s!coincidentwiththeopeningofwellsoftears.Thesecellardents,likedesertedfoxburrows,oldholes,areallthatisleftwhereoncewerethestirandbustleofhumanlife,and“fate,free-will,foreknowledgeabsolute,”insomeformanddialectorotherwerebyturnsdiscussed.ButallIcanlearnoftheirconclusionsamountstojustthis,that“CatoandBristerpulledwool”whichisaboutasedifyingasthehistoryofmorefamousschoolsofphilosophy.
Stillgrowsthevivaciouslilacagenerationafterthedoorandlintelandthesillaregone,unfoldingitssweet-scentedflowerseachspring,tobepluckedbythemusingtravellerplantedandtendedoncebychildren’shands,infront-yardplots,—nowstandingbywall-sidesinretiredpastures,andgivingplacetonew-risingforests—thelastofthatstirp,solesurvivorofthatfamily.Littledidtheduskychildrenthinkthatthepunyslipwithitstwoeyesonly,whichtheystuckinthegroundintheshadowofthehouseanddailywatered,wouldrootitselfso,andoutlivethem,andhouseitselfintherearthatshadedit,andgrownman’sgardenandorchard,andtelltheirstoryfaintlytothelonewandererahalfcenturyaftertheyhadgrownupanddied,—blossomingasfair,andsmellingassweet,asinthatfirstspring.Imarkitsstilltender,civil,cheerful,lilaccolors.
Butthissmallvillage,germofsomethingmore,whydiditfailwhileConcordkeepsitsground?Weretherenonaturaladvantages,—nowaterprivileges,forsooth?Ay,thedeepWaldenPondandcoolBrister’sSpring,—privilegetodrinklongandhealthydraughtsatthese,allunimprovedbythesemenbuttodilutetheirglass.Theywereuniversallyathirstyrace.Mightnotthebasket,stable-broom,mat-making,corn-parching,linen-spinning,andpotterybusinesshavethrivedhere,makingthewildernesstoblossomliketherose,andanumerousposterityhaveinheritedthelandoftheirfathers?Thesterilesoilwouldatleasthavebeenproofagainstalow-landdegeneracy.Alas!howlittledoesthememoryofthesehumaninhabitantsenhancethebeautyofthelandscape!Again,perhaps,Naturewilltry,withmeforafirstsettler,andmyhouseraisedlastspringtobetheoldestinthehamlet.
IamnotawarethatanymanhaseverbuiltonthespotwhichIoccupy.Delivermefromacitybuiltonthesiteofamoreancientcity,whosematerialsareruins,whosegardenscemeteries.Thesoilisblanchedandaccursedthere,andbeforethatbecomesnecessarytheearthitselfwillbedestroyed.Withsu