The　Village
  After　hoeing；　or　perhaps　reading　and　writing；　in　the　forenoon；　I
  usually　bathed　again　in　the　pond；　swimming　across　one　of　its　coves
  for　a　stint；　and　washed　the　dust　of　labor　from　my　person；　or
  smoothed　out　the　last　wrinkle　which　study　had　made；　and　for　the
  afternoon　was　absolutely　free。　　Every　day　or　two　I　strolled　to　the
  village　to　hear　some　of　the　gossip　which　is　incessantly　going　on
  there；　circulating　either　from　mouth　to　mouth；　or　from　newspaper　to
  newspaper；　and　which；　taken　in　homoeopathic　doses；　was　really　as
  refreshing　in　its　way　as　the　rustle　of　leaves　and　the　peeping　of
  frogs。　　As　I　walked　in　the　woods　to　see　the　birds　and　squirrels；　so
  I　walked　in　the　village　to　see　the　men　and　boys；　instead　of　the　wind
  among　the　pines　I　heard　the　carts　rattle。　　In　one　direction　from　my
  house　there　was　a　colony　of　muskrats　in　the　river　meadows；　under　the
  grove　of　elms　and　buttonwoods　in　the　other　horizon　was　a　village　of
  busy　men；　as　curious　to　me　as　if　they　had　been　prairie…dogs；　each
  sitting　at　the　mouth　of　its　burrow；　or　running　over　to　a　neighbor's
  to　gossip。　　I　went　there　frequently　to　observe　their　habits。　　The
  village　appeared　to　me　a　great　news　room；　and　on　one　side；　to
  support　it；　as　once　at　Redding　&　Company's　on　State　Street；　they
  kept　nuts　and　raisins；　or　salt　and　meal　and　other　groceries。　　Some
  have　such　a　vast　appetite　for　the　former　commodity；　that　is；　the
  news；　and　such　sound　digestive　organs；　that　they　can　sit　forever　in
  public　avenues　without　stirring；　and　let　it　simmer　and　whisper
  through　them　like　the　Etesian　winds；　or　as　if　inhaling　ether；　it
  only　producing　numbness　and　insensibility　to　pain　　otherwise　it
  would　often　be　painful　to　bear　　without　affecting　the
  consciousness。　　I　hardly　ever　failed；　when　I　rambled　through　the
  village；　to　see　a　row　of　such　worthies；　either　sitting　on　a　ladder
  sunning　themselves；　with　their　bodies　inclined　forward　and　their
  eyes　glancing　along　the　line　this　way　and　that；　from　time　to　time；
  with　a　voluptuous　expression；　or　else　leaning　against　a　barn　with
  their　hands　in　their　pockets；　like　caryatides；　as　if　to　prop　it　up。
  They；　being　commonly　out　of　doors；　heard　whatever　was　in　the　wind。
  These　are　the　coarsest　mills；　in　which　all　gossip　is　first　rudely
  digested　or　cracked　up　before　it　is　emptied　into　finer　and　more
  delicate　hoppers　within　doors。　　I　observed　that　the　vitals　of　the
  village　were　the　grocery；　the　bar…room；　the　post…office；　and　the
  bank；　and；　as　a　necessary　part　of　the　machinery；　they　kept　a　bell；　a
  big　gun；　and　a　fire…engine；　at　convenient　places；　and　the　houses
  were　so　arranged　as　to　make　the　most　of　mankind；　in　lanes　and
  fronting　one　another；　so　that　every　traveller　had　to　run　the
  gauntlet；　and　every　man；　woman；　and　child　might　get　a　lick　at　him。
  Of　course；　those　who　were　stationed　nearest　to　the　head　of　the　line；
  where　they　could　most　see　and　be　seen；　and　have　the　first　blow　at
  him；　paid　the　highest　prices　for　their　places；　and　the　few
  straggling　inhabitants　in　the　outskirts；　where　long　gaps　in　the　line
  began　to　occur；　and　the　traveller　could　get　over　walls　or　turn　aside
  into　cow…paths；　and　so　escape；　paid　a　very　slight　ground　or　window
  tax。　　Signs　were　hung　out　on　all　sides　to　allure　him；　some　to　catch
  him　by　the　appetite；　as　the　tavern　and　victualling　cellar；　some　by
  the　fancy；　as　the　dry　goods　store　and　the　jeweller's；　and　others　by
  the　hair　or　the　feet　or　the　skirts；　as　the　barber；　the　shoemaker；
  or　the　tailor。　　Besides；　there　was　a　still　more　terrible　standing
  invitation　to　call　at　every　one　of　these　houses；　and　company
  expected　about　these　times。　　For　the　most　part　I　escaped　wonderfully
  from　these　dangers；　either　by　proceeding　at　once　boldly　and　without
  deliberation　to　the　goal；　as　is　recommended　to　those　who　run　the
  gauntlet；　or　by　keeping　my　thoughts　on　high　things；　like　Orpheus；
  who；　〃loudly　singing　the　praises　of　the　gods　to　his　lyre；　drowned
  the　voices　of　the　Sirens；　and　kept　out　of　danger。〃　　Sometimes　I
  bolted　suddenly；　and　nobody　could　tell　my　whereabouts；　for　I　did　not
  stand　much　about　gracefulness；　and　never　hesitated　at　a　gap　in　a
  fence。　　I　was　even　accustomed　to　make　an　irruption　into　some　houses；
  where　I　was　well　entertained；　and　after　learning　the　kernels　and
  very　last　sieveful　of　news　　what　had　subsided；　the　prospects　of
  war　and　peace；　and　whether　the　world　was　likely　to　hold　together
  much　longer　　I　was　let　out　through　the　rear　avenues；　and　so
  escaped　to　the　woods　again。
