LetusconsiderforamomentwhatmostofthetroubleandanxietywhichIhavereferredtoisabout，andhowmuchitisnecessarythatwebetroubled，oratleastcareful。Itwouldbesomeadvantagetoliveaprimitiveandfrontierlife，thoughinthemidstofanoutwardcivilization，ifonlytolearnwhatarethegrossnecessariesoflifeandwhatmethodshavebeentakentoobtainthem；oreventolookovertheoldday-booksofthemerchants，toseewhatitwasthatmenmostcommonlyboughtatthestores，whattheystored，thatis，whatarethegrossestgroceries。Fortheimprovementsofageshavehadbutlittleinfluenceontheessentiallawsofman’sexistence；asourskeletons，probably，arenottobedistinguishedfromthoseofourancestors。
Bythewords，necessaryoflife，Imeanwhatever，ofallthatmanobtainsbyhisownexertions，hasbeenfromthefirst，orfromlongusehasbecome，soimportanttohumanlifethatfew，ifany，whetherfromsavageness，orpoverty，orphilosophy，everattempttodowithoutit。Tomanycreaturesthereisinthissensebutonenecessaryoflife，Food。Tothebisonoftheprairieitisafewinchesofpalatablegrass，withwatertodrink；unlessheseekstheShelteroftheforestorthemountain’sshadow。NoneofthebrutecreationrequiresmorethanFoodandShelter。Thenecessariesoflifeformaninthisclimatemay，accuratelyenough，bedistributedundertheseveralheadsofFood，Shelter，Clothing，andFuel；fornottillwehavesecuredthesearewepreparedtoentertainthetrueproblemsoflifewithfreedomandaprospectofsuccess。Manhasinvented，notonlyhouses，butclothesandcookedfood；andpossiblyfromtheaccidentaldiscoveryofthewarmthoffire，andtheconsequentuseofit，atfirstaluxury，arosethepresentnecessitytositbyit。Weobservecatsanddogsacquiringthesamesecondnature。ByproperShelterandClothingwelegitimatelyretainourowninternalheat；butwithanexcessofthese，orofFuel，thatis，withanexternalheatgreaterthanourowninternal，maynotcookeryproperlybesaidtobegin？Darwin，thenaturalist，saysoftheinhabitantsofTierradelFuego，thatwhilehisownparty，whowerewellclothedandsittingclosetoafire，werefarfromtoowarm，thesenakedsavages，whowerefartheroff，wereobserved，tohisgreatsurprise，“tobestreamingwithperspirationatundergoingsucharoasting。“So，wearetold，theNewHollandergoesnakedwithimpunity，whiletheEuropeanshiversinhisclothes。Isitimpossibletocombinethehardinessofthesesavageswiththeintellectualnessofthecivilizedman？AccordingtoLiebig，man’sbodyisastove，andfoodthefuelwhichkeepsuptheinternalcombustioninthelungs。Incoldweatherweeatmore，inwarmless。
Theanimalheatistheresultofaslowcombustion，anddiseaseanddeathtakeplacewhenthisistoorapid；orforwantoffuel，orfromsomedefectinthedraught，thefiregoesout。Ofcoursethevitalheatisnottobeconfoundedwithfire；butsomuchforanalogy。Itappears，therefore，fromtheabovelist，thattheexpression，animallife，isnearlysynonymouswiththeexpression，animalheat；forwhileFoodmayberegardedastheFuelwhichkeepsupthefirewithinus——andFuelservesonlytopreparethatFoodortoincreasethewarmthofourbodiesbyadditionfromwithout——
ShelterandClothingalsoserveonlytoretaintheheatthusgeneratedandabsorbed。
Thegrandnecessity，then，forourbodies，istokeepwarm，tokeepthevitalheatinus。Whatpainsweaccordinglytake，notonlywithourFood，andClothing，andShelter，butwithourbeds，whichareournight-clothes，robbingthenestsandbreastsofbirdstopreparethisshelterwithinashelter，asthemolehasitsbedofgrassandleavesattheendofitsburrow！Thepoormaniswonttocomplainthatthisisacoldworld；andtocold，nolessphysicalthansocial，wereferdirectlyagreatpartofourails。Thesummer，insomeclimates，makespossibletomanasortofElysianlife。Fuel，excepttocookhisFood，isthenunnecessary；thesunishisfire，andmanyofthefruitsaresufficientlycookedbyitsrays；whileFoodgenerallyismorevarious，andmoreeasilyobtained，andClothingandShelterarewhollyorhalfunnecessary。
