ItastedthemoutofcomplimenttoNature，thoughtheywerescarcelypalatable。ThesumachRhusglabragrewluxuriantlyaboutthehouse，pushingupthroughtheembankmentwhichIhadmade，andgrowingfiveorsixfeetthefirstseason。Itsbroadpinnatetropicalleafwaspleasantthoughstrangetolookon。Thelargebuds，suddenlypushingoutlateinthespringfromdrystickswhichhadseemedtobedead，developedthemselvesasbymagicintogracefulgreenandtenderboughs，aninchindiameter；andsometimes，asIsatatmywindow，soheedlesslydidtheygrowandtaxtheirweakjoints，Iheardafreshandtenderboughsuddenlyfalllikeafantotheground，whentherewasnotabreathofairstirring，brokenoffbyitsownweight。InAugust，thelargemassesofberries，which，wheninflower，hadattractedmanywildbees，graduallyassumedtheirbrightvelvetycrimsonhue，andbytheirweightagainbentdownandbrokethetenderlimbs。
　　AsIsitatmywindowthissummerafternoon，hawksarecirclingaboutmyclearing；thetantivyofwildpigeons，flyingbytwoandthreesathwartmyview，orperchingrestlessonthewhitepineboughsbehindmyhouse，givesavoicetotheair；afishhawkdimplestheglassysurfaceofthepondandbringsupafish；aminkstealsoutofthemarshbeforemydoorandseizesafrogbytheshore；thesedgeisbendingundertheweightofthereed-birdsflittinghitherandthither；andforthelasthalf-hourIhaveheardtherattleofrailroadcars，nowdyingawayandthenrevivinglikethebeatofapartridge，conveyingtravellersfromBostontothecountry。ForIdidnotlivesooutoftheworldasthatboywho，asIhear，wasputouttoafarmerintheeastpartofthetown，buterelongranawayandcamehomeagain，quitedownattheheelandhomesick。Hehadneverseensuchadullandout-of-the-wayplace；
　　thefolkswereallgoneoff；why，youcouldn’tevenhearthewhistle！IdoubtifthereissuchaplaceinMassachusettsnow:——
　　“Intruth，ourvillagehasbecomeabuttForoneofthosefleetrailroadshafts，ando’erOurpeacefulplainitssoothingsoundis——Concord。“
　　TheFitchburgRailroadtouchesthepondaboutahundredrodssouthofwhereIdwell。Iusuallygotothevillagealongitscauseway，andam，asitwere，relatedtosocietybythislink。Themenonthefreighttrains，whogooverthewholelengthoftheroad，bowtomeastoanoldacquaintance，theypassmesooften，andapparentlytheytakemeforanemployee；andsoIam。Itoowouldfainbeatrack-repairersomewhereintheorbitoftheearth。
　　Thewhistleofthelocomotivepenetratesmywoodssummerandwinter，soundinglikethescreamofahawksailingoversomefarmer’syard，informingmethatmanyrestlesscitymerchantsarearrivingwithinthecircleofthetown，oradventurouscountrytradersfromtheotherside。Astheycomeunderonehorizon，theyshouttheirwarningtogetoffthetracktotheother，heardsometimesthroughthecirclesoftwotowns。Herecomeyourgroceries，country；yourrations，countrymen！Noristhereanymansoindependentonhisfarmthathecansaythemnay。Andhere’syourpayforthem！screamsthecountryman’swhistle；timberlikelongbattering-ramsgoingtwentymilesanhouragainstthecity’swalls，andchairsenoughtoseatallthewearyandheavy-ladenthatdwellwithinthem。Withsuchhugeandlumberingcivilitythecountryhandsachairtothecity。AlltheIndianhuckleberryhillsarestripped，allthecranberrymeadowsarerakedintothecity。Upcomesthecotton，downgoesthewovencloth；upcomesthesilk，downgoesthewoollen；upcomethebooks，butdowngoesthewitthatwritesthem。
　　WhenImeettheenginewithitstrainofcarsmovingoffwithplanetarymotion——or，rather，likeacomet，forthebeholderknowsnotifwiththatvelocityandwiththatdirectionitwilleverrevisitthissystem，sinceitsorbitdoesnotlooklikeareturningcurve——withitssteamcloudlikeabannerstreamingbehindingoldenandsilverwreaths，likemanyadownycloudwhichIhaveseen，highintheheavens，unfoldingitsmassestothelight——asifthistravelingdemigod，thiscloud-compeller，woulderelongtakethesunsetskyfortheliveryofhistrain；whenIheartheironhorsemakethehillsechowithhissnortlikethunder，shakingtheearthwithhisfeet，andbreathingfireandsmokefromhisnostrilswhatkindofwingedhorseorfierydragontheywillputintothenewMythologyIdon’tknow，itseemsasiftheearthhadgotaracenowworthytoinhabitit。Ifallwereasitseems，andmenmadetheelementstheirservantsfornobleends！Ifthecloudthathangsovertheengineweretheperspirationofheroicdeeds，orasbeneficentasthatwhichfloatsoverthefarmer’sfields，thentheelementsandNatureherselfwouldcheerfullyaccompanymenontheirerrandsandbetheirescort。
