第8章

Sothatallthepecuniaryoutgoes，exceptingforwashingandmending，whichforthemostpartweredoneoutofthehouse，andtheirbillshavenotyetbeenreceived——andtheseareallandmorethanallthewaysbywhichmoneynecessarilygoesoutinthispartoftheworld——wereHouse

Farmoneyear

Foodeightmonths

Clothing，etc。，eightmonths

Oil，etc。，eightmonths

Iaddressmyselfnowtothoseofmyreaderswhohavealivingtoget。AndtomeetthisIhaveforfarmproducesold

Earnedbyday-labor

Inall，whichsubtractedfromthesumoftheoutgoesleavesabalanceof$25。213/4ontheoneside——thisbeingverynearlythemeanswithwhichIstarted，andthemeasureofexpensestobeincurred——andontheother，besidetheleisureandindependenceandhealththussecured，acomfortablehouseformeaslongasIchoosetooccupyit。

Thesestatistics，howeveraccidentalandthereforeuninstructivetheymayappear，astheyhaveacertaincompleteness，haveacertainvaluealso。NothingwasgivenmeofwhichIhavenotrenderedsomeaccount。Itappearsfromtheaboveestimate，thatmyfoodalonecostmeinmoneyabouttwenty-sevencentsaweek。Itwas，fornearlytwoyearsafterthis，ryeandIndianmealwithoutyeast，potatoes，rice，averylittlesaltpork，molasses，andsalt；andmydrink，water。ItwasfitthatIshouldliveonrice，mainly，wholovesowellthephilosophyofIndia。Tomeettheobjectionsofsomeinveteratecavillers，Imayaswellstate，thatifIdinedoutoccasionally，asIalwayshaddone，andItrustshallhaveopportunitiestodoagain，itwasfrequentlytothedetrimentofmydomesticarrangements。Butthediningout，being，asIhavestated，aconstantelement，doesnotintheleastaffectacomparativestatementlikethis。

Ilearnedfrommytwoyears’experiencethatitwouldcostincrediblylittletroubletoobtainone’snecessaryfood，eveninthislatitude；thatamanmayuseassimpleadietastheanimals，andyetretainhealthandstrength。Ihavemadeasatisfactorydinner，satisfactoryonseveralaccounts，simplyoffadishofpurslane(Portulacaoleracea)whichIgatheredinmycornfield，boiledandsalted。IgivetheLatinonaccountofthesavorinessofthetrivialname。Andpraywhatmorecanareasonablemandesire，inpeacefultimes，inordinarynoons，thanasufficientnumberofearsofgreensweetcornboiled，withtheadditionofsalt？EventhelittlevarietywhichIusedwasayieldingtothedemandsofappetite，andnotofhealth。Yetmenhavecometosuchapassthattheyfrequentlystarve，notforwantofnecessaries，butforwantofluxuries；andIknowagoodwomanwhothinksthathersonlosthislifebecausehetooktodrinkingwateronly。

ThereaderwillperceivethatIamtreatingthesubjectratherfromaneconomicthanadieteticpointofview，andhewillnotventuretoputmyabstemiousnesstothetestunlesshehasawell-stockedlarder。

BreadIatfirstmadeofpureIndianmealandsalt，genuinehoe-cakes，whichIbakedbeforemyfireoutofdoorsonashingleortheendofastickoftimbersawedoffinbuildingmyhouse；butitwaswonttogetsmokedandtohaveapinyflavor，Itriedflouralso；buthaveatlastfoundamixtureofryeandIndianmealmostconvenientandagreeable。Incoldweatheritwasnolittleamusementtobakeseveralsmallloavesofthisinsuccession，tendingandturningthemascarefullyasanEgyptianhishatchingeggs。TheywerearealcerealfruitwhichIripened，andtheyhadtomysensesafragrancelikethatofothernoblefruits，whichI

