Itmustnotbeimaginedthatawalkingtour,assomewouldhaveusfancy,;andnonemorevivid,inspiteofcantingdilettantes,,butofcertainjollyhumorsofthehopeandspiritwithwhichthemarchbeginsatmorning,andthepeaceandspiritualrepletionoftheevening’,ortakesitoff,,butwillbefurtherrewardedinthesequel;;theywilleitherbealwaysloungingoralwaysatfivemilesanhour;theydonotplayofftheoneagainsttheother,preparealldayfortheevening,,aboveall,,,andcometohisinn,atnight,withasortoffrostonhisfivewits,!Hehasnothingleftofmanbutaphysicalneedforbedtimeandadoublenightcap;andevenhispipe,ifhebeasmoker,,andmissthehappinessintheend;heisthemanoftheproverb,inshort,whogoesfartherandfaresworse.
Now,tobeproperlyenjoyed,,oreveninpairs,itisnolongerawalkingtourinanythingbutname;,becausefreedomisoftheessence;becauseyoushouldbeabletostopandgoon,andfollowthiswayorthat,asthefreaktakesyou;andbecauseyoumusthaveyourownpace,andneithertrotalongsideachampionwalker,.“Icannotseethewit,”saysHazlitt,“,”,,thatbeginsinasortofdazzleandsluggishnessofthebrain,andendsinapeacethatpassescomprehension.
Duringthefirstdayorsoofanytourtherearemomentsofbitterness,whenthetravellerfeelsmorethancoldlytowardshisknapsack,whenheishalfinamindtothrowitbodilyoverthehedgeand,likeChristianonasimilaroccasion,“givethreeleapsandgoonsinging.”;,youpullyourselftogetherwithashake,,ofallpossiblemoods,this,inwhichamantakestheroad,,ifhewillkeepthinkingofhisanxieties,ifhewillopenthemerchantAbudah’schestandwalkarm-in-armwiththehag-why,whereverheis,andwhetherhewalksfastorslow,!Thereareperhapsthirtymensettingforthatthatsamehour,,inacoatofdarkness,oneafteranotherofthesewayfarers,somesummermorning,,whowalksfast,withakeenlookinhiseyes,isallconcentratedinhisownmind;heisupathisloom,weavingandweaving,,ashegoes,amongthegrasses;hewaitsbythecanaltowatchthedragonflies;heleansonthegateofthepasture,,talking,laughing,,,deliveringorations,andconductingthemostimpassionedinterviews,,,supposinghimtobenogreatmasterinthatart,ifhestumblesacrossnostolidpeasantatacorner;foronsuchanoccasion,Iscarcelyknowwhichisthemoretroubled,orwhetheritisworsetosuffertheconfusionofyourtroubadour,,accustomed,besides,tothestrangemechanicalbearingofthecommontramp,,becausealthoughafull-grownpersonwitharedbeard,,whenonwalkingtours,theysang-andsangveryill-andhadapairofredearswhen,asdescribedabove,theinauspiciouspeasantplumpedintotheirarmsfromroundacorner.
