Walking
  by　Henry　David　Thoreau
  I　wish　to　speak　a　word　for　Nature；　for　absolute　freedom　and
  wildness；　as　contrasted　with　a　freedom　and　culture　merely
  civilto　regard　man　as　an　inhabitant；　or　a　part　and　parcel　of
  Nature；　rather　than　a　member　of　society。　I　wish　to　make　an
  extreme　statement；　if　so　I　may　make　an　emphatic　one；　for　there
  are　enough　champions　of　civilization：　the　minister　and　the　school
  committee　and　every　one　of　you　will　take　care　of　that。
  I　have　met　with　but　one　or　two　persons　in　the　course　of　my　life
  who　understood　the　art　of　Walking；　that　is；　of　taking　walkswho
  had　a　genius；　so　to　speak；　for　SAUNTERING；　which　word　is
  beautifully　derived　〃from　idle　people　who　roved　about　the
  country；　in　the　Middle　Ages；　and　asked　charity；　under　pretense　of
  going　a　la　Sainte　Terre；〃　to　the　Holy　Land；　till　the　children
  exclaimed；　〃There　goes　a　Sainte…Terrer；〃　a　Saunterer；　a
  Holy…Lander。　They　who　never　go　to　the　Holy　Land　in　their　walks；
  as　they　pretend；　are　indeed　mere　idlers　and　vagabonds；　but　they
  who　do　go　there　are　saunterers　in　the　good　sense；　such　as　I　mean。
  Some；　however；　would　derive　the　word　from　sans　terre　without　land
  or　a　home；　which；　therefore；　in　the　good　sense；　will　mean；　having
  no　particular　home；　but　equally　at　home　everywhere。　For　this　is
  the　secret　of　successful　sauntering。　He　who　sits　still　in　a　house
  all　the　time　may　be　the　greatest　vagrant　of　all；　but　the
  saunterer；　in　the　good　sense；　is　no　more　vagrant　than　the
  meandering　river；　which　is　all　the　while　sedulously　seeking　the
  shortest　course　to　the　sea。　But　I　prefer　the　first；　which；
  indeed；　is　the　most　probable　derivation。　For　every　walk　is　a　sort
  of　crusade；　preached　by　some　Peter　the　Hermit　in　us；　to　go　forth
  and　reconquer　this　Holy　Land　from　the　hands　of　the　Infidels。
  It　is　true；　we　are　but　faint…hearted　crusaders；　even　the　walkers；
  nowadays；　who　undertake　no　persevering；　never…ending　enterprises。
  Our　expeditions　are　but　tours；　and　come　round　again　at　evening　to
  the　old　hearth…side　from　which　we　set　out。　Half　the　walk　is　but
  retracing　our　steps。　We　should　go　forth　on　the　shortest　walk；
  perchance；　in　the　spirit　of　undying　adventure；　never　to　return
  prepared　to　send　back　our　embalmed　hearts　only　as　relics　to　our
  desolate　kingdoms。　If　you　are　ready　to　leave　father　and　mother；
  and　brother　and　sister；　and　wife　and　child　and　friends；　and　never
  see　them　againif　you　have　paid　your　debts；　and　made　your　will；
  and　settled　all　your　affairs；　and　are　a　free　manthen　you　are
  ready　for　a　walk。
  To　come　down　to　my　own　experience；　my　companion　and　I；　for　I
  sometimes　have　a　companion；　take　pleasure　in　fancying　ourselves
  knights　of　a　new；　or　rather　an　old；　ordernot　Equestrians　or
  Chevaliers；　not　Ritters　or　Riders；　but　Walkers；　a　still　more
  ancient　and　honorable　class；　I　trust。　The　Chivalric　and　heroic
  spirit　which　once　belonged　to　the　Rider　seems　now　to　reside　in；
  or　perchance　to　have　subsided　into；　the　Walkernot　the　Knight；
  but　Walker；　Errant。　He　is　a　sort　of　fourth　estate；　outside　of
  Church　and　State　and　People。
  We　have　felt　that　we　almost　alone　hereabouts　practiced　this　noble
  art；　though；　to　tell　the　truth；　at　least　if　their　own　assertions
  are　to　be　received；　most　of　my　townsmen　would　fain　walk
  sometimes；　as　I　do；　but　they　cannot。　No　wealth　can　buy　the
  requisite　leisure；　freedom；　and　independence　which　are　the
  capital　in　this　profession。　It　comes　only　by　the　grace　of　God。　It
  requires　a　direct　dispensation　from　Heaven　to　become　a　walker。
  You　must　be　born　into　the　family　of　the　Walkers。　Ambulator
  nascitur；　non　fit。　Some　of　my　townsmen；　it　is　true；　can　remember
  and　have　described　to　me　some　walks　which　they　took　ten　years
  ago；　in　which　they　were　so　blessed　as　to　lose　themselves　for　half
  an　hour　in　the　woods；　but　I　know　very　well　that　they　have
  confined　themselves　to　the　highway　ever　since；　whatever
  pretensions　they　may　make　to　belong　to　this　select　class。　No
  doubt　they　were　elevated　for　a　moment　as　by　the　reminiscence　of　a
  previous　state　of　existence；　when　even　they　were　foresters　and
  outlaws。
  〃When　he　came　to　grene　wode；
  In　a　mery　mornynge；
  There　he　herde　the　notes　small
  Of　byrdes　mery　syngynge。
  〃It　is　ferre　gone；　sayd　Robyn；
  That　I　was　last　here；
  Me　Lyste　a　lytell　for　to　shote
  At　the　donne　dere。〃
  I　think　that　I　cannot　preserve　my　health　and　spirits；　unless　I
  spend　four　hours　a　day　at　leastand　it　is　commonly　more　than
  thatsauntering　through　the　woods　and　over　the　hills　and　fields；
