TheindescribableinnocenceandbeneficenceofNature——ofsunandwindandrain，ofsummerandwinter——suchhealth，suchcheer，theyaffordforever！andsuchsympathyhavetheyeverwithourrace，thatallNaturewouldbeaffected，andthesun’sbrightnessfade，andthewindswouldsighhumanely，andthecloudsraintears，andthewoodsshedtheirleavesandputonmourninginmidsummer，ifanymanshouldeverforajustcausegrieve。ShallInothaveintelligencewiththeearth？AmInotpartlyleavesandvegetablemouldmyself？
　　Whatisthepillwhichwillkeepuswell，serene，contented？
　　Notmyorthygreat-grandfather’s，butourgreat-grandmotherNature’suniversal，vegetable，botanicmedicines，bywhichshehaskeptherselfyoungalways，outlivedsomanyoldParrsinherday，andfedherhealthwiththeirdecayingfatness。Formypanacea，insteadofoneofthosequackvialsofamixturedippedfromAcheronandtheDeadSea，whichcomeoutofthoselongshallowblack-schoonerlookingwagonswhichwesometimesseemadetocarrybottles，letmehaveadraughtofundilutedmorningair。Morningair！Ifmenwillnotdrinkofthisatthefountainheadoftheday，why，then，wemustevenbottleupsomeandsellitintheshops，forthebenefitofthosewhohavelosttheirsubscriptiontickettomorningtimeinthisworld。Butremember，itwillnotkeepquitetillnoondayeveninthecoolestcellar，butdriveoutthestoppleslongerethatandfollowwestwardthestepsofAurora。IamnoworshipperofHygeia，whowasthedaughterofthatoldherb-doctorAEsculapius，andwhoisrepresentedonmonumentsholdingaserpentinonehand，andintheotheracupoutofwhichtheserpentsometimesdrinks；butratherofHebe，cup-bearertoJupiter，whowasthedaughterofJunoandwildlettuce，andwhohadthepowerofrestoringgodsandmentothevigorofyouth。Shewasprobablytheonlythoroughlysound-conditioned，healthy，androbustyoungladythateverwalkedtheglobe，andwherevershecameitwasspring。
　　VisitorsIthinkthatIlovesocietyasmuchasmost，andamreadyenoughtofastenmyselflikeabloodsuckerforthetimetoanyfull-bloodedmanthatcomesinmyway。Iamnaturallynohermit，butmightpossiblysitoutthesturdiestfrequenterofthebar-room，ifmybusinesscalledmethither。
　　Ihadthreechairsinmyhouse；oneforsolitude，twoforfriendship，threeforsociety。Whenvisitorscameinlargerandunexpectednumberstherewasbutthethirdchairforthemall，buttheygenerallyeconomizedtheroombystandingup。Itissurprisinghowmanygreatmenandwomenasmallhousewillcontain。Ihavehadtwenty-fiveorthirtysouls，withtheirbodies，atonceundermyroof，andyetweoftenpartedwithoutbeingawarethatwehadcomeveryneartooneanother。Manyofourhouses，bothpublicandprivate，withtheiralmostinnumerableapartments，theirhugehallsandtheircellarsforthestorageofwinesandothermunitionsofpeace，appeartobeextravagantlylargefortheirinhabitants。Theyaresovastandmagnificentthatthelatterseemtobeonlyverminwhichinfestthem。IamsurprisedwhentheheraldblowshissummonsbeforesomeTremontorAstororMiddlesexHouse，toseecomecreepingoutoverthepiazzaforallinhabitantsaridiculousmouse，whichsoonagainslinksintosomeholeinthepavement。
　　OneinconvenienceIsometimesexperiencedinsosmallahouse，thedifficultyofgettingtoasufficientdistancefrommyguestwhenwebegantoutterthebigthoughtsinbigwords。Youwantroomforyourthoughtstogetintosailingtrimandrunacourseortwobeforetheymaketheirport。Thebulletofyourthoughtmusthaveovercomeitslateralandricochetmotionandfallenintoitslastandsteadycoursebeforeitreachestheearofthehearer，elseitmayplowoutagainthroughthesideofhishead。Also，oursentenceswantedroomtounfoldandformtheircolumnsintheinterval。Individuals，likenations，musthavesuitablebroadandnaturalboundaries，evenaconsiderableneutralground，betweenthem。Ihavefounditasingularluxurytotalkacrossthepondtoacompanionontheoppositeside。Inmyhouseweweresonearthatwecouldnotbegintohear——wecouldnotspeaklowenoughtobeheard；aswhenyouthrowtwostonesintocalmwatersonearthattheybreakeachother’sundulations。