oitcommonlysomebreadthandelegance.Ithinkthatheshouldkeepacaravansaryontheworld’shighway,wherephilosophersofallnationsmightputup,andonhissignshouldbeprinted,“Entertainmentforman,butnotforhisbeast.Enteryethathaveleisureandaquietmind,whoearnestlyseektherightroad.”HeisperhapsthesanestmanandhasthefewestcrotchetsofanyIchancetoknowthesameyesterdayandtomorrow.Ofyorewehadsaunteredandtalked,andeffectuallyputtheworldbehindusforhewaspledgedtonoinstitutioninit,freeborn,ingenuus.Whicheverwayweturned,itseemedthattheheavensandtheearthhadmettogether,sinceheenhancedthebeautyofthelandscape.Ablue-robedman,whosefittestroofistheoverarchingskywhichreflectshisserenity.IdonotseehowhecaneverdieNaturecannotsparehim.
Havingeachsomeshinglesofthoughtwelldried,wesatandwhittledthem,tryingourknives,andadmiringtheclearyellowishgrainofthepumpkinpine.Wewadedsogentlyandreverently,orwepulledtogethersosmoothly,thatthefishesofthoughtwerenotscaredfromthestream,norfearedanyangleronthebank,butcameandwentgrandly,likethecloudswhichfloatthroughthewesternsky,andthemother-o’-pearlflockswhichsometimesformanddissolvethere.Thereweworked,revisingmythology,roundingafablehereandthere,andbuildingcastlesintheairforwhichearthofferednoworthyfoundation.GreatLooker!GreatExpecter!toconversewithwhomwasaNewEnglandNight’sEntertainment.Ah!suchdiscoursewehad,hermitandphilosopher,andtheoldsettlerIhavespokenof,—wethree,—itexpandedandrackedmylittlehouseIshouldnotdaretosayhowmanypounds’weighttherewasabovetheatmosphericpressureoneverycircularinchitopeneditsseamssothattheyhadtobecalkedwithmuchdulnessthereaftertostoptheconsequentleak—butIhadenoughofthatkindofoakumalreadypicked.
TherewasoneotherwithwhomIhad“solidseasons,”longtoberemembered,athishouseinthevillage,andwholookedinuponmefromtimetotimebutIhadnomoreforsocietythere.
Theretoo,aseverywhere,IsometimesexpectedtheVisitorwhonevercomes.TheVishnuPuranasays,“Thehouse-holderistoremainateventideinhiscourt-yardaslongasittakestomilkacow,orlongerifhepleases,toawaitthearrivalofaguest.”Ioftenperformedthisdutyofhospitality,waitedlongenoughtomilkawholeherdofcows,butdidnotseethemanapproachingfromthetown.