應該去湖濱散步的人

I do not mean to prescribe rules to strong and valiant natures, who will mind their own affairs whether in heaven or hell, and perchance build more magnificently and spend more lavishly than the richest, without ever impoverishing themselves, not knowing how they live, - if, indeed, there are any such, as has been dreamed; nor to those who find their encouragement and inspiration in precisely the present condition of things, and cherish it with the fondness and enthusiasm of lovers, - and, to some extent, I reckon myself in this number; I do not speak to those who are well employed, in whatever circumstances, and they know whether they are well employed or not; - but mainly to the mass of men who are discontented, and idly complaining of the hardness of their lot or of the times, when they might improve them. There are some who complain most energetically and inconsolably of any, because they are, as they say, doing their duty. I also have in my mind that seemingly wealthy, but most terribly impoverished class of all, who have accumulated dross, but know not how to use it, or get rid of it, and thus have forged their own golden or silver fetters.

本書不是為勇敢的人而寫，如香港的勇武派；那種人不論是在哪裡，都有辦法創建屬於自己的天地，而且肯定比有錢人的豪宅更為尊貴氣派。權貴們的豪宅，庶民是禁止入內的；但勇者們建立的天地，卻永遠為人們敞開大門，只怕你沒有勇氣進入。各式各樣的粉絲也不會是本書的對象，那些粉只要能沾附在他們崇拜的偶像上頭，便已心滿意足。他們的官能及根性就像單細胞生物那麼簡單，尚未能發展出認識自由的心智；只有在偶像崩壞，宿主死了，才能讓他們撒手。

最高的藝術作品便是人類追求自由、掙脫束縛的呈現，所以若你見到美好的事物仍會感動，願意為它們做點事，如同為戀人付出一般，不求回報，那也無需看這本書，因為梭羅認為自己某種程度便是屬於這種人。

真正需要看這本書的，是那些不知如何自處的人；懷才不遇，對現實不滿，而且時運不濟、命途多舛，卻又不肯想辦法改變，自以為能做的都已經做了，還能怎樣！？還有還有，那些積了許多家產，卻不知該如何使用，用自己的積蓄買了豪華監獄給自己住的人。梭羅要為這群人開立一些處方。