that　will　fall　off　fast　enoughthat　the　natural　remedy　is　to　be
  found　in　the　proportion　which　the　night　bears　to　the　day；　the
  winter　to　the　summer；　thought　to　experience。　There　will　be　so
  much　the　more　air　and　sunshine　in　our　thoughts。　The　callous　palms
  of　the　laborer　are　conversant　with　finer　tissues　of　self…respect
  and　heroism；　whose　touch　thrills　the　heart；　than　the　languid
  fingers　of　idleness。　That　is　mere　sentimentality　that　lies　abed
  by　day　and　thinks　itself　white；　far　from　the　tan　and　callus　of
  experience。
  When　we　walk；　we　naturally　go　to　the　fields　and　woods：　what　would
  become　of　us；　if　we　walked　only　in　a　garden　or　a　mall？　Even　some
  sects　of　philosophers　have　felt　the　necessity　of　importing　the
  woods　to　themselves；　since　they　did　not　go　to　the　woods。　〃They
  planted　groves　and　walks　of　Platanes；〃　where　they　took　subdiales
  ambulationes　in　porticos　open　to　the　air。　Of　course　it　is　of　no
  use　to　direct　our　steps　to　the　woods；　if　they　do　not　carry　us
  thither。　I　am　alarmed　when　it　happens　that　I　have　walked　a　mile
  into　the　woods　bodily；　without　getting　there　in　spirit。　In　my
  afternoon　walk　I　would　fain　forget　all　my　morning　occupations　and
  my　obligations　to　Society。　But　it　sometimes　happens　that　I　cannot
  easily　shake　off　the　village。　The　thought　of　some　work　will　run
  in　my　head　and　I　am　not　where　my　body　isI　am　out　of　my　senses。
  In　my　walks　I　would　fain　return　to　my　senses。　What　business　have
  I　in　the　woods；　if　I　am　thinking　of　something　out　of　the　woods？　I
  suspect　myself；　and　cannot　help　a　shudder　when　I　find　myself　so
  implicated　even　in　what　are　called　good　worksfor　this　may
  sometimes　happen。
  My　vicinity　affords　many　good　walks；　and　though　for　so　many　years
  I　have　walked　almost　every　day；　and　sometimes　for　several　days
  together；　I　have　not　yet　exhausted　them。　An　absolutely　new
  prospect　is　a　great　happiness；　and　I　can　still　get　this　any
  afternoon。　Two　or　three　hours'　walking　will　carry　me　to　as
  strange　a　country　as　I　expect　ever　to　see。　A　single　farmhouse
  which　I　had　not　seen　before　is　sometimes　as　good　as　the　dominions
  of　the　King　of　Dahomey。　There　is　in　fact　a　sort　of　harmony
  discoverable　between　the　capabilities　of　the　landscape　within　a
  circle　of　ten　miles'　radius；　or　the　limits　of　an　afternoon　walk；
  and　the　threescore　years　and　ten　of　human　life。　It　will　never
  become　quite　familiar　to　you。
  Nowadays　almost　all　man's　improvements；　so　called；　as　the
  building　of　houses　and　the　cutting　down　of　the　forest　and　of　all
  large　trees；　simply　deform　the　landscape；　and　make　it　more　and
  more　tame　and　cheap。　A　people　who　would　begin　by　burning　the
  fences　and　let　the　forest　stand！　I　saw　the　fences　half　consumed；
  their　ends　lost　in　the　middle　of　the　prairie；　and　some　worldly
  miser　with　a　surveyor　looking　after　his　bounds；　while　heaven　had
  taken　place　around　him；　and　he　did　not　see　the　angels　going　to
  and　fro；　but　was　looking　for　an　old　post…hole　in　the　midst　of
  paradise。　I　looked　again；　and　saw　him　standing　in　the　middle　of　a
  boggy　Stygian　fen；　surrounded　by　devils；　and　he　had　found　his
  bounds　without　a　doubt；　three　little　stones；　where　a　stake　had
  been　driven；　and　looking　nearer；　I　saw　that　the　Prince　of
  Darkness　was　his　surveyor。
  I　can　easily　walk　ten；　fifteen；　twenty；　any　number　of　miles；
  commencing　at　my　own　door；　without　going　by　any　house；　without
  crossing　a　road　except　where　the　fox　and　the　mink　do：　first　along
  by　the　river；　and　then　the　brook；　and　then　the　meadow　and　the
  woodside。　There　are　square　miles　in　my　vicinity　which　have　no
  inhabitant。　From　many　a　hill　I　can　see　civilization　and　the
  abodes　of　man　afar。　The　farmers　and　their　works　are　scarcely　more
  obvious　than　woodchucks　and　their　burrows。　Man　and　his　affairs；
  church　and　state　and　school；　trade　and　commerce；　and　manufactures
  and　agriculture　even　politics；　the　most　alarming　of　them　allI
  am　pleased　to　see　how　little　space　they　occupy　in　the　landscape。
  Politics　is　but　a　narrow　field；　and　that　still　narrower　highway
  yonder　leads　to　it。　I　sometimes　direct　the　traveler　thither。　If
  you　would　go　to　the　political　world；　follow　the　great
  roadfollow　that　market…man；　keep　his　dust　in　your　eyes；　and　it
  will　lead　you　straight　to　it；　for　it；　too；　has　its　place　merely；
  and　does　not　occupy　all　space。　I　pass　from　it　as　from　a　bean
  field　into　the　forest；　and　it　is　forgotten。　In　one　half…hour　I
