Year: 1866




in The August Atlantic. y ,'. ls


MONDAY, August 2.--I took walk
through the woods yesterday afternoon,
to Mr., Emerson s, with book which
Margaret Faller had left after call on
Saturday eve / missed the nearest way,
and wandered into very secluded por-
ton of the forest, for forest it might
Justly be called, 50 dense and somber
was the shade Of oaks and pines Once
/ wandered into tract so overgrown
with bushes and underbrush that could
scarcely force passage through. Moth
ing is more annoying than walk Of this
kind, where one is tormented by an i'm
Vulnerable host of petty impediments.
1t incenses and depresses me at the same
time. Always when l founder into the
midst Of bushes which cross and inter
twine themselves about my legs, and
brush my face and seize hold Of my
clothes with their multitudinous grip-al-
ways in such a difficulty, | feel as if it
were almost as well to lie down and die
in rage and despair, as to go one step
farther. It is laughable, after have
got out Of the moil, to think how msnra7
bly, it affected me for the moment but ]
had better learn patience betimes, for
there are many such bushy tracts in this
vicinity, on the margins OF meadows,
and my walks will often lead me into
them. Escaping from the bushes | soon
came TO an open spaceamong the woods,
very lovely spot, with the tall old trees
standing as quietly as if no one had in
truded there throughout the summer A
company of crows were holding their
Sabbath on their SUBMITS. Apparently
they felt injured or insulted by my pres
ence for, with one consent, they began
to cav cav cav and, launching them
selves sullenly on the air, took flight 10
some securer solitude Mine, probably,
was the first human shape they had seen
all-day long; at least, if they had been
stationary in that spot but perhaps
they had winged then, way over miles
and miles of country, and had break
tasted on the summit Of Gseylock, and
dined at the base Of Wachusett, aud were
merely come to sup and sleep among
the quiet woods of Concord. But it was
nv impression at the. time that they had
sat still and silent on the tops ofthe trees
all through the Sabbath day, and felt
like one who should, unawares, disturb
an assembly of worshipers. A crow,
however, has no real pretensions 20 re-
ligion, in spite Of his gravity of mien and
black attire Crows are certainly thieves,
and probably infdels. Nevertheless
their voices yesterday were in admirable
accordance with the influence of the
quiet, sunny, warm, yet Autumnhl after
noon They were so far above my head
that their loud clammor added to the
quiet ofthe scene, Instead OF disturbing
il. There was no other sound except
the song of the cricket, which is but an
audible Stiffness; for though it be very
loud and heard afar, yet the mind does
not take note Of IL as a sound, NO entirely
does it mingle and lose its individuality
among the other characteristics OF com
ing Autumn. Alas fJr the Summer The
grass is still verdant among the hills and
in the valleys; the foliage OF the trees is
as dense as ever and as green, the how
ers are as abundant along the margin OF
the rivers and IN the hedge rows, and as
deep among the, woods the days, too,
are as fervid as they were a month ago
and yet in every breath of wind and in
every beam of sunshine thers is an au-
tumual influence ! know not how to
describe it. Methinks there is sort OF
coolness amid ali the heat, and mild
ness in the brightest Of the sunshine A
breeze cannot stir without thrilling me
with the breath of autumn, and / behold
its pensive glory in the far, golden CLEANS
among the long shadows Of the trees.
The flowers, even the brightest OF them
the golden rod and the gorgeous car
dinals-ihe most glorious flowers OF the
year-have this gentle sadness amid their
pomp. Pensive autumn is expressed in
the glow Of every one of them have
felt this influence earlier IN some years
than in others. Sometimes autumn may
be perceived even in the early days of
July. There is no other feeling like that
caused by this faint, doubtful, yet real
perception, or rather prophecy, Of the
years decay, so deliciously sweet and
sad at the same time.


After leaving the book at Mr. Emer-
sons returned through the woods, and
entering Sleepy Hollow, 1 perceived q
lady reclining near the path which bends
along its verge TWAS Margaret herself
She had been there the whole afternoon,
meditating or reading for she bad a
book in her hand, with some strange IL
tie. which | did not understand, and
have forgotten. She said that nobody
had broken her solitude, and was just
giving uttersnce to q theory that no in
habitaut Of Concord ever visited Sleepy
Hollow, when We saw q groap Of people
entering the sacred precincts. Most Of
them followed q path which led them
away from us; but IN old man passed