Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-11-25
HENRY DAVID THOREAU.
\ Unique and sole,yorthy Parsonage
BY E. ]. HOOPER.
rErnn, the CINCINNATI Times.l

This remarkable mau of genius and OF
eccentric habits died at Concord, in
1862. He was q pure lover of nature.
Ralph Waldo Emerson says of him: HE
was bred to no profession; he never
married: he lived alone; he never went
to church: he never voted; he refused to
nav a tax to the State; he ate no flesh;
lie drank no wine; he never knew the
use of tobacco; and though a naturalist,
he used neither trap nor gun. lie
chose. wise, no doubt, for himself, to
be the bachelor of thought and of ma
ture. He had no talent for wealth,
and knew how to be poor without the
least hint of squalOr or inelegance.-
Perhaps lac fell into his way of living
without fOrecasting it much, but APP
proyed il with later wisdom. Il am Of
ten reminded, he wrote IN his journal.
that had bestowed on me the wealth OF
CrGsus, my aims mnst still be the same
and nv means essentially the same.
He had no temptations to fight against
no appetites, no passions, no tastes for
elegant trifles. A fine house, dress, the
manners and talk of highly cultivated
people, were all thrown away on him.
He much preferred good Indian, and
considered these refinements impede
ments to conversation, wishing to meet
his companions on the simplest terms.
He did not like the taste OF wine, and
never had vice in his life. When
asked at the table what dish he prefer
red. he answered: The nearest.
He chose to be rich by making his
wants few, and supplying them himself.
Tn his travels he used the railroad only
to get over SO much country as was I'M
important to the present purpose, walk
ING hundreds of miles, avoiding taverns,
bnying a lodging in farmers and fish
.ermen's houses, cheaper and more
agreeable to him, and because there he
could better find the men and the IN
formation lie wanted.
In 1916 he built himself small frame
house on the shores of the Walden
Pond, and lived there two years alone,
a life of labor and study. He lived at
the rate of about 81 per week. No op-
position or ridicnle had any weight
with him.
He could find his path in the woods at
night, he said, better by his feet than
his eyes. He was good swimmer,
runner, skater, bOatman, and could
probably outwalk most countrymen In
day s journey. He liked and used the
simplest food, vet when some one urged
A vegetable diet, Thoreau thought all
diets very simple matter, saying that
ssthe man who shoots the buffalo lives
better than the man who boards at the
Graham House" =.
Whilst he used in his writings and
conversation, sometimes, certain pet
ulance of remark in reference to churches
or churchmen, he was person OF rare,
tender and absolute religion, person
incapable of any proclamation, by act or
by thoughttf
His senses were acute, and he re-
marked that by night every dwelling
house gives cut bad air, like slaughter
house.
"Thank God" he said, "they cannot
eut down the clouds. All kinds of fig
ures are drawn on Thy blue ground with
this fibrous white paint.
The country knows not yet, nor hard
" in the least part, how great son 1t
has lost. His studies required longev.
ity. No one can finish his task. But
he, at last, is content. His soul was
made for the noblest society; he had, In
a short life, exhausted the capabilities
of this world: wherever there is virtue,
wherever there is beauty, he will find a
home. So
He loved nature so well, was so hap
nv in her solitude, that he became very
Jealous of cities. The axe was always
destroying his forest. From his thought,
ful. in some cases, rather profound and
interesting letters, lately published, L
close my notice, or rather lllnstrauon'
of this singular character and person
age. who is comparatively, at present,
hut little known, as well as his writings,
although they have been already much
admired in England and parts OF Eu.
rope. and there is euloglstic review OF
INN in the Examiner. There can De
no doubt he was ultra in some things.
He was the author of GA Week on
tbe Concord and Merrimac Rivers,
{" Walden, or Life in the Woods. tx
cnrsions." "Cape Cod, "Ihe Name
Woods. - Sc Letters TO Various Persons,
fnosthunions. the last work, and many
contributions to literary and sclenune
periodicals. etc., Ell ). These works VIII
greatly interest the ardent lovers OF ha'
ture particularly.
There appeared few specimens from
his letters, VIZ:
EXTRACTS FROM II. d. THoREAU LETTERS;
ssTbe doctors are all agreed that
an, suffering from want OF society,"