsbut expect that nomat t er how deep my i nvol vementwi t h t he wor l dof l e t t e r smay ever become I w i l lobs t i nat el yi r a s c i b l yand r e s o l u t el ymai nt ai na p o s i t i o ni nt he per i pher y Gener al l yspeaki ngI l i k ei t out her e can s eebetter and br eat he a l i t t l emore

    f r e e l y

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    Cl earSky Pur e Li ght

    The mater i al bet ween these covers i s t he mater i al f r o mwhi ch, i n 1974 I f i r s tbegan t o draw a ` s t a g ep o r t r a i t ofHenry Davi dThoreau, event ual l y enabl i ngmysel ft omakea l i vi ng i nt he theatre i ndependent of producers, booki ngagent s and even other a c t o r s The c hoi c eand ar r angementof t he s e l e c t i o n sthat f o l l o wand t he nat ur e of t he b r i e fcomment ar y bet ween them i mpl y an i nt er pr et at i on ofThor eau s character ; out i n t he per i pher y, ar r ogant l ys i t u a t e dI stand c h e e r f u l l yby i t Part of my j u s t i f i c a t i o nf or t h i si mper t i nent stance i ssuggestedby t he st at ement sabove even o f f s t a g ei n my d a i l yl i f eI mai nt ai n a st r ongsense of i d e n t i f i c a t i o nw t h var i ous aspect s of Thor eau sper sonal i t y Thi s i s somet i mes count er pr oduct i ve Forexampl e, I have j u s tnot i ced that at l e a s t t h r e ei mages i nt he pr ecedi ng paragraphs ar e unconsci ousl y`bor r owedf romThoreau Wel l r eader or t wo may be chal l engedt o

    i d e n t i f ythem However , t he rea lpoi nt of t h i sbooki snot t oat t empt a

    d e f i n i t i v ep o r t r a i tof Henry Thoreau t t hi s l a t eda te wear e a l lpretty much f r e et o make of hi m what we wi l l f orbetter or worse those whose c r i t i c a land sympat het i c

    f a c u l t i e sar e both r i c h l ydevel opedwi l lsur el y under st andhi m best I wr i t e these wor ds a f ew shor t m l es f r o mWal den Pond, now a l andmar kf ort he wor l d, and t he poi ntof t h i s book i s somet hi ng any a c t o r whi ch, Shakespearen o t e s r e a l l yshoul dmean anyone) wi l lunder s t and l egend-

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    For ewor d

    any t hough he has become; Thoreauwas not an a b s t r a c -t i o n; he was a l i v i n g sent i ent man, w t h or throughwhomwe can a l li dent i f y our s e l ves And, i n that sense he- l i keJ ohn rown i s not gone He t r e a d st he s t r e e t sof Concor d;s c o u t st he r i dgesof Kat ahdi nand Monadnock over l ookst he s eaat St at en I sl and and he wal ks t he shores of Wal denw t h each of us

    HRI STOPHER CHI LDSWyndst oweFarm St owMassachuse t t s2 February1978

    Thes t a g ev e r s ionofCl ear Sky,PureLi ght ,s u b t i t l e dan Eveni ngw t h Henry Davi d Thor eau, opened onYu l y6 1975 atConcord sBi cent enni alMemor i alCent er I t has s ubs equent l ybeent o u r e dr e g i o n a l l yand n a t i o n a l l yt o s h o o l scol l egesand others pons or i ngi n s t i t u t i o n s

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    PREF E

    SPEE H ND SI LEN E

    f ewyardsf rom t he s i t e Thoreau s al den c a b i nr i s e rt hes kel et onof a l o n egi antpi ne perhapst hel as t s t i l ls t andi ngof age ne r at i onpl ant e di nt hep r e v i ousc e n t u r y; l o s eby r e s t soneof i t sf a l l e ncont empor ar i es Th ei rpresencei ssoundl esse l oquence t hepe r-f e c tcount e rpoi ntt o t hewor ds t h e i rnearpredecessorshe l p edi n s p i r e

    r e l a t e dcont ras tt heawarenessof whi chpreoccup i ed horeau i nsome ofhi se a r l i e s tw r i t i n gi t t he subj ec t t h e r eop e ni ngs e l e t i o n s

    hef i r s tspokenbyc andl e l i ghtservesasa Pr o l o guet ot het h e a t r i c a lve r s i onof t h i sp o r t r a i t bothservet o i nt r oduc ei deast h a tgo neart heco reof Thoreau sph i l os op hy

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    s T TRU ST SO I ETY appr oaches al ways nearer t os ol i t ude s o t he most exc el l entspeech f i n a l l y l l s i n t oSi l enc e Si l enc ei s audi bl e t o a l lmen a t al l t i me s and i n a l lpl a ce s She i swhenwe hear i nwar dl y sound whenwe hearout war dl y Cr eat i on has not di spl aced he r but i s her v i s ibl e f r amewor k and f o i l Al l sounds ar e her servants andpurveyors pr ocl ai mng not onl y t hat t h e i rmstress i s buti sa rare m s t r e s s and ear nest l y t o be sought a f t e r They ar e

    s o f ar aki n t o Si l enc et hat t hey a r ebut bubbl es on her s u rf a c e whi ch st r ai ght way b u r s t an evi dence of t he strengthand p r o l i f i c n e s sof t he under cur r ent a f a i n t ut t er ance ofs i l enc e and t hen onl y agr eeabl e t o our audi t or y ner veswhen they contrast t hemsel ves wi t hand r e l i e v et he f or mer

    I n propor t i onas they t h i s and ar ehei ght ener s and i nt e n s i f i e r sof t heSi l ence t hey ar ehar mony andpur est mel ody

    Si l enc ei s t he uni v er s a lr e f u g e t he sequelt o a l ldul l d i scourses and al l f o o l i s hac t s a bal mt o our every chagr i n aswel come a f t e rs a t i e t yas a f t e rdi sappoi nt ment that back

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    Cl earSky Pur e Li ght

    gr ound whi ch t he pai nt er m y not daub be he mast er orbungl er and whi ch however wkw rd a f i g u r ewe m yhave made i n t he f or egr ound r emai ns ever our i n v i o l a b l easyl um wher e no i ndi gni t y can a s s a i l no per sonal i t y d i st ur b us

    WERE i n vai n f or me t o endeavor t o i nt er pr ett heSi l enc e She cannot be done i nt o Engl i sh For s i xt housandyears men have t r ansl at ed her w t h what f i d e l i t ybel ongedt o each and s t i l lshe i s l i t t l ebetter than a s eal edbook m nm y r un on conf i dent l y f ora t i me t hi nki ng he has her

    under hi s t humb and s hal lone day exhaust he r but he t oomust at l a s t be s i l e n t and men r emar k onl y how brave abegi nni ng he made f orwhen he at l engt h di ves i nt o her s ovast i s t he di spr opor t i on of t he t ol d t ot he unt ol d that t hef or mer wi l l seem but t he bubbl e on t he s u r f a c ewher e he

    di sappear ed Never t hel ess we wi l l go on l i k et hose Chinese c l i f fswal l ows f eat her i ng our n e s t s w t h t he f r o t hwhi ch m y one day be bread of l i f t o such as dwel l by t heseashore

    O NOTSPE K

    f or ot her men speak f or your sel f

    THOUGH you shoul d onl y speak t o one ki ndr ed mnd i nal l t i me t hough you shoul d not speak t o one but onl yutter a l oud that you m y t he mor e compl et el y r e a l i z eand

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    P r e f a c e Speechand Si l ence

    l i v ei n t he i dea whi ch cont ai ns t he reason f oryour l i f thatyou m y bui l d your sel f up t o t he hei ght of your concept i o n s that you m y r emember your Cr eat or i n t he days ofyour yout h and j u s t i f yHi s ways t o man that t he end ofl i f m y not be i t s amusement spe k t hough yourt hought pr esupposes t he non exi st ence of your

    hearerst hought s that t r anscend l i f and deat h

    Cs~

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    RI VER

    WL NESS N I VI LI Z TI ON

    I nan age when unl i mi t edmobi l i t yon l andseemsal mos tt he nor m,we tend t of o rg e tone of t he c hi efavenuesof Thoreau sday t heRi v er , nowper cei vedby t he maj o r i t yas a pr i mar i l yl ocal andr ec r eat i onal r es our c e

    But t he Concord,wi ndi ngq u i e t l yon, s t i l ll eadst ot he Mer r i mac;and t he Mer r i mac east t ot he s e a and n o r t ht o t hemount a i ns F o l l o wThoreau ,b r i e f l yas he descr i bess e t t i n gout `we two,bro thers ,and nat i vesof Concord,wei ghed anchori n t h i sr i v e rp o r t on t he 1839 j our ney he woul d l a t e r i mmo r t al i z ei n hi sWeek on t he Concor dand Mer r i mackRi ver s; t akeConcordas a realor symbol i cpo i ntof departure,asyouchoose The t e r r i t o r yenteredi snot e x c l u s i v e l ygeogr aphi ca l

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    I H VE NEVER GOT over m sur pr i se that I shoul d have

    been born i nt o the most est i mabl e pl ace i n the worl d and

    i n the very ni ck of t i me t oo

    I THNK I coul d wri te a poem o be cal l ed oncord Forargument I shoul d have the Ri ver t he Wods the Pondst he Hi l l s the Fi el ds t he Swamps and Meadows theStreets and Bui l di ngs and the Vi l l ager s

    ON ORD R VER remrkabl e f or the gent l eness of t

    current whi ch scar cel y per cept i bl e and some have r e

    f er r ed t o i t s i nf l uence t he pr over bi al moderati on of t he i n

    habi t ant s of oncord as exhi bi t ed i n the evol ut i on and

    on l at er occasi ons

    WTH such thoughts we swept gentl y by thi s now peacef ul pasture ground on waves of oncord i n whi ch wasl ong si nce drowned the di n of war

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    Cl ear Sky Pure Li ght

    GR DU LLY t he v i l l a g emurmur subsi ded and wes eemed t obe embar ked on t he pl ac i dcurrent of our dreamf l o a t i n gf r o mpast t o future as s i l e n t l yas one awakes t o

    f r e s hmor ni ng or eveni ng t hought s

    Y NooN we wer e l et down i nto t he Mer r i mack throught he l oc ksat M ddl esex j u s t above Pawt ucket F a l l s by aserene and l i ber al mnded man who came qui etl y f r o mhi sbook t hough hi s dut i es we supposed di d not r equi r e hi mt o open t he l oc kson Sundays

