"We are wont to imagine rare and delectable places in some remote and more celestial corner of the system, behind the constellation of Cassiopeia's Chair, far from noise and disturbance. I discovered that my house actually had its site in such a withdrawn, but forever new and unprofaned, part of the universe." (Thoreau 72).
Henry David Thoreau enjoys his time interacting with nature. In this passage, he touches on two important subjects. Generally, people tend to look for a place far outside of their own comfort and problems in life. They think that they must travel hypothetically as far as Cassiopeia's Chair, a constellation in the night sky. In turn, Thoreau discovers that it is not in the heavens or even a hundred miles from home that this break from society comes, but in the comfort of home. These two ideas contrast into an important lesson in today's lifestyle.
"We are wont to imagine rare and delectable places in some remote and more celestial corner of the system- Thoreau points out. We tend to imagine these perfect, often superficial places three hundred miles from everywhere in all directions. This is often impossible in the artifice of work, families and social lives. " behind the constellation of Cassiopeia's Chair, far from noise and disturbance." Here, Thoreau wants to cement the image that this alternate reality we concoct is truly far away. The peace and contentment we strive to have in our lives is only contained as far as the heavens are from the earth. .
In his next thought, Thoreau makes a discovery that every human can take to heart. " I discovered that my house actually had its site in such a withdrawn, but forever new and unprofaned, part of the universe." Thoreau's own house holds the sanctity and solitude that we search for so far away. In the same way, we should search through our own physical homes for a similar niche. Thoreau also uses two terms to describe first his house, but ultimately life and society.