keptinaslongaspossiblebywrappingthemincloths。Imadeastudyoftheancientandindispensableartofbread-making，consultingsuchauthoritiesasoffered，goingbacktotheprimitivedaysandfirstinventionoftheunleavenedkind，whenfromthewildnessofnutsandmeatsmenfirstreachedthemildnessandrefinementofthisdiet，andtravellinggraduallydowninmystudiesthroughthataccidentalsouringofthedoughwhich，itissupposed，taughttheleaveningprocess，andthroughthevariousfermentationsthereafter，tillIcameto“good，sweet，wholesomebread，“thestaffoflife。Leaven，whichsomedeemthesoulofbread，thespirituswhichfillsitscellulartissue，whichisreligiouslypreservedlikethevestalfire——somepreciousbottleful，Isuppose，firstbroughtoverintheMayflower，didthebusinessforAmerica，anditsinfluenceisstillrising，swelling，spreading，incerealianbillowsovertheland——thisseedIregularlyandfaithfullyprocuredfromthevillage，tillatlengthonemorningIforgottherules，andscaldedmyyeast；bywhichaccidentIdiscoveredthateventhiswasnotindispensable——formydiscoverieswerenotbythesyntheticbutanalyticprocess——andIhavegladlyomitteditsince，thoughmosthousewivesearnestlyassuredmethatsafeandwholesomebreadwithoutyeastmightnotbe，andelderlypeopleprophesiedaspeedydecayofthevitalforces。YetIfinditnottobeanessentialingredient，andaftergoingwithoutitforayearamstillinthelandoftheliving；andIamgladtoescapethetrivialnessofcarryingabottlefulinmypocket，whichwouldsometimespopanddischargeitscontentstomydiscomfiture。Itissimplerandmorerespectabletoomitit。Manisananimalwhomorethananyothercanadapthimselftoallclimatesandcircumstances。NeitherdidI

putanysal-soda，orotheracidoralkali，intomybread。ItwouldseemthatImadeitaccordingtotherecipewhichMarcusPorciusCatogaveabouttwocenturiesbeforeChrist。“Panemdepsticiumsicfacito。Manusmortariumquebenelavato。Farinaminmortariumindito，aquaepaulatimaddito，subigitoquepulchre。Ubibenesubegeris，defingito，coquitoquesubtestu。“WhichItaketomean，——“Makekneadedbreadthus。Washyourhandsandtroughwell。Putthemealintothetrough，addwatergradually，andkneaditthoroughly。Whenyouhavekneadeditwell，mouldit，andbakeitunderacover，“thatis，inabakingkettle。Notawordaboutleaven。ButIdidnotalwaysusethisstaffoflife。Atonetime，owingtotheemptinessofmypurse，Isawnoneofitformorethanamonth。

EveryNewEnglandermighteasilyraiseallhisownbreadstuffsinthislandofryeandIndiancorn，andnotdependondistantandfluctuatingmarketsforthem。Yetsofararewefromsimplicityandindependencethat，inConcord，freshandsweetmealisrarelysoldintheshops，andhominyandcorninastillcoarserformarehardlyusedbyany。Forthemostpartthefarmergivestohiscattleandhogsthegrainofhisownproducing，andbuysflour，whichisatleastnomorewholesome，atagreatercost，atthestore。IsawthatIcouldeasilyraisemybushelortwoofryeandIndiancorn，fortheformerwillgrowonthepoorestland，andthelatterdoesnotrequirethebest，andgrindtheminahand-mill，andsodowithoutriceandpork；andifImusthavesomeconcentratedsweet，I

foundbyexperimentthatIcouldmakeaverygoodmolasseseitherofpumpkinsorbeets，andIknewthatIneededonlytosetoutafewmaplestoobtainitmoreeasilystill，andwhiletheseweregrowingIcouldusevarioussubstitutesbesidethosewhichIhavenamed。

“For，“astheForefatherssang，——

“wecanmakeliquortosweetenourlipsOfpumpkinsandparsnipsandwalnut-treechips。“

Finally，asforsalt，thatgrossestofgroceries，toobtainthismightbeafitoccasionforavisittotheseashore，or，ifIdidwithoutitaltogether，Ishouldprobablydrinkthelesswater。IdonotlearnthattheIndiansevertroubledthemselvestogoafterit。

ThusIcouldavoidalltradeandbarter，sofarasmyfoodwasconcerned，andhavingashelteralready，itwouldonlyremaintogetclothingandfuel。ThepantaloonswhichInowwearwerewoveninafarmer’sfamily——thankHeaventhereissomuchvirtuestillinman；forIthinkthefallfromthefarmertotheoperativeasgreatandmemorableasthatfromthemantothefarmer；——andinanewcountry，fuelisanencumbrance。Asforahabitat，ifIwerenotpermittedstilltosquat，ImightpurchaseoneacreatthesamepriceforwhichthelandIcultivatedwassold——namely，eightdollarsandeightcents。Butasitwas，IconsideredthatI

enhancedthevalueofthelandbysquattingonit。

Thereisacertainclassofunbelieverswhosometimesaskmesuchquestionsas，ifIthinkthatIcanliveonvegetablefoodalone；andtostrikeattherootofthematteratonce——fortherootisfaith——Iamaccustomedtoanswersuch，thatIcanliveonboardnails。Iftheycannotunderstandthat，theycannotunderstandmuchthatIhavetosay。Formypart，Iamgladtobearofexperimentsofthiskindbeingtried；asthatayoungmantriedforafortnighttoliveonhard，rawcornontheear，usinghisteethforallmortar。Thesquirreltribetriedthesameandsucceeded。

