art_：　　how　exceedingly　true！　　_Nature　abhors　a　vacuum_：　　how　exceedingly　false　and　calumnious！　　Again；　_Nothing　can　act　but　where　it　is_：　　with　all　my　heart；　only；　WHERE　is　it？　　Be　not　the　slave　of　Words：　　is　not　the　Distant；　the　Dead；　while　I　love　it；　and　long　for　it；　and　mourn　for　it；　Here；　in　the　genuine　sense；　as　truly　as　the　floor　I　stand　on？　　But　that　same　WHERE；　with　its　brother　WHEN；　are　from　the　first　the　master…colors　of　our　Dream…grotto；　say　rather；　the　Canvas　（the　warp　and　woof　thereof）　whereon　all　our　Dreams　and　Life…visions　are　painted。　　Nevertheless；　has　not　a　deeper　meditation　taught　certain　of　every　climate　and　age；　that　the　WHERE　and　WHEN；　so　mysteriously　inseparable　from　all　our　thoughts；　are　but　superficial　terrestrial　adhesions　to　thought；　that　the　Seer　may　discern　them　where　they　mount　up　out　of　the　celestial　EVERYWHERE　and　FOREVER：　　have　not　all　nations　conceived　their　God　as　Omnipresent　and　Eternal；　as　existing　in　a　universal　HERE；　an　everlasting　Now？　　Think　well；　thou　too　wilt　find　that　Space　is　but　a　mode　of　our　human　Sense；　so　likewise　Time；　there　_is_　no　Space　and　no　Time：　　WE　arewe　know　not　what；light…sparkles　floating　in　the　ether　of　Deity！
  〃So　that　this　so　solid…seeming　World；　after　all；　were　but　an　air…image；　our　ME　the　only　reality：　　and　Nature；　with　its　thousand…fold　production　and　destruction；　but　the　reflex　of　our　own　inward　Force；　the　'phantasy　of　our　Dream；'　or　what　the　Earth…Spirit　in　_Faust_　names　it；　_the　living　visible　Garment　of　God_：
  〃'In　Being's　floods；　in　Action's　storm；　　　　　I　walk　and　work；　above；　beneath；　　　　　Work　and　weave　in　endless　motion！　　　　　　　　　　　Birth　and　Death；　　　　　　　　　　　An　infinite　ocean；　　　　　　　　　　　A　seizing　and　giving　　　　　　　　　　　The　fire　of　Living：　　　　　'Tis　thus　at　the　roaring　Loom　of　Time　I　ply；　　　　　And　weave　for　God　the　Garment　thou　seest　Him　by。'
  Of　twenty　millions　that　have　read　and　spouted　this　thunder…speech　of　the　_Erdgeist_；　are　there　yet　twenty　units　of　us　that　have　learned　the　meaning　thereof？
  〃It　was　in　some　such　mood；　when　wearied　and　fordone　with　these　high　speculations；　that　I　first　came　upon　the　question　of　Clothes。　　Strange　enough；　it　strikes　me；　is　this　same　fact　of　there　being　Tailors　and　Tailored。　　The　Horse　I　ride　has　his　own　whole　fell：　　strip　him　of　the　girths　and　flaps　and　extraneous　tags　I　have　fastened　round　him；　and　the　noble　creature　is　his　own　sempster　and　weaver　and　spinner；　nay　his　own　boot…maker；　jeweller；　and　man…milliner；　he　bounds　free　through　the　valleys；　with　a　perennial　rain…proof　court…suit　on　his　body；　wherein　warmth　and　easiness　of　fit　have　reached　perfection；　nay；　the　graces　also　have　been　considered；　and　frills　and　fringes；　with　gay　variety　of　color；　featly　appended；　and　ever　in　the　right　place；　are　not　wanting。　　While　Igood　Heaven！　have　thatched　myself　over　with　the　dead　fleeces　of　sheep；　the　bark　of　vegetables；　the　entrails　of　worms；　the　hides　of　oxen　or　seals；　the　felt　of　furred　beasts；　and　walk　abroad　a　moving　Rag…screen；　overheaped　with　shreds　and　tatters　raked　from　the　Charnel…house　of　Nature；　where　they　would　have　rotted；　to　rot　on　me　more　slowly！　　