walking-第7部分

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border　life；　on　the　confines　of　a　world　into　which　I　make

occasional　and　transient　forays　only；　and　my　patriotism　and

allegiance　to　the　state　into　whose　territories　I　seem　to　retreat

are　those　of　a　moss…trooper。　Unto　a　life　which　I　call　natural　I

would　gladly　follow　even　a　will…o'…the…wisp　through　bogs　and

sloughs　unimaginable；　but　no　moon　nor　firefly　has　shown　me　the

causeway　to　it。　Nature　is　a　personality　so　vast　and　universal

that　we　have　never　seen　one　of　her　features。　The　walker　in　the

familiar　fields　which　stretch　around　my　native　town　sometimes

finds　himself　in　another　land　than　is　described　in　their　owners'

deeds；　as　it　were　in　some　faraway　field　on　the　confines　of　the

actual　Concord；　where　her　jurisdiction　ceases；　and　the　idea　which

the　word　Concord　suggests　ceases　to　be　suggested。　These　farms

which　I　have　myself　surveyed；　these　bounds　which　I　have　set　up；

appear　dimly　still　as　through　a　mist；　but　they　have　no　chemistry

to　fix　them；　they　fade　from　the　surface　of　the　glass；　and　the

picture　which　the　painter　painted　stands　out　dimly　from　beneath。

The　world　with　which　we　are　commonly　acquainted　leaves　no　trace；

and　it　will　have　no　anniversary。



I　took　a　walk　on　Spaulding's　Farm　the　other　afternoon。　I　saw　the

setting　sun　lighting　up　the　opposite　side　of　a　stately　pine　wood。

Its　golden　rays　straggled　into　the　aisles　of　the　wood　as　into

some　noble　hall。　I　was　impressed　as　if　some　ancient　and

altogether　admirable　and　shining　family　had　settled　there　in　that

part　of　the　land　called　Concord；　unknown　to　meto　whom　the　sun

was　servantwho　had　not　gone　into　society　in　the　villagewho

had　not　been　called　on。　I　saw　their　park；　their　pleasure…ground；

beyond　through　the　wood；　in　Spaulding's　cranberry…meadow。　The

pines　furnished　them　with　gables　as　they　grew。　Their　house　was

not　obvious　to　vision；　the　trees　grew　through　it。　I　do　not　know

whether　I　heard　the　sounds　of　a　suppressed　hilarity　or　not。　They

seemed　to　recline　on　the　sunbeams。　They　have　sons　and　daughters。

They　are　quite　well。　The　farmer's　cart…path；　which　leads　directly

through　their　hall；　does　not　in　the　least　put　them　out；　as　the

muddy　bottom　of　a　pool　is　sometimes　seen　through　the　reflected

skies。　They　never　heard　of　Spaulding；　and　do　not　know　that　he　is

their　neighbornotwithstanding　I　heard　him　whistle　as　he　drove

his　team　through　the　house。　Nothing　can　equal　the　serenity　of

their　lives。　Their　coat…of…arms　is　simply　a　lichen。　I　saw　it

painted　on　the　pines　and　oaks。　Their　attics　were　in　the　tops　of

the　trees。　They　are　of　no　politics。　There　was　no　noise　of　labor。

I　did　not　perceive　that　they　were　weaving　or　spinning。　Yet　I　did

detect；　when　the　wind　lulled　and　hearing　was　done　away；　the

finest　imaginable　sweet　musical　hum；as　of　a　distant　hive　in

May；　which　perchance　was　the　sound　of　their　thinking。　They　had　no

idle　thoughts；　and　no　one　without　could　see　their　work；　for　their

industry　was　not　as　in　knots　and　excrescences　embayed。



But　I　find　it　difficult　to　remember　them。　They　fade　irrevocably

out　of　my　mind　even　now　while　I　speak；　and　endeavor　to　recall

them　and　recollect　myself。　It　is　only　after　a　long　and　serious

effort　to　recollect　my　best　thoughts　that　I　become　again　aware　of

their　cohabitancy。　If　it　were　not　for　such　families　as　this；　I

think　I　should　move　out　of　Concord。







We　are　accustomed　to　say　in　New　England　that　few　and　fewer

pigeons　visit　us　every　year。　Our　forests　furnish　no　mast　for

them。　So；　it　would　seem；　few　and　fewer　thoughts　visit　each

growing　man　from　year　to　year；　for　the　grove　in　our　minds　is　laid

wastesold　to　feed　unnecessary　fires　of　ambition；　or　sent　to

milland　there　is　scarcely　a　twig　left　for　them　to　perch　on。

They　no　longer　build　nor　breed　with　us。　In　some　more　genial

season；　perchance；　a　faint　shadow　flits　across　the　landscape　of

the　mind；　cast　by　the　WINGS　of　some　thought　in　its　vernal　or

autumnal　migration；　but；　looking　up；　we　are　unable　to　detect　the

substance　of　the　thought　itself。　Our　winged　thoughts　are　turned

to　poultry。　They　no　longer　soar；　and　they　attain　only　to　a

Shanghai　and　Cochin…　China　grandeur。　Those　GRA…A…ATE　THOUGHTS；

those　GRA…A…ATE　men　you　hear　of！



We　hug　the　earthhow　rarely　we　mount！　Methinks　we　might　elevate

ourselves　a　little　more。　We　might　climb　a　tree；　at　least。　I　found

my　account　in　climbing　a　tree　once。　It　was　a　tall　white　pine；　on

the　top　of　a　hill；　and　though　I　got　well　pitched；　I　was　well　paid

for　it；　for　I　discovered　new　mountains　in　the　horizon　which　I　had

never　seen　beforeso　much　more　of　the　earth　and　the　heavens。　I

