Log Search Results

  A.M.—Ride with him and Brown [Theophilus Brown] and Sophia [Sophia Thoreau] round a part of Quinsigamond Pond in Shrewsbury . . .

  P.M.—Went to Rev. Horace James’s reptiles (Orthodox) . . .

  At Natural History Rooms, a great cone from a southern pine and a monstrous nutshell from the East Indies (?) . . .

  Crossed Herring River, and went down to the shore and walked a mile or more eastward along the beach. This beach seems to be laid down too long on the map. The sea never runs very much here, since the shore is protected from the swell by Monomoy . . .

  I go along the settled road, where the houses are interspersed with woods, in an unaccountably desponding mood, but when I come out upon a bare and solitary heath am at once exhilarated. This is a common experience in my traveling. I plod along, thinking what a miserable world this is and what miserable fellows that we inhabit it, wondering what tempts men to live in it; but anon I leave the towns behind and am lost in some boundless heath, and life becomes gradually more tolerable, if not even glorious . . .

  One egg is hatched since the 8th, and the young bird, all down, with a tinge of fawn or cinnamon, lies motionless on its breast with its head down and is already about four inches long! An hour or two after, I see the old hawk pursue a stake-driver which was flying over this spot, darting down at him and driving him off . . .

  About 1 P.M., notice thunder-clouds in west and hear the muttering. As yesterday, it splits at sight of Concord and goes south and north . . . (Journal, 13:358).

  Your box of relics came safe to hand, but was speedily deposited on the carpet I assure you. What could it be? Some declared it must be Taunton herrings Just nose it sir. So down we went onto our knees and commenced smelling in good earnest, now horizontally from this corner to that, now perpendicularly from the carpet up, now diagonally, and finally with a sweeping movement describing the entire circumference. But it availed not. Taunton herring would not be smelled. So we e’en proce[e]ded to open it vi et chisel. What an array of nails! Four nails make a quarter four quarters a yard,—i faith this isn’t cloth measure.

  Blaze away old boy, clap in another wedge, then!—There! softly she begins to gape—Just give that old stickler with a black hat on a hoist. Aye! W’ell [sic] pare his nails for him. Well done old fellow there’s a breathing hole for you. “Drive it in,” cries one, “rip it off,” cries another. Be easy I say. What’s done, may be undone Your richest veins don’t lie nearest the surface. Suppose we sit down and enjoy the prospect, for who knows but we may be disappointed? When they opened Pandora’s box, all the contents escaped except hope, but in this case hope is uppermost and will be the first to escape when the box is opened. However the general voice was for kicking the coverlid off.

  The relics have been arranged numerically on a table. When shall we set up housekeeping? Miss Ward thanks you for her share of the spoils, also accept many thanks from your humble servant “for yourself.”

  I have a proposal to make. Suppose by the time you are released, we should start in company for the West and there either establish a school jointly, or procure ourselves separate situations. Suppose moreover you should get ready to start previous to leaving Taunton, to save time. Go I must at all events. Dr. Jarvis enumerated nearly a dozen schools which I could have—all such as would suit you equally well. I wish you would write soon about this. It is high season to start. The canals are now open, and travelling comparatively cheap. I think I can borrow the cash in this town. There’s nothing like trying

  Brigham wrote you a few words on the eig[h]th which father took the liberty to read, with the advice and consent of the family. He wishes you to send him those [numbers] of the library of health received since -38, if you are in Concord, othe[rw]ise, he says, you need not trouble you[rse]lf about it at present. [H]e is in C and enjoying better health than usual. But one number, and that you have, has been received.

  The bluebirds made their appearance the 14th day of March-robins and pigeons have also been seen. Mr. E[merson] has put up the bluebird box in due form.

All send their love. From
Y’r aff. brother
H. D. Thoreau