. American lands and letters. es col-leges ; they do not adorn the anthologies of MissPrim and of teachers. But they are alive ; theythink ; they break rules — but they also breaktedium, and stupid meandering in the light of myladys grammatic enforcements. They have pulseand a buoyant life, that engages. There is good appetite for a mans speech whohas the courage to be himself. We love to lay holdof his nodosities and angularities, when he makesno concealment and does not weary and embrutehimself for half his life in trying to cover themup or to round them down. That a man shouldtake to a hut
. American lands and letters. es col-leges ; they do not adorn the anthologies of MissPrim and of teachers. But they are alive ; theythink ; they break rules — but they also breaktedium, and stupid meandering in the light of myladys grammatic enforcements. They have pulseand a buoyant life, that engages. There is good appetite for a mans speech whohas the courage to be himself. We love to lay holdof his nodosities and angularities, when he makesno concealment and does not weary and embrutehimself for half his life in trying to cover themup or to round them down. That a man shouldtake to a hut and give over bath-tubs, confits,prim clothes, and conventionalism, is not in itselfmatter of interest or a tone of conduct that wouldpique curiosity or study ; but that he should dothis honestly, straightforwardly, consistently, in THOREAU. 281 the evolution of a system of what lie reckonshumane conduct of life — this makes the mattercurious and entertaining. It approaches (in ahumble way, indeed) that other honest human. Thoreaus Grave. experience^ justified by its story, which was setforth many generations ago in Gascony, by theSieur Michel de Montaigne. But I cannot linger longer with the sage ofWalden, who sang and philosophized, and playedthe flute and broke the laws. Emerson has said 282 AMERICAN LANDS &^ LETTERS. of him at his funeral (18G2), in sweet and tenderwords of consecration — better worth than theheaped-up praises of a biographer—Whereverthere is knowledge, wherever there i-s virtue,wherever there is beauty, he will find a home. A Poets Youth. Among those Ave encountered at Bowdoin Col-lege in the twenties was a ruddy-faced, engaginglad * who came from Portland — who was born ina great house, still standing on the edge of thewater, and who had by nature poetic graces andaptitudes, and grew to a love of languages, andof their billowy flow from all tongues. In hisearly teens some of his verse finds lodgement inthe corners of Portland journals ; he stand
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