    WE WERE THUS ENTER NG t he S t a t eof New Hamps h i r eon t he bosom of t he f l o o df or med by t he t r i b u t eof i t si nnumer abl e v a l l e y s The r i v e rwas t he onl y key whi chcoul d unl ock i t s maze pr esent i ng i t s h i l l sand v a l l e y s i t s

    l akesand stream i n t h e i rnatural order and p o s i t i o n

    I H VE TR CED i t s stream f r o mwher e i t bubbl es out oft he rocks of t he Whi te Mount ai ns above t he c l ouds t o

    wher e i t i s l o s tam d t he s a l t bi l l ows of the ocean on Pl um

    I s l a n dbeach t f i r s ti t comes on murmuri ng t o i t s e l fbyt he base of s t a t e l yand r e t i r e dmountai ns t hr ough moi stpr imt ive woods whose j u i c e si t r ec ei ves wher e t he bears t i l ldr i nks i t and t he c abi nsof s e t t l e r sar e f ar bet ween

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    Ri ver : W l dness and Ci vi l i zat i on

    and there ar e f ew t o c r o s si t s stream enj oyi ng i n s o l i t u d ei t s cascades s t i l lunknown t o f ame by l ong r anges ofmount ai ns of Sandwi ch and of Squam s l umber i ng l i k et umul i of Ti tans wi t h t he peaks of Moosehi l l ock t he ays t a c k and Kearsarge r e f l e c t e di n i t s water s wher e t hemapl e and t he raspberry those l over sof t he h i l l s f l o u r i s ham d t emper at e dews ; f l owi ng l ong and f u l lof meani ngbut unt r ansl at abl e as i t s name Pemgewasset by many apastured P e l i o nand Ossa wher e unnamed mus es haunttended by Or eads Dryads Nai ads and r ecei vi ng t he t r i but e of many an untasted Hi ppocr ene There ar ee a r t h a i rf i r and wat er ver y wel l t h i s i s water and down i tcomes

    Such wat er do t he gods d i s t i lnd pour down every h i l lFor t h e i rNew Engl and men

    dr aught of t h i s wi l d nectar br i ngnd I l lnot t a s t ethe spr i ngOf Hel i conagai n

    Fal l i ngal l t he way and yet not di scour aged by t he l owestf a l l By t he l awof i t s b i r th never t o become stagnant f or i t

    has come out of t he cl ouds and down t he s i desof pr ec i pi c esworn i n t he f l ood through beaver dams broke l oos e nots p l i t t i n gbut s p l i c i n gand mendi ng i t s e l fu n t i l i t f ound abreat hi ng pl ac ei n t h i s l owl and There i s no danger now

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    that t he sun wi l l s t ea l i t back t o heaven agai n bef or e i tr each t he sea f or i t has a war r ant even t o r ecover i t s owndews into i t s bosom agai n wi t h i nt er es t a tevery eve

    I SSU NG FROM he i r o nr egi on of Fr anconi a and f l owi ngt hr ough s t i l luncut f o r e s t s by i nexhaust i bl e l edges ofgr a ni t e wi t h Squam and W nnepi si ogee and Newf oundand Massabesi c l a kesf or i t s ml l ponds i t l l s over a succ es s i onof natural dams wher e i t has been o f f e r i n gi t sp r i v i l e g e si nvai n f or ages u n t i la t l a s t t he Yankee race camet o i mpr ovethem

    SOME SPRNG t he whi t e man came b u i l t hi m a houseand made a c l e a r i n ghere l e t t i n gi n t he sun dr i ed up af a rm p i l e dup t he ol d gr ay s tonesi n fences cut down t hepi nes ar ound hi s dwel l i ng pl ant ed orchard seeds br ought

    f r o mt he ol dcount r y and per suaded t he c i v i lappl e t r e e t obl ossomnext t o t he wi l dpi ne and t he j uni p ersheddi ng i t sper f ume i n t he wi l der ness Thei r ol d s t o c k ss t i l lr emai n Hec ul l ed t he gr a c ef ulel mf r o mout t he woods and f r o mt her i v e r - s i d eand s o r e f i n e dand smoot hed hi s v i l l a g epl ot

    nd t hus he p l ant sa town

    THE WHTE M N comes pal eas t he dawn wi t h a l oadoft hought wi t h a sl umber i ng i n t e l l i g e n c eas a f i r eraked upknowi ngwel l what he knows not guessi ng but c a l c u l a t i n g

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    Ri ver W l dness and C i v i l i z a t i o n

    strong i n communi t y yi el di ngobedi ence t o aut hor i t y ; of

    exper i enced race ; of wonder f ul wonder f ul common sense ;dul l but c a p abl e sl owbut per sever i ng sever e but j u s t ofl i t t l ehumor but genui ne ; a l abor i ng man despi si ng gameand sport ; bui l di ng a house that endur es a f r amed house He buys t he I ndi a n smoccasi ns and b a s k e t s then buys hi shunt i ng gr ounds and a t l engt h f o r g e t swher e he i s bur i edand pl ows up hi s bones

    T LK of c i v i l i z i n gt he I ndi an but that i snot the namef or hi s i mpr ovement y t he war y i ndependence and a l o o f -ness of hi s di m o re s tl i f he preserves hi s i nt er cour se wi t hhi snat i ve gods and i sadmtted f r o mt i me t o t i me t o a rareand p ec ul i a rsoci et y wi t h Nat ur e He has gl ances of s t a r r yr ecogni t i on t o whi ch our sal oons ar e strangers The steadyi l l umnat i on of hi s geni us di m onl y because d i s t a n t i s l i k e

    t he f a i n tbut s a t i s f y i n gl i g h tof t he s t a r scompar ed wi t h t hedazzl i ng but i nef f ec t ualand s h o r t - l i v e dbl aze of candl es

    THE I ND N S I NTERCOURSE wi t h Nat ur e i s at l eas tsuch as admts of t he gr ea t es ti ndependence of each I f he i s

    somewhat of a st r anger i n her mdst t he gar deneri s

    t oomuch of a f a m l i a r

    I WE COULD LI STEN but f or an i nstant t o t he chaunt of

    t he I ndi anmuse we shoul d under st and why he wi l lnot ex-

    [ 1 ]

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    change hi s savageness f or c i v i l i z at i on Nat i ons ar e notwhi msi cal Steel and bl anket s ar e strong t empt at i ons butt he I ndi an does wel l t o cont i nue I ndi an

    I M ONVI NCED that my geni us dates froman ol der er at han t he agr i c ul t ur al I woul d at l eas ts t r i k emy spade intot he earth wi t h such c ar el es sf r eedom but accur acy as t hewoodpecker hi s b i l li nto a t r e e Ther e i si n my nature met hi nks a s i ngul aryear ni ng t owar d al l wi l dness I know ofno r edeem ng q u a l i t i e si nmysel fbut a s i nc er el ove f orsomet hi ngs and when I am reproved I f a l lback on t o t h i s

    gr ound hat have I t o do wi t h pl ows? I cut another f u rrow than you s ee here t he of fox t r e a d s there i si t not i ti s further of f wher e t he ni gh ox wal ks i t wi l lnot b e i t i sni gher s t i l l I f corn f a i l smy crop i l s n o t and what ar edr ought and r a i n t ome?

    HE L YOURSELVES doctors by od I l i v e

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    GO S

    C r y s t a l l i z e ddogma i t not t hes t u f fof whi ch t r u er e l i g i o ni t made r e l i g i o ni s basedon myst er y Thoses t r o n genough t os t a n dan ayf romdogma per cei vet heextentt owhi chi t c anl i m t i t sadherents

    en ar e a l s oi r r i t a b l eenought ospeakout aga i ns ti t and theykeepa l i v er e l i g i o n swor t hy of our respect

    5

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    S MS tome that t he god that commonl y wor shi ppedi n c i v i l i z e dcount r i es not at al l d i v i n et hough he bears adi vi ne name but t he over whel m ng aut hor i t y and r es p e c t a b i l i t yof manki nd combi ned Men reverence oneanot her not yet God I fI t hought that I coul d speak wi t hdi scri mnat i on and i mpar t i al i t yof t he nat i ons of Chr i st endom I shoul d p r a i s ethem but t t a s k sme t oo much Theyseem t o be t he most c i v i land humane but I may be m st aken Every peopl e have gods t o s u i t t h e i rci r cumst ances

    t he Soci et y I s l ander shad a god c a l l e dToahi t u ` i n shapel i k ea dog he saved such as wer e i n danger of f a l l i n gf romrocks and t r e e s I t hi nk that we can do wi t hout hi m as wehave not much cl i mbi ng t o do mong them a man coul dmake hi msel f a god out of a pi ece of wood i na f ewmnut es

    whi ch woul d f r i ght en hi m out of hi s w t s

    TH R R v ar i ous nay i ncredi bl e f a i t h s why shoul dwe be al ar med at any of t hem? What man bel i ev esGodbe l i eves

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    Cl ear Sky Pur e Li ght

    I TRUST that some may be as near and dear t o Buddha orC h r i s t or Swedenbor g, who ar e wi t hout t he pal e of t h e i rchur ches I t i s necessar y not t o be Chr i s t i ant o appr eci at et he beaut y and s i g n i f i c a n c eof t he l i f eof Chr i st I know thatsome w i l lhave har d t hought s of me, when they hear t h e i rChr i st named besi de my Buddha, yet I am sur e t hat I amw i l l i n gthey shoul d l ove t h e i rChr i st mor e than my Buddha,f or t he l ove i st he mai n t hi ng and l i k ehi m t oo Wy needChr i st i ans be s t i nt ol er ant and s uper s t i t i ous ?

