Thoreau writes his poem “Stanzas” in his journal:
Nature doth have her dawn each day,
But mine are far between;
Content, I cry, for, sooth to say,
Mine brightest are, I weep.
For when my sun doth deign to rise
Though it be her noontide,
Her fairest field in shadow lies,
Nor can my light abide . . .
Ellen Sewall writes to her father Edmund Quincy Sewall Sr. on 31 July:
Wednesday afternoon, it being a holiday with the young gentlemen, we, that is Aunt, [Prudence Ward] Messrs. John and Henry Thoreau, and I, walked to the cliffs, where Edmund went when he was here. We took the springs, in our way, where we refreshed ourselves with some most deliciously cool water. It was the best water I ever tasted, just such water as you, dear Father, would like. We stayed a long time at the cliffs, admiring the prospect, which is indeed beautiful, and then we proceeded to Fairhaven pond. This is a sweet little pond; I believe Edmund visited it. We returned by the way of Walden pond, which is much larger than Fairhaven. We enjoyed this walk exceedingly (perhaps I should speak for myself), and were not at all fatigued by it.
(transcript in The Thoreau Society Archives at the Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods, Lincoln, Mass.; MS, private owner)