　　IwatchthepassageofthemorningcarswiththesamefeelingthatIdotherisingofthesun，whichishardlymoreregular。
　　Theirtrainofcloudsstretchingfarbehindandrisinghigherandhigher，goingtoheavenwhilethecarsaregoingtoBoston，concealsthesunforaminuteandcastsmydistantfieldintotheshade，acelestialtrainbesidewhichthepettytrainofcarswhichhugstheearthisbutthebarbofthespear。Thestableroftheironhorsewasupearlythiswintermorningbythelightofthestarsamidthemountains，tofodderandharnesshissteed。Fire，too，wasawakenedthusearlytoputthevitalheatinhimandgethimoff。Iftheenterprisewereasinnocentasitisearly！Ifthesnowliesdeep，theystraponhissnowshoes，and，withthegiantplow，plowafurrowfromthemountainstotheseaboard，inwhichthecars，likeafollowingdrill-barrow，sprinklealltherestlessmenandfloatingmerchandiseinthecountryforseed。Alldaythefire-steedfliesoverthecountry，stoppingonlythathismastermayrest，andIamawakenedbyhistrampanddefiantsnortatmidnight，wheninsomeremotegleninthewoodshefrontstheelementsincasediniceandsnow；andhewillreachhisstallonlywiththemorningstar，tostartoncemoreonhistravelswithoutrestorslumber。Orperchance，atevening，Ihearhiminhisstableblowingoffthesuperfluousenergyoftheday，thathemaycalmhisnervesandcoolhisliverandbrainforafewhoursofironslumber。Iftheenterprisewereasheroicandcommandingasitisprotractedandunwearied！
　　Farthroughunfrequentedwoodsontheconfinesoftowns，whereonceonlythehunterpenetratedbyday，inthedarkestnightdartthesebrightsaloonswithouttheknowledgeoftheirinhabitants；
　　thismomentstoppingatsomebrilliantstation-houseintownorcity，whereasocialcrowdisgathered，thenextintheDismalSwamp，scaringtheowlandfox。Thestartingsandarrivalsofthecarsarenowtheepochsinthevillageday。Theygoandcomewithsuchregularityandprecision，andtheirwhistlecanbeheardsofar，thatthefarmerssettheirclocksbythem，andthusonewell-conductedinstitutionregulatesawholecountry。Havenotmenimprovedsomewhatinpunctualitysincetherailroadwasinvented？
　　Dotheynottalkandthinkfasterinthedepotthantheydidinthestage-office？Thereissomethingelectrifyingintheatmosphereoftheformerplace。Ihavebeenastonishedatthemiraclesithaswrought；thatsomeofmyneighbors，who，Ishouldhaveprophesied，onceforall，wouldnevergettoBostonbysopromptaconveyance，areonhandwhenthebellrings。Todothings“railroadfashion“isnowthebyword；anditisworththewhiletobewarnedsooftenandsosincerelybyanypowertogetoffitstrack。Thereisnostoppingtoreadtheriotact，nofiringovertheheadsofthemob，inthiscase。Wehaveconstructedafate，anAtropos，thatneverturnsaside。Letthatbethenameofyourengine。Menareadvertisedthatatacertainhourandminutetheseboltswillbeshottowardparticularpointsofthecompass；yetitinterfereswithnoman’sbusiness，andthechildrengotoschoolontheothertrack。
　　Welivethesteadierforit。WearealleducatedthustobesonsofTell。Theairisfullofinvisiblebolts。Everypathbutyourownisthepathoffate。Keeponyourowntrack，then。
　　Whatrecommendscommercetomeisitsenterpriseandbravery。
　　ItdoesnotclaspitshandsandpraytoJupiter。Iseethesemeneverydaygoabouttheirbusinesswithmoreorlesscourageandcontent，doingmoreeventhantheysuspect，andperchancebetteremployedthantheycouldhaveconsciouslydevised。IamlessaffectedbytheirheroismwhostoodupforhalfanhourinthefrontlineatBuenaVista，thanbythesteadyandcheerfulvalorofthemenwhoinhabitthesnowplowfortheirwinterquarters；whohavenotmerelythethree-o’-clock-in-the-morningcourage，whichBonapartethoughtwastherarest，butwhosecouragedoesnotgotorestsoearly，whogotosleeponlywhenthestormsleepsorthesinewsoftheirironsteedarefrozen。OnthismorningoftheGreatSnow，perchance，whichisstillragingandchillingmen’sblood，Ibearthemuffledtoneoftheirenginebellfromoutthefogbankoftheirchilledbreath，whichannouncesthatthecarsarecoming，withoutlongdelay，notwithstandingthevetoofaNewEnglandnortheastsnow-storm，andIbeholdtheplowmencoveredwithsnowandrime，theirheadspeering，abovethemould-boardwhichisturningdownotherthandaisiesandthenestsoffieldmice，likebowldersoftheSierraNevada，thatoccupyanoutsideplaceintheuniverse。