    MOST PEOPLE wi t h whom t a l k men and women evenof some o r i g i n a l i t yand geni us, have t h e i r scheme of t heuni ver se a l lcut and dr i ed, - ver y dry I assur e you, t o heardr y enough t o bur n, dry-rotted and powder - post , met hi nks, - whi ch they s et up bet ween you and them n t hes h o r t e s ti nt er cour se an anci ent and t o t t e r i n gf r ame wi t hal l i t sboar ds bl own of f They do not wal k wi t hout t h e i rbed Some t o me seemngl y ver y uni mpor t ant and unsub-s t a n t i a l t hi ngs and r e l a t i o n s ar e f or them ever l ast i ngl yset t l ed, - as Father, Son, and Hol y Ghost , and t he l i k e These ar e l i k et he ever l ast i ng h i l l st o them But i n a l lmy

    wander i ngs, I never came a c r o s st he l eas tvest i ge of aut hor -i t yf or t hese t hi ngs They have not l e f ts o di s t i nc ta t r a c east he d e l i c a t ef l ower of a r emot e geol ogi c alper i od on t he coali n my grate The w sest man pr eaches no doct r i nes he hasno scheme he sees no r a f t e r not even a cobweb, agai nst

    [ D

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    Gods

    t heheavens

    I t i sc l earsky I fI ever s ee more c l e a r l yat onet i me than at anot her , t he medi um t hr ough whi ch s ee i sc l ear er To s ee f romearth t oheaven, and s ee there standi ng,s t i l la f i x t u r e that ol dJ ewi shscheme Wat r i ght have yout o hol d up t h i sobstacl e t o my under st andi ng you, t o yourunder st andi ng me You di d not i nvent i t i t was i mposedon you Exam ne your aut hor i t y

    YOUR SCHEME must be t he f r amewor k of the uni ver se a l lot her schemes w i l lsoon be r ui ns The p e r f e c tGod i n hi sr evel at i onsof hi msel f has never got t o t he l ength of onesuch pr oposi t i on as you, hi s pr ophet s, s t a t e Have youl ear ned t he al phabet of heaven, and can count t h r e e ?Doyou know t he number of God s f aml y? Can you putmyst er i es i n t o wor ds? Do you pr esume t o f a b l eof t hei nef f abl e?Pr ay, what geogr apher ar e you, that speak of

    heaven s t opogr aphy? Wose f r i e n dar e you that speak ofGod s per s onal i t y?Do you, M l e s Howard t hi nk that hehas made you hi s conf i dant ? Tel l me of t he hei ght of themount ai ns of t he moon, or of t he di amet er of space and Imay bel i eve you, but of t he sec re thi st or y of t he Al m ght y,

    and I s hal lpr onounce thee mad Yet we have a s o r tof f a m l yhi st or y of our God so have t he Tahi t i ans of t hei r s, - and

    some ol d poe t s gr and i magi nat i on i s i mposed on us asadamant i ne ever l ast i ng t r u t h and God s own wor d

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    ON EI NG WR TER

    Humor i s t sar e notal one i nt h e i rpossessi onof senseof h umor nd f

    hor e u showed l i t t l i n c l i n a t i o nt o c ompet ei n l i t er ar ymat t er s

    wi t ht he l i k sof w i n or i ckenshe w s never t hel essnos t r angert ot hec o m cor i r o n i ci n s i g h t a l s oh d t hea b i l i t yt os hi sowne f f o r t si n humor ouspe r spec t ive ew readers un w r e of t h i s

    m y be s u r p r i s e dby t hef ol l owi ngpassage

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    FOR Y R or t wo p a s t my publ i s herf a l s e l yso c a l l e dhasbeen wr i t i ng f romt i me t o t i me t o ask wh t d i s p o s i t i o nshoul d be m de of the c opi e sof `A Week on t he Concor dand Mer r i mackRi ver s s t l lon hand and at l a s t suggest i ngthat he had use f or t he room they occupi ed i n hi s c e l l a r So had them l l sent t o m h e r e and t hey have ar r i vedt o- day y e x p r e s s f i l l i n gt he man s wagon 7o6 c opi e sout of anedi t i onof i ooowhi ch bought of Munroe f o u ryears ago andhave been ever s i nc epayi ng f o r and have not qui te pai df oryet The war es ar e sent t o m at l a s t nd have an op-por t uni t y t o exam ne my purchase They ar e somet hi ngmore s ubs t ant i a lthan f ame as my back knows whi ch hasbor ne themup t wo f l i g h t sof s t a i r st o a pl ac es i m l a rt o that

    t o whi chthey t r a c et h e i ro r i g i n Of t he r emai ni ngtwo hun-dred and ni net y and odd seventy- f i vewer e gi ven awayt he r es t s ol d have now a l i b r a r yof near l y ni ne hundr edvol umes over seven hundr ed of whi ch wr ot e mysel f s i tnot wel l t hat t he author shoul d behol d t he f r u i t sof hi s

    [z ]

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    Cl earSky Pur e Li ght

    l abor ?My wor ks ar e p i l e dup on one s i d eof my chamberhal f as hi ghas my head my operaomni a Thi s i saut hor shi p;these ar e t hework of my br ai n There was j ust one pi ece ofgood l uck i n t he venture The un ound wer e t i e dup byt he pr i nt er f our years ago i n st out paper wr apper s andi ns c r i bed

    Thor eau sConcor d Ri ver

    So cops So unroe had onl y t o c r o s sout ` Ri ver and wr i t e `Mass and del i verthem t o t he expr essman at once I can s eenowwh t I wr i t e f o r t he r e s u l tof my l abor s

    Never t hel ess i n s p i t eof t h i s r e s u l t s i t t i n gbesi de t hei n e r tmass of my wor ks I t ake up my pen t o- ni ght t o r e-cord wh t t hought or exper i ence I my have had w t h asmch s a t i s f a c t i o nas ever I ndeed I bel i eve t hat t h i sr e s u l t

    i s mor e i n s p i r i n gand better f orm t han i f a t housand hadbought my wares I t a f f e c t smy pr i vacy l e s sand l eavesmf r e e r

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    LOSS

    J ohn Thoreau 7r w t h whom Henr y had j our neyedon t heConcordand Mer r i mac di edof l ockj awat t he age of twenty-seven on t he t w e l f t hof 7anuar y 1842 Wal do Emer s onel destchi l d af L i d i a nand Ral phWal do and Thoreau sf a v o r i t ei n t hef am l y- w t h whom he had been l i vi ng- di edon t he twenty-f o u r t hof that same mont h ni nemont hsshortof hi ss i x t hbi r t hday

    t l s t part of t he reasonThor eau f el t t heneed t o r e t i r e t o

    Wal den `dr ivel i f ei n t oa corner and consi derwhetheri t i s oft hedevi lor of God i s suggestedby theseexcerptsfromt wo l e t t e r sw r i t t e ni n t hef o l l o w i n gMar ch

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    TH suN has j u s tburst t hr ough t he f o g and I hear bl uebi r ds song spar r ows l a r k s and r o bi nsdown i n t he mead

    ow The ot her day I wal ked i n t he woods but f ound mys e l fr at her denat ur al i zed by l a t ehabi t s et i t i s t he samenature that Bur ns and Wor dswor t h l oved t he same l i f thatShakspear e and M l t o n l i v e d The w nd s t i l lr o a r si n t hewood as i f not hi ng had happened out of t he cour se ofnature The

    soundof t he w a t e r f a l li s

    noti nt er r upt ed mor e

    than i f a feather had f a l l e n Nat ur e i s not r u f f l e dby t he r udest bl ast The h u r r i

    cane onl y snaps a f ewt wi gs i nsome nook of t he f o r e s t Thesnow a t t a i n si t s aver age dept h each wi nt er and t he chi cadee l i s p st he same not es The o l dl aws pr evai l i n s p i t eofpest i l ence and f amne No geni us or v i r t u es o r ar e revol ut i onar y appear s i n town or v i l l a g e that t he pi ne ceasest oexude r e s i ni n t hewood or beast or bi r dl a y sas i dei t s ha bi t s

    How p l a i nthat deat h i s onl y t he phenomenon of t hei ndi vi dual or c l a s s Nat ur e does not r ecogni ze i t she f i n d s

    C27

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    her own agai n under new f or ms wi t hout l o s s

    Yet deathi sbeaut i f ulwhen seen t o be a l aw and not an acci dent I ti s as common as l i f e Men di ei n Tartary i n Et hi opi a i nEngl and i n W sconsi n And a f t e ral l what por t i on of t h i ss o serene and l i v i n gnature can be s ai d t obe al i ve?Do t h i s

    year sg r a s s e sand f o l i a g eout number a l l t he past

    Ever y bl ade i n t he f i el d ever y l eafi n t he f or es t l aysdown i t s l i f ei n i t s season as beaut i f ul l yas i t was taken upI t i s t he past i me of a f u l lquar ter of t heyear Dead t r ee ss e r e l eaves dr i ed g r a s sand herbs are not these a goodpart of our l i f And what

    i sthat pr i de of our aut umnal

    scenery but t he h e c t i cf l ush t he sal l owand cadaver ouscount enance of veget at i on i t s pai nt ed t hr oes wi t h t heNovember ai r f or canvas

    When we l ook over t he f i e l d sar e we not saddened because t hepar t i c ul arf l ower s o r g r a s s e sw i l lwi t her f or t hel awof t h e i rdeath i s t he l awof new i f e W l l not t he l and bei n good hear t becauset he cr ops di edown f r omyear t o year?The her bage cheer f ul l yconsents t o bl oom and w ther andgi ve pl ace t o a new

    So i t i swi t h t he human pl ant We ar e p a r t i a land s e l f i s h

    when we l ament t he death of t he i ndi vi dual unl es sourpl ai ntbe a paean t o t he depar t ed s o ul and a si gh as t hew nd s i g h sover the f i e l d s whi ch no shr ub i n t e r p r e t sin toi t s pr i vat e g r i e f

    One m ght as wel l go in to mour ni ng f o revery s e r e l eaf

    [ 8]

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    Lof t

    but t he more i nnocent and wi ser s o ul wi l lsnuf f a f r a -gr ance i n t he gal esof aut umn and congr atul ate Nat ur eupon her heal t h

    After I have i magi ned t hus much w i l lnot the Gods feelunder obl i gat i on t o make me r e a l i z esomet hi ng as good

    ONLY N TURE has a r i ght t o gr i eveper pet ual l y f or sheonl y i s i nnocent

    I O NOT WSH o s eeJ ohn ever agai n I mean hi m whoi s dead but that other whom onl yhe woul d have wi shedt o see or t o be of whom he was t he i mper f ect representat i v e For we ar enot what we are nor do we t r e a t or esteemeach other f o r such but f or what we ar e capabl e of bei ng

