A Victim of Thoreau. 



W HO ventures to say that length of years 

 bringeth wisdom ? And yet who has ever met an 

 octogenarian whom he did not look upon as wise ? 

 One hears so much about gaining wisdom through 

 experience that it seems impossible not to hold 

 him as very knowing who has reached fourscore 

 years. It is very proper to look up to our elders, 

 but it does not follow that the only course to pur- 

 sue is that pointed out by them. May it not seem 

 ungracious to say so, but there are many aged men 

 living who cannot be accounted wise. Even in 

 those things pertaining peculiarly to their own 

 sphere they are lacking. I met a curious char- 

 acter lately : an old man who professed to be a 

 victim of Thoreau. 



The day was fitting for such a meeting. Al- 

 though in March, there was a wealth of summer 

 62 



