I am wont to think that men are not so much the keepers of herds as herds are the keepers of men, the former are so much the freer. Men and oxen exchange work; but if we consider necessary work only, the oxen will be seen to have greatly the advantage, their farm is so much the larger. 我常常在想,不是人在放牛,简直是牛在牧人,而人放牛是更自由的。人与牛是在交换劳动;如果我们考虑的只是必须劳动的话,那么看来牛要占便宜得多,它们的农场也大得多。
从两年的经验中,梭罗在瓦尔登湖的收入依靠自己的农作物,虽然很少,但他花的更少,不是省,而是他觉得一个人所必需的食粮也极少麻烦,而且一个人可以像动物一样的吃简单的食物,仍需求少,很多东西他自己制作,还有些东西是大自然给予。
daub:v.(胡乱)涂抹 n. a daub of paint 少量的油漆
wont:习惯于,常常
blunder:大错