    As f orWal do he di ed as t he m st r i s e sf r o mt he br ookwhi ch t he sun w i l l soon dart hi s rays t hr ough Do not t hef l ower s di eevery aut umn? He had not even taken root here I was not s t ar t l ed t ohear that he was dead ; i t seemed t hemost natural event that coul d happen Hi s f i n eor gani zat i o ndemanded i t and nature gent l y yi el ded i t s r equest I twoul d have been strange i f he had l i v e d Nei t her w i l l na-

    ture mani f est any sorrowat hi sdeat h but soon t he note oft he l a r k w i l l be hear d down i n t he meadow and f r e s hdandel i ons w i l l spr i ng f r o m t he ol d s t o c k s wher e hepl ucked them l a s t summer have been l i v i n gi l l of l at ebut amnow doi ng better

    [ 9D

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    ON MPROV M NTS

    There sa general and f o r t u n a t eagr eementtha ta man has somedegreeof con t ro loverhi sown des t i ny Thor eau r e g a r d e dt hedegreeof con t ro las r e l a t i v et o t he amount of det er m nat i onand pr ac t i c alw sdom t he i ndi v i dual ence hi sdi s dai nf or t he mul t i t udewhoaccepte dq ui et des per a t i on ast hei rl ot

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    I WOUL F I N S Y somet hi ng not s o much concer ni ng t he Chi nese and Sandw ch I s l ander sas you who readthese pages who ar e s ai d t ol i v ei n ew Engl and somet hi ng about your condi t i on e s p e c i a l l yyour out war d cond i t i o nor ci r cumst ances i n t h i swor l d i nt h i st own wh t i ti s whet her i t i snecessary that i t be as bad as i t i s whet heri t cannot be i mpr oved as wel l as not I have t r a v e l l e dagood deal i n Concor d and ever ywher e i n shops and off i c e s and f i e l d s t he i nhabi t ant s have appear ed t o me t o bedoi ng penance i na t housand r emar kabl e ways What I havehear d of Br am ns s i t t i n gexposed t o f our f i r e sand l ooki ngi n t he f a c eof t he sun or hangi ng suspended w t h t h e i rheads downwar d over f l ames or l ooki ng at t he heavens

    over t h e i rshoul der s ` u n t i li t becomes i mpossi bl e f or t h mt o r esume t h e i rnat ur al p o s i t i o nwhi l ef r o mt he t wi s tof t heneck not hi ng but l i q u i d scan pass i nt o t he st omach ordwel l i ng chai ned f orl i f eat t he foot of a t r e e or measur i ngw t h t h e i r bodi es l i k ec a t e r p i l l a r st he br eadt h of vast

    33

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    Cl ear Sky Pur e Li ght

    empi r es or st andi ng on one l eg on t he tops of p i l l a r seven t he sef or ms of consci ous penance ar e har dl y more i nc r edi bl eand ast oni shi ng than t he s ceneswhi ch I d a i l yw tness The t wel ve l abor sof Her cul es wer e t r i f l i n gi n compar i son w t h those whi ch my nei ghbor s have under t aken f or they wer e onl y t wel ve and had an end but I coul dnever s ee that these mn sl ew or captured any monst er orf i n i s h e dany l abor

    I SOMETI MES WONDER that we can be s o f r i vol ousImy al most say as t o attend t o t he gross but somewhatf or ei gnf or mofser vi t ude c a l l e dNegr o Sl aver y there ar e somny keen and s u b t l emast er s that ensl ave both Nor t h andSouth I t i shard t o have a Sout her n overseer i t i s wor se t ohave a Nor t her n one but wor st of al l when you ar e t hes l av e dr i v erof your sel f

    PU LI C OPI N ON i s a weak tyrant compar ed w t h ourown pr i vat e opi ni on What a mn t hi nks of hi ms el f that i t

    i s whi ch determnes or rather i n di c at eshi s f a t e

    THE M SS of MEN ead l i v e sof qui et desper at i on Whati s c a l l e dr esi gnat i on i s conf i r med desper at i on From t hedesperate c i t yyou go in to t he desperate country and havet o consol e your sel f w t h t he bravery of m nks and muskr a t s stereotyped but unconsci ous despai r i s conceal ed

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    On I mpr ovement s

    even under wh t ar e c a l l e dt he games and amusement s ofm nki nd Ther e i s no pl ay i n them f or t h i s comes a f t e rwork But i t i sa char ac t er i s t i cof wsdom ot t o do desperat e t hi ngs

    When we consi der what t o use t he wor ds of t he ca te

    chi sm i s t he c hi efend of man and what ar e t het r u enecess ar i esand means of l i f ei t appear s as i fmn had del i ber at el ychosen t he commn mde of l i v i n gbecause they preferredi t t o any other Yet they honest l y t hi nk there i s no choi cel e f t But a l e r t and heal t hy natures remem er that t he sunr o s ec l ear I t

    i snever t oo l a t et o gi ve up our pr ej udi ces No

    way of t hi nki ngor doi ng however an ci en t can be trustedw t hout pr oof What ever ybodyechoes or i n s i l encepassesby as true to day my turn out t o be f al sehood t o mor r owmer e smoke of opi ni on whi ch some had trusted f ora cl oudthat woul d spr i nkl ef e r t i l i z i n gr a i non t hei rf i e l d s

    C3s ]

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    THE WOODS ND W LDEN

    Thoreau sr el at i ons hi pwi t h t he n a t u r a lwor l dw s as t oni s hi n gl ypersonalwi t hout bei n gsen t i men t al I t w s c e r t a i n l ynot t ha t hep r oj ec t ed

    hum nq u a l i t i e so n t ot hef a c e

    ofn a t u r e r a the r

    onef eel she sensed i nhi ms el fthoseq u a l i t i e smostpresen ti n hi sn a t u r a lsu r-r oun di n gs ut t ha t son l y p r t of t he s t or y

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    FOR LONG TI ME was reporter t o a j our nal of novery w de c i r c ul at i onwhose edi t orhas never yet seen f i tt o pr i nt t he bul k of my cont r i but i ons and as i s t oo commn w t h wr i t er s I got onl y my l abor f or my pai ns However i n t h i s case my pai ns wer e t h e i rown r ewar d

    For mny year s I w s s e l f appoi nt edi nspect or of snowst or ms and r ai n st or ms and di d my dut y f a i t h f u l l y s u rveyor i f not of hi ghways t hen of f o r e s tpat hs and a l l

    ac r o s s l otr o u t e s keepi ng them open and r avi nes br i dgedand passabl e at al l seasonswher e t he publ i c heel had t e s t if i e dt o t h e i ru t i l i t y

    I have l ooked a f t e r t he w l d st ock of t he t own whi chgi ve a f a i t h f u lher dsman a good deal of t r oubl e y l eapi ng

    f ences and I have had an eye t o t he unf r equent ed nooksand corners of t he f ar m t hough I di d not al ways knowwhet her J onas or Sol omon wor ked i n a par t i c ul arf i e l dt o day t hat w s none of my busi ness have wat er ed t her ed huckl eber r y t he sand cherry and t he n e t t l et r e e t he

    [ 9

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    Cl earSky, Pur e Li ght

    r ed pi ne and t he bl ack ash, t he whi t e grape and t he yel l owv i o l e t ,whi ch m ght have w t her ed e l s ei n dr y seasons

    I n s h o r t ,I went on thus f ora l ong t i me I may s ay i tw t h-out boast i ng f a i t h f u l l ym ndi ng my own bu s i nes s ,t i l li tbe-came mor e and mor e evi dent t hat my townsmen woul dnota f t e ra l l

    admt me i n t o t hel i s t

    of town o f f i c e r s ,nor makemy pl ace a si necur e wi t h a moder at e al l owance My ac -counts whi ch I can swear t o have kept f a i t h f u l l y ,I havei ndeed never got audi t ed s t i l ll e s saccept ed s t i l ll e s s pai dand s e t t l e d However I have not s et my hear t on t hat

    FI ND NG TH T my f el l ow- c i t i z enswer e not l i k el y t oo f f e rme any room i n t he court house or any curacy orl i v i n ganywher e el se, but I mus t shi f t f ormysel f I turnedmy f a c emore excl usi vel yt o t he woods wher e I was betterknown I determned t o go i nt o busi ness at once and notwai t t o acqui r e t he usual c a p i t a l ,usi ng such sl ender meansas I had al r eady got My pur pose i n goi ng t o Wal denPondwas not t o l i v echeapl y nor t o l i v edear l y t h e r e , but t ot r a n s a c ts ome pr i vat e busi ness wi t h t he f ewest o bs t ac l es t o be hi nder ed f r o m accompl i shi ng whi ch f or want of a

    l i t t l ecommon sense,a l i t t l eent er pr i se and busi ness t al ent ,appear ed not s o s ad as f o o l i s h

    I H VE THOUGHT t hat Wal den Pond woul d be a goodpl ace f orbu s i nes s ,not s o l e l yon account of t he r a i l r o a dand

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    RESI ST N E TO

    I VI L OV RNM NT

    Thef o l l o w i n ges say t r eas onabl y wel lknown I t t a r t i c u l a t e t t

    f o r c e f u land d e s p i t e t s re ferencest o a p a r t i c u l a rp e r i o dof apart i c u l a rna t i ona lh i s t o r y t s t h e me s h o wse v e r ys i g nof be i ngt i me

    l s sand u ni ve r s a l

    or al l t hat t a deep l yper sona ls t a t ementbya man who hadana b i d i n gc o n v i c t i o nt h a t r i gh tand wr ong ar e s e p a r a b l e nt t s I f t s mes s age s u n i v e r s a l t s s t y l e s unm s t a ka bl yi n d i v i d u a l

    Not hi ngc o u l dpos si bl y bemor e a p p r o p r i a t e

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    I HEARTI LY ACCEPT t he mot t o That gover nment s best whi ch governs l e a s t and shoul d l i k et o s ee t

    act ed up t o more rapi dl y and syst emat i cal l y Car r i ed o u ti t f i n a l l yamount s t o thus whi ch a l s o bel i eve - Thatgover nment s best whi ch gover ns not a t al l and whenmen ar e prepared f or t t hat w i l lbe t he ki nd of gover n-ment whi ch they w i l lhave

