CodalSearch this book — or all of Codal…⌘K
nydus/Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil DisobediencePublic

Henry David Thoreau recounts his two-year experience living in a self-built house on the shore of Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. He addresses inquiries regarding his solitary lifestyle, labor, and philosophy while advocating for a sincere and personal approach to writing.

Page 70 of 360
Table of Contents

Economy

    House,................................ $ 28.12½
    Farm one year,.......................... 14.72½
    Food eight months,......................  8.74
    Clothing, etc., eight months,...........  8.40¾
    Oil, &c., eight months,.................  2.00
                                            ——————
        In all,........................... $ 61.99¾

I address myself now to those of my readers who have a living to get. And to meet this I have for farm produce sold

                                            $23.44
    Earned by day-labor,...................  13.34
                                            ——————
        In all,............................ $36.78,

which subtracted from the sum of the outgoes leaves a balance of $25.21¾ on the one side,—this being very nearly the means with which I started, and the measure of expenses to be incurred,—and on the other, beside the leisure and independence and health thus secured, a comfortable house for me as long as I choose to occupy it.

These statistics, however accidental and therefore uninstructive they may appear, as they have a certain completeness, have a certain value also.

70