Meanwhilemybeans, thelengthofwhoserows, addedtogether, wassevenmilesalreadyplanted, wereimpatienttobehoed, fortheearliesthadgrownconsiderablybeforethelatestwereintheground; indeedtheywerenoteasilytobeputoff. Whatwasthemeaningofthissosteadyandself-respecting, thissmallHerculeanlabor, I knewnot. I cametolovemyrows, mybeans, thoughsomanymorethan I wanted. Theyattachedmetotheearth, andso I gotstrengthlikeAntaeus. Butwhyshould I raisethem? OnlyHeavenknows. Thiswasmycuriouslaborallsummer—tomakethisportionoftheearth's surface, whichhadyieldedonlycinquefoil, blackberries, johnswort, andthelike, before, sweetwildfruitsandpleasantflowers, produceinsteadthispulse. Whatshall I learnofbeansorbeansofme? I cherishthem, I hoethem, earlyandlate I haveaneyetothem; andthisismyday's work. Itis a finebroadleaftolookon. Myauxiliariesarethedewsandrainswhichwaterthisdrysoil, andwhatfertilityisinthesoilitself, whichforthemostpartisleanandeffete. Myenemiesareworms, cooldays, andmostofallwoodchucks. Thelasthavenibbledforme a quarterofanacreclean. Butwhatrighthad I tooustjohnswortandtherest, andbreakuptheirancientherbgarden? Soon, however, theremainingbeanswillbetootoughforthem, andgoforwardtomeetnewfoes.
1
When I wasfouryearsold, as I wellremember, I wasbroughtfromBostontothismynativetown, throughtheseverywoodsandthisfield, tothepond. Itisoneoftheoldestscenesstampedonmymemory. Andnowto-nightmyflutehaswakedtheechoesoverthatverywater. Thepinesstillstandhereolderthan I; or, ifsomehavefallen, I havecookedmysupperwiththeirstumps, and a newgrowthisrisingallaround, preparinganotheraspectfornewinfanteyes. Almostthesamejohnswortspringsfromthesameperennialrootinthispasture, andeven I haveatlengthhelpedtoclothethatfabulouslandscapeofmyinfantdreams, andoneoftheresultsofmypresenceandinfluenceisseeninthesebeanleaves, cornblades, andpotatovines.
2
I plantedabouttwoacresand a halfofupland; andasitwasonlyaboutfifteenyearssincethelandwascleared, and I myselfhadgotouttwoorthreecordsofstumps, I didnotgiveitanymanure; butinthecourseofthesummeritappearedbythearrowheadswhich I turnedupinhoeing, thatanextinctnationhadancientlydwelthereandplantedcornandbeanserewhitemencametocleartheland, andso, tosomeextent, hadexhaustedthesoilforthisverycrop.
3
Beforeyetanywoodchuckorsquirrelhadrunacrosstheroad, orthesunhadgotabovetheshruboaks, whileallthedewwason, thoughthefarmerswarnedmeagainstit—I wouldadviseyoutodoallyourworkifpossiblewhilethedewison—I begantoleveltheranksofhaughtyweedsinmybean-fieldandthrowdustupontheirheads. Earlyinthemorning I workedbarefooted, dabblinglike a plasticartistinthedewyandcrumblingsand, butlaterinthedaythesunblisteredmyfeet. Therethesunlightedmetohoebeans, pacingslowlybackwardandforwardoverthatyellowgravellyupland, betweenthelonggreenrows, fifteenrods, theoneendterminatingin a shruboakcopsewhere I couldrestintheshade, theotherin a blackberryfieldwherethegreenberriesdeepenedtheirtintsbythetime I hadmadeanotherbout. Removingtheweeds, puttingfreshsoilaboutthebeanstems, andencouragingthisweedwhich I hadsown, makingtheyellowsoilexpressitssummerthoughtinbeanleavesandblossomsratherthaninwormwoodandpiperandmilletgrass, makingtheearthsaybeansinsteadofgrass—thiswasmydailywork. As I hadlittleaidfromhorsesorcattle, orhiredmenorboys, orimprovedimplementsofhusbandry, I wasmuchslower, andbecamemuchmoreintimatewithmybeansthanusual. Butlaborofthehands, evenwhenpursuedtothevergeofdrudgery, isperhapsnevertheworstformofidleness. Ithas a constantandimperishablemoral, andtothescholarityields a classicresult. A veryagricolalaboriosuswas I totravellersboundwestwardthroughLincolnandWaylandtonobodyknowswhere; theysittingattheireaseingigs, withelbowsonknees, andreinslooselyhanginginfestoons; I thehome-staying, laboriousnativeofthesoil. Butsoonmyhomesteadwasoutoftheirsightandthought. Itwastheonlyopenandcultivatedfieldfor a greatdistanceoneithersideoftheroad, sotheymadethemostofit; andsometimesthemaninthefieldheardmoreoftravellers' gossipandcommentthanwasmeantforhisear: "Beanssolate! peassolate!"