    TH S MER C N GOVERNMENT what s tbut at r a d i t i o n t hough a recent one endeavor i ng t o transmti t s e l funi mpai r ed t o pos t e r i t ybut each i nst ant l o s i n gsomeof i t s i nt egri t y? t h as not t he v i t a l i t yand f o r c eof a s i n g l el i v i n gman f or a s i n g l eman can bend t t o h i s wi l l

    BUT T I S NOT t he l e s snecessary f or t h i s f or t h e peopl emust have some compl i cat ed machi ner y or o t h e r and heari t s di n t o s a t i s f yt hat i dea of gover nment whi ch they have Gover nment s show t hus how s ucces s f ul l ymen can be i m

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    BUT TO SPEAR PRACTI CALLY and as a c i t i z e n unl i kethose who c al l t hemsel ves no gover nment men I ask f o rnot at once no gover nment but at oncea better government Let every man make known what ki nd of government woul d command hi s r e s p e c t and that wi l l be onestep t oward obt ai ni ng i t

    After a l l t he pr ac t i c alreason why when t he power i sonce i n t he hands of t he peopl e a maj or i t yar e permtted

    and f o ra l ong peri odcont i nue t o r u l e i snot because theyar e mos t l i k e l yt o be i n t he r i g h t nor because t h i s seemsf a i r e s tt o t he m nori t y but because they ar ephysi cal l yt hest rongest But a gover nment i nwhi ch t he maj or i t yrul e i na l l cases cannot be based on j u s t i c e even as f ar as men

    Cl ear Sky Pure i ght

    posed o n even i mpose on t hemsel ves f o rt h e i rown advant age I t i sexc el l entwe must a l lal l ow yet t h i sgover nmentnever of i t s e l ffurthered any ent er pr i s ebut by t he a l a c r i t yw t h whi ch i t got out of i t s way I t does not keep t hecount r y f r e e I t does not s e t t l et he West I t does not educat e

    The charact er i nherent i n t he Amer i can peopl e has doneal l that has been accompl i shed and i t woul d have donesomewhat mor e i f t he gover nment had not somet i mes goti n i t s way For gover nment i san expedi ent by whi ch menwoul d f a i nsucceed i n l e t t i n gone anot her al one and as hasbeen s ai d when i t i s mos t expedi ent t he governed ar emos t l et al one by i t

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    Resi st ance t o Ci vi l Gover nment

    unders t and i t Can there not be a gover nment i n whi chmaj o r i t i e sdo not v i r t u a l l ydeci de ri ght and wr ong butconsci ence? i n whi ch maj o r i t i e sdeci de onl y those quest i o n st o whi ch t he r u l eof expedi ency i s appl i c abl eMustt he c i t i z e never f o ra moment or i n t he l eas tdegree r e s i g n

    hi s consci ence t o t he l e g i s l a t o rWy has every man a cons c i e nc et hen? t hi nk t hat we shoul d be men f i r s t and subj e c t saf t erward I t i snot des i r abl e t oc u l t i v a t ea respect f ort he l aw s o much as f or t h e r i g h t The onl y obl i gat i onwhi ch I have a r i ght t o assume i st o do at any t i me what t hi nk r i g h t I t

    i st r u l yenough sai d that a corporat i onhas

    no consci ence but a corporat i onof consci ent i ous men i s acorporat i onw t h a consci ence Law never made men a whi tmore j u s t and by means of t h e i rrespect f or i t even t h ewel l di sposed ar e d a i l ymade t he agent s of i n j u s t i c e Acommon and nat ural r es ul tof an undue respect f or l awi st hat you may s eea f i l eof s ol di er sc ol onelc apt ai nc or po r a lpr i vat espowder monkeys and a l l marchi ng i n adm r abl eorder over h i l land dal e t ot h ewars agai nst t h e i rwi l l sayeagai nst t h e i rcommon sense and c o ns c i e nc e swhi ch makesi t very steep marchi ng i ndeed and produces a pal pi t at i o n

    of t he heart They have no doubt that i t i s a damnabl ebusi ness i n whi ch they ar e concerned they ar e a l lpeaceabl y i ncl i ned Now what ar e t hey? Men at a l l or smal lmoveabl e f o r t sand magazi nes at t he s e r v i c eof some unscrupul ous man i n power ?

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    l earSky Pure Li ght

    THE M SS OF MEN serve the State t hus not as menmai nl y but as machi nes w t h t hei r bodi es

    VERY FEW as her oes pat r i ot s martyrs ref ormers i n

    t he gr eat sense and men serve the State w th t hei r con

    sci ences al so and so necessar i l y r esi st i t f or the most part ;and they ar e commonl y treated by i t as enemes

    w DOES i t become a man t o behave toward t h i s

    Ameri can government t o- day? I answer t hat he cannot

    w thout di sgr ace be associ at ed w th i t I cannot f or an

    i nst ant r ecogni ze t hat pol i t i cal or gani zat i on as my govern

    ment whi ch i s the sl ave s government al so

    Al l men r ecogni ze the r i ght of r evol ut i on ; t hat i s the

    r i ght t o r ef use al l egi ance to and t o r esi st the government

    when i t s tyranny or i t s i nef f i ci ency ar e gr eat and unen

    durabl e But al most al l say t hat such i s not the case now

    But such was t he case they t hi nk i n t he Revol ut i on Of 75

    I f one were t o t e l l me t hat t h i s was a bad government

    because i t taxed cer t ai n f or ei gn commodi t i es brought t o

    i t s ports i t i s most probabl e t hat I shoul d not make an ado

    about i t f or I can do w thout t hem al l machi nes have t hei rf r i c t i o n; and possi bl y t h i s does enough good t o count er -

    bal ance the evi l At any rate i t i s a gr eat evi l t o make a s t i r

    about i t But when the f r i ct i on comes t o have i t s machi ne

    and oppr essi on and robbery ar e or gani zed I say l et us not

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    Res i s t anc et o i v i lGover nment

    have such a machi ne any l onger I n other words when asi xt h of the popul at i on of a nat i on whi ch has undertaken to

    be the r ef uge of l i ber t y ar e sl aves and a whol e count ry i s

    unj ust l y overrun and conquered by a f or ei gn army and

    subj ect ed t o m l i t ar y l aw I thi nk t hat i t i s not too soon f or

    honest men to r ebel and r evol ut i oni ze What makes t h i s

    duty t he more urgent i s the fact t hat t he count ry so over -

    run i s not our own but ours i s the i nvadi ng army

    THS PEOPLE must cease t o hol d sl aves and t o make war

    on Mexi co t hough i t cost t hem t hei r exi st ence as a peopl e

    I H VE PAI D no pol l - t ax f or si x year s I was put i nt o a

    j a i l once on t h i s account f or one ni ght ; and as I st ood con

    si der i ng the wal l s of sol i d st one t wo or three f eet t hi ck

    the door of wood and i r on a f oot t hi ck and the i r on grat i ng

    whi ch st r ai ned the l i ght I coul d not hel p bei ng struckw t h t he f ool i shness of t hat i nst i t ut i on whi ch treated me

    as i fI wer e mere f l esh and bl ood and bones t o be l ocked up

    I wondered t hat i t shoul d have concl uded at l ength t hat

    t h i s was the best use i t coul d put me t o and had never

    thought to avai l i t sel f of my ser vi ces i n some way I sawthat i f there was a wal l of st one bet ween me and my t owns

    men there was a s t i l l more di f f i cul t one to cl i mb or break

    through bef or e they coul d get t o be as f ree as I was I di d

    not f or a moment f eel conf i ned and the wal l s seemed a

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    Cl ear Sky ure Li ght

    great wast e of stone and mor t ar I f e l tas i fI al one of a l l townsmen had pai d my t a x hey p l a i n l ydi d not knowhow o t r e a tme but behaved l i k epersons who a r e under-bred I nevery t h r e a tand i n every compl i ment there was abl under ; f or t hey t hought t hat my c hi e fd e s i r ewas t o st and

    t he ot her s i d eof t hat stone wal l I

    coul d not but smle t os e ehow ndust r i ousl yt hey l ocked t he door on my medi t a-t i o n s whi ch f ol l owedthem out agai n w t hout l e t or hi ndrance and they wer e r e a l l ya l lt hat was danger ous s t heycoul dnot reach me t hey had resol ved t o puni shmy bodyj u s t as boys i f t hey cannot come a t some person agai nstwhom hey have a s p i t e wi l labuse hi s dog I saw t hat t heS t a t ewas h a l f w i t t e dt hat i t was t i m d as a l one womnw t h her s i l v e rspoons and t hat i t di d not know t s f r i e n d sf r o mi t sf o e s and I l o s t a l lmy r emai ni ngrespect f or i t andp i t i e di t

    hus t he S t a t enever i nt ent i onal l yconf ront s a man ss e n s e i n t e l l e c t u a lor mor al but onl y hi s body hi s s e n s e s I t i s not ar med wi t h super i or w t or honest y but wi t hsuper i or physi cal strength I was not born t o be f orced Iwi l lbr eat he a f t e rmy own f ashi on Let us s e ewho i s t he

    st rongest What f o r c ehas a mul t i t ude? hey onl y canf o r c em who obey a hi gher l awt han I hey f o r c em t obecome l i k et hemsel ves I do not hear of mn bei ngf orced t ol i ve t hi sway or t hat by masses of mn What s o r t of l i f ewer e t hat t o l i v e ?When I meet a gover nment whi ch says

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    Resi st ance t o Ci vi lGover nment

    t o me `Your mney or your l i f e why shoul d I be i n hast et o gi ve i t my money I t my be i n a great s t r a i t and notknow what t o do I cannot hel p t hat I t must hel p i t s e l f doa s I do I t i snot wor t h t he whi l e t o s ni ve labout i t I am otr esponsi bl ef or t he s uc ce s s f ulworki ngof t he machi ner y of

    soci et y

    I am ot t he son of t he engi neer

    I percei ve t h a twhen an acorn and a chest nut f a l ls i d eby s i de t heone doesnot r emai n i n e r tt o make way f ort he o t h e r but bot h obeyt h e i rown l a ws and spr i ng and grow and f l our i s h asbestt hey can t i l lone per chance over shadows and dest r oys t heot her I f

    a pl ant cannotl i v e

    accordi ngt o

    i t s nat ure i t di e s;and s o a mn

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    R TUR

    Few of us manage t oe x e r c i s eo urf r eedomof thoughtand a c t i o nt ot he e x t e n tt ha t Thor eau di d For t ha t r e a s o nwe a r e i n c l i n e dt oenvyhi s f o r a yt o Wal den r o ma nt i c i z ei t and o f t e nne gl e c tt he

    f a c tt ha thi ss t ay at t hepondr e p r e s e n t e do n l yone pe r i odof Thoreau sl i f e anda r e l a t i v e l yb r i e fonea t t ha t Me t a pho r i c a l l yspeak i ngThor eau b u i l tmany c a bi nsby many Wal dens

