C xviii ] 



tion, made up of contributions from such a variety of 

 sources, often written hastily and without revision, 

 is not free from defects; but they are defects which 

 are easily passed over by the discriminating reader in 

 the face of so much that bears the hall-mark of genius. 

 Thoreau's jnnrnal ma y be compared to a choice Tur k- 

 ish rug, of original, intricate, and yet admittedly 

 beautiful pattern. The lines of the pattern do not all 

 run geometrically true, and occasionally, here and 

 there, a strand appears which is not quite in tune 

 with its surroundings. Notwithstanding, the pattern 

 is singularly consistent, harmonious, and satisfying, 

 every feature contributing faithfully to the unity of 

 the design. The colors are fast, even when subjected 

 to the most rigorous tests ; there is no needless fringe 

 or superficial lustre; while in point of durability, it 

 promises to outlast a thousand rugs of the ordinary 

 sort. 



Thoreau's interest, in all his outdoor studies, was 

 centred chiefly upon life. The rocks and ledges held 

 his attention only as they revealed a story of change. 

 Thawing sand overflowing the snow was to him a wel- 

 come token of Nature's vitality. He delighted in run- 

 ning brooks, but stagnant pools were of value only as 

 mirrors for the living landscape. November, with its 

 bareness and desolateness, was the hardest month of 

 the year for him to get through. As for museums, with 

 their stuffed specimens, he positively hated them — 

 "catacombs of nature." He felt compelled to visit 



