LOVERS OF NATURE 209 



ing forward here and there. I try repeatedly 

 to catch and break it with my hand and let the 

 water run free, but still to my surprise I clutch 

 nothing but fluid, and the imaginary line keeps 

 its place." 



A little closer scrutiny would have shown him 

 that this waving water line was probably caused 

 in some way by the meeting of two volumes or 

 currents of water. 



The most novel and interesting observation I 

 can now recall is his discovery of how the wild 

 apple-tree in the pastures triumphs over the 

 browsing cattle, namely, by hedging itself about 

 by a dense thorny growth, keeping the cows at 

 arm's length as it were, and then sending up a 

 central shoot beyond their reach. 



One of the most acute observations Thoreau's 

 Journals contain is not upon nature at all, but 

 upon the difference between men and women 

 "in respect to the adornment of their heads:" 

 "Do you ever see an old or jammed bonnet on 

 the head of a woman at a public meeting ? But 

 look at any assembly of men with their hats 

 on; how large a proportion of the hats will be 

 old, weather-beaten, and indented ; but, I think, 

 so much more picturesque and interesting. 

 One farmer rides by my door in a hat which it 

 does me good to see, there is so much character 

 in it, so much independence, to begin with, and 

 then afl'ection for his old friends, etc., etc. I 

 should not wonder if there were lichens on it. 

 . . . Men wear their hats for use, women 

 theirs for ornament. I have seen the greatest 