Day　after　day；　I　must　thatch　myself　anew；　day　after　day；　this　despicable　thatch　must　lose　some　film　of　its　thickness；　some　film　of　it；　frayed　away　by　tear　and　wear；　must　be　brushed　off　into　the　Ashpit；　into　the　Laystall；　till　by　degrees　the　whole　has　been　brushed　thither；　and　I；　the　dust…making；　patent　Rat…grinder；　get　new　material　to　grind　down。　　O　subter…brutish！　vile！　most　vile！　　For　have　not　I　too　a　compact　all…enclosing　Skin；　whiter　or　dingier？　　Am　I　a　botched　mass　of　tailors'　and　cobblers'　shreds；　then；　or　a　tightly　articulated；　homogeneous　little　Figure；　automatic；　nay　alive？
  〃Strange　enough　how　creatures　of　the　human…kind　shut　their　eyes　to　plainest　facts；　and　by　the　mere　inertia　of　Oblivion　and　Stupidity；　live　at　ease　in　the　midst　of　Wonders　and　Terrors。　　But　indeed　man　is；　and　was　always；　a　blockhead　and　dullard；　much　readier　to　feel　and　digest；　than　to　think　and　consider。　　Prejudice；　which　he　pretends　to　hate；　is　his　absolute　lawgiver；　mere　use…and…wont　everywhere　leads　him　by　the　nose；　thus　let　but　a　Rising　of　the　Sun；　let　but　a　Creation　of　the　World　happen　_twice_；　and　it　ceases　to　be　marvellous；　to　be　noteworthy；　or　noticeable。　　Perhaps　not　once　in　a　lifetime　does　it　occur　to　your　ordinary　biped；　of　any　country　or　generation；　be　he　gold…mantled　Prince　or　russet…jerkined　Peasant；　that　his　Vestments　and　his　Self　are　not　one　and　indivisible；　that　_he_　is　naked；　without　vestments；　till　he　buy　or　steal　such；　and　by　forethought　sew　and　button　them。
  〃For　my　own　part；　these　considerations；　of　our　Clothes…thatch；　and　how；　reaching　inwards　even　to　our　heart　of　hearts；　it　tailorizes　and　demoralizes　us；　fill　me　with　a　certain　horror　at　myself　and　mankind；　almost　as　one　feels　at　those　Dutch　Cows；　which；　during　the　wet　season；　you　see　grazing　deliberately　with　jackets　and　petticoats　（of　striped　sacking）；　in　the　meadows　of　Gouda。　　Nevertheless　there　is　something　great　in　the　moment　when　a　man　first　strips　himself　of　adventitious　wrappages；　and　sees　indeed　that　he　is　naked；　and；　as　Swift　has　it；　'a　forked　straddling　animal　with　bandy　legs；'　yet　also　a　Spirit；　and　unutterable　Mystery　of　Mysteries。〃
  CHAPTER　IX。　ADAMITISM。
  Let　no　courteous　reader　take　offence　at　the　opinions　broached　in　the　conclusion　of　the　last　Chapter。　　The　Editor　himself；　on　first　glancing　over　that　singular　passage；　was　inclined　to　exclaim：　　What；　have　we　got　not　only　a　Sansculottist；　but　an　enemy　to　Clothes　in　the　abstract？　　A　new　Adamite；　in　this　century；　which　flatters　itself　that　it　is　the　Nineteenth；　and　destructive　both　to　Superstition　and　Enthusiasm？
  Consider；　thou　foolish　Teufelsdrockh；　what　benefits　unspeakable　all　ages　and　sexes　derive　from　Clothes。　　For　example；　when　thou　thyself；　a　watery；　pulpy；　slobbery　freshman　and　new…comer　in　this　Planet；　sattest　muling　and　puking　in　thy　nurse's　arms；　sucking　thy　coral；　and　looking　forth　into　the　world　in　the　blankest　manner；　what　hadst　thou　been　without　thy　blankets；　and　bibs；　and　other　nameless　hulls？　　A　terror　to　thyself　and　mankind！　　Or　hast　thou　forgotten　the　day　when　thou　first　receivedst　breeches；　and　thy　long　clothes　became　short？　　