New-York daily tribune., 1849-06-13
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS.
II. ID. Tboreau.. Hook

III. ID. Tboreau'- Book.
WEEK ON THE CONCORD AND NERRlMAC
RIVERS sy HENET THoREar. fpp. 4l3 l2no)
Boston Mun-oe q Co. SeH-iork o. T. Putnam.
4 really new book-a fresh. original. thought
'gl works Sadly rare In this age Of omnii-rous
publication. Mr. Thoresns II not entirely TINS, is
fcry near IL. It's observations Of Nature are as
genial as Nature herself snf the tones Of his harp
have al EJ.!an sweetness His reflections are
always s,1sing. often profoundly truthful, and t.
scho sstic treasures, though little too ostenta
iious displayed, are such as the brst instructed
reader vii enjoy and thank h.m TOR. h.s Pti-
l3sophy, which is the Pantheistic eg5tism vaguely
rrsracterised as Transcendental. does net delight
as II seems second hand. initiative, often ex-
sggera-ed-a bad specimen OF dubious and dan
serous school. Bat we viii speak first OF the
staple Of the work.
Mr Thoresu is a nstvs aud resiientof Concord
Mass scholar, lab0rer, aut ia some sort a
hermit. He travelled what N bis earlier
years lie Is still youpg,) generally trusting TO his
own thoughts for company aud ms Ealkius-cane
for motive power II would seem main purpose
Of his life to demonstrate how slender al impedi-
nent is poverty to 2 man who pamPers no super
auous wants and how truly independent ard self
suIicing is he who is in no manner the slave Of
lis own appetites. OF bis ftful hermit life and
It's results we have already given some account
Now forhs Week onthe Concord and Meuimac.
The Concord is dull, dark, sluggish creek or
petty river which runs through the Massachusetts
town Of that name and s lost in the Merrmac at
Lowell On this stream, Mr.. Thoresu and his
friend embarked one Autumn afternoon IN small
rowbca at, and rowed or sailed down to the dam
near its mouth. thence across by the old Middesex
Canal 10 the Merrimsc above Lowell thence up
the latter 10 Hookset, y. II. where they left their
boat AID varied their experience by pedestrian
tour through the wild and rugged heart OF the
Granite State, returning 10 their boat after
weeks absence aud retracing their course home
ward. They had a tent which, while boating,
they pitched in the most inviting and secluded
spot-generslly a wood, when night overlook
them-tbey cooked and served for themselves only
approaching the dwellings rarely to purchase milk
or fruit or bread. Such is the thread of the mar
rative let US give single specimen Of It's obser-
vatons Of Nature. 1t is a description Of the COM
mencement of their aquatic journey
Gradually the village murmur sub.ided. aud
seemed 20 be embarked the placid current of our
dreams floating from past 10 future ~ silently ~ one
a~akes 10 fresh morning or evening ihoushis We
ehdcd nosclc--y down the stream occasionally driving
pickerc from The covert Of the pads, Dream from
her nest auf the smaller hittcrn now and then sailed
away on sluggish wings from recess In the shore,
the larger lifted itself ont of the long grass at our
approach and carried Its precious legs away 70 deposit
them place OF safety. The tOrtoiscs also rapidly
dropped into the water our boat rucd the surface
amid the willows breaking the reflections Of the trees
The banks had passed the hight oi their beauty, and
OF the brightest flowers showed by their faded
tini- that the yerns toward the afternoon
o the year but this sOmbre tngc enhanced their sin
cery and IN the still unahaed heats they seemed Ike
fhc nossy brink Of cool well The narrow ieafed
willow lay along the surface OF the water IN lna--cs oi
light green foliage. interpreted with ne large "hc
h.s of the button bash. The rose colored poysonun
raised Its bead proudly above the water ou either hahd
and lowering at thi- season and u these localities ln
the midst oi dense fields Of the whit" species whifn
skrcd the sides Of the stream its little streak oi r'd
locked very and precious. The pure white bios
SONS OF H.. head stood in the shalo~cr paTis,
and few cardinals on the margin still proudly sur
yeyCd themselves reelected IN the water though inc
latter AS well the pckerel weed was no" nearly
ont of blossom The snakeheac otei0H. giqbr1, grew
close 10 the shore, while kind OF corcopsls'
turning its brazcn face 10 the sun, full and rank aud
tall dull red flower, cHpaioriHfs p1pnrfhw or trumpet
weed formed the rear rank OF the iuvial array. Inc
bright blue lowcrs Of the sOap-wor genuan were
sprinkled here and there in the adjacent meadow.
Ike flowers which lroserpine had dropped and -rA
the Nirginian rhexa aud drooping neottis or ladies
tresscs while from the distant way sides, when
we occasionally passed and banks where the sun had
lodged was reflected dun yellow beam from the
ranks Of tausy. now in IT. prime. In short nature
seemed to have adorned herself for our departure
with profuson of irngrs aud curls mingled WIN iue
bright iints Of flowers reflected In the water But "e
missed the white waicrliiy, which J. the queen Of
ver lowers its reign being for this season iie
makes his voyage too late perhaps, by true water
clock who delays long Many OF this species nhahii
our Concord water have parsed down the river be-
tore sunrise on summer morning between nelds oi
lilies stll shut IN sleep and when AZ length the hake-
Of sunlight from over the bank tell on the surface VI
the water whole fields Of white blossoms seemed 70
Hash open before me- hoated along. Ike the unfold
ng ut banner sensible Is this flower 10 the inhu
eucc Of the suns rays
Here is another ia a similar VEN
whether we live hy the sea sde by the lakes ana
rivers or on the prairie concerns us % attend to the
nature of hshcs they not phenomena confined
10 certain localities only but forms and phases o the
life in nature universally dispersed. The countless
shoals which annually csast the shores OF Europe and
America are not 80 interesting the student OF IA