4.26.2014

crusade against houses
...Thoreau's Journal: 26-Apr-1857

A great part of our troubles are literally domestic or originate in the houses and from living indoors. I could write an essay to be entitled “Out of Doors,”—undertake a crusade against houses. What a different thing Christianity preached to the house-bred and to a party who lived out of doors! Also a sermon is needed on economy of fuel. What right has my neighbor to burn ten cords of wood, when I burn only one? Thus robbing our half-naked town of this precious covering. Is he so much colder than I? It is expensive to maintain him in our midst. If some earn the salt of their porridge, are we certain that they earn the fuel of their kitchen and parlor? One man makes a little of the driftwood of the river or of the dead and refuse (unmarketable!) of the forest suffice, and Nature rejoices in him. Another, Herod-like, requires ten cords of the best of young white oak or hickory, and he is commonly esteemed a virtuous man. He who burns the most wood on his hearth is least warmed by the sight of it growing. Leave the trim wood-lots to widows and orphan girls. Let men tread gently through nature. Let us religiously burn stumps and worship in groves, while Christian vandals lay waste the forest temples to build miles of meeting-houses and horse-sheds and feed their box stoves.

5 comments:

Jeanette said...

Wow.. I couldnt agree more!

Thieone said...

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Lluvia said...

I meant mine.

michael jameson said...

we dont care about things or people that dont care about us! its the old saying "well there will be enough for my life time"mankind's downfall! lets use and have more then we need,funny the churches and establishments say little about the environment? but we the people are starting to care!we see the prices go up and the land disappearing, what about our children! we are turning into a race of fools!! michael jameson oldantiqueguy@hotmail.com

michael jameson said...

you see it does not say anything about protecting the environment in all the bibles !? they had more when they were written then ever needed, gas oil coal ? we change the bibles when we prove something is wrong or out of date, what would the world be like if it was a commandment? but now that we're running low,what about when its gone!?!?! michael jameson oldantiqueguy@hotmail.com