Sounds
  But　while　we　are　confined　to　books；　though　the　most　select　and
  classic；　and　read　only　particular　written　languages；　which　are
  themselves　but　dialects　and　provincial；　we　are　in　danger　of
  forgetting　the　language　which　all　things　and　events　speak　without
  metaphor；　which　alone　is　copious　and　standard。　　Much　is　published；
  but　little　printed。　　The　rays　which　stream　through　the　shutter　will
  be　no　longer　remembered　when　the　shutter　is　wholly　removed。　　No
  method　nor　discipline　can　supersede　the　necessity　of　being　forever
  on　the　alert。　　What　is　a　course　of　history　or　philosophy；　or　poetry；
  no　matter　how　well　selected；　or　the　best　society；　or　the　most
  admirable　routine　of　life；　compared　with　the　discipline　of　looking
  always　at　what　is　to　be　seen？　　Will　you　be　a　reader；　a　student
  merely；　or　a　seer？　　Read　your　fate；　see　what　is　before　you；　and　walk
  on　into　futurity。
  I　did　not　read　books　the　first　summer；　I　hoed　beans。　　Nay；　I
  often　did　better　than　this。　　There　were　times　when　I　could　not
  afford　to　sacrifice　the　bloom　of　the　present　moment　to　any　work；
  whether　of　the　head　or　hands。　　I　love　a　broad　margin　to　my　life。
  Sometimes；　in　a　summer　morning；　having　taken　my　accustomed　bath；　I
  sat　in　my　sunny　doorway　from　sunrise　till　noon；　rapt　in　a　revery；
  amidst　the　pines　and　hickories　and　sumachs；　in　undisturbed　solitude
  and　stillness；　while　the　birds　sing　around　or　flitted　noiseless
  through　the　house；　until　by　the　sun　falling　in　at　my　west　window；　or
  the　noise　of　some　traveller's　wagon　on　the　distant　highway；　I　was
  reminded　of　the　lapse　of　time。　　I　grew　in　those　seasons　like　corn　in
  the　night；　and　they　were　far　better　than　any　work　of　the　hands　would
  have　been。　　They　were　not　time　subtracted　from　my　life；　but　so　much
  over　and　above　my　usual　allowance。　　I　realized　what　the　Orientals
  mean　by　contemplation　and　the　forsaking　of　works。　　For　the　most
  part；　I　minded　not　how　the　hours　went。　　The　day　advanced　as　if　to
  light　some　work　of　mine；　it　was　morning；　and　lo；　now　it　is　evening；
  and　nothing　memorable　is　accomplished。　　Instead　of　singing　like　the
  birds；　I　silently　smiled　at　my　incessant　good　fortune。　　As　the
  sparrow　had　its　trill；　sitting　on　the　hickory　before　my　door；　so　had
  I　my　chuckle　or　suppressed　warble　which　he　might　hear　out　of　my
  nest。　　My　days　were　not　days　of　the　week；　bearing　the　stamp　of　any
  heathen　deity；　nor　were　they　minced　into　hours　and　fretted　by　the
  ticking　of　a　clock；　for　I　lived　like　the　Puri　Indians；　of　whom　it　is
  said　that　〃for　yesterday；　today；　and　tomorrow　they　have　only　one
  word；　and　they　express　the　variety　of　meaning　by　pointing　backward
  for　yesterday　forward　for　tomorrow；　and　overhead　for　the　passing
  day。〃　　This　was　sheer　idleness　to　my　fellow…townsmen；　no　doubt；　but
  if　the　birds　and　flowers　had　tried　me　by　their　standard；　I　should
  not　have　been　found　wanting。　　A　man　must　find　his　occasions　in
  himself；　it　is　true。　　The　natural　day　is　very　calm；　and　will　hardly
  reprove　his　indolence。
  I　had　this　advantage；　at　least；　in　my　mode　of　life；　over　those
  who　were　obliged　to　look　abroad　for　amusement；　to　society　and　the
  theatre；　that　my　life　itself　was　become　my　amusement　and　never
  ceased　to　be　novel。　　It　was　a　drama　of　many　scenes　and　without　an
  end。　　If　we　were　always；　indeed；　getting　our　living；　and　regulating
  our　lives　according　to　the　last　and　best　mode　we　had　learned；　we
  should　never　be　troubled　with　ennui。　　Follow　your　genius　closely
  enough；　and　it　will　not　fail　to　show　you　a　fresh　prospect　every
  hour。　　Housework　was　a　pleasant　pastime。　　When　my　floor　was　dirty；　I
  rose　early；　and；　setting　all　my　furniture　out　of　doors　on　the　grass；
  bed　and　bedstead　making　but　one　budget；　dashed　water　on　the　floor；
  and　sprinkled　white　sand　from　the　pond　on　it；　and　then　with　a　broom
  scrubbed　it　clean　and　white；　and　by　the　time　the　villagers　had
  broken　their　fast　the　morning　sun　had　dried　my　house　sufficiently　to
  allow　me　to　move　in　again；　and　my　meditations　were　almost
  uninterupted。　　It　was　pleasant　to　see　my　whole　household　effects　out
  on　the　grass；　making　a　little　pile　like　a　gypsy's　pack；　and　my
  three…legged　table；　from　which　I　did　not　remove　the　books　and　pen
  and　ink；　standing　amid　the　pines　and　hickories。　　They　seemed　glad　to
  get　out　themselves；　and　as　if　unwilling　to　be　brought　in。　　I　was
  sometimes　tempted　to　stretch　an　awning　over　them　and　take　my　seat
  there。　　It　was　worth　the　while　to　see　the　sun　shine　on　these　things；