Thehumanraceisinterestedintheseexperiments，thoughafewoldwomenwhoareincapacitatedforthem，orwhoowntheirthirdsinmills，maybealarmed。

Myfurniture，partofwhichImademyself——andtherestcostmenothingofwhichIhavenotrenderedanaccount——consistedofabed，atable，adesk，threechairs，alooking-glassthreeinchesindiameter，apairoftongsandandirons，akettle，askillet，andafrying-pan，adipper，awash-bowl，twoknivesandforks，threeplates，onecup，onespoon，ajugforoil，ajugformolasses，andajapannedlamp。Noneissopoorthatheneedsitonapumpkin。Thatisshiftlessness。ThereisaplentyofsuchchairsasIlikebestinthevillagegarretstobehadfortakingthemaway。Furniture！

ThankGod，IcansitandIcanstandwithouttheaidofafurniturewarehouse。Whatmanbutaphilosopherwouldnotbeashamedtoseehisfurniturepackedinacartandgoingupcountryexposedtothelightofheavenandtheeyesofmen，abeggarlyaccountofemptyboxes？ThatisSpaulding’sfurniture。Icouldnevertellfrominspectingsuchaloadwhetheritbelongedtoaso-calledrichmanorapoorone；theowneralwaysseemedpoverty-stricken。Indeed，themoreyouhaveofsuchthingsthepooreryouare。Eachloadlooksasifitcontainedthecontentsofadozenshanties；andifoneshantyispoor，thisisadozentimesaspoor。Pray，forwhatdowemoveeverbuttogetridofourfurniture，ourexuvioe:atlasttogofromthisworldtoanothernewlyfurnished，andleavethistobeburned？Itisthesameasifallthesetrapswerebuckledtoaman’sbelt，andhecouldnotmoveovertheroughcountrywhereourlinesarecastwithoutdraggingthem——dragginghistrap。Hewasaluckyfoxthatlefthistailinthetrap。Themuskratwillgnawhisthirdlegofftobefree。Nowondermanhaslosthiselasticity。Howoftenheisatadeadset！“Sir，ifImaybesobold，whatdoyoumeanbyadeadset？“Ifyouareaseer，wheneveryoumeetamanyouwillseeallthatheowns，ay，andmuchthathepretendstodisown，behindhim，eventohiskitchenfurnitureandallthetrumperywhichhesavesandwillnotburn，andhewillappeartobeharnessedtoitandmakingwhatheadwayhecan。

Ithinkthatthemanisatadeadsetwhohasgotthroughaknot-holeorgatewaywherehissledgeloadoffurniturecannotfollowhim。IcannotbutfeelcompassionwhenIhearsometrig，compact-lookingman，seeminglyfree，allgirdedandready，speakofhis“furniture，“aswhetheritisinsuredornot。“ButwhatshallI

dowithmyfurniture？“——Mygaybutterflyisentangledinaspider’swebthen。Eventhosewhoseemforalongwhilenottohaveany，ifyouinquiremorenarrowlyyouwillfindhavesomestoredinsomebody’sbarn。IlookuponEnglandtodayasanoldgentlemanwhoistravellingwithagreatdealofbaggage，trumperywhichhasaccumulatedfromlonghousekeeping，whichhehasnotthecouragetoburn；greattrunk，littletrunk，bandbox，andbundle。Throwawaythefirstthreeatleast。Itwouldsurpassthepowersofawellmannowadaystotakeuphisbedandwalk，andIshouldcertainlyadviseasickonetolaydownhisbedandrun。WhenIhavemetanimmigranttotteringunderabundlewhichcontainedhisall——

lookinglikeanenormouswenwhichhadgrownoutofthenapeofhisneck——Ihavepitiedhim，notbecausethatwashisall，butbecausehehadallthattocarry。IfIhavegottodragmytrap，Iwilltakecarethatitbealightoneanddonotnipmeinavitalpart。