    B i o l o g i s t sand a nt hr o po l o gi s t sar e qui c kt o not et ha t one of t he

    human s p e c i e ss t r o n gpoi nt si sadapt a bi l i t y seemhoweve rt or e g a r dt he i deasomewhat wi s t f ul l yand wi t ho utg r e a tc o nf i de nc et ha t i t a p p l i e ssp if o c a l l yt oe a c hof us Thor eau c l e a r l yasse r t st h a t i t does

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    W N WROTE t he f ol l owi ngpages or rather t he bul kof them I l i v e dal one i nt he woods a m l e f r o many nei gh-bor i n a house whi ch I had b u i l tmysel f on t he shor e ofWal den Pond i n Concor d Mass achuset t s and earned myl i v i n gby t he l abor of my hands onl y I l i v e dthere t woyears and two mont hs t present I m a soj our ner i nc i v i l i z e dl i f agai n

    BUT WHY changed? why I l e f t t he woods? I do not t hi nkthat I can t e l l I have often wi shed mysel f back I do notknow ny b e t t e r how ever came t o go there Per haps i t i snone of my bus i nes s even i f i t i syour s Per haps I want ed achange Ther e w s a l i t t l est agnat i on i t my be bout

    c l oc k i nt he af t er noon t he wor l d s a x l ecr eaked as i f i tneeded gr ea s i ngas i f t he oxen l abor ed wi t h t he wai n andcoul d har dl y get t h e i rl oad over t he r i dge of t he day Per-haps i f I l i v e dthere mch l onger I m ght l i v ethere f or ever

    ne woul d t hi nk t wi cebef or e he accept ed heaven on such

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    C ear Sky ure ght

    t er ms t i c k e tt o eaven must i ncl ude t i c k e t st o Li mboPurgatory and Hel l our t i c k e tt o t he boxes adm t s yout o t he pi ta l s o

    I L FT t he woods f or as good a reason as I went there

    Per haps i t seemed t o me that I had s e v e r a lmore l i v e s t ol i v e and coul d not spare any more t i me f or that one I t i sr emar kabl e how e a s i l yand i nsensi bl ywe f a l li n t o a par t i cu-l ar r o u t e and make a beat en track f or our sel ves I had notl i v e dthere a week bef or e my f e e twore a path f r o mmy doort o t he pond- si de; and t hough i t i s f i v eor s i xyears s i n c eIt rod i t i t i ss t qui t e d i s t i n c t I t i s t r u e I f ea r t h a t othersmay have f a l l e ni n t o i t and s o hel ped t o keep i t open Thes u r f a c eof t he earth i s so f t and i mpr essi bl e by t he f e e t ofmen and s o w t h t he pat hs whi ch t he mnd t r a v e l s Howworn and dusty t hen must be t he hi ghways of t he wor l dhow deep t he r u t s of t r a d i t i o nand conf or m t y I di d notw sh t o t ake a cabi n passage but rather t o go bef or e t hemast and on t he deck of t he wor l d f or there I coul dbest s eet he moonl i ght am d t he mount ai ns I do not w sh t o gobel ownow

    I MUST S Y that I do not know what made me l eave t hepond I l e f ti t as unaccount abl y as I went t o i t To speaks i nc er el yI went there because I had got ready t o go ; l e f ti t f or t he same reason

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    Return

    I LE RNED h i s a t l e a s t by my exper i ment that i f oneadvances conf i dent l yi n t he d i r e c t i o nof hi sdr eams and en-deavors t o l i v et he l i f ewhi chhe has i magi ned he w i l lmeetw t h a succes sunexpect ed i n common hours He w i l lputsome t hi ngs

    behi nd w i l lpass an i n v i s i b l eboundar y;

    newuni ver s al and mor e l i b e r a ll aws w i l l begi n t o e s t a b l i s ht hemsel ves around and w t h i n hi m or t he ol dl aws be expanded and i nt er pr et ed i nhi s f avor i na more l i b e r a lsenseand he w i l ll i v ew t h t he l i c e n s eof ahi gher or der of bei ngs I n propor t i onas he s i mpl i f i eshi s l i f e t he l aws of t he uni -verse w i l l appear l e s s compl ex and s ol i t udew i l lnot bes ol i t udenor poverty poverty nor weakness weakness I fyou have b u i l t c a s t l e si n t he a i r your work need not bel o s t; that i swher e they shoul d be Now put t he f oundat i onsunder them

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    ON THE N TURE ND OR G N

    OF N DENT

    f Vel k t os i mpl i f your grea tmen t op u r i f ythemofparadoxest ogl os soveror f o r g e tt hei r o n i e sand i n c o n s i s t e n c i e st h a t mar kedt h e i rl v s

    ut as t o er r s o n l yhuman evengrea t men havel s s r

    moment s Par t oft hef a s c i n a t i o nt hey even t ual l y hol df or us l s i nt he may t h ey r eac tt o t h e i romnf o i b l e sandf o l l i e s

    [

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    I ON S T FI R t o t he woods Havi ng s et ou t oneApr i l day t o go t o t he sour ces of Concor d Ri ver i n a boatw t h a s i n g l ecompani on meani ng t o camp on t he bank atni ght or seek a l odgi ng i nsome nei ghbor i ng country i nn orf ar mhouse we t ook f i s h i n gt ackl ew t h us t hat we m ghtf i t l yprocure our f ood f romt he stream I n d i a n l i k e t t heshoemaker s near t he r i v e r we obt ai ned a mat ch whi ch wehad f or got t en Though was thus ear l y i n t he s pr i ng t her i v e rwas l ow f or there had not been much r a i n and wesucceeded i ncat chi ng a mess of f i s h s uf f i ci entf orour di nnerbef or e we had l e f t t he t own and by t he shor es of Fai r aven Pond we pr oceeded t o cook them The earth wasuncommonl y dr y and our f i r ki ndl ed f ar f romt he woods

    i n a sunny r eces s i nt he h i l l s i d eon t he eas t of t he pondsuddenl y caught t he dr y g r a s sof t he pr evi ous year whi chgrew about t he st ump on whi ch i t was ki ndl ed We spr angt o ext i ngui sh i t at f i r s tw t h our hands and f e e t and thenwe f ought w t h a boar d obt ai ned f r o mt he boa t but i n a

    C 1 ]

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    fewmnutes i t was beyond our r each bei ng on t he s i d eof ah i l li t spread r api dl y upwar d t hr ough t he l ong,dr y wi r ygrassi nt er sper sed wi t h bushes

    `Wel l ,wher e wi l lt h i send asked my compani on I sawthat i t m ght be bounded by Wel l eadow Br ook on ones i de, but woul d per chance go t o t he v i l l a g es i d eof t hebr ook `I t wi l l go t o t own I answer ed Whi l e my com-pani on t ook the boat back down t he r i v e r , I s et outt hr ough t he woods t o i nf or mt he owner s and t o r a i s et hetown The f i r ehad al r eady spread a dozen r ods on everys i d eand went l eapi ng and cr ackl i ngwi l dl y and i r r e cl ai m-abl y t owar d t he wood That way went t he f l ames wi t hwi l d del i ght ,and we f e l t that we had no cont r ol over t hedemoni c creature t o whi ch we had gi ven b i r t h hadki ndl ed mny f i r e si n t he woods bef or e,bur ni ng a c l earspace i nt he grass ,wi t hout ever ki ndl i ngsuch a f i r eas t h i s

    As I r an t owar d t he town t hr ough t he woods I coul dseet he smoke over t he woods behi nd m mar ki ng t he spotand pr ogr ess of t he f l ames The f i r s tf ar mer whom metdr i vi ng a team a f t e rl eavi ng t hewoods i nqui r ed t he causeof t he smoke I t o l dhi m ` Wel l , s a i dhe, ` i ti snone of my

    s t u f f , and dr ove al ong The next I met was t he owner i nhi s f i e l d ,wi t h whom returned at once t o t hewoods r un-ni ng a l lt he way I had al r eady r un two m l e s When atl engt h we got in to t he nei ghbor hood of t hef l ames ,we met

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    On t he Nat ur e and Or i gi nof an Acci dent

    a carpenter who had been hewi ng t i mber an i n f i r mmnwho had been dr i ven of fby t he f i r f l e e i n gwi t h hi s axe The f ar mer returned t ohasten mor e as s i s t anc e I who wasspent wi t h r unni ng r emai ned What coul d I do al oneagai nst a f r o n tof f l ame h a l fa m l e wi de?

