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beauty and the glory of architecture； which itself never turns
in； but forever stands out and erect； keeping watch over the
slumberers。
No doubt temperament； and； above all； age； have a good deal to do
with it。 As a man grows older； his ability to sit still and
follow indoor occupations increases。 He grows vespertinal in his
habits as the evening of life approaches； till at last he comes
forth only just before sundown； and gets all the walk that he
requires in half an hour。
But the walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking
exercise； as it is called； as the sick take medicine at stated
hoursas the Swinging of dumb…bells or chairs； but is itself the
enterprise and adventure of the day。 If you would get exercise；
go in search of the springs of life。 Think of a man's swinging
dumbbells for his health； when those springs are bubbling up in
far…off pastures unsought by him！
Moreover； you must walk like a camel； which is said to be the
only beast which ruminates when walking。 When a traveler asked
Wordsworth's servant to show him her master's study； she
answered； 〃Here is his library； but his study is out of doors。〃
Living much out of doors； in the sun and wind； will no doubt
produce a certain roughness of characterwill cause a thicker
cuticle to grow over some of the finer qualities of our nature；
as on the face and hands； or as severe manual labor robs the
hands of some of their delicacy of touch。 So staying in the
house； on the other hand； may produce a softness and smoothness；
not to say thinness of skin； accompanied by an increased
sensibility to certain impressions。 Perhaps we should be more
susceptible to some influences important to our intellectual and
moral growth； if the sun had shone and the wind blown on us a
little less； and no doubt it is a nice matter to proportion
rightly the thick and thin skin。 But methinks that is a scurf
that will fall off fast enoughthat the natural remedy is to be
found in the proportion which the night bears to the day； the
winter to the summer； thought to experience。 There will be so
much the more air and sunshine in our thoughts。 The callous palms
of the laborer are conversant with finer tissues of self…respect
and heroism； whose touch thrills the heart； than the languid
fingers of idleness。 That is mere sentimentality that lies abed
by day and thinks itself white； far from the tan and callus of
experience。
When we walk； we naturally go to the fields and woods： what would
become of us； if we walked only in a garden or a mall？ Even some
sects of philosophers have felt the necessity of importing the
woods to themselves； since they did not go to the woods。 〃They
planted groves and walks of Platanes；〃 where they took subdiales
ambulationes in porticos open to the air。 Of course it is of no
use to direct our steps to the woods； if they do not carry us
thither。 I am alarmed when it happens that I have walked a mile
into the woods bodily； without getting there in spirit。 In my
afternoon walk I would fain forget all my morning occupations and
my obligations to Society。 But it sometimes happens that I cannot
easily shake off the village。 The thought of some work will run
in my head and I am not where my body isI am out of my senses。
In my walks I would fain return to my senses。 What business have
I in the woods； if I am thinking of something out of the woods？ I
suspect myself； and cannot help a shudder when I find myself so
implicated even in what are called good worksfor this may
sometimes happen。
My vicinity affords many good walks； and though for so many years
I have walked almost every day； and sometimes for several days
together； I have not yet exhausted them。 An absolutely new
prospect is a great happiness； and I can still get this any
afternoon。 Two or three hours' walking will carry me to as
strange a country as I expect ever to see。 A single farmhouse
which I had not seen before is sometimes as good as the dominions
of the King of Dahomey。 There is in fact a sort of harmony
discoverable between the capabilities of the landscape within a
circle of ten miles' radius； or the limits of an afternoon walk；
and the threescore years and ten of human life。 It will never
become quite familiar to you。
Nowadays almost all man's improvements； so called； as the
building of houses and the cutting down of the forest and of all
large trees； simply deform the landscape； and make it more and
more tame and cheap。 A people who would begin by burning the
fences and let the forest stand！ I saw the fences half consumed；
their ends lost in the middle of the prairie； and some worldly
miser with a surveyor looking after his bounds； while heaven had
taken place around him； and he did not see the angels going to
and fro； but was looking for an old post…hole in the midst of
paradise。 I looked again； and saw him standing in the middle of a
boggy Stygian fen； surrounded by devils； and he had found his
bounds without a doubt； three little stones； where a stake had
been driven； and looking nearer； I saw that the Prince of
Darkness was his surveyor。
I can easily walk ten； fifteen； twenty； any number of miles；
commencing at my own door； without going by any house； without
crossing a road except where the fox and the mink do： first along
by the river； and then the brook； and then the meadow and the
woodside。 There are square miles in my vicinity which have no
inhabitant。 From many a hill I can see civilization and the
abodes of man afar。 The farmers and their works are scarcely more
obvious than woodchucks and their burrows。 Man and his affairs；
church and state and school； trade and commerce； and manufactures
and agriculture even politics； the most alarming of them allI
am pleased to see how little space they occupy in the landscape。
Politics is but a narrow field； and that still narrower highway
yonder leads to it。 I sometimes direct the traveler thither。 If
you would go to the political world； follow the great
roadfollow that market…man； keep his dust in your eyes； and it
will lead you straight to it； for it； too； has its place merely；
and does not occupy all space。 I pass from it as from a bean
field into the forest； and it is forgotten。 In one half…hour I
can walk off to some portion of the earth's surface where a man
does not stand from one year's end to another； and there；
consequently； politics are not； for they are but as the
cigar…smoke of a man。
The village is the place to which the roads tend； a sort of
expansion of the highway； as a lake of a river。 It is the body of
which roads are the arms and legsa trivial or quadrivial place；
the thoroughfare and ordinary of travelers。 The word is from the
Latin villa which together with via； a way； or more anciently ved
and vella； Varro derives from veho； to carry； because the villa
is the place to and from which things are carried。 They who got
their living by teaming were said vellaturam fa