The　village　where　thou　livedst　was　all　apprised　of　the　fact；　and　neighbor　after　neighbor　kissed　thy　pudding…cheek；　and　gave　thee；　as　handsel；　silver　or　copper　coins；　on　that　the　first　gala…day　of　thy　existence。　　Again；　wert　not　thou；　at　one　period　of　life；　a　Buck；　or　Blood；　or　Macaroni；　or　Incroyable；　or　Dandy；　or　by　whatever　name；　according　to　year　and　place；　such　phenomenon　is　distinguished？　　In　that　one　word　lie　included　mysterious　volumes。　　Nay；　now　when　the　reign　of　folly　is　over；　or　altered；　and　thy　clothes　are　not　for　triumph　but　for　defence；　hast　thou　always　worn　them　perforce；　and　as　a　consequence　of　Man's　Fall；　never　rejoiced　in　them　as　in　a　warm　movable　House；　a　Body　round　thy　Body；　wherein　that　strange　THEE　of　thine　sat　snug；　defying　all　variations　of　Climate？　Girt　with　thick　double…milled　kerseys；　half　buried　under　shawls　and　broadbrims；　and　overalls　and　mudboots；　thy　very　fingers　cased　in　doeskin　and　mittens；　thou　hast　bestrode　that　〃Horse　I　ride；〃　and；　though　it　were　in　wild　winter；　dashed　through　the　world；　glorying　in　it　as　if　thou　wert　its　lord。　　In　vain　did　the　sleet　beat　round　thy　temples；　it　lighted　only　on　thy　impenetrable；　felted　or　woven；　case　of　wool。　　In　vain　did　the　winds　howl；forests　sounding　and　creaking；　deep　calling　unto　deep；and　the　storms　heap　themselves　together　into　one　huge　Arctic　whirlpool：　　thou　flewest　through　the　middle　thereof；　striking　fire　from　the　highway；　wild　music　hummed　in　thy　ears；　thou　too　wert　as　a　〃sailor　of　the　air；〃　the　wreck　of　matter　and　the　crash　of　worlds　was　thy　element　and　propitiously　wafting　tide。　　Without　Clothes；　without　bit　or　saddle；　what　hadst　thou　been；　what　had　thy　fleet　quadruped　been？Nature　is　good；　but　she　is　not　the　best：　here　truly　was　the　victory　of　Art　over　Nature。　　A　thunderbolt　indeed　might　have　pierced　thee；　all　short　of　this　thou　couldst　defy。
  Or；　cries　the　courteous　reader；　has　your　Teufelsdrockh　forgotten　what　he　said　lately　about　〃Aboriginal　Savages；〃　and　their　〃condition　miserable　indeed〃？　　Would　he　have　all　this　unsaid；　and　us　betake　ourselves　again　to　the　〃matted　cloak；〃　and　go　sheeted　in　a　〃thick　natural　fell〃？
  Nowise；　courteous　reader！　　The　Professor　knows　full　well　what　he　is　saying；　and　both　thou　and　we；　in　our　haste；　do　him　wrong。　　If　Clothes；　in　these　times；　〃so　tailorize　and　demoralize　us；〃　have　they　no　redeeming　value；　can　they　not　be　altered　to　serve　better；　must　they　of　necessity　be　thrown　to　the　dogs？　　The　truth　is；　Teufelsdrockh；　though　a　Sansculottist；　is　no　Adamite；　and　much　perhaps　as　he　might　wish　to　go　forth　before　this　degenerate　age　〃as　a　Sign；〃　would　nowise　wish　to　do　it；　as　those　old　Adamites　did；　in　a　state　of　Nakedness。　　The　utility　of　Clothes　is　altogether　apparent　to　him：　　nay　perhaps　he　has　an　insight　into　their　more　recondite；　and　almost　mystic　qualities；　what　we　might　call　the　omnipotent　virtue　of　Clothes；　such　as　was　never　before　vouchsafed　to　any　man。　　For　example：
  〃You　see　two　individuals；〃　he　writes；　〃one　dressed　in　fine　Red；　the　other　in　coarse　threadbare　Blue：　　Red　says　to　Blue；