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own best mode of doing each thing； and she has somewhere told it
plainly； if we will keep our eyes and ears open。 If not； she will
not be slow in undeceiving us； when we prefer our own way to hers。
How often we must remember the art of the surgeon； which； in
replacing the broken bone； contents itself with releasing the parts
from false position； they fly into place by the action of the
muscles。 On this art of nature all our arts rely。
Of the two eminent engineers in the recent construction of
railways in England； Mr。 Brunel went straight from terminus to
terminus； through mountains； over streams； crossing highways； cutting
ducal estates in two； and shooting through this man's cellar； and
that man's attic window； and so arriving at his end； at great
pleasure to geometers； but with cost to his company。 Mr。 Stephenson；
on the contrary； believing that the river knows the way； followed his
valley； as implicitly as our Western Railroad follows the Westfield
River； and turned out to be the safest and cheapest engineer。 We say
the cows laid out Boston。 Well； there are worse surveyors。 Every
pedestrian in our pastures has frequent occasion to thank the cows
for cutting the best path through the thicket； and over the hills：
and travellers and Indians know the value of a buffalo…trail； which
is sure to be the easiest possible pass through the ridge。
When a citizen； fresh from Dock…square； or Milk…street； comes
out and buys land in the country； his first thought is to a fine
outlook from his windows： his library must command a western view： a
sunset every day； bathing the shoulder of Blue Hills； Wachusett； and
the peaks of Monadnoc and Uncanoonuc。 What； thirty acres； and all
this magnificence for fifteen hundred dollars！ It would be cheap at
fifty thousand。 He proceeds at once； his eyes dim with tears of joy；
to fix the spot for his corner…stone。 But the man who is to level
the ground； thinks it will take many hundred loads of gravel to fill
the hollow to the road。 The stone…mason who should build the well
thinks he shall have to dig forty feet： the baker doubts he shall
never like to drive up to the door： the practical neighbor cavils at
the position of the barn； and the citizen comes to know that his
predecessor the farmer built the house in the right spot for the sun
and wind； the spring； and water…drainage； and the convenience to the
pasture； the garden； the field； and the road。 So Dock…square yields
the point； and things have their own way。 Use has made the farmer
wise； and the foolish citizen learns to take his counsel。 From step
to step he comes at last to surrender at discretion。 The farmer
affects to take his orders； but the citizen says； You may ask me as
often as you will； and in what ingenious forms； for an opinion
concerning the mode of building my wall； or sinking my well； or
laying out my acre； but the ball will rebound to you。 These are
matters on which I neither know； nor need to know anything。 These
are questions which you and not I shall answer。
Not less； within doors； a system settles itself paramount and
tyrannical over master and mistress； servant and child； cousin and
acquaintance。 'Tis in vain that genius or virtue or energy of
character strive and cry against it。 This is fate。 And 'tis very
well that the poor husband reads in a book of a new way of living；
and resolves to adopt it at home： let him go home and try it； if he
dare。
4。 Another point of economy is to look for seed of the same
kind as you sow： and not to hope to buy one kind with another kind。
Friendship buys friendship； justice； justice； military merit；
military success。 Good husbandry finds wife； children； and
household。 The good merchant large gains； ships； stocks； and money。
The good poet fame； and literary credit； but not either； the other。
Yet there is commonly a confusion of expectations on these points。
Hotspur lives for the moment； praises himself for it； and despises
Furlong； that he does not。 Hotspur； of course； is poor； and Furlong
a good provider。 The odd circumstance is； that Hotspur thinks it a
superiority in himself； this improvidence； which ought to be rewarded
with Furlong's lands。
I have not at all completed my design。 But we must not leave
the topic； without casting one glance into the interior recesses。 It
is a doctrine of philosophy； that man is a being of degrees； that
there is nothing in the world； which is not repeated in his body； his
body being a sort of miniature or summary of the world： then that
there is nothing in his body； which is not repeated as in a celestial
sphere in his mind： then； there is nothing in his brain； which is not
repeated in a higher sphere； in his moral system。
5。 Now these things are so in Nature。 All things ascend； and
the royal rule of economy is； that it should ascend also； or；
whatever we do must always have a higher aim。 Thus it is a maxim；
that money is another kind of blood。 _Pecunia alter sanguis_： or；
the estate of a man is only a larger kind of body； and admits of
regimen analogous to his bodily circulations。 So there is no maxim
of the merchant； _e。 g。_； 〃Best use of money is to pay debts；〃 〃Every
business by itself；〃 〃Best time is present time；〃 〃The right
investment is in tools of your trade；〃 or the like； which does not
admit of an extended sense。 The counting…room maxims liberally
expounded are laws of the Universe。 The merchant's economy is a
coarse symbol of the soul's economy。 It is； to spend for power； and
not for pleasure。 It is to invest income； that is to say； to take up
particulars into generals； days into integral eras； literary；
emotive； practical； of its life； and still to ascend in its
investment。 The merchant has but one rule； _absorb and invest_： he
is to be capitalist： the scraps and filings must be gathered back
into the crucible； the gas and smoke must be burned； and earnings
must not go to increase expense； but to capital again。 Well； the man
must be capitalist。 Will he spend his income； or will he invest？
His body and every organ is under the same law。 His body is a jar；
in which the liquor of life is stored。 Will he spend for pleasure？
The way to ruin is short and facile。 Will he not spend； but hoard
for power？ It passes through the sacred fermentations； by that law
of Nature whereby everything climbs to higher platforms； and bodily
vigor becomes mental and moral vigor。 The bread he eats is first
strength and animal spirits： it becomes； in higher laboratories；
imagery and thought； and in still higher results； courage and
endurance。 This is the right compound interest； this is capital
doubled； quadrupled； centupled； man raised to his highest power。
The true thrift is always to spend on the higher plane； to
invest and invest； with keener avarice； that he may spend in
spiritual creation； and not in augmenting animal existence。 Nor is