IwenttothewoodsbecauseIwishedtolivedeliberately，tofrontonlytheessentialfactsoflife，andseeifIcouldnotlearnwhatithadtoteach，andnot，whenIcametodie，discoverthatI
hadnotlived。Ididnotwishtolivewhatwasnotlife，livingissodear；nordidIwishtopractiseresignation，unlessitwasquitenecessary。Iwantedtolivedeepandsuckoutallthemarrowoflife，tolivesosturdilyandSpartan-likeastoputtoroutallthatwasnotlife，tocutabroadswathandshaveclose，todrivelifeintoacorner，andreduceittoitslowestterms，and，ifitprovedtobemean，whythentogetthewholeandgenuinemeannessofit，andpublishitsmeannesstotheworld；orifitweresublime，toknowitbyexperience，andbeabletogiveatrueaccountofitinmynextexcursion。Formostmen，itappearstome，areinastrangeuncertaintyaboutit，whetheritisofthedevilorofGod，andhavesomewhathastilyconcludedthatitisthechiefendofmanhereto“glorifyGodandenjoyhimforever。“
Stillwelivemeanly，likeants；thoughthefabletellsusthatwewerelongagochangedintomen；likepygmieswefightwithcranes；itiserroruponerror，andcloutuponclout，andourbestvirtuehasforitsoccasionasuperfluousandevitablewretchedness。
Ourlifeisfritteredawaybydetail。Anhonestmanhashardlyneedtocountmorethanhistenfingers，orinextremecaseshemayaddhistentoes，andlumptherest。Simplicity，simplicity，simplicity！Isay，letyouraffairsbeastwoorthree，andnotahundredorathousand；insteadofamillioncounthalfadozen，andkeepyouraccountsonyourthumb-nail。Inthemidstofthischoppingseaofcivilizedlife，sucharethecloudsandstormsandquicksandsandthousand-and-oneitemstobeallowedfor，thatamanhastolive，ifhewouldnotfounderandgotothebottomandnotmakehisportatall，bydeadreckoning，andhemustbeagreatcalculatorindeedwhosucceeds。Simplify，simplify。Insteadofthreemealsaday，ifitbenecessaryeatbutone；insteadofahundreddishes，five；andreduceotherthingsinproportion。OurlifeislikeaGermanConfederacy，madeupofpettystates，withitsboundaryforeverfluctuating，sothatevenaGermancannottellyouhowitisboundedatanymoment。Thenationitself，withallitsso-calledinternalimprovements，which，bythewayareallexternalandsuperficial，isjustsuchanunwieldyandovergrownestablishment，clutteredwithfurnitureandtrippedupbyitsowntraps，ruinedbyluxuryandheedlessexpense，bywantofcalculationandaworthyaim，asthemillionhouseholdsintheland；andtheonlycureforit，asforthem，isinarigideconomy，asternandmorethanSpartansimplicityoflifeandelevationofpurpose。Itlivestoofast。MenthinkthatitisessentialthattheNationhavecommerce，andexportice，andtalkthroughatelegraph，andridethirtymilesanhour，withoutadoubt，whethertheydoornot；butwhetherweshouldlivelikebaboonsorlikemen，isalittleuncertain。Ifwedonotgetoutsleepers，andforgerails，anddevotedaysandnightstothework，butgototinkeringuponourlivestoimprovethem，whowillbuildrailroads？Andifrailroadsarenotbuilt，howshallwegettoheaveninseason？Butifwestayathomeandmindourbusiness，whowillwantrailroads？Wedonotrideontherailroad；itridesuponus。Didyoueverthinkwhatthosesleepersarethatunderlietherailroad？Eachoneisaman，anIrishman，oraYankeeman。Therailsarelaidonthem，andtheyarecoveredwithsand，andthecarsrunsmoothlyoverthem。Theyaresoundsleepers，Iassureyou。Andeveryfewyearsanewlotislaiddownandrunover；sothat，ifsomehavethepleasureofridingonarail，othershavethemisfortunetoberiddenupon。Andwhentheyrunoveramanthatiswalkinginhissleep，asupernumerarysleeperinthewrongposition，andwakehimup，theysuddenlystopthecars，andmakeahueandcryaboutit，asifthiswereanexception。Iamgladtoknowthatittakesagangofmenforeveryfivemilestokeepthesleepersdownandlevelintheirbedsasitis，forthisisasignthattheymaysometimegetupagain。
Whyshouldwelivewithsuchhurryandwasteoflife？Wearedeterminedtobestarvedbeforewearehungry。Mensaythatastitchintimesavesnine，andsotheytakeathousandstitchestodaytosaveninetomorrow。Asforwork，wehaven’tanyofanyconsequence。WehavetheSaintVitus’dance，andcannotpossiblykeepourheadsstill。IfIshouldonlygiveafewpullsattheparishbell-rope，asforafire，thatis，withoutsettingthebell，thereishardlyamanonhisfarmintheoutskirtsofConcord，notwithstandingthatpressofengagementswhichwashisexcusesomanytimesthismorning，noraboy，norawoman，Imightalmostsay，butwouldforsakeallandfollowthatsound，notmainlytosavepropertyfromtheflames，but，ifwewillconfessthetruth，muchmoretoseeitburn，sinceburnitmust，andwe，beitknown，didnotsetitonfire——ortoseeitputout，andhaveahandinit，ifthatisdoneashandsomely；yes，evenifitweretheparishchurchitself。Hardlyamantakesahalf-hour’snapafterdinner，butwhenhewakesheholdsuphisheadandasks，“What’sthenews？“