might　have　walked　about　the　foot　of　the　tree　for　threescore　years

and　ten；　and　yet　I　certainly　should　never　have　seen　them。　But；

above　all；　I　discovered　around　meit　was　near　the　end　of

Juneon　the　ends　of　the　topmost　branches　only；　a　few　minute　and

delicate　red　conelike　blossoms；　the　fertile　flower　of　the　white

pine　looking　heavenward。　I　carried　straightway　to　the　village　the

topmost　spire；　and　showed　it　to　stranger　jurymen　who　walked　the

streetsfor　it　was　court　weekand　to　farmers　and　lumber…dealers

and　woodchoppers　and　hunters；　and　not　one　had　ever　seen　the　like

before；　but　they　wondered　as　at　a　star　dropped　down。　Tell　of

ancient　architects　finishing　their　works　on　the　tops　of　columns

as　perfectly　as　on　the　lower　and　more　visible　parts！　Nature　has

from　the　first　expanded　the　minute　blossoms　of　the　forest　only

toward　the　heavens；　above　men's　heads　and　unobserved　by　them。　We

see　only　the　flowers　that　are　under　our　feet　in　the　meadows。　The

pines　have　developed　their　delicate　blossoms　on　the　highest　twigs

of　the　wood　every　summer　for　ages；　as　well　over　the　heads　of

Nature's　red　children　as　of　her　white　ones；　yet　scarcely　a　farmer

or　hunter　in　the　land　has　ever　seen　them。







Above　all；　we　cannot　afford　not　to　live　in　the　present。　He　is

blessed　over　all　mortals　who　loses　no　moment　of　the　passing　life

in　remembering　the　past。　Unless　our　philosophy　hears　the　cock

crow　in　every　barnyard　within　our　horizon；　it　is　belated。　That

sound　commonly　reminds　us　that　we　are　growing　rusty　and　antique

in　our　employments　and　habits　of　thoughts。　His　philosophy　comes

down　to　a　more　recent　time　than　ours。　There　is　something

suggested　by　it　that　is　a　newer　testament；the　gospel　according

to　this　moment。　He　has　not　fallen　astern；　he　has　got　up　early　and

kept　up　early；　and　to　be　where　he　is　is　to　be　in　season；　in　the

foremost　rank　of　time。　It　is　an　expression　of　the　health　and

soundness　of　Nature；　a　brag　for　all　the　world；healthiness　as　of

a　spring　burst　forth；　a　new　fountain　of　the　Muses；　to　celebrate

this　last　instant　of　time。　Where　he　lives　no　fugitive　slave　laws

are　passed。　Who　has　not　betrayed　his　master　many　times　since　last

he　heard　that　note？



The　merit　of　this　bird's　strain　is　in　its　freedom　from　all

plaintiveness。　The　singer　can　easily　move　us　to　tears　or　to

laughter；　but　where　is　he　who　can　excite　in　us　a　pure　morning

joy？　When；　in　doleful　dumps；　breaking　the　awful　stillness　of　our

wooden　sidewalk　on　a　Sunday；　or；　perchance；　a　watcher　in　the

house　of　mourning；　I　hear　a　cockerel　crow　far　or　near；　I　think　to

myself；　〃There　is　one　of　us　well；　at　any　rate；〃and　with　a

sudden　gush　return　to　my　senses。







We　had　a　remarkable　sunset　one　day　last　November。　I　was　walking

in　a　meadow；　the　source　of　a　small　brook；　when　the　sun　at　last；

just　before　setting；　after　a　cold；　gray　day；　reached　a　clear

stratum　in　the　horizon；　and　the　softest；　brightest　morning

sunlight　fell　on　the　dry　grass　and　on　the　stems　of　the　trees　in

the　opposite　horizon　and　on　the　leaves　of　the　shrub　oaks　on　the

hillside；　while　our　shadows　stretched　long　over　the　meadow　east…

ward；　as　if　we　were　the　only　motes　in　its　beams。　It　was　such　a

light　as　we　could　not　have　imagined　a　moment　before；　and　the　air

also　was　so　warm　and　serene　that　nothing　was　wanting　to　make　a

paradise　of　that　meadow。　When　we　reflected　that　this　was　not　a

solitary　phenomenon；　never　to　happen　again；　but　that　it　would

happen　forever　and　ever；　an　infinite　number　of　evenings；　and

cheer　and　reassure　the　latest　child　that　walked　there；　it　was

more　glorious　still。



The　sun　sets　on　some　retired　meadow；　where　no　house　is　visible；

with　all　the　glory　and　splendor　that　it　lavishes　on　cities；　and

perchance　as　it　has　never　set　beforewhere　there　is　but　a

solitary　marsh　hawk　to　have　his　wings　gilded　by　it；　or　only　a

musquash　looks　out　from　his　cabin；　and　there　is　some　little

black…veined　brook　in　the　midst　of　the　marsh；　just　beginning　to

meander；　winding　slowly　round　a　decaying　stump。　We　walked　in　so

pure　and　bright　a　light；　gilding　the　withered　grass　and　leaves；

so　softly　and　serenely　bright；　I　thought　I　had　never　bathed　in

such　a　golden　flood；　without　a　ripple　or　a　murmur　to　it。　The　west

side　of　every　wood　and　rising　ground　gleamed　like　the　boundary　of

Elysium；　and　the　sun　on　our　backs　seemed　like　a　gentle　herdsman

driving　us　home　at　evening。



So　we　saunter　toward　the　Holy　Land；　till　one　day　the　sun　shall

shine　more　brightly　than　ever　he　has　done；　shall　perchance　shine

into　our　minds　and　hearts；　and　light　up　our　whole　lives　with　a

great　awakening　light；　as　warm　and　serene　and　golden　as　on　a

bankside　in　autumn。











End