amanisnotinhisskin,thatweshouldtouchhim.
Ihaveheardofamanlostinthewoodsanddyingoffamineandexhaustionatthefootofatree,whoselonelinesswasrelievedbythegrotesquevisionswithwhich,owingtobodilyweakness,hisdiseasedimaginationsurroundedhim,andwhichhebelievedtobereal.Soalso,owingtobodilyandmentalhealthandstrength,wemaybecontinuallycheeredbyalikebutmorenormalandnaturalsociety,andcometoknowthatweareneveralone.
Ihaveagreatdealofcompanyinmyhouseespeciallyinthemorning,whennobodycalls.Letmesuggestafewcomparisons,thatsomeonemayconveyanideaofmysituation.Iamnomorelonelythanthelooninthepondthatlaughssoloud,orthanWaldenPonditself.Whatcompanyhasthatlonelylake,Ipray?Andyetithasnotthebluedevils,buttheblueangelsinit,intheazuretintofitswaters.Thesunisalone,exceptinthickweather,whentheresometimesappeartobetwo,butoneisamocksun.Godisalone,—butthedevil,heisfarfrombeingaloneheseesagreatdealofcompanyheislegion.Iamnomorelonelythanasinglemulleinordandelioninapasture,orabeanleaf,orsorrel,orahorse-fly,orabumble-bee.IamnomorelonelythantheMillBrook,oraweathercock,orthenorthstar,orthesouthwind,oranAprilshower,oraJanuarythaw,orthefirstspiderinanewhouse.
Ihaveoccasionalvisitsinthelongwinterevenings,whenthesnowfallsfastandthewindhowlsinthewood,fromanoldsettlerandoriginalproprietor,whoisreportedtohavedugWaldenPond,andstonedit,andfringeditwithpinewoodswhotellsmestoriesofoldtimeandofneweternityandbetweenuswemanagetopassacheerfuleveningwithsocialmirthandpleasantviewsofthings,evenwithoutapplesorcider,—amostwiseandhumorousfriend,whomIlovemuch,whokeepshimselfmoresecretthaneverdidGoffeorWhalleyandthoughheisthoughttobedead,nonecanshowwhereheisburied.Anelderlydame,too,dwellsinmyneighborhood,invisibletomostpersons,inwhoseodorousherbgardenIlovetostrollsometimes,gatheringsimplesandlisteningtoherfablesforshehasageniusofunequalledfertility,andhermemoryrunsbackfartherthanmythology,andshecantellme