216 
WALDEN. 
shore, where it is visited by humming birds in June, 
and the color both of its bluish blades and its flowers, 
and especially their reflections, are in singular harmony 
with the glaucous water. 
White Pond and Walden are great crystals on the 
surface of the earth, Lakes of Light. If they were per¬ 
manently congealed, and small enough to be clutched, 
they would, perchance, be carried off by slaves, like 
precious stones, to adorn the heads of emperors; but 
being liquid, and ample, and secured to us and our suc¬ 
cessors forever, we disregard them, and run after the 
diamond of Kohinoor. They are too pure to have a 
market value; they contain no muck. How much more 
beautiful than our lives, how much more transparent 
than our characters, are they! We never learned mean¬ 
ness of them. How much fairer than the pool before 
the farmer’s door, in which his ducks swim! Hither 
the clean wild ducks come. Nature has no human in¬ 
habitant who appreciates her. The birds with their 
plumage and their notes are in harmony with the flow¬ 
ers, but what youth or maiden conspires with the wild 
luxuriant beauty of Nature ? She flourishes most alone, 
far from the towns where they reside. Talk of heaven ! 
ye disgrace earth. 
