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excitement was no longer influencing them。〃 Hence it has been
inferred that 〃the hours of darkness are as necessary to the
inorganic creation as we know night and sleep are to the organic
kingdom。〃 Not even does the moon shine every night； but gives
place to darkness。
I would not have every man nor every part of a man cultivated；
any more than I would have every acre of earth cultivated： part
will be tillage； but the greater part will be meadow and forest；
not only serving an immediate use； but preparing a mould against
a distant future； by the annual decay of the vegetation which it
supports。
There are other letters for the child to learn than those which
Cadmus invented。 The Spaniards have a good term to express this
wild and dusky knowledgeGramatica pardatawny grammar； a kind
of mother…wit derived from that same leopard to which I have
referred。
We have heard of a Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge。
It is said that knowledge is power； and the like。 Methinks there
is equal need of a Society for the Diffusion of Useful Ignorance；
what we will call Beautiful Knowledge； a knowledge useful in a
higher sense： for what is most of our boasted so…called knowledge
but a conceit that we know something； which robs us of the
advantage of our actual ignorance？ What we call knowledge is
often our positive ignorance； ignorance our negative knowledge。
By long years of patient industry and reading of the
newspapersfor what are the libraries of science but files of
newspapersa man accumulates a myriad facts； lays them up in his
memory； and then when in some spring of his life he saunters
abroad into the Great Fields of thought； he； as it were； goes to
grass like a horse and leaves all his harness behind in the
stable。 I would say to the Society for the Diffusion of Useful
Knowledge； sometimes；Go to grass。 You have eaten hay long
enough。 The spring has come with its green crop。 The very cows
are driven to their country pastures before the end of May；
though I have heard of one unnatural farmer who kept his cow in
the barn and fed her on hay all the year round。 So； frequently；
the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge treats its
cattle。
A man's ignorance sometimes is not only useful； but
beautifulwhile his knowledge； so called； is oftentimes worse
than useless； besides being ugly。 Which is the best man to deal
withhe who knows nothing about a subject； and； what is
extremely rare； knows that he knows nothing； or he who really
knows something about it； but thinks that he knows all？
My desire for knowledge is intermittent； but my desire to bathe
my head in atmospheres unknown to my feet is perennial and
constant。 The highest that we can attain to is not Knowledge； but
Sympathy with Intelligence。 I do not know that this higher
knowledge amounts to anything more definite than a novel and
grand surprise on a sudden revelation of the insufficiency of all
that we called Knowledge beforea discovery that there are more
things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in our philosophy。
It is the lighting up of the mist by the sun。 Man cannot KNOW in
any higher sense than this； any more than he can look serenely
and with impunity in the face of the sun： 〃You will not perceive
that； as perceiving a particular thing；〃 say the Chaldean
Oracles。
There is something servile in the habit of seeking after a law
which we may obey。 We may study the laws of matter at and for our
convenience； but a successful life knows no law。 It is an
unfortunate discovery certainly； that of a law which binds us
where we did not know before that we were bound。 Live free； child
of the mistand with respect to knowledge we are all children of
the mist。 The man who takes the liberty to live is superior to
all the laws； by virtue of his relation to the lawmaker。 〃That is
active duty；〃 says the Vishnu Purana； 〃which is not for our
bondage； that is knowledge which is for our liberation： all other
duty is good only unto weariness； all other knowledge is only the
cleverness of an artist。〃
It is remarkable how few events or crises there are in our
histories； how little exercised we have been in our minds； how
few experiences we have had。 I would fain be assured that I am
growing apace and rankly； though my very growth disturb this dull
equanimitythough it be with struggle through long； dark； muggy
nights or seasons of gloom。 It would be well if all our lives
were a divine tragedy even； instead of this trivial comedy or
farce。 Dante； Bunyan； and others appear to have been exercised in
their minds more than we： they were subjected to a kind of
culture such as our district schools and colleges do not
contemplate。 Even Mahomet； though many may scream at his name；
had a good deal more to live for； aye； and to die for； than they
have commonly。
When； at rare intervals； some thought visits one； as perchance he
is walking on a railroad； then； indeed； the cars go by without
his hearing them。 But soon； by some inexorable law； our life goes
by and the cars return。
〃Gentle breeze； that wanderest unseen；
And bendest the thistles round Loira of storms；
Traveler of the windy glens；
Why hast thou left my ear so soon？〃
While almost all men feel an attraction drawing them to society；
few are attracted strongly to Nature。 In their reaction to Nature
men appear to me for the most part； notwithstanding their arts；
lower than the animals。 It is not often a beautiful relation； as
in the case of the animals。 How little appreciation of the beauty
of the land… scape there is among us！ We have to be told that the
Greeks called the world Beauty； or Order； but we do not see
clearly why they did so； and we esteem it at best only a curious
philological fact。
For my part； I feel that with regard to Nature I live a sort of
border life； on the confines of a world into which I make
occasional and transient forays only； and my patriotism and
allegiance to the state into whose territories I seem to retreat
are those of a moss…trooper。 Unto a life which I call natural I
would gladly follow even a will…o'…the…wisp through bogs and
sloughs unimaginable； but no moon nor firefly has shown me the
causeway to it。 Nature is a personality so vast and universal
that we have never seen one of her features。 The walker in the
familiar fields which stretch around my native town sometimes
finds himself in another land than is described in their owners'
deeds； as it were in some faraway field on the confines of the
actual Concord； where her jurisdiction ceases； and the idea which
the word Concord suggests ceases to be suggested。 These farms
which I have myself surveyed； these bounds which I have set up；
appear dimly still as through a mist； but they have no chemistry
to fix them； they fade from the surface of the glass； and the
picture which the painter painted stands out dimly from beneath。
The world with which we are commonly acquainted leaves no trace；
and it will have no anniversary。
I took a walk on Spaulding's Farm the other afternoon。 I saw the
setting sun lighting up the opposite side of a stately pine wood。
Its golden rays straggled into the aisles of the wood as into
some noble hall。 I was impressed as if some ancient and
altogether admirable and shining family had settled there in that
part of the land called Concord； unknown to meto whom the sun
was servantwho had not gone into society in the villagewho
had not been called on。 I saw their park； their pleasure…ground；
beyond through the wood； in Spaulding's cranberry…meadow。 The
pines furnished them with gables as they grew。 Their house was
not obvious to vision； the trees grew through it。 I do not know
whether I heard the sounds of a suppressed hilarity or not。 They
seemed to recline on the sunbeams。 They have sons and daughters。
They are quite well。 The farmer's cart…path； which leads directly
through their hall； does not in the least put them out； as the
muddy bottom of a pool is sometimes seen through the reflected
skies。 They never heard of Spaulding； and do not know that he is
their neighbornotwithstanding I heard him whistle as he drove
his team through the house。 Nothing can equal the serenity of
their lives。 Their coat…of…arms is simply a lichen。 I saw it
painted on the pines and oaks。 Their attics were in the tops of
the trees。 They are of no politics。 There was no noise of labor。
I did not perceive that they were weaving or spinning。 Yet I did
detect； when the wind lulled and hearing was done away； the
finest imaginable sweet musical hum；as of a distant hive in
May； which perchance was the sound of their thinking。 They had no
idle thoughts； and no one without could see their work； for their
industry was not as in knots and excrescences embayed。
But I find it difficult to remember them。 They fade irrevocably
out of my mind even now while I speak； and endeavor t