  It　was　very　pleasant；　when　I　stayed　late　in　town；　to　launch
  myself　into　the　night；　especially　if　it　was　dark　and　tempestuous；
  and　set　sail　from　some　bright　village　parlor　or　lecture　room；　with　a
  bag　of　rye　or　Indian　meal　upon　my　shoulder；　for　my　snug　harbor　in
  the　woods；　having　made　all　tight　without　and　withdrawn　under　hatches
  with　a　merry　crew　of　thoughts；　leaving　only　my　outer　man　at　the
  helm；　or　even　tying　up　the　helm　when　it　was　plain　sailing。　　I　had
  many　a　genial　thought　by　the　cabin　fire　〃as　I　sailed。〃　　I　was　never
  cast　away　nor　distressed　in　any　weather；　though　I　encountered　some
  severe　storms。　　It　is　darker　in　the　woods；　even　in　common　nights；
  than　most　suppose。　　I　frequently　had　to　look　up　at　the　opening
  between　the　trees　above　the　path　in　order　to　learn　my　route；　and；
  where　there　was　no　cart…path；　to　feel　with　my　feet　the　faint　track
  which　I　had　worn；　or　steer　by　the　known　relation　of　particular　trees
  which　I　felt　with　my　hands；　passing　between　two　pines　for　instance；
  not　more　than　eighteen　inches　apart；　in　the　midst　of　the　woods；
  invariably；　in　the　darkest　night。　　Sometimes；　after　coming　home　thus
  late　in　a　dark　and　muggy　night；　when　my　feet　felt　the　path　which　my
  eyes　could　not　see；　dreaming　and　absent…minded　all　the　way；　until　I
  was　aroused　by　having　to　raise　my　hand　to　lift　the　latch；　I　have　not
  been　able　to　recall　a　single　step　of　my　walk；　and　I　have　thought
  that　perhaps　my　body　would　find　its　way　home　if　its　master　should
  forsake　it；　as　the　hand　finds　its　way　to　the　mouth　without
  assistance。　　Several　times；　when　a　visitor　chanced　to　stay　into
  evening；　and　it　proved　a　dark　night；　I　was　obliged　to　conduct　him　to
  the　cart…path　in　the　rear　of　the　house；　and　then　point　out　to　him
  the　direction　he　was　to　pursue；　and　in　keeping　which　he　was　to　be
  guided　rather　by　his　feet　than　his　eyes。　　One　very　dark　night　I
  directed　thus　on　their　way　two　young　men　who　had　been　fishing　in　the
  pond。　　They　lived　about　a　mile　off　through　the　woods；　and　were　quite
  used　to　the　route。　　A　day　or　two　after　one　of　them　told　me　that　they
  wandered　about　the　greater　part　of　the　night；　close　by　their　own
  premises；　and　did　not　get　home　till　toward　morning；　by　which　time；
  as　there　had　been　several　heavy　showers　in　the　meanwhile；　and　the
  leaves　were　very　wet；　they　were　drenched　to　their　skins。　　I　have
  heard　of　many　going　astray　even　in　the　village　streets；　when　the
  darkness　was　so　thick　that　you　could　cut　it　with　a　knife；　as　the
  saying　is。　　Some　who　live　in　the　outskirts；　having　come　to　town
  a…shopping　in　their　wagons；　have　been　obliged　to　put　up　for　the
  night；　and　gentlemen　and　ladies　making　a　call　have　gone　half　a　mile
  out　of　their　way；　feeling　the　sidewalk　only　with　their　feet；　and　not
  knowing　when　they　turned。　　It　is　a　surprising　and　memorable；　as　well
  as　valuable　experience；　to　be　lost　in　the　woods　any　time。　　Often　in
  a　snow…storm；　even　by　day；　one　will　come　out　upon　a　well…known　road
  and　yet　find　it　impossible　to　tell　which　way　leads　to　the　village。
  Though　he　knows　that　he　has　travelled　it　a　thousand　times；　he　cannot
  recognize　a　feature　in　it；　but　it　is　as　strange　to　him　as　if　it　were
  a　road　in　Siberia。　　By　night；　of　course；　the　perplexity　is
  infinitely　greater。　　In　our　most　trivial　walks；　we　are　constantly；
  though　unconsciously；　steering　like　pilots　by　certain　well…known
  beacons　and　headlands；　and　if　we　go　beyond　our　usual　course　we　still
  carry　in　our　minds　the　bearing　of　some　neighboring　cape；　and　not
  till　we　are　completely　lost；　or　turned　round　　for　a　man　needs　only
  to　be　turned　round　once　with　his　eyes　shut　in　this　world　to　be　lost
  do　we　appreciate　the　vastness　and　strangeness　of　nature。　　Every
  man　has　to　learn　the　points　of　compass　again　as　often　as　be　awakes；
  whether　from　sleep　or　any　abstraction。　　Not　till　we　are　lost；　in
  other　words　not　till　we　have　lost　the　world；　do　we　begin　to　find
  ourselves；　and　realize　where　we　are　and　the　infinite　extent　of　our
  relations。
  One　afternoon；　near　the　end　of　the　first　summer；　when　I　went　to
  the　village　to　get　a　shoe　from　the　cobbler's；　I　was　seized　and　put
  into　jail；　because；　as　I　have　elsewhere　related；　I　did　not　pay　a　tax
  to；　or　recognize　the　authority　of；　the　State　which　buys　and　sells
  men；　women；　and　children；　like　cattle；　at　the　door　of　its
  senate…house。　　I　had　gone　down　to　the　woods　for　other　purposes。
  But；　wherever　a　man　goes；　men　will　pursue　and　paw　him　with　their
  dirty　institutions；　and；　if　they　c