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158
Adventures in Contentment
·
David Grayson
17
"I
must
have
that
hill.
I
will
buy
it.
I
will
set
the
fence
farther
up.
I
will
plant
the
slope.
It
is
no
age
of
tonsures
either
in
religion
or
agriculture."
The
very
vision
of
widened
acres
set
my
thoughts
on
fire.
In
imagination
I
extended
my
farm
upon
all
sides,
thinking
how
much
better
I
could
handle
my
land
than
my
neighbours.
I
dwelt
avariciously
upon
more
possessions:
I
thought
with
discontent
of
my
poverty.
More
land
I
wanted.
I
was
enveloped
in
clouds
of
envy.
I
coveted
my
neighbour's
land:
I
felt
myself
superior
and
Horace
inferior:
I
was
consumed
with
black
vanity.
So
I
dealt
hotly
with
these
thoughts
until
I
reached
the
top
of
the
ridge
at
the
farther
corner
of
my
land.
It
is
the
highest
point
on
the
farm.
For
a
moment
I
stood
looking
about
me
on
a
wonderful
prospect
of
serene
beauty.
As
it
came
to
me--hills,
fields,
woods--the
fever
which
had
been
consuming
me
died
down.
I
thought
how
the
world
stretched
away
from
my
fences--just
such
fields--for
a
thousand
miles,
and
in
each
small
enclosure
a
man
as
hot
as
I
with
the
passion
of
possession.
How
they
all
envied,
and
hated,
in
their
longing
for
more
land!
How
property
kept
them
apart,
prevented
the
close,
confident
touch
of
friendship,
how
it
separated
lovers
and
ruined
families!
Of
all
obstacles
to
that
complete
democracy
of
which
we
dream,
is
there
a
greater
than
property?
I
was
ashamed.
Deep
shame
covered
me.
How
little
of
the
earth,
after
all,
I
said,
lies
within
the
limits
of
my
fences.
And
I
looked
out
upon
the
perfect
beauty
of
the
world
around
me,
and
I
saw
how
little
excited
it
was,
how
placid,
how
undemanding.
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