Former Inhabitants and Winter Visitors

teastohaulaloadofmanurefromhisbarn-yard.Wetalkedofrudeandsimpletimes,whenmensataboutlargefiresincoldbracingweather,withclearheadsandwhenotherdessertfailed,wetriedourteethonmanyanutwhichwisesquirrelshavelongsinceabandoned,forthosewhichhavethethickestshellsarecommonlyempty. Theonewhocamefromfarthesttomylodge,throughdeepestsnowsandmostdismaltempests,wasapoet.Afarmer,ahunter,asoldier,areporter,evenaphilosopher,maybedauntedbutnothingcandeterapoet,forheisactuatedbypurelove.Whocanpredicthiscomingsandgoings?Hisbusinesscallshimoutatallhours,evenwhendoctorssleep.Wemadethatsmallhouseringwithboisterousmirthandresoundwiththemurmurofmuchsobertalk,makingamendsthentoWaldenvaleforthelongsilences.Broadwaywasstillanddesertedincomparison.Atsuitableintervalstherewereregularsalutesoflaughter,whichmighthavebeenreferredindifferentlytothelastutteredortheforth-comingjest.Wemademanya“brannew”theoryoflifeoverathindishofgruel,whichcombinedtheadvantagesofconvivialitywiththeclear-headednesswhichphilosophyrequires. Ishouldnotforgetthatduringmylastwinteratthepondtherewasanotherwelcomevisitor,whoatonetimecamethroughthevillage,throughsnowandrainanddarkness,tillhesawmylampthroughthetrees,andsharedwithmesomelongwinterevenings.Oneofthelastofthephilosophers,—Connecticutgavehimtotheworld,—hepeddledfirstherwares,afterwards,ashedeclares,hisbrains.Thesehepeddlesstill,promptingGodanddisgracingman,bearingforfruithisbrainonly,likethenutitskernel.Ithinkthathemustbethemanofthemostfaithofanyalive.Hiswordsandattitudealwayssupposeabetterstateofthingsthanothermenareacquaintedwith,andhewillbethelastmantobedisappointedastheagesrevolve.Hehasnoventureinthepresent.Butthoughcomparativelydisregardednow,whenhisdaycomes,lawsunsuspectedbymostwilltakeeffect,andmastersoffamiliesandrulerswillcometohimforadvice.— “Howblindthatcannotseeserenity!” Atruefriendofmanalmosttheonlyfriendofhumanprogress.AnOldMortality,sayratheranImmortality,withunweariedpatienceandfaithmakingplaintheimageengraveninmen’sbodies,theGodofwhomtheyarebutdefacedandleaningmonuments.Withhishospitableintellectheembraceschildren,beggars,insane,andscholars,andentertainsthethoughtofall,addingtoitcommonlysomebreadthandelegance.Ithinkthatheshouldkeepacaravansaryontheworld’shighway,wherephilosophersofallnationsmightputup,andonhissignshouldbeprinted,“Entertainmentforman,butnotforhisbeast.Enteryethathaveleisureandaquietmind,whoearnestlyseektherightroad.”HeisperhapsthesanestmanandhasthefewestcrotchetsofanyIchancetoknowthesameyesterdayandtomorrow.Ofyorewehadsaunteredandtalked,andeffectuallyputtheworldbehindusforhewaspledgedtonoinstitutioninit,freeborn,ingenuus.Whicheverwayweturned,itseemedthattheheavensandtheearthhadmettogether,sinceheenhancedthebeautyofthelandscape.Ablue-robedman,whosefittestroofistheoverarchingskywhichreflectshisserenity.IdonotseehowhecaneverdieNaturecannotsparehim. Havingeachsomeshinglesofthoughtwelldried,wesatandwhittledthem,tryingourknives,andadmiringtheclearyellowishgrainofthepumpkinpine.Wewadedsogentlyandreverently,orwepulledtogethersosmoothly,thatthefishesofthoughtwerenotscaredfromthestream,norfearedanyangleronthebank,butcameandwentgrandly,likethecloudswhichfloatthroughthewesternsky,andthemother-o’-pearlflockswhichsometimesformanddissolvethere.Thereweworked,revisingmythology,roundingafablehereandthere,andbuildingcastlesintheairforwhichearthofferednoworthyfoundation.GreatLooker!GreatExpecter!toconversewithwhomwasaNewEnglandNight’sEntertainment.Ah!suchdiscoursewehad,hermitandphilosopher,andtheoldsettlerIhavespokenof,—wethree,—itexpandedandrackedmylittlehouseIshouldnotdaretosayhowmanypounds’weighttherewasabovetheatmosphericpressureoneverycircularinchitopeneditsseamssothattheyhadtobecalkedwithmuchdulnessthereaftertostoptheconsequentleak—butIhadenoughofthatkindofoakumalreadypicked. TherewasoneotherwithwhomIhad“solidseasons,”longtoberemembered,athishouseinthevillage,andwholookedinuponmefromtimetotimebutIhadnomoreforsocietythere. Theretoo,aseverywhere,IsometimesexpectedtheVisitorwhonevercomes.TheVishnuPuranasays,“Thehouse-holderistoremainateventideinhiscourt-yardaslongasittakestomilkacow,orlongerifhepleases,toawaitthearrivalofaguest.”Ioftenperformedthisdutyofhospitality,waitedlongenoughtomilkawholeherdofcows,butdidnotseethemanapproachingfromthetown.