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，twoorthreefeetthick，thedoorofwoodandiron，afootthick，andtheirongratingwhichstrainedthelight，I
couldnothelpbeingstruckwiththefoolishnessofthatinstitutionwhichtreatedmeasifIweremerefleshandbloodandbones，tobelockedup。Iwonderedthatitshouldhaveconcludedatlengththatthiswasthebestuseitcouldputmeto，andhadneverthoughttoavailitselfofmyservicesinsomeway。Isawthat，iftherewasawallofstonebetweenmeandmytownsmen，therewasastillmoredifficultonetoclimborbreakthrough，beforetheycouldgettobeasfreeasIwas。Ididnotforamomentfeelconfined，andthewallsseemedagreatwasteofstoneandmortar。IfeltasifI
aloneofallmytownsmenhadpaidmytax。Theyplainlydidnotknowhowtotreatme，butbehavedlikepersonswhoareunderbred。Ineverythreatandineverycomplimenttherewasablunder；fortheythoughtthatmychiefdesirewastostandtheothersideofthatstonewall。Icouldnotbutsmiletoseehowindustriouslytheylockedthedooronmymeditations，whichfollowedthemoutagainwithoutletorhindrance，andtheywerereallyallthatwasdangerous。Astheycouldnotreachme，theyhadresolvedtopunishmybody；justasboys，iftheycannotcomeatsomepersonagainstwhomtheyhaveaspite，willabusehisdog。IsawthattheStatewashalf-witted，thatitwastimidasalonewomanwithhersilverspoons，andthatitdidnotknowitsfriendsfromitsfoes，andI
lostallmyremainingrespectforit，andpitiedit。
ThustheStateneverintentionallyconfrontsaman’ssense，intellectualormoral，butonlyhisbody，hissenses。Itisnotarmedwithsuperiorwitorhonesty，butwithsuperiorphysicalstrength。Iwasnotborntobeforced。Iwillbreatheaftermyownfashion。Letusseewhoisthestrongest。Whatforcehasamultitude？TheyonlycanforcemewhoobeyahigherlawthanI。
Theyforcemetobecomelikethemselves。Idonothearofmenbeingforcedtohavethiswayorthatbymassesofmen。Whatsortoflifewerethattolive？WhenImeetagovernmentwhichsaystome，“Yourmoneyoryourlife，“whyshouldIbeinhastetogiveitmymoney？
Itmaybeinagreatstrait，andnotknowwhattodo:Icannothelpthat。Itmusthelpitself；doasIdo。Itisnotworththewhiletosnivelaboutit。Iamnotresponsibleforthesuccessfulworkingofthemachineryofsociety。Iamnotthesonoftheengineer。I
perceivethat，whenanacornandachestnutfallsidebyside，theonedoesnotremaininerttomakewayfortheother，butbothobeytheirownlaws，andspringandgrowandflourishasbesttheycan，tillone，perchance，overshadowsanddestroystheother。Ifaplantcannotliveaccordingtoitsnature，itdies；andsoaman。
Thenightinprisonwasnovelandinterestingenough。Theprisonersintheirshirt-sleeveswereenjoyingachatandtheeveningairinthedoorway，whenIentered。Butthejailersaid，“Come，boys，itistimetolockup“；andsotheydispersed，andI
heardthesoundoftheirstepsreturningintothehollowapartments。
Myroom-matewasintroducedtomebythejaileras“afirst-ratefellowandacleverman。“Whenthedoorwaslocked，heshowedmewheretohangmyhat，andhowhemanagedmattersthere。Theroomswerewhitewashedonceamonth；andthisone，atleast，wasthewhitest，mostsimplyfurnished，andprobablytheneatestapartmentinthetown。HenaturallywantedtoknowwhereIcamefrom，andwhatbroughtmethere；and，whenIhadtoldhim，Iaskedhiminmyturnhowhecamethere，presuminghimtobeanhonestman，ofcourse；and，astheworldgoes，Ibelievehewas。“Why，“saidhe，“theyaccusemeofburningabarn；butIneverdidit。“AsnearasIcoulddiscover，hehadprobablygonetobedinabarnwhendrunk，andsmokedhispipethere；andsoabarnwasburnt。Hehadthereputationofbeingacleverman，hadbeentheresomethreemonthswaitingforhistrialtocomeon，andwouldhavetowaitasmuchlonger；buthewasquitedomesticatedandcontented，sincehegothisboardfornothing，andthoughtthathewaswelltreated。
Heoccupiedonewindow，andItheother；andIsawthatifonestayedtherelong，hisprincipalbusinesswouldbetolookoutthewindow。Ihadsoonreadallthetractsthatwereleftthere，andexaminedwhereformerprisonershadbrokenout，andwhereagratehadbeensawedoff，andheardthehistoryofthevariousoccupantsofthatroom；forIfoundthatevenheretherewasahistoryandagossipwhichnevercirculatedbeyondthewallsofthejail。