Atthepresentday，andinthiscountry，asIfindbymyownexperience，afewimplements，aknife，anaxe，aspade，awheelbarrow，etc。，andforthestudious，lamplight，stationery，andaccesstoafewbooks，ranknexttonecessaries，andcanallbeobtainedatatriflingcost。Yetsome，notwise，gototheothersideoftheglobe，tobarbarousandunhealthyregions，anddevotethemselvestotradefortenortwentyyears，inorderthattheymaylive——thatis，keepcomfortablywarm——anddieinNewEnglandatlast。Theluxuriouslyricharenotsimplykeptcomfortablywarm，butunnaturallyhot；asIimpliedbefore，theyarecooked，ofcoursealamode。
Mostoftheluxuries，andmanyoftheso-calledcomfortsoflife，arenotonlynotindispensable，butpositivehindrancestotheelevationofmankind。Withrespecttoluxuriesandcomforts，thewisesthaveeverlivedamoresimpleandmeagrelifethanthepoor。
Theancientphilosophers，Chinese，Hindoo，Persian，andGreek，wereaclassthanwhichnonehasbeenpoorerinoutwardriches，nonesorichininward。Weknownotmuchaboutthem。Itisremarkablethatweknowsomuchofthemaswedo。Thesameistrueofthemoremodernreformersandbenefactorsoftheirrace。Nonecanbeanimpartialorwiseobserverofhumanlifebutfromthevantagegroundofwhatweshouldcallvoluntarypoverty。Ofalifeofluxurythefruitisluxury，whetherinagriculture，orcommerce，orliterature，orart。Therearenowadaysprofessorsofphilosophy，butnotphilosophers。Yetitisadmirabletoprofessbecauseitwasonceadmirabletolive。Tobeaphilosopherisnotmerelytohavesubtlethoughts，noreventofoundaschool，butsotolovewisdomastoliveaccordingtoitsdictates，alifeofsimplicity，independence，magnanimity，andtrust。Itistosolvesomeoftheproblemsoflife，notonlytheoretically，butpractically。Thesuccessofgreatscholarsandthinkersiscommonlyacourtier-likesuccess，notkingly，notmanly。Theymakeshifttolivemerelybyconformity，practicallyastheirfathersdid，andareinnosensetheprogenitorsofanobleraceofmen。Butwhydomendegenerateever？
Whatmakesfamiliesrunout？Whatisthenatureoftheluxurywhichenervatesanddestroysnations？Arewesurethatthereisnoneofitinourownlives？Thephilosopherisinadvanceofhisageevenintheoutwardformofhislife。Heisnotfed，sheltered，clothed，warmed，likehiscontemporaries。Howcanamanbeaphilosopherandnotmaintainhisvitalheatbybettermethodsthanothermen？
WhenamaniswarmedbytheseveralmodeswhichIhavedescribed，whatdoeshewantnext？Surelynotmorewarmthofthesamekind，asmoreandricherfood，largerandmoresplendidhouses，finerandmoreabundantclothing，morenumerous，incessant，andhotterfires，andthelike。Whenhehasobtainedthosethingswhicharenecessarytolife，thereisanotheralternativethantoobtainthesuperfluities；andthatis，toadventureonlifenow，hisvacationfromhumblertoilhavingcommenced。Thesoil，itappears，issuitedtotheseed，forithassentitsradicledownward，anditmaynowsenditsshootupwardalsowithconfidence。Whyhasmanrootedhimselfthusfirmlyintheearth，butthathemayriseinthesameproportionintotheheavensabove？——forthenoblerplantsarevaluedforthefruittheybearatlastintheairandlight，farfromtheground，andarenottreatedlikethehumbleresculents，which，thoughtheymaybebiennials，arecultivatedonlytilltheyhaveperfectedtheirroot，andoftencutdownattopforthispurpose，sothatmostwouldnotknowthemintheirfloweringseason。
Idonotmeantoprescriberulestostrongandvaliantnatures，whowillmindtheirownaffairswhetherinheavenorhell，andperchancebuildmoremagnificentlyandspendmorelavishlythantherichest，withouteverimpoverishingthemselves，notknowinghowtheylive——if，indeed，thereareanysuch，ashasbeendreamed；nortothosewhofindtheirencouragementandinspirationinpreciselythepresentconditionofthings，andcherishitwiththefondnessandenthusiasmoflovers——and，tosomeextent，Ireckonmyselfinthisnumber；Idonotspeaktothosewhoarewellemployed，inwhatevercircumstances，andtheyknowwhethertheyarewellemployedornot；——
