estneighbor,andtobeseenonlyinmoonlessnightsbyhim.SuchwasthatpartofcreationwhereIhadsquatted—
“Therewasashepherdthatdidlive,
Andheldhisthoughtsashigh
Aswerethemountswhereonhisflocks
Didhourlyfeedhimby.”
Whatshouldwethinkoftheshepherd’slifeifhisflocksalwayswanderedtohigherpasturesthanhisthoughts?
Everymorningwasacheerfulinvitationtomakemylifeofequalsimplicity,andImaysayinnocence,withNatureherself.IhavebeenassincereaworshipperofAuroraastheGreeks.Igotupearlyandbathedinthepondthatwasareligiousexercise,andoneofthebestthingswhichIdid.TheysaythatcharacterswereengravenonthebathingtubofkingTching-thangtothiseffect:“Renewthyselfcompletelyeachdaydoitagain,andagain,andforeveragain.”Icanunderstandthat.Morningbringsbacktheheroicages.Iwasasmuchaffectedbythefainthumofamosquitomakingitsinvisibleandunimaginabletourthroughmyapartmentatearliestdawn,whenIwassittingwithdoorandwindowsopen,asIcouldbebyanytrumpetthateversangoffame.ItwasHomer’srequiemitselfanIliadandOdysseyintheair,singingitsownwrathandwanderings.Therewassomethingcosmicalaboutitastandingadvertisement,tillforbidden,oftheeverlastingvigorandfertilityoftheworld.Themorning,whichisthemostmemorableseasonoftheday,istheawakeninghour.Thenthereisleastsomnolenceinusandforanhour,atleast,somepartofusawakeswhichslumbersalltherestofthedayandnight.Littleistobeexpectedofthatday,ifitcanbecalledaday,towhichwearenotawakenedbyourGenius,butbythemechanicalnudgingsofsomeservitor,arenotawakenedbyourownnewly-acquiredforceandaspirationsfromwithin,accompaniedbytheundulationsofcelestialmusic,insteadoffactorybells,andafragrancefillingtheair—toahigherlifethanwefellasleepfromandthusthedarknessbearitsfruit,andproveitselftobegood,nolessthanthelight.Thatmanwhodoesnotbelievethateachdaycontainsanearlier,moresacred,andauroralhourthanhehasyetprofaned,hasdespairedoflife,andispursuingadescendinganddarkeningway.Afterapartialcessationofhissensuouslife,thesoulofman,oritsorgansrather,arereinvigoratedeachday,andhisGeniustriesagainwhatnoblelifeitcanmake.Allmemorableevents,Ishouldsay,transpireinmorningtimeandinamorningatmosphere.TheVedassay,“Allintelligencesawakewiththemorning.”Poetryandart,andthefairestandmostmemorableoftheactionsofmen,datefromsuchanhour.Allpoetsandheroes,likeMemnon,arethechildrenofAurora,andemittheirmusicatsunrise.Tohimwhoseelasticandvigorousthoughtkeepspacewiththesun,thedayisaperpetualmorning.Itmattersnotwhattheclockssayortheattitudesandlaborsofmen.MorningiswhenIamawakeandthereisadawninme.Moralreformistheefforttothrowoffsleep.Whyisitthatmengivesopooranaccountoftheirdayiftheyhavenotbeenslumbering?Theyarenotsuchpoorcalculators.Iftheyhadnotbeenovercomewithdrowsiness,theywouldhaveperformedsome