Thoreau’s aunt Maria writes to Prudence Ward:
Mr. Emerson is going to Europe soon to lecture there, and in consequence Henry has sold his house to him, and is going to reside in his family this winter . . . Mr. [A. Bronson] Alcott’s going to Europe for the present seems to have blown over. He and H. is building an arbour for Mr. Emerson, but H. says A. pulls down as fast as he builds up (quite characteristic), but it is rather expensive [and] somewhat tedious to poor Henry, to say nothing of endangering life and limb, for if there had not been a comfortable haystack near, that he availed himself of by jumping into, when the top rafter was knock’d off, it might have been rather a serious affair. I do not know but I exaggerate a little, but at any rate jump he had to, and I believe it was in a hay mow. I hope they will find as soft a landing place, one and all, when they drop from the clouds, this expression is rather ambiguous you may take it as you [like?]—but my letter is becoming quite too trancendental, I will decend a little.
