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  The first thing I saw on being introduced to the Portland Lyceum last evening was your letter . . . Mr. [Ralph Waldo] Emerson follows me here. I am just in the midst of printing my book, which is likely to turn out much larger than I expected. I shall advertise another, “Walden, or Life in the Woods,” in the first which by the way I call “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers.” When I get through with this business, if nothing else occurs to prevent I shall enjoy a visit to you and to Maine very much, but I do not promise myself as yet, nor do I wish you or Maine to promise yourselves ot me. I leave for Boston in a few moments. Remember me to all friends—

Yours in haste

Henry D. Thoreau.

PS. I thank you again and again for your exertions in my behalf

  The chill-lill of the blue snowbirds is heard again. A partridge goes off on Fair Haven Hill-side . . . I detect a few catkins at a distance by their distinct yellowish color . . .

  P.M.—To Martial Mile’s Meadow, by boat to Nut Meadow Brook. Launched my new boat . . . The cranberries now make a show under water, and I always make it a point to taste a few . . .

  C. [William Ellery Channing] says he saw a painted tortoise yesterday. Very likely. We started two ducks feeding behind a low spit of meadow . . . The spear-heads of the skunk-cabbage are now quite conspicuous . . .

  At Nut Meadow Brook, water-bugs and skaters are now plenty . . . C. saw a frog. Hubbard’s field a smooth russet bank lit by the setting sun and the pale skim-milk sky above. I told Stacy the other day that there was another volume of De Quincey’s Essays (wanting to see it in his library). “I know it,” says he, “but I shan’t buy any more of them, for nobody reads them.” I asked what book in his library was most read. He said, “The Wide, Wide World.”

  Still very cold. The most splendid show of ice chandeliers, casters, hour-glasses (!) that I ever saw or imagined . . . The now silvery willow catkins (notwithstanding the severe cold) shine along the shore, over the cold water, and C. [William Ellery Channing] thinks some willow osiers decidedly more yellow.

  Going [along] the steep side-hill on the south of the pond about 4 P.M., on the edge of the little patch of wood which the choppers have not yet levelled,—though they have felled many an acre around it this winter,—I observed a rotten and hollow hemlock stump about two feet high and six inches in diameter, and instinctively approached with my right hand ready to cover it. I found a flying squirrel in it, which, as my left hand had covered a small hole at the bottom, ran directly into my right hand. It struggled and bit not a little, but my cotton glove protected me, and I felt its teeth only once or twice. It also uttered three or four dry shrieks at first . . .

  Part of the white maples now begin to flow, some perhaps two or three days. Probably in equally warm positions they would have begun to flow as early as those red ones which I have tapped. Their buds, and apparently some of the red ones, are visibly swollen . . .

  At the red maple which I first tapped, I see the sap still running and wetting the whole side of the tree . . .

  Leaving our boat just below Barrett’s, [Nathan Barrett] we walk down the shore. We see many gulls on the very opposite side of the meadow, near the woods. They look bright-white, like snow on the dark-blue water. It is surprising how far they can be seen, how much light they reflect, and how conspicuous they are . . .

  Returning from Poplar Hill through the west end of Sleepy Hollow, it is very still, the air thick, just ready to rain, and I hear there, on the apple trees and small oaks, the tree sparrows and hyemalis singing very pleasantly . . .

  Please send me by mail a copy of your “Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers.”

  Enclosed please find one dollar and a quarter ($1.25), which I believe you consider the pecuniary value of the book.

  Address Jane Andrews, Newburyport, Mass. March 22, 1860.

  The bluebirds were here the 26 of Feb. at least, which is one day earlier than your date; but I have not heard of larks nor pigeon woodpeckers.

  To tell the truth, I am not on the alert for the signs of Spring, not having had any winter yet. I took a severe cold about the 3 of Dec. which at length resulted in a kind of bronchitis, so that I have been confined to the house ever since, excepting a very few experimental trips as far as the P. O. in some particularly mild noons. My health otherwise has not been affected in the least, nor my spirits. I have simply been imprisoned for so long; & it has not prevented my doing a good deal of reading & the like.

  Channing [William Ellery Channing] has looked after me very faithfully—says he has made a study of my case, & knows me better than I know myself &c &c. Of course, if I knew how it began, I should know better how it would end. I trust that when warm weather comes I shall begin to pick up my crumbs. I thank you for your invitation to come to New Bedford, and will bear it in mind, but at present my health will not permit my leaving home.

  The day I received your letter Blake [H. G. O. Blake] and Brown [Theophilus Brown] arrived here, having walked from Worcester in two days, though Alcott who happened in soon after could not understand what pleasure they found in walking across the country at this season when the ways were so unsettled. I had a solid talk with them for a day & a half—though my pipes were not in good order—& they went they way again.

  You may be interested to hear that Alcott is at present perhaps the most successful man in the town. He had his 2d annual exhibition of all the school in the town at the Town Hall last Saturday—at which all the masters & misses did themselves great credit, as I hear, & of course reflected some on their teachers & parents. They were making their little speeches from 1 till 6 o’clock pm, to a large audience which patiently listened to the end. In the meanwhile the children mad Mr A. an unexpected present, of a fine edition of Pilgrim’s Progress & Herberts Poems—which, of course, overcame all parties. I inclose our order of exercises.

  We had, last night, an old fashioned N. E. snow storm, far worse than any in the winter, & the drifts are now very high above the fences. The inhabitants are pretty much confined to their houses, as I was already. All houses are one color white with the snow plastered over them, & you cannot tell whether they have blinds or not. Our pump has another pump, its ghost, as thick as itself, sticking to one side of it. The town has sent out teams of 8 oxen each to break out the roads & the train due from Boston at 8½ am has not arrived yet (4 pm) All the passing has been a train from above at 12 m—which also was due at 8½ am. Where are the bluebirds now think you? I suppose that you have not so much snow at New Bedford, if any.

Yrs
Henry D. Thoreau

  Enclosed find $2. Note on Bank of Kenduskeag to replace the one returned. Of course we were not aware that there was any thing wrong with the one you returned.

Truly Yours
L. Johnson & Co