    I wal kedsl ow y t hr ough t he wood t o Fai r Haven C l i f f ,cl i mbed t o t he hi ghest rock , and s at down upon i t t oobser ve t he pr ogr ess of t he f l ames ,whi ch wer e r api dl yappr oachi ng me now about a m l e di st ant f rom t he spotwher e t he f i r ewas ki ndl ed Pr esent l y I hear d t hesound oft he di s t antbel l gi vi ng t he al ar m,and I knew that t he townwas on i t sway t o t hescene Hi t her t o I had f e l t l i k ea g u i l t yper son - not hi ng but shame and r e g r e t But now s e t t l e dt he mat t er wi t h mysel f shor t l y I s ai d t omysel f

    `Who ar ethese mn who ar e s ai d t obe the owner s of these woodsand how am r el ated t o t hem? I have s et f i r et o t he f o r e s t ,

    but I have done no wong t her ei n,and now t i sas i f t hel i ght ni ng had done i t These f l ames ar e but consum ngt h e i rnatur al f ood I t has never t r oubl ed m f romthat dayt o t h i smore than i f t he l i ght ni ng had done i t The t r i v i a lf i s h i n gwas al l that di st ur bed m and di st ur bs m s t i l l. So

    shor t l y I s e t t l e di t wi t h mysel f and st ood t o wat ch t heappr oachi ng f l ames I t was a gl or i ou sspec t ac l e,and I wast he onl y one t her e t o enj oy i t The f i r enow r eached t hebase of t he c l i f fand then r ushed up i t s s i des The s q u i r r e l s

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    r an b e f o r ei t i n bl i ndhas t e and three pi geons dashed intot he mdst of the smoke The f l ames f l ashedup t he pi nes t ot hei rt o p s as i f they wer e powder

    When I f oundI was about t o be sur r oundedby t hef i rI retreated and j oi ned t he f o r c e snow arr ivingf r o mt he

    town I t took us severa lhour s t o sur r ound t he f l ames w t hour hoes and shovel s and by back f i r e ssubdue them I n t hemdst of a l lI saw t he f ar mer whom f i r s tmet who hadturned i n d i f f e r e n t l yaway sayi ng i t was none of hi s s t u f fs t r i v i n gear nestl y t o save hi s cordedwood hi ss t u f f whi cht he f i r ehad al r eadys ei z edand whi ch i t a f t e r a l lconsumed

    I t bur ned over a hundr ed ac re sor more and destroyedmuch young wood When I returned home l a t ei n t he dayw t h o t h e r s of my t ownsmen I coul d not hel p not i ci ngthat t he cr owdwho wer e s o ready t o condemn t he i ndi vi du al who had ki ndl ed thef i r edi d not sympathi ze w t h t heowner s of t hewood but wer e i n f a c t hi ghl y e l a t eand as i twer e t hankf ul f or t he oppor t uni t ywhi chhad affordedthems o much sport and i t was onl y hal f a dozen owner s s oc al l ed t hough not a l lof them who l ookedsour or gr i ev edand I f e l t that I had a deeper i nt er es t i nt he woods knew

    them better and shoul d feel t h e i rl o s smor e than any or a l lof them The f ar mer whom had f i r s tconducted t o t hewoods was obl i ged t o ask me t he s hor t es tway backt hr ough hi s own l ot Why t hen shoul d the hal f dozenowner s [ and] t he i ndi vi dual swho s et t he f i r e al one feel

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    n t heNat ur e and or ig inof an Acci dent

    sorrowf or t he l o s sof t hewood whi l e t he r e s t of the townhave t hei r s p i r i t sr ai s ed?Som of t he owner s howeverbore t h e i rl o s s l i k emen but other some decl ar edbehi ndmy back that I was a `damned r a sca l and a f l i bber t i gi bbetor t wo who cr owed l i k e t he ol d cock shouted some

    r em ni scences of `bur nt woods f r o ms a f er eces sesf or someyears a f t e r I have had nothi ng t o say t o any of them

    Cds

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    FRI N SH P

    N

    SI NGUL RI TY

    ThorntonW l der mai nt a i nedtha t t he di s t anc e hor eau sensedbe-tweenhi ms el fand thosearound hi m`wasaggr avat edb y t he vast -ness of hi s expect at i ons W l der went on t o comment that t h i sins is tentdemand f or per fec t ion an obs tac ledeepl yand br oadl ypresenti n t he mer i can charac te r hat may s er ve t oe x p l a i nwhyThoreau sthoughtsonf r i e n d s h i pand s o l i t u d ehav e l ongs t r u c karesonantyet of tenmel anc hol ycho rdi n many of hi s readers

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    I KNOW f but one or two per sons wi t h whom can a f f o r dt o wal k t h most t he wal k degenerat es in to a mer e vi gor ous use of your l egs l udi cr ousl ypur posel ess whi l e youar edi scussi ng some mghty ar gument each one havi ng hi ssay s p o i l i n geach o t h e r sday wor r yi ng one anot her w t hconver sat i on hust l i ng one anot her w t h our conver sat i on I know of no use i n t he wal ki ng part i n t h i s case exceptt hat we may seem t o be get t i ng on t oget her t owar d somegoal but of cour se we keep our o r i g i n a ldi st ance al l t heway J umpi ng every wal l and di t ch w t h vi gor i n t he vai nhope of shaki ng your compani on of f Tr yi ng t o k i l l t wobi r dsw t h one s t o n e t hough t hey s i t at opposi t e poi nt s ofcompass t o s eenature and do t he honor s t o one who does

    not

    H V such a habi t of l ooki ng away t hat we s ee notwhat i sar ound us ow ewar eawar e t hat i nw nt er whent he earth cover ed w t h snow and i c e t hephenomnon of

    dg

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    Cl earSky Pur e Li ght

    t he sunset sky i sdoubl e The one i son t he earth aroundust he ot her i n t he hor i zon These snow- cl adh i l l sanswer t ot he r osy i s l e si n t he west

    THUS THE S Y and t he earth sympat hi ze, and ar e sub-j e c t t o t he same l aws and i n t he hor i zon t h e y as i t wer e,meet and ar e seen t o be one

    I have wal ked i n such a pl ace and f ound i t hard asmar bl e

    EVERYWHERE SNOW gathered i n t osl opi ngd r i f t sabout

    t he wal l s and f e n c e s and, beneat h t he snow, t he f r o z e ngr ound, and men ar e compel l ed t o deposi t t h e summer spr ovi si oni n bur r ows i n t he ear t h l i k et h e ground s qui r r el

    any c r e a t u r e sdaunt edby t he prospect, mgrated i n t hef a l lbut man r emai ns andwal ksover t he f r o z e nsnow- cr ust

    and over t he s t i f f ened r i ver sand ponds, and dr aws nowupon hi ssummer s t o r e s L i f ei sr educed t o i t s l owest t er ms Ther e i s no home f or you now, i n t h i s f r eez i ngwi nd, buti n that s h e l t e rwhi ch you prepared i n t he summer Yous t e e r s t r a i gh ta c r o s st he f i e l d st o that i n season I can wi t hd i f f i c u l t yt e l lwhen I am over t he r i ver

    Ther ei s

    a s i m l a rc r u s tover my heart Where I r ambl edi n t h e summer andgathered f l ower sand rested on t he g r a s sby t he br ook- si dei n t he shade now no g r a s snor f l ower sno brooknor shadebut c o l d unvar i edsnow, st r et chi ngm l e a f t e rm l e and nopl ac et o s i t

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    Fr i ends h i pandS i n g u l a r i t y

    I KNEW crazy man who wal ked i n t o an empty pul pi tone Sunday and, t aki ng up a hymn- book, r emar ked ` ehave had a goodf a l lf orget t i ng i ncornand potatoes Let us

    s i ngWnter So I say `Let us s i ngwi nt er What e l s ecan

    we s i ng and our v oi c esbe i n harmony wi t h t he season?

    HERE I m t home I n t he bar e and bl eached crust oft he earth I r ecogni zemy f r i e n d

    How LONG we wi l lf o l l o wan i l l u s i o nOn meet i ng that

    one whom ca l lmy f r i endI f i n dthat I had i magi nedsome-t hi ngthat was not there I am sure t o depart sadder than Icame Not hi ngmakes me s o dej ect ed as t o have met myf r i ends f or they make me doubt i fi t i spossi bl et o have anyf r i ends I feel what a f o o lI am I cannot concei ve ofpersons

    more strange t o me than they a c t u a l l yar e not t hi nki ng,not bel i ev i ngnot doi ng as I do i nt er r upt edby me My

    onl y d i s t i n c t i o nmust be that I am t he greatest bore they

    ever had Not i na s i n g l et hought agreed r egul ar l ybal ki ngone anot her But when I get f ar away, my t hought s return

    t o them hat i st he way I can v i s i tthem Perhaps i t i s

    unaccount abl e t o me why I care f or them Thus I amt aught that my f r i e n di snot an a c t u a lperson When I have

    wi t hdr awnand am al one I f o rg e tt he a c t u a lperson and r e-

    member onl ymy i d eal Then I have a f r i e n dagai n I am not

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    so ready t o per cei ve t hei l l u s i o nthat i si nNat ur e I c er t ai n-l y come nea re r t o say t he l ea s t t o an ac tua land j o y f u li nt er cour se wi t h her Every day I have more or l e s scommuni on wi t h her as I t hi nk t l ea s t I do not f eel as i f must wi t hdr awout of nature I f eel l i kea wel come guest Yet s t r i c t l yspeaki ng t he same mus t be true of nature andof man our i deali s t he onl y rea l

    I LONG or w l dness a nature whi chI cannot put my foott hr ough woods wher e t he wood thrush f or ever s i ngswher e t he hours ar eear l y mor ni ng ones and there i s dew

    on t he grass and t he day i s f or ever unpr oved wher e Imght have a f e r t i l eunknown f or a s o i labout me

    I H two f r i e n d s The one o f f e r e dme f r i e n d s h i pon suchterm that I coul d not accept i t wi t hout a sense of degrada-

    t i o n

    He woul d not meet me on equal term but onl ybe t osome ext ent my patron He woul d not come t o see but washurt i f di d not v i s i thi m He woul dnot r e a d i l yaccept af a v o r but woul d gl adl y c o n f e rone He treated me wi t hcer emony oc cas i onal l yt hough he coul d be si mpl e anddownr i ghtsomet i mes and f r o mt i me t o t i me act ed a p a r tt r eat i ng me as i f wer e a di st i ngui shedstranger was ons t i l t s usi ng made wor ds ur r e l a t i o nwas one l ong t r a g e -dy yet I di d not d i r e c t l yspeak of i t I do not bel i ev ei ncompl ai nt nor i n expl anat i on The whol e i sbut t oo p l a i n

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    Fr i ends hi pandS i n g u l a r i t y

    a las al r eady We gr i eve t ha t we do not l ove each o the r

    that we cannot conf i dei neach ot her I coul dnot br i ng my

    s e l ft o speak and so r ecogni ze an obst acl e t o our a f f e c t i o n I had anot her f r i e n d who t hr ough a s l i g h tobt useness

    perchance di d not r ecogni ze a f a c t whi ch t he di gni t y off r i endshi pwoul dby no means al l owme t o descend s of ar ast o speak of and yet t he i n e v i t a b l ee f f e c tof that i gnorancewas t o hol d us apart f orever

    The r s t of t he ` twof r i e n d sThoreauspeaksof was Emer son The

    f o l l o w i n gexcerptsf romth reel e t t e r sof 1843 t e l la r e l a t eds t o r y

    Therei san undercur ren ti n themwhi ch br i ngst o mnd W l d e r scomment `Whenever I t h i n kof ThoreauI f eela wei ghtaboutmy

    hear t ; yett he i rf i r s tt hemei sj o y of a k i n dpec ul i art othosewho

    seebeyondt hef r amewor kofmor t ala f f a i r s I t i sj oysugges t i veof an

    i nnocencenot commonl y cel ebr at edi n modern r e l a t ionsh ips

    FROM A LETTER TO EMERSON

    I have made s l i g h tacquai nt ance a l s owi t h one Mrs Li di anEmer son who al most persuades me t obe a Chr i s t i an

    but I f ea r I asoften l aps ei nt o Heat heni sm

    FROM TWO LETTERS TO MRS R EMERSON

    M dear Fr i endI bel i evea goodmany conver sat i onswi t hyou wer e l e f t

    i nan unf i ni sheds t a t e and now i ndeed I don t know wher e

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    Cl ear Sky Pur e Li ght

    t o take them up But I w i l lr esume some of t he unf i ni sheds i l e n c e I s h a l lnot h e s i t a t et o know you I t hi nk of you assome el de rs i s t e rof mne whom coul d not have avoi deda s o r t of l unar i nf l uence onl yof such age as t he moonwhose t i me i s measur ed by her l i g h t You must know t h a tyou represent t o me womn f or I have not t r avel ed veryf ar or w de and wh t i f I had?