Ifwearemerelyloquaciousandloudtalkers，thenwecanaffordtostandveryneartogether，cheekbyjowl，andfeeleachother’sbreath；butifwespeakreservedlyandthoughtfully，wewanttobefartherapart，thatallanimalheatandmoisturemayhaveachancetoevaporate。Ifwewouldenjoythemostintimatesocietywiththatineachofuswhichiswithout，orabove，beingspokento，wemustnotonlybesilent，butcommonlysofarapartbodilythatwecannotpossiblyheareachother’svoiceinanycase。Referredtothisstandard，speechisfortheconvenienceofthosewhoarehardofhearing；buttherearemanyfinethingswhichwecannotsayifwehavetoshout。Astheconversationbegantoassumealoftierandgrandertone，wegraduallyshovedourchairsfartheraparttilltheytouchedthewallinoppositecorners，andthencommonlytherewasnotroomenough。
　　My“best“room，however，mywithdrawingroom，alwaysreadyforcompany，onwhosecarpetthesunrarelyfell，wasthepinewoodbehindmyhouse。Thitherinsummerdays，whendistinguishedguestscame，Itookthem，andapricelessdomesticswepttheflooranddustedthefurnitureandkeptthethingsinorder。
　　Ifoneguestcamehesometimespartookofmyfrugalmeal，anditwasnointerruptiontoconversationtobestirringahasty-pudding，orwatchingtherisingandmaturingofaloafofbreadintheashes，inthemeanwhile。Butiftwentycameandsatinmyhousetherewasnothingsaidaboutdinner，thoughtheremightbebreadenoughfortwo，morethanifeatingwereaforsakenhabit；butwenaturallypractisedabstinence；andthiswasneverfelttobeanoffenceagainsthospitality，butthemostproperandconsideratecourse。
　　Thewasteanddecayofphysicallife，whichsooftenneedsrepair，seemedmiraculouslyretardedinsuchacase，andthevitalvigorstooditsground。Icouldentertainthusathousandaswellastwenty；andifanyeverwentawaydisappointedorhungryfrommyhousewhentheyfoundmeathome，theymaydependuponitthatI
　　sympathizedwiththematleast。Soeasyisit，thoughmanyhousekeepersdoubtit，toestablishnewandbettercustomsintheplaceoftheold。Youneednotrestyourreputationonthedinnersyougive。Formyownpart，Iwasneversoeffectuallydeterredfromfrequentingaman’shouse，byanykindofCerberuswhatever，asbytheparadeonemadeaboutdiningme，whichItooktobeaverypoliteandroundabouthintnevertotroublehimsoagain。IthinkI
　　shallneverrevisitthosescenes。IshouldbeproudtohaveforthemottoofmycabinthoselinesofSpenserwhichoneofmyvisitorsinscribedonayellowwalnutleafforacard:——
　　“Arrivedthere，thelittlehousetheyfill，Nelookeforentertainmentwherenonewas；
　　Restistheirfeast，andallthingsattheirwill:
　　Thenoblestmindthebestcontentmenthas。“
　　WhenWinslow，afterwardgovernorofthePlymouthColony，wentwithacompaniononavisitofceremonytoMassasoitonfootthroughthewoods，andarrivedtiredandhungryathislodge，theywerewellreceivedbytheking，butnothingwassaidabouteatingthatday。
　　Whenthenightarrived，toquotetheirownwords——“Helaidusonthebedwithhimselfandhiswife，theyattheoneendandweattheother，itbeingonlyplankslaidafootfromthegroundandathinmatuponthem。Twomoreofhischiefmen，forwantofroom，pressedbyanduponus；sothatwewereworsewearyofourlodgingthanofourjourney。“Atoneo’clockthenextdayMassasoit“broughttwofishesthathehadshot，“aboutthriceasbigasabream。“Thesebeingboiled，therewereatleastfortylookedforashareinthem；
　　themosteatofthem。Thismealonlywehadintwonightsandaday；andhadnotoneofusboughtapartridge，wehadtakenourjourneyfasting。“Fearingthattheywouldbelight-headedforwantoffoodandalsosleep，owingto“thesavages’barbaroussinging，fortheyusetosingthemselvesasleep，“andthattheymightgethomewhiletheyhadstrengthtotravel，theydeparted。Asforlodging，itistruetheywerebutpoorlyentertained，thoughwhattheyfoundaninconveniencewasnodoubtintendedforanhonor；butasfaraseatingwasconcerned，IdonotseehowtheIndianscouldhavedonebetter。Theyhadnothingtoeatthemselves，andtheywerewiserthantothinkthatapologiescouldsupplytheplaceoffoodtotheirguests；sotheydrewtheirbeltstighterandsaidnothingaboutit。AnothertimewhenWinslowvisitedthem，itbeingaseasonofplentywiththem，therewasnodeficiencyinthisrespect。