Probablythisistheonlyhouseinthetownwhereversesarecomposed，whichareafterwardprintedinacircularform，butnotpublished。Iwasshownquitealonglistofverseswhichwerecomposedbysomeyoungmenwhohadbeendetectedinanattempttoescape，whoavengedthemselvesbysingingthem。
Ipumpedmyfellow-prisonerasdryasIcould，forfearIshouldneverseehimagain；butatlengthheshowedmewhichwasmybed，andleftmetoblowoutthelamp。
Itwasliketravellingintoafarcountry，suchasIhadneverexpectedtobehold，toliethereforonenight。ItseemedtomethatIneverhadheardthetown-clockstrikebefore，northeeveningsoundsofthevillage；forwesleptwiththewindowsopen，whichwereinsidethegrating。ItwastoseemynativevillageinthelightoftheMiddleAges，andourConcordwasturnedintoaRhinestream，andvisionsofknightsandcastlespassedbeforeme。TheywerethevoicesofoldburghersthatIheardinthestreets。Iwasaninvoluntaryspectatorandauditorofwhateverwasdoneandsaidinthekitchenoftheadjacentvillage-inn——awhollynewandrareexperiencetome。Itwasacloserviewofmynativetown。Iwasfairlyinsideofit。Ineverhadseenitsinstitutionsbefore。
Thisisoneofitspeculiarinstitutions；foritisashiretown。I
begantocomprehendwhatitsinhabitantswereabout。
Inthemorning，ourbreakfastswereputthroughtheholeinthedoor，insmalloblong-squaretinpans，madetofit，andholdingapintofchocolate，withbrownbread，andanironspoon。Whentheycalledforthevesselsagain，IwasgreenenoughtoreturnwhatbreadIhadleft；butmycomradeseizedit，andsaidthatIshouldlaythatupforlunchordinner。Soonafterhewasletouttoworkathayinginaneighboringfield，whitherhewenteveryday，andwouldnotbebacktillnoon；sohebademegood-day，sayingthathedoubtedifheshouldseemeagain。
WhenIcameoutofprison——forsomeoneinterfered，andpaidthattax——Ididnotperceivethatgreatchangeshadtakenplaceonthecommon，suchasheobservedwhowentinayouthandemergedatotteringandgray-headedman；andyetachangehadtomyeyescomeoverthescene——thetown，andState，andcountry——greaterthananythatmeretimecouldeffect。IsawyetmoredistinctlytheStateinwhichIlived。IsawtowhatextentthepeopleamongwhomIlivedcouldbetrustedasgoodneighborsandfriends；thattheirfriendshipwasforsummerweatheronly；thattheydidnotgreatlyproposetodoright；thattheywereadistinctracefrommebytheirprejudicesandsuperstitions，astheChinamenandMalaysare；thatintheirsacrificestohumanity，theyrannorisks，noteventotheirproperty；thatafteralltheywerenotsonoblebuttheytreatedthethiefashehadtreatedthem，andhoped，byacertainoutwardobservanceandafewprayers，andbywalkinginaparticularstraightthoughuselesspathfromtimetotime，tosavetheirsouls。
Thismaybetojudgemyneighborsharshly；forIbelievethatmanyofthemarenotawarethattheyhavesuchaninstitutionasthejailintheirvillage。
Itwasformerlythecustominourvillage，whenapoordebtorcameoutofjail，forhisacquaintancestosalutehim，lookingthroughtheirfingers，whichwerecrossedtorepresentthegratingofajailwindow，“Howdoyedo？“Myneighborsdidnotthussaluteme，butfirstlookedatme，andthenatoneanother，asifIhadreturnedfromalongjourney。IwasputintojailasIwasgoingtotheshoemaker’stogetashoewhichwasmended。WhenIwasletoutthenextmorning，Iproceededtofinishmyerrand，and，havingputonmymendedshoe，joinedahuckleberryparty，whowereimpatienttoputthemselvesundermyconduct；andinhalfanhour——forthehorsewassoontackled——wasinthemidstofahuckleberryfield，ononeofourhighesthills，twomilesoff，andthentheStatewasnowheretobeseen。
Thisisthewholehistoryof“MyPrisons。“
Ihaveneverdeclinedpayingthehighwaytax，becauseIamasdesirousofbeingagoodneighborasIamofbeingabadsubject；
andasforsupportingschools，Iamdoingmyparttoeducatemyfellow-countrymennow。Itisfornoparticulariteminthetax-billthatIrefusetopayit。IsimplywishtorefuseallegiancetotheState，towithdrawandstandalooffromiteffectually。Idonotcaretotracethecourseofmydollar，ifIcould，tillitbuysamanoramuskettoshootonewith——thedollarisinnocent——butI
