My Wood

by E. M. Forster (1879-1970)

1 A few years ago I wrote a book whi h dea!t i" #art with the diffi $!ties of the E"g!ish i" I"dia. Fee!i"g that they wo$!d ha%e had "o diffi $!ties i" I"dia the&se!%es' the A&eri a"s read the book free!y. (he &ore they read it the better it &ade the& fee!' a"d a he k to the a$thor was the res$!t. I bo$ght a wood with the he k. It is "ot a !arge wood--it o"tai"s s ar e!y a"y trees' a"d it is i"terse ted' b!ast it' by a #$b!i foot-#ath. )ti!!' it is the first #ro#erty that I ha%e ow"ed' so it is right that other #eo#!e sho$!d #arti i#ate i" &y sha&e' a"d sho$!d ask the&se!%es' i" a e"ts that wi!! %ary i" horror' this %ery i&#orta"t *$estio"+ What is the effe t of #ro#erty $#o" the hara ter, -o".t !et.s to$ h e o"o&i s/ the effe t of #ri%ate ow"ershi# $#o" the o&&$"ity as a who!e is a"other *$estio"--a &ore i&#orta"t *$estio"' #erha#s' b$t a"other o"e. 0et.s kee# to #sy ho!ogy. If yo$ ow" thi"gs' what.s their effe t o" yo$, What.s the effe t o" &e of &y wood,

1 I" the first #!a e' it &akes &e fee! hea%y. 2ro#erty does ha%e this effe t. 2ro#erty #rod$ es &e" of weight' a"d it was a &a" of weight who fai!ed to get i"to the 3i"gdo& of 4ea%e". 4e was "ot wi ked' that $"fort$"ate &i!!io"aire i" the #arab!e' he was o"!y sto$t/ he st$ k o$t i" fro"t' "ot to &e"tio" behi"d' a"d as he wedged hi&se!f this way a"d that i" the rysta!!i"e e"tra" e a"d br$ised his we!!-fed f!a"ks' he saw be"eath hi& a o&#arati%e!y s!i& a&e! #assi"g thro$gh the eye of a "eed!e a"d bei"g wo%e" i"to the robe of 5od. (he 5os#e!s a!! thro$gh o$#!e sto$t"ess a"d s!ow"ess. (hey #oi"t o$t what is #erfe t!y ob%io$s' yet se!do& rea!i6ed+ that if yo$ ha%e a !ot of thi"gs yo$ a""ot &o%e abo$t a !ot' that f$r"it$re re*$ires d$sti"g' d$sters re*$ire ser%a"ts' ser%a"ts re*$ire i"s$ra" e sta&#s' a"d the who!e ta"g!e of the& &akes yo$ thi"k twi e before yo$ a e#t a" i"%itatio" to di""er or go for a bathe i" the 7orda". )o&eti&es the 5os#e!s #ro eed f$rther a"d say with (o!stoy that #ro#erty is si"f$!/ they a##roa h the diffi $!t gro$"d of as eti is& here' where I a""ot fo!!ow the&. 8$t as to the i&&ediate effe ts of #ro#erty o" #eo#!e' they 9$st show straightforward !ogi . It #rod$ es &e" of weight. Me" of weight a""ot' by defi"itio"' &o%e !ike the !ight"i"g fro& the East $"to the West' a"d the as e"t of a fo$rtee"-sto"e bisho# i"to a #$!#it is th$s the e:a t a"tithesis of the o&i"g of the )o" of Ma". My wood &akes &e fee! hea%y.

; I" the se o"d #!a e' it &akes &e fee! it o$ght to be !arger.

< (he other day I heard a twig s"a# i" it. I was a""oyed at first' for I tho$ght that so&eo"e was b!a kberryi"g' a"d de#re iati"g the %a!$e of the $"dergrowth. =" o&i"g "earer' I saw it was "ot a &a" who had trodde" o" the twig a"d s"a##ed it' b$t a bird' a"d I fe!t #!eased. My bird. (he bird was "ot e*$a!!y #!eased. Ig"ori"g the re!atio" betwee" $s' it took f!ight as soo" as it saw the sha#e of &y fa e' a"d f!ew straight o%er the bo$"dary hedge i"to a fie!d' the #ro#erty of Mrs. 4e"essy' where it sat dow" with a !o$d s*$awk. It had be o&e Mrs. 4e"essy.s bird. )o&ethi"g see&ed gross!y a&iss here' so&ethi"g that wo$!d "ot ha%e o $rred had the wood bee" !arger. I o$!d "ot afford to b$y Mrs. 4e"essy o$t' I dared "ot &$rder her' a"d !i&itatio"s of this sort beset &e o" e%ery side. Ahab did "ot wa"t that %i"eyard--he o"!y "eeded it to ro$"d off his #ro#erty' #re#aratory to #!otti"g a "ew $r%e--a"d a!! the !a"d aro$"d &y wood has be o&e "e essary to &e i" order to ro$"d off the wood. A bo$"dary #rote ts. 8$t--#oor !itt!e thi"g--the bo$"dary o$ght i" its t$r" to be #rote ted. >oises o" the edge of it. ?hi!dre" throw sto"es. A !itt!e &ore' a"d the" a !itt!e &ore' $"ti! we rea h the sea. 4a##y ?a"$te@ 4a##ier A!e:a"der@ A"d after a!!' why sho$!d e%e" the wor!d be the !i&it of #ossessio", A ro ket o"tai"i"g a A"io" 7a k' wi!!' it is ho#ed' be short!y fired at the &oo". Mars. )iri$s. 8eyo"d whi h . . . 8$t these i&&e"sities e"ded by sadde"i"g &e. I o$!d "ot s$##ose that &y wood was the desti"ed "$ !e$s of $"i%ersa! do&i"io"--it is so s&a!! a"d o"tai"s "o &i"era! wea!th beyo"d the b!a kberries. >or was I o&forted whe" Mrs. 4e"essy.s bird took a!ar& for the se o"d ti&e a"d f!ew !ea" away fro& $s a!!' $"der the be!ief that it be!o"ged to itse!f.

