Letters to a Friend 



walks. The first was born in January. I give 

 them more attention than I give the dirty mon 

 grel creatures of my flock, that are about half 

 made by God and half by man. I have not yet 

 discovered the poetical part of a shepherd's 

 duties. 



Spring will soon arrive to the plants of Madi 

 son, and surely they will miss you. In Yosemite 

 you will find cassiopes and laurels and azaleas, 

 and luxuriant mosses and ferns, but I know 

 that even these can never take the place of the 

 long-loved ones of your Vermont hills. 



Forgive me this long writing. I know that 

 you are in a fever of joy from the beauty pour 

 ing upon you; nevertheless you seem so near 

 I can hardly stop. 



My most cordial regards to the Doctor. Cali- 

 fornians do not deserve such as he. 



A lawyer by the name of Wigonton or Wigle- 

 ton, a graduate of Madison, resides in Snellings. 

 I suppose you know him. 



I am your friend, 



JOHN MUIR. 

 [52] 