—for I continuedtoplantwhenothershadbeguntohoe—theministerialhusbandmanhadnotsuspectedit. "Corn, myboy, forfodder; cornforfodder." "Doeshelivethere?" askstheblackbonnetofthegraycoat; andthehard-featuredfarmerreinsuphisgratefuldobbintoinquirewhatyouaredoingwhereheseesnomanureinthefurrow, andrecommends a littlechipdirt, oranylittlewastestuff, oritmaybeashesorplaster. Buthereweretwoacresand a halfoffurrows, andonly a hoeforcartandtwohandstodrawit—therebeinganaversiontoothercartsandhorses—andchipdirtfaraway. Fellow-travellersastheyrattledbycompareditaloudwiththefieldswhichtheyhadpassed, sothat I cametoknowhow I stoodintheagriculturalworld. ThiswasonefieldnotinMr. Coleman's report. And, bytheway, whoestimatesthevalueofthecropwhichnatureyieldsinthestillwilderfieldsunimprovedbyman? ThecropofEnglishhayiscarefullyweighed, themoisturecalculated, thesilicatesandthepotash; butinalldellsandpond-holesinthewoodsandpasturesandswampsgrows a richandvariouscroponlyunreapedbyman. Minewas, asitwere, theconnectinglinkbetweenwildandcultivatedfields; assomestatesarecivilized, andothershalf-civilized, andotherssavageorbarbarous, somyfieldwas, thoughnotin a badsense, a half-cultivatedfield. Theywerebeanscheerfullyreturningtotheirwildandprimitivestatethat I cultivated, andmyhoeplayedtheRanzdesVachesforthem.
4
Nearathand, uponthetopmostsprayof a birch, singsthebrownthrasher—orredmavis, assomelovetocallhim—allthemorning, gladofyoursociety, thatwouldfindoutanotherfarmer's fieldifyourswerenothere. Whileyouareplantingtheseed, hecries—"Dropit, dropit—coveritup, coveritup—pullitup, pullitup, pullitup." Butthiswasnotcorn, andsoitwassafefromsuchenemiesashe. Youmaywonderwhathisrigmarole, hisamateurPaganiniperformancesononestringorontwenty, havetodowithyourplanting, andyetpreferittoleachedashesorplaster. Itwas a cheapsortoftopdressinginwhich I hadentirefaith.
5
As I drew a stillfreshersoilabouttherowswithmyhoe, I disturbedtheashesofunchroniclednationswhoinprimevalyearslivedundertheseheavens, andtheirsmallimplementsofwarandhuntingwerebroughttothelightofthismodernday. Theylaymingledwithothernaturalstones, someofwhichborethemarksofhavingbeenburnedbyIndianfires, andsomebythesun, andalsobitsofpotteryandglassbroughthitherbytherecentcultivatorsofthesoil. Whenmyhoetinkledagainstthestones, thatmusicechoedtothewoodsandthesky, andwasanaccompanimenttomylaborwhichyieldedaninstantandimmeasurablecrop. Itwasnolongerbeansthat I hoed, nor I thathoedbeans; and I rememberedwithasmuchpityaspride, if I rememberedatall, myacquaintanceswhohadgonetothecitytoattendtheoratorios. Thenighthawkcircledoverheadinthesunnyafternoons—for I sometimesmade a dayofit—like a moteintheeye, orinheaven's eye, fallingfromtimetotimewith a swoopand a soundasiftheheavenswererent, tornatlasttoveryragsandtatters, andyet a seamlesscoperemained; smallimpsthatfilltheairandlaytheireggsonthegroundonbaresandorrocksonthetopsofhills, wherefewhavefoundthem; gracefulandslenderlikeripplescaughtupfromthepond, asleavesareraisedbythewindtofloatintheheavens; suchkindredshipisinnature. Thehawkisaerialbrotherofthewavewhichhesailsoverandsurveys, thosehisperfectair-inflatedwingsansweringtotheelementalunfledgedpinionsofthesea. Orsometimes I watched a pairofhen-hawkscirclinghighinthesky, alternatelysoaringanddescending, approaching, andleavingoneanother, asiftheyweretheembodimentofmyownthoughts. Or I wasattractedbythepassageofwildpigeonsfromthiswoodtothat, with a slightquiveringwinnowingsoundandcarrierhaste; orfromunder a rottenstumpmyhoeturnedup a sluggishportentousandoutlandishspottedsalamander, a traceofEgyptandtheNile, yetourcontemporary. When I pausedtoleanonmyhoe, thesesoundsandsights I heardandsawanywhereintherow, a partoftheinexhaustibleentertainmentwhichthecountryoffers.