butmainlytothemassofmenwhoarediscontented，andidlycomplainingofthehardnessoftheirlotorofthetimes，whentheymightimprovethem。Therearesomewhocomplainmostenergeticallyandinconsolablyofany，becausetheyare，astheysay，doingtheirduty。Ialsohaveinmymindthatseeminglywealthy，butmostterriblyimpoverishedclassofall，whohaveaccumulateddross，butknownothowtouseit，orgetridofit，andthushaveforgedtheirowngoldenorsilverfetters。
IfIshouldattempttotellhowIhavedesiredtospendmylifeinyearspast，itwouldprobablysurprisethoseofmyreaderswhoaresomewhatacquaintedwithitsactualhistory；itwouldcertainlyastonishthosewhoknownothingaboutit。IwillonlyhintatsomeoftheenterpriseswhichIhavecherished。
Inanyweather，atanyhourofthedayornight，Ihavebeenanxioustoimprovethenickoftime，andnotchitonmysticktoo；
tostandonthemeetingoftwoeternities，thepastandfuture，whichispreciselythepresentmoment；totoethatline。Youwillpardonsomeobscurities，fortherearemoresecretsinmytradethaninmostmen’s，andyetnotvoluntarilykept，butinseparablefromitsverynature。IwouldgladlytellallthatIknowaboutit，andneverpaint“NoAdmittance“onmygate。
Ilongagolostahound，abayhorse，andaturtledove，andamstillontheirtrail。ManyarethetravellersIhavespokenconcerningthem，describingtheirtracksandwhatcallstheyansweredto。Ihavemetoneortwowhohadheardthehound，andthetrampofthehorse，andevenseenthedovedisappearbehindacloud，andtheyseemedasanxioustorecoverthemasiftheyhadlostthemthemselves。
Toanticipate，notthesunriseandthedawnmerely，but，ifpossible，Natureherself！Howmanymornings，summerandwinter，beforeyetanyneighborwasstirringabouthisbusiness，haveIbeenaboutmine！Nodoubt，manyofmytownsmenhavemetmereturningfromthisenterprise，farmersstartingforBostoninthetwilight，orwoodchoppersgoingtotheirwork。Itistrue，Ineverassistedthesunmateriallyinhisrising，but，doubtnot，itwasofthelastimportanceonlytobepresentatit。
Somanyautumn，ay，andwinterdays，spentoutsidethetown，tryingtohearwhatwasinthewind，tohearandcarryitexpress！
Iwell-nighsunkallmycapitalinit，andlostmyownbreathintothebargain，runninginthefaceofit。Ifithadconcernedeitherofthepoliticalparties，dependuponit，itwouldhaveappearedintheGazettewiththeearliestintelligence。Atothertimeswatchingfromtheobservatoryofsomecliffortree，totelegraphanynewarrival；orwaitingateveningonthehill-topsfortheskytofall，thatImightcatchsomething，thoughInevercaughtmuch，andthat，manna-wise，woulddissolveagaininthesun。
ForalongtimeIwasreportertoajournal，ofnoverywidecirculation，whoseeditorhasneveryetseenfittoprintthebulkofmycontributions，and，asistoocommonwithwriters，Igotonlymylaborformypains。However，inthiscasemypainsweretheirownreward。
FormanyyearsIwasself-appointedinspectorofsnow-stormsandrain-storms，anddidmydutyfaithfully；surveyor，ifnotofhighways，thenofforestpathsandallacross-lotroutes，keepingthemopen，andravinesbridgedandpassableatallseasons，wherethepublicheelhadtestifiedtotheirutility。
Ihavelookedafterthewildstockofthetown，whichgiveafaithfulherdsmanagooddealoftroublebyleapingfences；andI
havehadaneyetotheunfrequentednooksandcornersofthefarm；
thoughIdidnotalwaysknowwhetherJonasorSolomonworkedinaparticularfieldto-day；thatwasnoneofmybusiness。Ihavewateredtheredhuckleberry，thesandcherryandthenettle-tree，theredpineandtheblackash，thewhitegrapeandtheyellowviolet，whichmighthavewitheredelseindryseasons。
Inshort，IwentonthusforalongtimeImaysayitwithoutboasting，faithfullymindingmybusiness，tillitbecamemoreandmoreevidentthatmytownsmenwouldnotafteralladmitmeintothelistoftownofficers，normakemyplaceasinecurewithamoderateallowance。Myaccounts，whichIcansweartohavekeptfaithfully，Ihave，indeed，nevergotaudited，stilllessaccepted，stilllesspaidandsettled。However，Ihavenotsetmyheartonthat。