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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