下载辰思小说免费APP
Absolutelyspeaking，themoremoney，thelessvirtue；formoneycomesbetweenamanandhisobjects，andobtainsthemforhim；anditwascertainlynogreatvirtuetoobtainit。Itputstorestmanyquestionswhichhewouldotherwisebetaxedtoanswer；whiletheonlynewquestionwhichitputsisthehardbutsuperfluousone，howtospendit。Thushismoralgroundistakenfromunderhisfeet。
Theopportunitiesoflivingarediminishedinproportionaswhatarecalledthe“means“areincreased。Thebestthingamancandoforhisculturewhenheisrichistoendeavortocarryoutthoseschemeswhichheentertainedwhenhewaspoor。ChristansweredtheHerodiansaccordingtotheircondition。“Showmethetribute-money，“saidhe；——andonetookapennyoutofhispocket；——
ifyouusemoneywhichhastheimageofCaesaronit，andwhichhehasmadecurrentandvaluable，thatis，ifyouaremenoftheState，andgladlyenjoytheadvantagesofCaesar’sgovernment，thenpayhimbacksomeofhisownwhenhedemandsit；“RenderthereforetoCaesarthatwhichisCaesar’s，andtoGodthosethingswhichareGod’s“——leavingthemnowiserthanbeforeastowhichwaswhich；
fortheydidnotwishtoknow。
WhenIconversewiththefreestofmyneighbors，Iperceivethat，whatevertheymaysayaboutthemagnitudeandseriousnessofthequestion，andtheirregardforthepublictranquillity，thelongandtheshortofthematteris，thattheycannotsparetheprotectionoftheexistinggovernment，andtheydreadtheconsequencestotheirpropertyandfamiliesofdisobediencetoit。
Formyownpart，IshouldnotliketothinkthatIeverrelyontheprotectionoftheState。But，ifIdenytheauthorityoftheStatewhenitpresentsitstax-bill，itwillsoontakeandwasteallmyproperty，andsoharassmeandmychildrenwithoutend。Thisishard。Thismakesitimpossibleforamantolivehonestly，andatthesametimecomfortablyinoutwardrespects。Itwillnotbeworththewhiletoaccumulateproperty；thatwouldbesuretogoagain。
Youmusthireorsquatsomewhere，andraisebutasmallcrop，andeatthatsoon。Youmustlivewithinyourself，anddependuponyourselfalwaystuckedupandreadyforastart，andnothavemanyaffairs。AmanmaygrowrichinTurkeyeven，ifhewillbeinallrespectsagoodsubjectoftheTurkishgovernment。Confuciussaid，“Ifastateisgovernedbytheprinciplesofreason，povertyandmiseryaresubjectsofshame；ifastateisnotgovernedbytheprinciplesofreason，richesandhonorsarethesubjectsofshame。“
No:untilIwanttheprotectionofMassachusettstobeextendedtomeinsomedistantSouthernport，wheremylibertyisendangered，oruntilIambentsolelyonbuildingupanestateathomebypeacefulenterprise，IcanaffordtorefuseallegiancetoMassachusetts，andherrighttomypropertyandlife。ItcostsmelessineverysensetoincurthepenaltyofdisobediencetotheStatethanitwouldtoobey。IshouldfeelasifIwereworthlessinthatcase。
Someyearsago，theStatemetmeinbehalfoftheChurch，andcommandedmetopayacertainsumtowardthesupportofaclergymanwhosepreachingmyfatherattended，butneverImyself。“Pay，“itsaid，“orbelockedupinthejail。“Ideclinedtopay。But，unfortunately，anothermansawfittopayit。Ididnotseewhytheschoolmastershouldbetaxedtosupportthepriest，andnotthepriesttheschoolmaster:forIwasnottheState’sschoolmaster，butIsupportedmyselfbyvoluntarysubscription。Ididnotseewhythelyceumshouldnotpresentitstax-bill，andhavetheStatetobackitsdemand，aswellastheChurch。However，attherequestoftheselectmen，Icondescendedtomakesomesuchstatementasthisinwriting:——“Knowallmenbythesepresents，thatI，HenryThoreau，donotwishtoberegardedasamemberofanyincorporatedsocietywhichIhavenotjoined。“ThisIgavetothetownclerk；andhehasit。TheState，havingthuslearnedthatIdidnotwishtoberegardedasamemberofthatchurch，hasnevermadealikedemandonmesince；thoughitsaidthatitmustadheretoitsoriginalpresumptionthattime。IfIhadknownhowtonamethem，IshouldthenhavesignedoffindetailfromallthesocietieswhichIneversignedonto；butIdidnotknowwheretofindacompletelist。
Ihavepaidnopoll-taxforsixyears。Iwasputintoajailonceonthisaccount，foronenight；and，asIstoodconsideringthewallsofsolidstone，twoorthreefeetthi
