InmyearlydaysIwasaman，themostweddedtohisidolsofmygeneration。Iwasadwellerunderroofs：thegullofthatwhichwecallcivilisation；asuperstitiousvotaryoftheplasticarts；acit；andapropofrestaurants。Ihadacomradeinthosedays，somewhatofanoutsider，thoughhemovedinthecompanyofartists，andamanfamousinoursmallworldforgallantry，kneebreeches，anddryandpregnantsayings。He，lookingonthelongmealsandwaxingbelliesoftheFrench，whomIconfessIsomewhatimitated，brandedmeas“acultivatorofrestaurantfat。”AndIbelievehehadhisfingeronthedangerousspot；Ibelieve，ifthingshadgonesmoothwithme，Ishouldbenowswollenlikeaprize-oxinbody，andfalleninmindtoathingperhapsaslowasmanytypesofbourgeois——theimplicitorexclusiveartist。ThatwasahomewordofPinkerton’s，deservingtobewritinlettersofgoldontheporticoofeveryschoolofart：“WhatIcan’tseeiswhyyoushouldwanttodonothingelse。”Thedullmanismade，notbythenature，butbythedegreeofhisimmersioninasinglebusiness。
Andallthemoreifthatbesedentary，uneventful，andingloriouslysafe。Morethanonehalfofhimwillthenremainunexercisedandundeveloped；therestwillbedistendedanddeformedbyover-nutrition，over-cerebration，andtheheatofrooms。AndIhaveoftenmarvelledattheimpudenceofgentlemen，whodescribeandpassjudgmentonthelifeofman，inalmostperfectignoranceofallitsnecessaryelementsandnaturalcareers。Thosewhodwellinclubsandstudiosmaypaintexcellentpicturesorwriteenchantingnovels。Thereisonethingthattheyshouldnotdo：theyshouldpassnojudgmentonman’sdestiny，foritisathingwithwhichtheyareunacquainted。Theirownlifeisanexcrescenceofthemoment，doomed，inthevicissitudeofhistory，topassanddisappear：
theeternallifeofman，spentundersunandrainandinrudephysicaleffort，liesupononeside，scarcechangedsincethebeginning。
IwouldIcouldhavecarriedalongwithmetoMidwayIslandallthewritersandthepratingartistsofmytime。Dayafterdayofhopedeferred，ofheat，ofunremittingtoil；nightafternightofachinglimbs，bruisedhands，andamindobscuredwiththegratefulvacancyofphysicalfatigue：thescene，thenatureofmyemployment；theruggedspeechandfacesofmyfellow-
toilers，theglareofthedayondeck，thestinkingtwilightinthebilge，theshrillmyriadsoftheocean-fowl：aboveall，thesenseofourimmitigableisolationfromtheworldandfromthecurrentepoch；——keepinganothertime，someerasold；thenewdayheraldedbynodailypaper，onlybytherisingsun；andtheState，thechurches，thepeopledempires，war，andtherumoursofwar，andthevoicesofthearts，allgonesilentasinthedayseretheywereyetinvented。Suchweretheconditionsofmynewexperienceinlife，ofwhichifIhadbeenableIwouldhavehadallmyconfreresandcontemporariestopartake：