  can　walk　off　to　some　portion　of　the　earth's　surface　where　a　man
  does　not　stand　from　one　year's　end　to　another；　and　there；
  consequently；　politics　are　not；　for　they　are　but　as　the
  cigar…smoke　of　a　man。
  The　village　is　the　place　to　which　the　roads　tend；　a　sort　of
  expansion　of　the　highway；　as　a　lake　of　a　river。　It　is　the　body　of
  which　roads　are　the　arms　and　legsa　trivial　or　quadrivial　place；
  the　thoroughfare　and　ordinary　of　travelers。　The　word　is　from　the
  Latin　villa　which　together　with　via；　a　way；　or　more　anciently　ved
  and　vella；　Varro　derives　from　veho；　to　carry；　because　the　villa
  is　the　place　to　and　from　which　things　are　carried。　They　who　got
  their　living　by　teaming　were　said　vellaturam　facere。　Hence；　too；
  the　Latin　word　vilis　and　our　vile；　also　villain。　This　suggests
  what　kind　of　degeneracy　villagers　are　liable　to。　They　are　wayworn
  by　the　travel　that　goes　by　and　over　them；　without　traveling
  themselves。
  Some　do　not　walk　at　all；　others　walk　in　the　highways；　a　few　walk
  across　lots。　Roads　are　made　for　horses　and　men　of　business。　I　do
  not　travel　in　them　much；　comparatively；　because　I　am　not　in　a
  hurry　to　get　to　any　tavern　or　grocery　or　livery…stable　or　depot
  to　which　they　lead。　I　am　a　good　horse　to　travel；　but　not　from
  choice　a　roadster。　The　landscape…painter　uses　the　figures　of　men
  to　mark　a　road。　He　would　not　make　that　use　of　my　figure。　I　walk
  out　into　a　nature　such　as　the　old　prophets　and　poets；　Menu；
  Moses；　Homer；　Chaucer；　walked　in。　You　may　name　it　America；　but　it
  is　not　America；　neither　Americus　Vespueius；　nor　Columbus；　nor　the
  rest　were　the　discoverers　of　it。　There　is　a　truer　amount　of　it　in
  mythology　than　in　any　history　of　America；　so　called；　that　I　have
  seen。
  However；　there　are　a　few　old　roads　that　may　be　trodden　with
  profit；　as　if　they　led　somewhere　now　that　they　are　nearly
  discontinued。　There　is　the　Old　Marlborough　Road；　which　does　not
  go　to　Marlborough　now；　me…　thinks；　unless　that　is　Marlborough
  where　it　carries　me。　I　am　the　bolder　to　speak　of　it　here；　because
  I　presume　that　there　are　one　or　two　such　roads　in　every　town。
  THE　OLD　MARLBOROUGH　ROAD
  Where　they　once　dug　for　money；
  But　never　found　any；
  Where　sometimes　Martial　Miles
  Singly　files；
  And　Elijah　Wood；
  I　fear　for　no　good：
  No　other　man；
  Save　Elisha　Dugan
  O　man　of　wild　habits；
  Partridges　and　rabbits
  Who　hast　no　cares
  Only　to　set　snares；
  Who　liv'st　all　alone；
  Close　to　the　bone
  And　where　life　is　sweetest
  Constantly　eatest。
  When　the　spring　stirs　my　blood
  With　the　instinct　to　travel；
  I　can　get　enough　gravel
  On　the　Old　Marlborough　Road。
  Nobody　repairs　it；
  For　nobody　wears　it；
  It　is　a　living　way；
  As　the　Christians　say。
  Not　many　there　be
  Who　enter　therein；
  Only　the　guests　of　the
  Irishman　Quin。
  What　is　it；　what　is　it
  But　a　direction　out　there；
  And　the　bare　possibility
  Of　going　somewhere？
  Great　guide…boards　of　stone；
  But　travelers　none；
  Cenotaphs　of　the　towns
  Named　on　their　crowns。
  It　is　worth　going　to　see
  Where　you　MIGHT　be。
  What　king
  Did　the　thing；
  I　am　still　wondering；
  Set　up　how　or　when；
  By　what　selectmen；
  Gourgas　or　Lee；
  Clark　or　Darby？
  They're　a　great　endeavor
  To　be　something　forever；
  Blank　tablets　of　stone；
  Where　a　traveler　might　groan；
  And　in　one　sentence
  Grave　all　that　is　known
  Which　another　might　read；
  In　his　extreme　need。
  I　know　one　or　two
  Lines　that　would　do；
  Literature　that　might　stand
  All　over　the　land
  Which　a　man　could　remember
  Till　next　December；
  And　read　again　in　the　spring；
  After　the　thawing。
  If　with　fancy　unfurled
  You　leave　your　abode；
  You　may　go　round　the　world
  By　the　Old　Marlborough　Road。
  At　present；　in　this　vicinity；　the　best　part　of　the　land　is　not
  private　property；　the　landscape　is　not　owned；　and　the　walker
  enjoys　comparative　freedom。　But　possibly　the　day　will　come　when
  it　will　be　partitioned　off　into　so…called　pleasure…grounds；　in
  which　a　few　will　take　a　narrow　and　exclusive　pleasure　onlywhen
  fences　shall　be　multiplied；　and　man…traps　and　other　engines
  invented　to　confine　men　to　the　PUBLIC　road；　and　walking　over　the
  surface　of　God's　earth　shall　be　construed　to　mean　trespassing　on
  some　gentleman's　grounds。　To　enjoy　a　thing　exclusively　is
  commonly　to　exclude　yourself　from　the　true　enjoyment　of　it。　Let
  us　improve　our　opportunities；　then；　before　the　evil　days　come。
  What　is　it　that　makes