  and　hear　the　free　wind　blow　on　them；　so　much　more　interesting　most
  familiar　objects　look　out　of　doors　than　in　the　house。　　A　bird　sits
  on　the　next　bough；　life…everlasting　grows　under　the　table；　and
  blackberry　vines　run　round　its　legs；　pine　cones；　chestnut　burs；　and
  strawberry　leaves　are　strewn　about。　　It　looked　as　if　this　was　the
  way　these　forms　came　to　be　transferred　to　our　furniture；　to　tables；
  chairs；　and　bedsteads　　because　they　once　stood　in　their　midst。
  My　house　was　on　the　side　of　a　hill；　immediately　on　the　edge　of
  the　larger　wood；　in　the　midst　of　a　young　forest　of　pitch　pines　and
  hickories；　and　half　a　dozen　rods　from　the　pond；　to　which　a　narrow
  footpath　led　down　the　hill。　　In　my　front　yard　grew　the　strawberry；
  blackberry；　and　life…everlasting；　johnswort　and　goldenrod；　shrub
  oaks　and　sand　cherry；　blueberry　and　groundnut。　　Near　the　end　of　May；
  the　sand　cherry　（Cerasus　pumila）　adorned　the　sides　of　the　path　with
  its　delicate　flowers　arranged　in　umbels　cylindrically　about　its
  short　stems；　which　last；　in　the　fall；　weighed　down　with　goodsized
  and　handsome　cherries；　fell　over　in　wreaths　like　rays　on　every　side。
  I　tasted　them　out　of　compliment　to　Nature；　though　they　were　scarcely
  palatable。　　The　sumach　（Rhus　glabra）　grew　luxuriantly　about　the
  house；　pushing　up　through　the　embankment　which　I　had　made；　and
  growing　five　or　six　feet　the　first　season。　　Its　broad　pinnate
  tropical　leaf　was　pleasant　though　strange　to　look　on。　　The　large
  buds；　suddenly　pushing　out　late　in　the　spring　from　dry　sticks　which
  had　seemed　to　be　dead；　developed　themselves　as　by　magic　into
  graceful　green　and　tender　boughs；　an　inch　in　diameter；　and
  sometimes；　as　I　sat　at　my　window；　so　heedlessly　did　they　grow　and
  tax　their　weak　joints；　I　heard　a　fresh　and　tender　bough　suddenly
  fall　like　a　fan　to　the　ground；　when　there　was　not　a　breath　of　air
  stirring；　broken　off　by　its　own　weight。　　In　August；　the　large　masses
  of　berries；　which；　when　in　flower；　had　attracted　many　wild　bees；
  gradually　assumed　their　bright　velvety　crimson　hue；　and　by　their
  weight　again　bent　down　and　broke　the　tender　limbs。
  As　I　sit　at　my　window　this　summer　afternoon；　hawks　are　circling
  about　my　clearing；　the　tantivy　of　wild　pigeons；　flying　by　two　and
  threes　athwart　my　view；　or　perching　restless　on　the　white　pine
  boughs　behind　my　house；　gives　a　voice　to　the　air；　a　fish　hawk
  dimples　the　glassy　surface　of　the　pond　and　brings　up　a　fish；　a　mink
  steals　out　of　the　marsh　before　my　door　and　seizes　a　frog　by　the
  shore；　the　sedge　is　bending　under　the　weight　of　the　reed…birds
  flitting　hither　and　thither；　and　for　the　last　half…hour　I　have　heard
  the　rattle　of　railroad　cars；　now　dying　away　and　then　reviving　like
  the　beat　of　a　partridge；　conveying　travellers　from　Boston　to　the
  country。　　For　I　did　not　live　so　out　of　the　world　as　that　boy　who；　as
  I　hear；　was　put　out　to　a　farmer　in　the　east　part　of　the　town；　but
  ere　long　ran　away　and　came　home　again；　quite　down　at　the　heel　and
  homesick。　　He　had　never　seen　such　a　dull　and　out…of…the…way　place；
  the　folks　were　all　gone　off；　why；　you　couldn't　even　hear　the
  whistle！　　I　doubt　if　there　is　such　a　place　in　Massachusetts　now：
  〃In　truth；　our　village　has　become　a　butt
  For　one　of　those　fleet　railroad　shafts；　and　o'er
  Our　peaceful　plain　its　soothing　sound　is　　Concord。〃
  The　Fitchburg　Railroad　touches　the　pond　about　a　hundred　rods
  south　of　where　I　dwell。　　I　usually　go　to　the　village　along　its
  causeway；　and　am；　as　it　were；　related　to　society　by　this　link。　　The
  men　on　the　freight　trains；　who　go　over　the　whole　length　of　the　road；
  bow　to　me　as　to　an　old　acquaintance；　they　pass　me　so　often；　and
  apparently　they　take　me　for　an　employee；　and　so　I　am。　　I　too　would
  fain　be　a　track…repairer　somewhere　in　the　orbit　of　the　earth。
  The　whistle　of　the　locomotive　penetrates　my　woods　summer　and
  winter；　sounding　like　the　scream　of　a　hawk　sailing　over　some
  farmer's　yard；　informing　me　that　many　restless　city　merchants　are
  arriving　within　the　circle　of　the　town；　or　adventurous　country
  traders　from　the　other　side。　　As　they　come　under　one　horizon；　they
  shout　their　warning　to　get　off　the　track　to　the　other；　heard
  sometimes　through　the　circles　of　two　towns。　　Here　come　your
  groceries；　country；　your　rations；　countrymen！　　Nor　is　there　any　man
  so　independent　on　his　farm　that　he　can　say　them　nay。　　And　here's
  your　pay　for　them！　screams　the　countryman's　whistle；　timber　like
  long　battering…rams　going　twenty　miles　an　hour