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universally developed； as birds universally sing when they are so
engaged？ But alas！ we do like cowbirds and cuckoos； which lay their
eggs in nests which other birds have built； and cheer no traveller
with their chattering and unmusical notes。 Shall we forever resign
the pleasure of construction to the carpenter？ What does
architecture amount to in the experience of the mass of men？ I
never in all my walks came across a man engaged in so simple and
natural an occupation as building his house。 We belong to the
community。 It is not the tailor alone who is the ninth part of a
man； it is as much the preacher； and the merchant； and the farmer。
Where is this division of labor to end？ and what object does it
finally serve？ No doubt another may also think for me； but it is
not therefore desirable that he should do so to the exclusion of my
thinking for myself。
True； there are architects so called in this country； and I have
heard of one at least possessed with the idea of making
architectural ornaments have a core of truth； a necessity； and hence
a beauty； as if it were a revelation to him。 All very well perhaps
from his point of view； but only a little better than the common
dilettantism。 A sentimental reformer in architecture； he began at
the cornice； not at the foundation。 It was only how to put a core
of truth within the ornaments； that every sugarplum； in fact； might
have an almond or caraway seed in it though I hold that almonds
are most wholesome without the sugar and not how the inhabitant；
the indweller； might build truly within and without； and let the
ornaments take care of themselves。 What reasonable man ever
supposed that ornaments were something outward and in the skin
merely that the tortoise got his spotted shell； or the shell…fish
its mother…o'…pearl tints； by such a contract as the inhabitants of
Broadway their Trinity Church？ But a man has no more to do with the
style of architecture of his house than a tortoise with that of its
shell： nor need the soldier be so idle as to try to paint the
precise color of his virtue on his standard。 The enemy will find it
out。 He may turn pale when the trial comes。 This man seemed to me
to lean over the cornice； and timidly whisper his half truth to the
rude occupants who really knew it better than he。 What of
architectural beauty I now see； I know has gradually grown from
within outward； out of the necessities and character of the
indweller； who is the only builder out of some unconscious
truthfulness； and nobleness； without ever a thought for the
appearance and whatever additional beauty of this kind is destined
to be produced will be preceded by a like unconscious beauty of
life。 The most interesting dwellings in this country； as the
painter knows； are the most unpretending； humble log huts and
cottages of the poor commonly； it is the life of the inhabitants
whose shells they are； and not any peculiarity in their surfaces
merely； which makes them picturesque； and equally interesting will
be the citizen's suburban box； when his life shall be as simple and
as agreeable to the imagination； and there is as little straining
after effect in the style of his dwelling。 A great proportion of
architectural ornaments are literally hollow； and a September gale
would strip them off； like borrowed plumes； without injury to the
substantials。 They can do without architecture who have no olives
nor wines in the cellar。 What if an equal ado were made about the
ornaments of style in literature； and the architects of our bibles
spent as much time about their cornices as the architects of our
churches do？ So are made the belles…lettres and the beaux…arts and
their professors。 Much it concerns a man； forsooth； how a few
sticks are slanted over him or under him； and what colors are daubed
upon his box。 It would signify somewhat； if； in any earnest sense；
he slanted them and daubed it； but the spirit having departed out of
the tenant； it is of a piece with constructing his own coffin the
architecture of the grave and 〃carpenter〃 is but another name for
〃coffin…maker。〃 One man says； in his despair or indifference to
life； take up a handful of the earth at your feet； and paint your
house that color。 Is he thinking of his last and narrow house？
Toss up a copper for it as well。 What an abundance of leisure be
must have！ Why do you take up a handful of dirt？ Better paint your
house your own complexion； let it turn pale or blush for you。 An
enterprise to improve the style of cottage architecture！ When you
have got my ornaments ready； I will wear them。
Before winter I built a chimney； and shingled the sides of my
house； which were already impervious to rain； with imperfect and
sappy shingles made of the first slice of the log； whose edges I was
obliged to straighten with a plane。
I have thus a tight shingled and plastered house； ten feet wide
by fifteen long； and eight…feet posts； with a garret and a closet； a
large window on each side； two trap doors； one door at the end； and
a brick fireplace opposite。 The exact cost of my house； paying the
usual price for such materials as I used； but not counting the work；
all of which was done by myself； was as follows； and I give the
details because very few are able to tell exactly what their houses
cost； and fewer still； if any； the separate cost of the various
materials which compose them：
Boards 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 8。03＋； mostly shanty boards。
Refuse shingles for roof sides 。。。 4。00
Laths 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 1。25
Two second…hand windows
with glass 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 2。43
One thousand old brick 。。。。。。。。。。。 4。00
Two casks of lime 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 2。40 That was high。
Hair 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 0。31 More than I needed。
Mantle…tree iron 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 0。15
Nails 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 3。90
Hinges and screws 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 0。14
Latch 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 0。10
Chalk 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 0。01
Transportation 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 1。40 I carried a good part
… on my back。
In all 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 28。12＋
These are all the materials； excepting the timber； stones； and
sand； which I claimed by squatter's right。 I have also a small
woodshed adjoining； made chiefly of the stuff which was left after
building the house。
I intend to build me a house which will surpass any on the main
street in Concord in grandeur and luxury； as soon as it pleases me
as much and will cost me no more than my present one。
I thus found that the student who wishes for a shelter can
obtain one for a lifetime at an expense not greater than the rent
which he now pays annually。 If I seem to boast more than is
becoming； my excuse is that I brag for humanity rather than for
myself； and my shortcomings and inconsistencies do not affect the
truth of my statement。 Notwithstanding much cant and hypocrisy
chaff which I find it difficult to separate from my wheat； but for
which I am as sorry as any man I will breathe freely and stretch
myself in this respect； it is such a relief to both the moral and
physical system； and I am resolved that I will not through humility
become the devil's attorney。 I will endeavor to speak a good word
for the truth。 At Cambridge College the mere rent of a student's
room； which is only a little larger than my own； is thirty dollars
each year； though the corporation had the advantage of building
thirty…two side by side and under one roof； and the occupant suffers
the inconvenience of many and noisy neighbors； and perhaps a
residence in the fourth story。 I cannot but think that if we had
more true wisdom in these respects； not only less education would be
needed； because； forsooth； more would already have been acquired；
but the pecuniary expense of getting an education would in a great
measure vanish。 Those conveniences which the student requires at
Cambridge or elsewhere cost him or somebody else ten times as great
a sacrifice of life as they would with proper management on both
sides。 Those things for which the most money is demanded are never
the things which the student most wants。 Tuition； for instance； is
an important item in the term bill； while for the far more valuable
education which he gets by associating with the most cultivated of
his contemporaries no charge is made。 The mode of founding a
college is； commonly； to get up a subscription of dollars and cents；
and then； following blindly the principles of a division of labor to
its extreme a principle which should never be followed but with
circumspection to call in a contractor who makes this a subject
of speculation； and he employs Irishmen or other operatives actually
to lay the foundations； while the students that are to be are said
to be fitting themselves for it；