  absolutely　free　from　all　worldly　engagements。　You　may　safely　say；
  A　penny　for　your　thoughts；　or　a　thousand　pounds。　When　sometimes　I
  am　reminded　that　the　mechanics　and　shopkeepers　stay　in　their
  shops　not　only　all　the　forenoon；　but　all　the　afternoon　too；
  sitting　with　crossed　legs；　so　many　of　themas　if　the　legs　were
  made　to　sit　upon；　and　not　to　stand　or　walk　uponI　think　that
  they　deserve　some　credit　for　not　having　all　committed　suicide
  long　ago。
  I；　who　cannot　stay　in　my　chamber　for　a　single　day　without
  acquiring　some　rust；　and　when　sometimes　I　have　stolen　forth　for　a
  walk　at　the　eleventh　hour；　or　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　too
  late　to　redeem　the　day；　when　the　shades　of　night　were　already
  beginning　to　be　mingled　with　the　daylight；　have　felt　as　if　I　had
  committed　some　sin　to　be　atoned　for；I　confess　that　I　am
  astonished　at　the　power　of　endurance；　to　say　nothing　of　the　moral
  insensibility；　of　my　neighbors　who　confine　themselves　to　shops
  and　offices　the　whole　day　for　weeks　and　months；　aye；　and　years
  almost　together。　I　know　not　what　manner　of　stuff　they　are
  ofsitting　there　now　at　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　as　if　it
  were　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　Bonaparte　may　talk　of　the
  three…o'clock…in…the…morning　courage；　but　it　is　nothing　to　the
  courage　which　can　sit　down　cheerfully　at　this　hour　in　the
  afternoon　over　against　one's　self　whom　you　have　known　all　the
  morning；　to　starve　out　a　garrison　to　whom　you　are　bound　by　such
  strong　ties　of　sympathy。　I　wonder　that　about　this　time；　or　say
  between　four　and　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　too　late　for　the
  morning　papers　and　too　early　for　the　evening　ones；　there　is　not　a
  general　explosion　heard　up　and　down　the　street；　scattering　a
  legion　of　antiquated　and　house…bred　notions　and　whims　to　the　four
  winds　for　an　airing…and　so　the　evil　cure　itself。
  How　womankind；　who　are　confined　to　the　house　still　more　than　men；
  stand　it　I　do　not　know；　but　I　have　ground　to　suspect　that　most　of
  them　do　not　STAND　it　at　all。　When；　early　in　a　summer　afternoon；
  we　have　been　shaking　the　dust　of　the　village　from　the　skirts　of
  our　garments；　making　haste　past　those　houses　with　purely　Doric　or
  Gothic　fronts；　which　have　such　an　air　of　repose　about　them；　my
  companion　whispers　that　probably　about　these　times　their
  occupants　are　all　gone　to　bed。　Then　it　is　that　I　appreciate　the
  beauty　and　the　glory　of　architecture；　which　itself　never　turns
  in；　but　forever　stands　out　and　erect；　keeping　watch　over　the
  slumberers。
  No　doubt　temperament；　and；　above　all；　age；　have　a　good　deal　to　do
  with　it。　As　a　man　grows　older；　his　ability　to　sit　still　and
  follow　indoor　occupations　increases。　He　grows　vespertinal　in　his
  habits　as　the　evening　of　life　approaches；　till　at　last　he　comes
  forth　only　just　before　sundown；　and　gets　all　the　walk　that　he
  requires　in　half　an　hour。
  But　the　walking　of　which　I　speak　has　nothing　in　it　akin　to　taking
  exercise；　as　it　is　called；　as　the　sick　take　medicine　at　stated
  hoursas　the　Swinging　of　dumb…bells　or　chairs；　but　is　itself　the
  enterprise　and　adventure　of　the　day。　If　you　would　get　exercise；
  go　in　search　of　the　springs　of　life。　Think　of　a　man's　swinging
  dumbbells　for　his　health；　when　those　springs　are　bubbling　up　in
  far…off　pastures　unsought　by　him！
  Moreover；　you　must　walk　like　a　camel；　which　is　said　to　be　the
  only　beast　which　ruminates　when　walking。　When　a　traveler　asked
  Wordsworth's　servant　to　show　him　her　master's　study；　she
  answered；　〃Here　is　his　library；　but　his　study　is　out　of　doors。〃
  Living　much　out　of　doors；　in　the　sun　and　wind；　will　no　doubt
  produce　a　certain　roughness　of　characterwill　cause　a　thicker
  cuticle　to　grow　over　some　of　the　finer　qualities　of　our　nature；
  as　on　the　face　and　hands；　or　as　severe　manual　labor　robs　the
  hands　of　some　of　their　delicacy　of　touch。　So　staying　in　the
  house；　on　the　other　hand；　may　produce　a　softness　and　smoothness；
  not　to　say　thinness　of　skin；　accompanied　by　an　increased
  sensibility　to　certain　impressions。　Perhaps　we　should　be　more
  susceptible　to　some　influences　important　to　our　intellectual　and
  moral　growth；　if　the　sun　had　shone　and　the　wind　blown　on　us　a
  little　less；　and　no　doubt　it　is　a　nice　matter　to　proportion
  rightly　the　thick　and　thin　skin。　But　methinks　that　is　a　scurf
  that　will　fall　off　fast　enoughthat　the　natural　remedy　is　to　be
  found　in　the　proportion　wh