208 LIBERTY AND A LIVING. 



... day when a few days' work upon the part of 

 the laborer or mechanic will be sufficient to 

 provide himself and his family with unpatched 



'^and well-made clothing for the year. I have a 

 " prejudice against patches to the extent of dislik- 

 ing any thing that will attract the attention of 

 W Tom, Dick, and Harry, and their female counter- 



^ parts. If for a few dollars spent in clothing 

 which is whole I can save myself from their 

 attentions, it is money well spent, and the same 

 thing holds good with regard to the clothing 

 of my wife and children. We might spend a 

 few dollars less every year upon bonnets and 

 dresses, but the question is : Would it pay ? We 

 are not living in the woods, and our desire 

 is to avoid attracting attention. 



To go back to Thoreau, he says in " Walden " : 



" As for clothing, to come at once to the 

 practical part of the question, perhaps we are 

 led oftener by the love of novelty, and a regard 

 for the opinions of men in procuring it than by 

 a true utility. Let him who has work to do 

 recollect that the object of clothing is, first, to 

 retain the vital heat, and, secondly, in this state 

 of society, to cover nakedness, and he may 

 judge how much of any necessary or important 

 work may be accomplished without adding to 



