Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-10-10
New Books.

eau VOL Boston Ticknor x Fields |
Thoreau has written much that is worth
reading, and much that stimulates thought in
others; and the latter kind of writing is rare
enough to be valuable. The book before us
has the marked c. aracteristics of bis pen
pi9uant, graphic, rich and appreciatve in it's
description of all natural objects, and bod, |
sharp, aggressive, and often cynical in it's criti-
eisms and observations of men and their work. |
Charity was not a controlling element in his
makeup, and colOuer de rose, except when he
was painting nature, was not in much request
in his writing. He abhorred society as pre-
tentious and lying sham, and be had little
patience with any form of order or law that
did not conform exactly TO his idea. He was
. non conformiet of the strictest sect, in dress
society, politics and religion, as hie writ
lngs abundsntly prove, and this volume among
the rest And yet there is freshness, origi-
nality, heartiness, and frankness about all his
pen has given US, a raciness and flavor of
genius, that make his books exceedingly en-
Pertaining. Travellers can gather many useful
hints from this extract from the Yankee in
Canada although the English Author who
wrote some years ago a treaties on "Shirking,"
in which he expounded the duty of maintain
ing ones dignity and keeping up appearances,
would undoubtedly take issue with thi, phi
iosopby of travelling. Thoreau says:
Well, L thought to myself, here am in a
foreign country; let me have my eyes about
me, and take 1t all in. 1t already looked and
felt great deal colder than it had in New
England, as we might have expected it would
realized fully that was four degrees nearer
the pole, and shuddered at the thought and
wondered If it was possible that the peaches
might not all be gone when | returned. 1t
vas an atmosphere that made me think OF the
fur trade. which is so interesting department
an Canada. for | bad ss head-coyeripp a
thin palm-lesf hat without lining, that cost
twenty-five cents. and over my coat one of
shose unspeakably cheap we'll as thin,
brown linen sacks of the Oak Hall pattern
which every summer appear all over New
Eng land, thick the leaves upon the trees
I,was q thoroughly Yankee costume, which
some of my fellow travellers wore in the cars
20 save their coats a dustng. [ worc mine at
sret because it looked better than The coat 1t
covered, and last, because two coats were
warmer than one, though was thin and
dirty. | never wear nv best coat or q Journey
though perchance could show a certificate to
prove that have q more costly one at least at
home, If that were all that q gentleman reauir-
ed 1t IS not wise tor a traveller 70 go dressed
| should no more think OF it than of putting on
clean dicky and blacking my shoes to go
fishing; as if you were going out to dine,
when, in fact, the genius traveller is going
out 20 work hard, and fare harder, to eat q
crust by the wayside whenever rs can get it.
Honest travelling is about dirty work as
you can do, and a man needs a pair of over
slls for it. As foE blacking my shoes IN such
case, should as soon think of blackng my
face L carry piece Of tallow to preserve the
leather and keep out the water that's all ;
and many an ofhcious shoe black. who carried
OF my shoes when | was slumbering, misrak-
ing me tor gentlemen, has had occasion tC
repent 1t before he produced gloss on them
My pack, in fact. soon made, for keeJ
q short list of those articles which from fire
quent experience, ] have found indispenssbl,
60 the toottraveler ; and, when AIN about tC
start, have only to consult that, to be sure
that nothing 1. omitted and, what is IN ore i'm
portsnt, nothing uperhuous inserted. Most o
my fe.lowtravelers carried carpet bags ol
vAlises. Sometimes one ha3 two or three
ponderous yellow valises in his clutch a eaci
hitch of the care, If we going to havt
another rush for seats aud when there was
rush IN earnest, and there were not few.
would see my man IN the crowd, with two Oh
three afectIOnatc lusty fellows alor each siC
OF his arm, between his shoulder and his va
1Ises, which last held them tight 10 lis ba OK
like the nut on the end of screw. | coul(
not help asking IN my mind. What SO grea
cause for showing Canada 10 those valises
when perhaps your very nieces had to stay a
home for want OF an escort? L should hav
liked to be present VIXEN the Gust M hous
oftcer came aboard OF him, and asked him tc
declare upon his honor IT he had any thing bu
wearing apparel in hem. Even the elephan
carries but a small trunk on his journeys
The perfection OF travelling to travel with
out baggage. After considerable reflection ant
experience, L have concluded that the best bal
for the foot traveller Is made with handker
chief, or, if he study appearances, piece o
stif brown paper, well tied up, with a fres
piece within to put outside when the first j
torn. That is good for both town and coun
ty, and none will know but you are carryin
home the silk for new gown for your wife
when it may be a dirty shirt. a bundle whic
you carry literally under your arm, an
which will shrink and swell with its content:
L never found the carpet-has o! equal capaci
~, which was not bundle Of Itself
We styled ourselves the knights Of the Um
brela and the Bundle; for Wherever we wen,
whether to Notre ID sme or Mount Royal, c
she Cham p-de-Mars 10 the Town Maj1rs c
the Bishops Palace, 10 the Citadel, with
bare-legged Highlander for our escort Or to tt
Plains OF Abraham, to dinner to bed, IL
umbrella and the bundle went with US for "
wished to be ready 10 digress ar any momen
We made it our home nowhere in partIcula
but everywhere where our umbrella and bur
die were. It would have been an amusIn
circumstance, if the Mayor of one of tho
cities had politely asked us where WEI
staying. We could only have answered, th'
We were staying with ms Honor for the Tin
being. l was amused when, after our return
some green ones inquired If we found it eas
to get accommodated as if went abroad
8e, accommodated when We get that
home.
Besides the yankee in Canada this boo
has the following articles
"Slavery in Massachusetts,, Prayers, Ci'
Disobedience. a Plea for Capt. JOHN Brow
Paradise ito be) regained, Herald of Frcedol
Thomas Carlyle and bis works, Lille witho
Principle, Wendell Phillips before the CONGO
Lyceum, the Last days OF John Brown"
Thoreau was an admirer of Phillips, Jol
Brown, and every champion of the anti-sla'
~ cause, and he was warmly eulogstic in /
praise Of them, and intensely caustc in
criticisms upon conservatives and trimmer
Those W no would like to review their impre
sions of the old anti ti-slavery war, will find
several of the papers in this volume some
the most vigorous and pointed writing OF th
time. Thoreau had little confidence n Cit
and their populations when questions OF j.
siee, humanity, and truth were to be decide