6
Ongaladaysthetownfiresitsgreatguns, whichecholikepopgunstothesewoods, andsomewaifsofmartialmusicoccasionallypenetratethusfar. Tome, awaythereinmybean-fieldattheotherendofthetown, thebiggunssoundedasif a puffballhadburst; andwhentherewas a militaryturnoutofwhich I wasignorant, I havesometimeshad a vaguesenseallthedayofsomesortofitchinganddiseaseinthehorizon, asifsomeeruptionwouldbreakouttheresoon, eitherscarlatinaorcanker-rash, untilatlengthsomemorefavorablepuffofwind, makinghasteoverthefieldsanduptheWaylandroad, broughtmeinformationofthe "trainers." Itseemedbythedistanthumasifsomebody's beeshadswarmed, andthattheneighbors, accordingtoVirgil's advice, by a fainttintinnabulumuponthemostsonorousoftheirdomesticutensils, wereendeavoringtocallthemdownintothehiveagain. Andwhenthesounddiedquiteaway, andthehumhadceased, andthemostfavorablebreezestoldnotale, I knewthattheyhadgotthelastdroneofthemallsafelyintotheMiddlesexhive, andthatnowtheirmindswerebentonthehoneywithwhichitwassmeared.
7
I feltproudtoknowthatthelibertiesofMassachusettsandofourfatherlandwereinsuchsafekeeping; andas I turnedtomyhoeingagain I wasfilledwithaninexpressibleconfidence, andpursuedmylaborcheerfullywith a calmtrustinthefuture.
8
Whentherewereseveralbandsofmusicians, itsoundedasifallthevillagewas a vastbellowsandallthebuildingsexpandedandcollapsedalternatelywith a din. Butsometimesitwas a reallynobleandinspiringstrainthatreachedthesewoods, andthetrumpetthatsingsoffame, and I feltasif I couldspit a Mexicanwith a goodrelish—forwhyshouldwealwaysstandfortrifles?—andlookedroundfor a woodchuckor a skunktoexercisemychivalryupon. ThesemartialstrainsseemedasfarawayasPalestine, andremindedmeof a marchofcrusadersinthehorizon, with a slighttantivyandtremulousmotionoftheelmtreetopswhichoverhangthevillage. Thiswasoneofthegreatdays; thoughtheskyhadfrommyclearingonlythesameeverlastinglygreatlookthatitwearsdaily, and I sawnodifferenceinit.
9
Itwas a singularexperiencethatlongacquaintancewhich I cultivatedwithbeans, whatwithplanting, andhoeing, andharvesting, andthreshing, andpickingoverandsellingthem—thelastwasthehardestofall—I mightaddeating, for I didtaste. I wasdeterminedtoknowbeans. Whentheyweregrowing, I usedtohoefromfive o'clockinthemorningtillnoon, andcommonlyspenttherestofthedayaboutotheraffairs. Considertheintimateandcuriousacquaintanceonemakeswithvariouskindsofweeds—itwillbearsomeiterationintheaccount, fortherewasnolittleiterationinthelabor—disturbingtheirdelicateorganizationssoruthlessly, andmakingsuchinvidiousdistinctionswithhishoe, levellingwholeranksofonespecies, andsedulouslycultivatinganother. That's Romanwormwood—that's pigweed—that's sorrel—that's piper-grass—haveathim, chophimup, turnhisrootsupwardtothesun, don't lethimhave a fibreintheshade, ifyoudohe'llturnhimself t' othersideupandbeasgreenas a leekintwodays. A longwar, notwithcranes, butwithweeds, thoseTrojanswhohadsunandrainanddewsontheirside. Dailythebeanssawmecometotheirrescuearmedwith a hoe, andthintheranksoftheirenemies, fillingupthetrencheswithweedydead. Many a lustycrest—wavingHector, thattowered a wholefootabovehiscrowdingcomrades, fellbeforemyweaponandrolledinthedust.