　　Asformen，theywillhardlyfailoneanywhere。IhadmorevisitorswhileIlivedinthewoodsthanatanyotherperiodinmylife；ImeanthatIhadsome。ImetseveralthereundermorefavorablecircumstancesthanIcouldanywhereelse。Butfewercametoseemeontrivialbusiness。Inthisrespect，mycompanywaswinnowedbymymeredistancefromtown。Ihadwithdrawnsofarwithinthegreatoceanofsolitude，intowhichtheriversofsocietyempty，thatforthemostpart，sofarasmyneedswereconcerned，onlythefinestsedimentwasdepositedaroundme。Beside，therewerewaftedtomeevidencesofunexploredanduncultivatedcontinentsontheotherside。
　　WhoshouldcometomylodgethismorningbutatrueHomericorPaphlagonianman——hehadsosuitableandpoeticanamethatIamsorryIcannotprintithere——aCanadian，awoodchopperandpost-maker，whocanholefiftypostsinaday，whomadehislastsupperonawoodchuckwhichhisdogcaught。He，too，hasheardofHomer，and，“ifitwerenotforbooks，“would“notknowwhattodorainydays，“thoughperhapshehasnotreadonewhollythroughformanyrainyseasons。SomepriestwhocouldpronouncetheGreekitselftaughthimtoreadhisverseintheTestamentinhisnativeparishfaraway；andnowImusttranslatetohim，whileheholdsthebook，Achilles’reprooftoPatroclusforhissadcountenance——
　　“Whyareyouintears，Patroclus，likeayounggirl？“
　　“OrhaveyoualoneheardsomenewsfromPhthia？
　　TheysaythatMenoetiuslivesyet，sonofActor，AndPeleuslives，sonofAEacus，amongtheMyrmidons，Eitherofwhomhavingdied，weshouldgreatlygrieve。“
　　Hesays，“That’sgood。“Hehasagreatbundleofwhiteoakbarkunderhisarmforasickman，gatheredthisSundaymorning。“I
　　supposethere’snoharmingoingaftersuchathingto-day，“sayshe。TohimHomerwasagreatwriter，thoughwhathiswritingwasabouthedidnotknow。Amoresimpleandnaturalmanitwouldbehardtofind。Viceanddisease，whichcastsuchasombremoralhueovertheworld，seemedtohavehardlyanyexistanceforhim。Hewasabouttwenty-eightyearsold，andhadleftCanadaandhisfather’shouseadozenyearsbeforetoworkintheStates，andearnmoneytobuyafarmwithatlast，perhapsinhisnativecountry。Hewascastinthecoarsestmould；astoutbutsluggishbody，yetgracefullycarried，withathicksunburntneck，darkbushyhair，anddullsleepyblueeyes，whichwereoccasionallylitupwithexpression。
　　Heworeaflatgrayclothcap，adingywool-coloredgreatcoat，andcowhideboots。Hewasagreatconsumerofmeat，usuallycarryinghisdinnertohisworkacoupleofmilespastmyhouse——forhechoppedallsummer——inatinpail；coldmeats，oftencoldwoodchucks，andcoffeeinastonebottlewhichdangledbyastringfromhisbelt；andsometimesheofferedmeadrink。Hecamealongearly，crossingmybean-field，thoughwithoutanxietyorhastetogettohiswork，suchasYankeesexhibit。Hewasn’ta-goingtohurthimself。Hedidn’tcareifheonlyearnedhisboard。Frequentlyhewouldleavehisdinnerinthebushes，whenhisdoghadcaughtawoodchuckbytheway，andgobackamileandahalftodressitandleaveitinthecellarofthehousewhereheboarded，afterdeliberatingfirstforhalfanhourwhetherhecouldnotsinkitinthepondsafelytillnightfall——lovingtodwelllonguponthesethemes。Hewouldsay，ashewentbyinthemorning，“Howthickthepigeonsare！Ifworkingeverydaywerenotmytrade，IcouldgetallthemeatIshouldwantbyhunting-pigeons，woodchucks，rabbits，partridges——bygosh！IcouldgetallIshouldwantforaweekinoneday。“
　　Hewasaskilfulchopper，andindulgedinsomeflourishesandornamentsinhisart。Hecuthistreeslevelandclosetotheground，thatthesproutswhichcameupafterwardmightbemorevigorousandasledmightslideoverthestumps；andinsteadofleavingawholetreetosupporthiscordedwood，hewouldpareitawaytoaslenderstakeorsplinterwhichyoucouldbreakoffwithyourhandatlast。