No man but feels more of a man in the world if he have but a bit of ground that he can call his own. However small it is on the surface, it is four thousand miles deep; and that is a very handsome property.

Warner links personal dignity to ownership of even a tiny piece of land. The “bit of ground” functions as a symbol of independence and rootedness: possessing something one can “call his own” confers social standing and self-respect in a world where many feel transient or powerless. The humorous exaggeration—measuring the property not by acreage but by depth (“four thousand miles deep”)—underscores how ownership can feel expansive regardless of size. The line also hints at a democratic ideal in American life: modest property as a foundation for citizenship, stability, and a sense of belonging.