B I" the third #!a e' #ro#erty &akes its ow"er fee! that he o$ght to do so&ethi"g to it. Cet he is".t s$re what. A rest!ess"ess o&es o%er hi&' a %ag$e se"se that he has a #erso"a!ity to e:#ress--the sa&e se"se whi h' witho$t a"y %ag$e"ess' !eads the artist to a" a t of reatio". )o&eti&es I thi"k I wi!! $t dow" s$ h trees as re&ai" i" the wood' at other ti&es I wa"t to fi!! $# the ga#s betwee" the& with "ew trees. 8oth i&#$!ses are #rete"tio$s a"d e&#ty. (hey are "ot ho"est &o%e&e"ts towards &o"ey&aki"g or bea$ty. (hey s#ri"g fro& a foo!ish desire to e:#ress &yse!f a"d fro& a" i"abi!ity to e"9oy what I ha%e got. ?reatio"' #ro#erty' e"9oy&e"t for& a si"ister tri"ity i" the h$&a" &i"d. ?reatio" a"d e"9oy&e"t are both %ery' %ery good' yet they are ofte" $"attai"ab!e witho$t a &ateria! basis' a"d at s$ h &o&e"ts #ro#erty #$shes itse!f i" as a s$bstit$te' sayi"g' DA e#t &e i"stead--I.& good e"o$gh for a!! three.D It is "ot e"o$gh. It is' as )hakes#eare said of !$st' D(he e:#e"se of s#irit i" a waste of sha&eD+ it is D8efore' a 9oy #ro#osed/ behi"d' a drea&.D Cet we do".t k"ow how to sh$" it. It is for ed o" $s by o$r e o"o&i syste& as the a!ter"ati%e to star%atio". It is a!so for ed o" $s by a" i"ter"a! defe t i" the so$!' by the fee!i"g that i" #ro#erty &ay !ie the ger&s of se!f-de%e!o#&e"t a"d of e:*$isite or heroi deeds. =$r !ife o" earth is' a"d o$ght to be' &ateria! a"d ar"a!. 8$t we ha%e "ot yet !ear"ed to &a"age o$r &ateria!is& a"d ar"a!ity #ro#er!y/ they are sti!! e"ta"g!ed with the desire for ow"ershi#' where (i" the words of -a"te) D2ossessio" is o"e with !oss.D

E A"d this bri"gs $s to o$r fo$rth a"d fi"a! #oi"t+ the b!a kberries.

7 8!a kberries are "ot #!e"tif$! i" this &eager gro%e' b$t they are easi!y see" fro& the #$b!i foot#ath whi h tra%erses it' a"d a!! too easi!y gathered. Fo:g!o%es' too--#eo#!e wi!! #$!! $# the fo:g!o%es' a"d !adies of a" ed$ atio"a! te"de" y e%e" gr$b for toadstoo!s to show the& o" the Mo"day i" !ass. =ther !adies' !ess ed$ ated' ro!! dow" the bra ke" i" the ar&s of their ge"t!e&e" frie"ds. (here is #a#er' there are ti"s. 2ray' does &y wood be!o"g to &e or does".t it, A"d' if it does' sho$!d I "ot ow" it best by a!!owi"g "o o"e e!se to wa!k there, (here is a wood "ear 0y&e Fegis' a!so $rsed by a #$b!i foot#ath' where the ow"er has "ot hesitated o" this #oi"t. 4e has b$i!t high sto"e wa!!s ea h side of the #ath' a"d has s#a""ed it by bridges' so that the #$b!i ir $!ate !ike ter&ites whi!e he gorges o" the b!a kberries $"see". 4e rea!!y does ow" his wood' this ab!e ha#. -i%es i" 4e!! did #retty we!!' b$t the g$!f di%idi"g hi& fro& 0a6ar$s sha!! o&e to this i" ti&e. I sha!! wa!! i" a"d fe" e o$t $"ti! I rea!!y taste the sweets of #ro#erty. E"or&o$s!y sto$t' e"d!ess!y a%ari io$s' #se$do- reati%e' i"te"se!y se!fish' I sha!! wea%e $#o" &y forehead the *$adr$#!e row" of #ossessio" $"ti! those "asty 8o!shies o&e a"d take it off agai" a"d thr$st &e aside i"to the o$ter dark"ess.

(191E)