New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-15

sincere n person as Mr. ThOreau was In all that he
did or said there was such perfect integrity, such
absolute modestl -under a rough exterior some
times; terrible ind gnaton he capable of: but
such absolute frankness that you would thank him
even for calling you bad'
Nh Gueuier reiterated his inquiry, explain
ing that no was a person Of no con-
sequence but that he wanted the question OF
Thoreau's salfsupport settled, because 1t was not
commonly understood He himself was thoroughly
in sympathy with Ihorcau. The question, however
was treated with scant courtesy. though MI
Guerrier returned to il with persistence worthy vi
ihoreau himself Mr.. Acott resumed:
often visited Mr. Thoreau his hermitage. When
he was aoout building be and borrowed my axe
often stayed with III Mr Thoreau went 70 Walaen
10 show how little scholar could I'VE mana 90 nis ~
work I'm his way. The ds were the m atrria, ~
knew best to work with IN ns writing IDereior.
be went 10 them. His friends heiped I'd rutrp a.,
hermitage. and there he remained eighteen months Jul
ing this purtng himself INTO the closest relations
with all things around hln Inc ahlmds 80.
TO him. The n-hes took the same delight IN min'
Tor. a. VIC all know there Is nag .eu ,h
In the hand OF some persons II ne wIshch 10 stuy
life OF creature, he would not slaughter or sect H.
He looks all things a. poet ais words we're chosen
with The utmost felicity ana ne wrote WEN tbe gIett.
speed Whenever he took walk, and mat was every
dav and night. for he was out at al hours; nss
habit returning. 10 write out me nplrssun'
when they fresh and all alive he gives me exp
rienc- of his eighteen months IN walden an WIN
ne done this ne returns 10 DIS motners nouer1
when lived in the Hawthorne house where he YlslVd
me IN, lway, brought something interesting Bnt ne
had the hne art OF kno wing when 20 CO. neu I nu
said what be had 10 say. be le H. was man HV,he
up 10 The moment; he knew wha was ID tne ar. D
while ne was not certain sense, amemDer OF S0cstV
ne believed In society. Inc trouble was he uFn n
much when he went abroad, He was OF o'nereht ySe
from those he meta poet and there s TOO mnch prse
IN tne world Therefore IN order be true 10 himself
he kept himself He did not 90 to Walden Ior any
secondary object.
THOREAU AND EMERSON.
Mr. AIcott also told how. when the news of John
Brown, attack on Uarper's Ferry first came, Tho
reau sad. There's heror while no other man
even in Concord winch was thought favorable TO
liberty. ventured to say so much. Ihoreau went
home and wrote his essay on John Brown. ana then
rang the bell with HIS own hand and called the
people of the town together; and he read that re-
markable paper Even Mr. Emerson had not spoken
then Ii was Mr.. EmersOu's habit to wait before
speaking until he had the right things to sayi there
fore he, Mr.. Alcott, would not call Mr.. kmersons
patriotism IN question. But after hearing Ihoreau'
Emerson was much influenced They talked about
il together. and Mr. Alcott remembered his saying
'There are two men living in the worlG-John
Brown and Henry Thoreau." Mr. Alcott believed
however. he added a thIrd-Wat Whitman.
Dr. Emerson. the son of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
reyertln0 10 Mr. Guerrer's question. answered II
bv saving: " think no person was more abe 10
srpport himself and live under difficult circum-
stances than Thoreau. He was irst man ana tneh
= pbilosopher. No doubt he did while at Walden,
receive the c0urtesies Of dinners and loaves OF
bread Because he bad gone into the woods to study
and live simply was 20 reason why be shouldn't
enjoy the society Of friends. He accepted invita-
tions 10 dinner or tea rs anyone would. but wished
none the less 10 take care of himself, and would
have lived off the country rs the army men say, III
more trying circumstances than many could DO"
Nr. Alcot5 said that Thoreau lad two trades.
He cou Id make a " good pencil and was good sur
yevorp Dr. Jones. speaking from the literary
point Of view. and that Ihoreau had produce1 ID
Walden poem of Nature. Walden was mytnc
ground: his book was a myth of his own. Another
Gentleman recalled rhOreau', statement IN the BOOK
itself mat he went to she woods not 10 live cheapy
mar dearly. but for business OF his own which be
could transact better there. IL was practical
move.
Eere another gentleman asked about Thoreaus
meeting with Walt Whitman. II i TOO long 4
story 70 tel. " sad Mr.. Alcott, with much humor'
d" but their first interview was very singular. IL
looked rs if when Thoreau found Whitman, that
was about the first time he had seen any one WHO
he thought was a man; aud Whitman seemed
ro think about the same thing OF him. lcOula ONLY
be reminded of two uncommon creatures IN the Tor
,st who didn't know anything about each other.
meeting ana IoohlhR az o"O" o'"0i ~ -'J ''S
Well. you're almost as great as l any And they
looked at each other as if they wondered what was
Going To happen After awhile they fell into apiea--
ant conversation and lh0reau came away, saying
That is great man You see the interest was
that thev both loved what was naturally hitnan
liking the wild man If the WOODS, not the Indian
but m American. and Thoreau liking toe Wild man
also even an Indian. They didn't embrace.
Tnoraau yvasot IN the habit of showing his interest
in hat manner But they had delightful CONVEX
.atou.'
The meeting was soon adIourned-too soon' lOr
Mr. Edmund C. Stedmau was In the audience with
ous having taken part in the talk, and there was
still much to saw But. as II stands, the record OF
this session is not surpassed by any other Of the
season in novelty AMI literary interest. Ine audi
euce was numerous and brilliant.