    YOU HAVE HELPED t o keep my l i f e on l o f t as Chaucersays of Gr i s e l daand i n a bet t er sense You al ways seemedt o l ook down at me as f r o msome el evat i on some of yourhi gh hum l i t i es and I w s better f or havi ng t o l ook up If e l t taxed not t o di sappoi nt your expectat i on f or coul dthere be any acci dent s o sad as t obe respected f or somet hi ng better than we a r e ?

    VERY DEAR FRI ENDI have onl yr ead apage of your l e t t e rand have come out

    t o the top of the h i l lat sunset wher e I can s ee t he ocean t oprepare t o r ead t he r e s t I t i s f i t t e rthat i t shoul d hear i tt han t he w a l l sof my chamber The very c r i c k e t sher e seem

    t o chi r p ar ound me as they di d not b e f o r e

    I f eelas i fi t wer ea gr eat dar i ng t o go on and read t he r e s t and then t o l i v eaccor di ngl y Ther e ar e more than t h i r t yv es s el si n si ghtgoi ng t o s ea I am l most a f r a i dt o l ook at your l e t t e r I s eethat i t w i l lmke my l i f every s teep but i t my l ead t of a i r e rpr ospect s than t h i s

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    I send my l ove t o my other f r i e n d nd brother whosenobl eness sl owl yr ecogni ze

    Thes t o r yt akenup i n t heprecedi ngl e t t e r sp a r s e d o nt oa sobercon-c l u s i o n L i d i a nEmerson sresponset o Thoreau ss ent i ment si s l o s t

    but h i snext extant correspondencewi t h t he Emer son househo l dl eavest he d i s t i n c ti mpr es s i ontha ther r epl ywas guardeda t best I nt he ex t r aor di na ryb r i e f p a s s a g equotedhere and i n t hr ee s ubs e-quentj our nal en t r i e sof much l a t e ryears onesensest he degreeofThor eau s ambi v al enc et oward humanki nd I t i s however anambi v a l encet emper edby a t hou ght f u l na t u r e and hereandthere by a wel c omeand a l mos tm s c hi ev ou ss s of bumor

    FROM LETTER

    TO MR ND MRS R W EMERSON

    But know my f r i e n d s that I a good deal hate you al l i n

    my most pr i vat e t hought s as t he substratum of t he l i t t l el ove bear you Though you a r e a r a r e band and do notmke hal f use enough of one another

    I SSO I TE t he i dea of f r i ends hi pmet hi nks wi t h t he

    person t he most f or ei gn t o m Thi s i l l u s i o ni sper petuatedl i k e s u p e r s t i t i o ni n a country l ong af t er c i v i l i z at i onhasbeen at t ai ned t o We ar eattracted toward a par t i cu l a rperson but no one has di scover ed t he l aws of t h i s a t t r a c t i o n When I come near est t o that other ac t ual l yI am wont t o

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    Fr i endshi p nd Si ngu l ar i t y

    be sur pr i sed a t my s el ec t i on I t my be enough that wehave met some t i me and now can never f o rg e ti t Somt i me or ot her we pai d each other t h i s wonder f ul compl iment l ookedl ar gel y humanl y di vi nel y on one anotherand now ar e f a t e dt o be acquai nt ances forever I n t he case

    of nature I am ot s oconsci ous of t h i su n s a t i s f i e dyear ni ng

    W T I F WE FEEL a year ni ng t o whi ch no breastanswer s? I wal k al one My hear t i s f u l l Feel i ngs i mpedethe cur r ent of my t hought s I knockon t he earth f or myf r i e n d I expect t o meet hi m a t every turn but no f r i e n dappea r s and per haps none i s dr eami ng of m I am i r e doff r i v o l o u ss o c i e t y i nwhi ch s i l encei s forever t he mostnatural and the best manner s I woul d f a i nwal k on t hedeep waters but my compani onswi l lonl ywal kon shal l owsand puddl es am nat ur al l y s i l e n ti n t he m dst of twentyf r o mday t o day f r o myear t o year I am ar el yr emi nded oft h e i rpresence Two yar ds of pol i t enes sdo not m ke s o c i e -t y f or m One compl ai nsthat do not take hi sj okes I tookthem b e f o r ehe h d done ut t er i ng them and went my wayOne t a l k st o m of hi s appl es and pea r s and I depar t wi t h

    my s e c r e tunt ol d

    THE OBST CLES whi ch t he hear t meet s wi t h a r e l i k egr ani t e bl ocks whi ch one al one cannot mve She who wasas t he mor ni ng l i g h t t o m i s now nei t her t he mor ni ng

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    s t a r nor t he eveni ng s t a r

    We meet but t o f i n deach otherf ur ther asunder , and t he of t ener we meet t he more r api dour di ver gence So a s t a rof t he f i r s tmagni t ude pa l esi n t heheavens, not f r o many f a u l ti n t he observer s eye nor f r o many f a u l ti n i t s e l f per chance, but because i t s progress i n i t s

    own system has put a greater di st ance bet ween

    The ni ght i s or acul ar What have been t he i nt i mati onsof the ni ght ? ask How have you passed t he ni ght ? Good-ni ght

    y f r i e n dw i l l be bol d t o conj ectur e he w i l l guessbr avel y at t he s i g n i f i c a n c eof my wor ds

    WNTER wi t h i t s i nwar dness , i s upon us mn i s con-st r ai ned t o si t down, and t o t hi nk

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    O N ROW

    I t i t doubt f ul that any other mn he met so struck Thor eau as di d

    j ohn rown ne my accept t he psychoanal yt i c vi ewthat an i den-

    t i f i c a t i o nwi t h rown f u l f i l l e da c r i t i c a lneed i n Thor eau t o al i gn

    hi mel f wi t h act i ve and r e b e l l i o u sf or ces or one my si mpl y take

    hi s wor ds at t h e i rpoet i c pr acti cal and pbi l osopbi calf ace val ues he

    net i mpact s t he s ame rown stood f or somet hi ng, and t he si ze ofwhat he symbol i zed i s per haps, t oo mch f or us t o f u l l ygrasp

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    J OHN ROWNS careerf or t he l as t s i xweeks of hi s l i f ewas met eo r l i k ef l a s h i n gt hr ough t he darkness i n whi chwe l i v e I know of not hi ng so m r acul ous i n our hi st or y

    FOR OWN P RT I commonl y attend more t o nat ur et han t oman but any a f f e c t i n ghuman event may bl i nd oureyes t o nat ural o b j e c t s I was s o absorbed i n hi m as t o besur pr i sed whenever det ect ed t he rout i ne of t he nat ur alwor l d sur vi vi ng s t i l l or met persons goi ng about t h e i ra f f a i r si ndi f f er ent I t appear ed st r ange t o me t hat t he ` l i t t l edi pper shoul d be s t i l ldi vi ng qui et l y i n t he r i v e r as ofyore n i t suggest ed t hat t h i s bird m ght cont i nue t odi ve here when Concor d shoul d be no mor e

    I f e l tt hat he a pr i soner i nt he m dst of hi senem es andunder sent ence of deat h i fconsul t ed as t ohi snext s t e porresource woul d answer more w sel y t han a l lhi s count r ymen besi de He best under st ood hi sposi t i on he cont em-pl at ed i t most cal m y Compar at i vel y al lother men Nor t h

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    and Sout h wer e besi de t hemsel ves Our t hought coul d notr e v e r t t o any greater or w ser or b e t t e r man wi t h whom o

    contrast hi m f or he then and there was above them al l The man t h i s count r y was about t o hang appear ed t heg r e a t e s tand best i n i t

    Years wer e not r equi r ed f or a r evol ut i on of publ i copi ni on days nay hour s pr oduced mar ked changes i n t h i scase F i f t ywho wer e r eady t o say on goi ng i nto our meeti ng i nhonor of hi m n Concor d that he ought t o be hungwoul d not s a y i t when they came out They hear d hi swor ds read they saw t he ear nest f a c e sof t he congr egat i on and per haps they j oi ned a t l a s ti n si ngi ng t he hymn i nhi sp r a i s e

    THEY whet her wi t hi n t he Chur ch or out of i t whoadher e t o t he s p i r i tand l et go t he l et t er and a r eaccor di ng

    l y c a l l edi n f i d e l wer e a s usual f or emost t o r ecogni ze hi mMen have been hung i n t he Sout h before f orat t empt i ng t orescue s l a ves and t he Nor t h was not much s t i r r e dby i t Whence then t h i s wonder f ul di f f er enc e?We wer e not sosure of t hei rdevot i on t o pr i nc i pl e We made a s ubt l ed i s -

    t i n c t i o n f o rg o thuman l a ws and di d homage t o an i dea The Nor t h I mean t he l i v i n gNor t h was suddenl y a l lt r anscendent al I t went behi nd t he human l a w i t wentbehi nd t he appar ent f a i l u r e and r ecogni zed e t e r n a lj u s t i c eand gl or y Comm