LOVERS OF NATURE 209 



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 cat- 

 tle, 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 interest- 

 ing. 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 

 affection 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 philosopher in the town with 

 what the traders would call a * shocking bad hat ' on, 



