844 
WALDEN. 
They love the soil which makes their graves, but have 
no sympathy with the spirit which may still animate 
their clay. Patriotism is a maggot in their heads. 
What was the meaning of that South-Sea Exploring 
Expedition, with all its parade and expense, but an in¬ 
direct recognition of the fact, that there are continents 
and seas in the moral world, to which every man is an 
isthmus or an inlet, yet unexplored by him, but that it 
is easier to sail many thousand miles through cold and 
storm and cannibals, in a government ship, with five 
hundred men and boys to assist one, than it is to ex¬ 
plore the private sea, the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean 
of one’s being alone. — 
“Erret, et extremos alter scrutetur Iberos. 
Plus habet hie vitae, plus habet ille vise.” 
Let them wander and scrutinize the outlandish Australians. 
I have more of God, they more of the road. 
It is not worth the while to go round the world to count 
the cats in Zanzibar. Yet do this even till you can do 
better, and you may perhaps find some “ Symmes’ 
Hole ” by which to get at the inside at last. England 
and France, Spain and Portugal, Gold Coast and Slave 
Coast, all front on this private sea; but no bark from 
them has ventured out of sight of land, though it is 
without doubt the direct way to India. If you would 
learn to speak all tongues and conform to the customs 
of all nations, if you would travel farther than all trav¬ 
ellers, be naturalized in all climes, and cause the Sphinx 
to dash her head against a stone, even obey the precept 
of the old philosopher, and Explore thyself. Herein are 
demanded the eye and the nerve. Only the defeated 
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