　　Commerceisunexpectedlyconfidentandserene，alert，adventurous，andunwearied。Itisverynaturalinitsmethodswithal，farmoresothanmanyfantasticenterprisesandsentimentalexperiments，andhenceitssingularsuccess。Iamrefreshedandexpandedwhenthefreighttrainrattlespastme，andIsmellthestoreswhichgodispensingtheirodorsallthewayfromLongWharftoLakeChamplain，remindingmeofforeignparts，ofcoralreefs，andIndianoceans，andtropicalclimes，andtheextentoftheglobe。
　　Ifeelmorelikeacitizenoftheworldatthesightofthepalm-leafwhichwillcoversomanyflaxenNewEnglandheadsthenextsummer，theManillahempandcocoanuthusks，theoldjunk，gunnybags，scrapiron，andrustynails。Thiscarloadoftornsailsismorelegibleandinterestingnowthaniftheyshouldbewroughtintopaperandprintedbooks。Whocanwritesographicallythehistoryofthestormstheyhaveweatheredastheserentshavedone？Theyareproof-sheetswhichneednocorrection。HeregoeslumberfromtheMainewoods，whichdidnotgoouttoseainthelastfreshet，risenfourdollarsonthethousandbecauseofwhatdidgooutorwassplitup；pine，spruce，cedar——first，second，third，andfourthqualities，solatelyallofonequality，towaveoverthebear，andmoose，andcaribou。NextrollsThomastonlime，aprimelot，whichwillgetfaramongthehillsbeforeitgetsslacked。Theseragsinbales，ofallhuesandqualities，thelowestconditiontowhichcottonandlinendescend，thefinalresultofdress——ofpatternswhicharenownolongercriedup，unlessitbeinMilwaukee，asthosesplendidarticles，English，French，orAmericanprints，ginghams，muslins，etc。，gatheredfromallquartersbothoffashionandpoverty，goingtobecomepaperofonecolororafewshadesonly，onwhich，forsooth，willbewrittentalesofreallife，highandlow，andfoundedonfact！Thisclosedcarsmellsofsaltfish，thestrongNewEnglandandcommercialscent，remindingmeoftheGrandBanksandthefisheries。Whohasnotseenasaltfish，thoroughlycuredforthisworld，sothatnothingcanspoilit，andputting，theperseveranceofthesaintstotheblush？withwhichyoumaysweeporpavethestreets，andsplityourkindlings，andtheteamstershelterhimselfandhisladingagainstsun，wind，andrainbehindit——andthetrader，asaConcordtraderoncedid，hangitupbyhisdoorforasignwhenhecommencesbusiness，untilatlasthisoldestcustomercannottellsurelywhetheritbeanimal，vegetable，ormineral，andyetitshallbeaspureasasnowflake，andifitbeputintoapotandboiled，willcomeoutanexcellentdun-fishforaSaturday’sdinner。NextSpanishhides，withthetailsstillpreservingtheirtwistandtheangleofelevationtheyhadwhentheoxenthatworethemwerecareeringoverthepampasoftheSpanishMain——atypeofallobstinacy，andevincinghowalmosthopelessandincurableareallconstitutionalvices。Iconfess，thatpracticallyspeaking，whenIhavelearnedaman’srealdisposition，Ihavenohopesofchangingitforthebetterorworseinthisstateofexistence。AstheOrientalssay，“Acur’stailmaybewarmed，andpressed，andboundroundwithligatures，andafteratwelveyears’laborbestoweduponit，stillitwillretainitsnaturalform。“Theonlyeffectualcureforsuchinveteraciesasthesetailsexhibitistomakeglueofthem，whichIbelieveiswhatisusuallydonewiththem，andthentheywillstayputandstick。
　　HereisahogsheadofmolassesorofbrandydirectedtoJohnSmith，Cuttingsville，Vermont，sometraderamongtheGreenMountains，whoimportsforthefarmersnearhisclearing，andnowperchancestandsoverhisbulkheadandthinksofthelastarrivalsonthecoast，howtheymayaffectthepriceforhim，tellinghiscustomersthismoment，ashehastoldthemtwentytimesbeforethismorning，thatheexpectssomebythenexttrainofprimequality。ItisadvertisedintheCuttingsvilleTimes。
　　Whilethesethingsgoupotherthingscomedown。Warnedbythewhizzingsound，Ilookupfrommybookandseesometallpine，hewnonfarnorthernhills，whichhaswingeditswayovertheGreenMountainsandtheConnecticut，shotlikeanarrowthroughthetownshipwithintenminutes，andscarceanothereyebeholdsit；