10
ThosesummerdayswhichsomeofmycontemporariesdevotedtothefineartsinBostonorRome, andotherstocontemplationinIndia, andotherstotradeinLondonorNewYork, I thus, withtheotherfarmersofNewEngland, devotedtohusbandry. Notthat I wantedbeanstoeat, for I ambynature a Pythagorean, sofarasbeansareconcerned, whethertheymeanporridgeorvoting, andexchangedthemforrice; but, perchance, assomemustworkinfieldsifonlyforthesakeoftropesandexpression, toserve a parable-makeroneday. Itwasonthewhole a rareamusement, which, continuedtoolong, mighthavebecome a dissipation. Though I gavethemnomanure, anddidnothoethemallonce, I hoedthemunusuallywellasfaras I went, andwaspaidforitintheend, "therebeingintruth," asEvelynsays, "nocompostorlaetationwhatsoevercomparabletothiscontinualmotion, repastination, andturningofthemouldwiththespade." "Theearth," headdselsewhere, "especiallyiffresh, has a certainmagnetisminit, bywhichitattractsthesalt, power, orvirtue (calliteither) whichgivesitlife, andisthelogicofallthelaborandstirwekeepaboutit, tosustainus; alldungingsandothersordidtemperingsbeingbutthevicarssuccedaneoustothisimprovement." Moreover, thisbeingoneofthose "worn-outandexhaustedlayfieldswhichenjoytheirsabbath," hadperchance, asSirKenelmDigbythinkslikely, attracted "vitalspirits" fromtheair. I harvestedtwelvebushelsofbeans.
Thisfurtherexperiencealso I gained: I saidtomyself, I willnotplantbeansandcornwithsomuchindustryanothersummer, butsuchseeds, iftheseedisnotlost, assincerity, truth, simplicity, faith, innocence, andthelike, andseeiftheywillnotgrowinthissoil, evenwithlesstoilandmanurance, andsustainme, forsurelyithasnotbeenexhaustedforthesecrops. Alas! I saidthistomyself; butnowanothersummerisgone, andanother, andanother, and I amobligedtosaytoyou, Reader, thattheseedswhich I planted, ifindeedtheyweretheseedsofthosevirtues, werewormeatenorhadlosttheirvitality, andsodidnotcomeup. Commonlymenwillonlybebraveastheirfatherswerebrave, ortimid. ThisgenerationisverysuretoplantcornandbeanseachnewyearpreciselyastheIndiansdidcenturiesagoandtaughtthefirstsettlerstodo, asiftherewere a fateinit. I sawanoldmantheotherday, tomyastonishment, makingtheholeswith a hoefortheseventiethtimeatleast, andnotforhimselftoliedownin! ButwhyshouldnottheNewEnglandertrynewadventures, andnotlaysomuchstressonhisgrain, hispotatoandgrasscrop, andhisorchards—raiseothercropsthanthese? Whyconcernourselvessomuchaboutourbeansforseed, andnotbeconcernedatallabout a newgenerationofmen? Weshouldreallybefedandcheeredifwhenwemet a manweweresuretoseethatsomeofthequalitieswhich I havenamed, whichweallprizemorethanthoseotherproductions, butwhichareforthemostpartbroadcastandfloatingintheair, hadtakenrootandgrowninhim. Herecomessuch a subtileandineffablequality, forinstance, astruthorjustice, thoughtheslightestamountornewvarietyofit, alongtheroad. Ourambassadorsshouldbeinstructedtosendhomesuchseedsasthese, andCongresshelptodistributethemoveralltheland. Weshouldneverstanduponceremonywithsincerity. Weshouldnevercheatandinsultandbanishoneanotherbyourmeanness, iftherewerepresentthekernelofworthandfriendliness. Weshouldnotmeetthusinhaste. Mostmen I donotmeetatall, fortheyseemnottohavetime; theyarebusyabouttheirbeans. Wewouldnotdealwith a manthusploddingever, leaningon a hoeor a spadeas a staffbetweenhiswork, notas a mushroom, butpartiallyrisenoutoftheearth, somethingmorethanerect, likeswallowsalightedandwalkingontheground:—