llow,andnotremarkablypure.Awalkthroughthewoodsthitherwasoftenmyrecreation.Itwasworththewhile,ifonlytofeelthewindblowonyourcheekfreely,andseethewavesrun,andrememberthelifeofmariners.Iwenta-chestnuttingthereinthefall,onwindydays,whenthenutsweredroppingintothewaterandwerewashedtomyfeetandoneday,asIcreptalongitssedgyshore,thefreshsprayblowinginmyface,Icameuponthemoulderingwreckofaboat,thesidesgone,andhardlymorethantheimpressionofitsflatbottomleftamidtherushesyetitsmodelwassharplydefined,asifitwerealargedecayedpad,withitsveins.Itwasasimpressiveawreckasonecouldimagineonthesea-shore,andhadasgoodamoral.Itisbythistimemerevegetablemouldandundistinguishablepondshore,throughwhichrushesandflagshavepushedup.Iusedtoadmiretheripplemarksonthesandybottom,atthenorthendofthispond,madefirmandhardtothefeetofthewaderbythepressureofthewater,andtherusheswhichgrewinIndianfile,inwavinglines,correspondingtothesemarks,rankbehindrank,asifthewaveshadplantedthem.TherealsoIhavefound,inconsiderablequantities,curiousballs,composedapparentlyoffinegrassorroots,ofpipewortperhaps,fromhalfaninchtofourinchesindiameter,andperfectlyspherical.Thesewashbackandforthinshallowwateronasandybottom,andaresometimescastontheshore.Theyareeithersolidgrass,orhavealittlesandinthemiddle.Atfirstyouwouldsaythattheywereformedbytheactionofthewaves,likeapebbleyetthesmallestaremadeofequallycoarsematerials,halfaninchlong,andtheyareproducedonlyatoneseasonoftheyear.Moreover,thewaves,Isuspect,donotsomuchconstructasweardownamaterialwhichhasalreadyacquiredconsistency.Theypreservetheirformwhendryforanindefiniteperiod.
Flint’sPond!Suchisthepovertyofournomenclature.Whatrighthadtheuncleanandstupidfarmer,whosefarmabuttedonthisskywater,whoseshoreshehasruthlesslylaidbare,togivehisnametoit?Someskin-flint,wholovedbetterthereflectingsurfaceofadollar,orabrightcent,inwhichhecouldseehisownbrazenfacewhoregardedeventhewildduckswhichsettledinitastrespassershisfingersgrownintocrookedandhornytalonsfromthelonghabitofgraspingharpy-like—soitisnotnamedforme.Igonottheretoseehimnortohearofhimwhoneversawit,whoneverbathedinit,whoneverlovedit,whoneverprotectedit,whoneverspokeagoodwordforit,northankedGodthathehadmadeit.Ratherletitbenamedfromthefishesthatswiminit,thewildfowlorquadrupedswhichfrequentit,thewildflowerswhichgrowbyitsshores,orsomewildmanorchildthethreadofwhosehistoryisinterwovenwithitsownnotfromhimwhocouldshownotitletoitbutthedeedwhichalike-mindedneighbororlegislaturegavehim,—himwhothoughtonlyofitsmoneyvaluewhosepresenceperchancecursedalltheshorewhoexhaustedthelandaroundit,andwouldfainhaveexhaustedthewaterswithinitwhoregrettedonlythatitwasnotEnglishhayorcranberrymeadow,—therewasnothingtoredeemit,forsooth,inhiseyes,—andwouldhavedrainedandsolditforthemudatitsbottom.Itdidnotturnhismill,anditwasnoprivilegetohimtobeholdit.Irespectnothislabors,hisfarmwhereeverythinghasitspricewhowouldcarrythelandscape,whowouldcarryhisGod,tomarket,ifhecouldgetanythingforhimwhogoestomarketforhisgodasitisonwhosefarmnothinggrowsfree,whosefieldsbearnocrops,whosemeadowsnoflowers,whosetreesnofruits,butdollarswholovesnotthebeautyofhisfruits,whosefruitsarenotripeforhimtilltheyareturnedtodollars.Givemethepovertythatenjoystruewealth.Farmersarerespectableandinterestingtomeinproportionastheyarepoor,—poorfarmers.Amodelfarm!wherethehousestandslikeafungusinamuck-heap,chambersformen,horses,oxen,andswine,cleansedanduncleansed,allcontiguoustooneanother!Stockedwithmen!Agreatgrease-spot,redolentofmanuresandbuttermilk!Underahighstateofcultivation,beingmanuredwiththeheartsandbrainsofmen!Asifyouweretoraiseyourpotatoesinthechurch-yard!Suchisamodelfarm.
No,noifthefairestfeaturesofthelandscapearetobenamedaftermen,letthembethenoblestandworthiestmenalone.LetourlakesreceiveastruenamesatleastastheIcarianSea,where“stilltheshore”a“braveattemptresounds.”
GoosePond,ofsmallextent,isonmywaytoFlint’sFair-Haven,anexpansionofConcordRiver,saidtocontainsomeseventyacres,isamilesouth-westandWhitePond,ofaboutfortyacres,isamileandahalfbeyondFair-Haven.Thisismylakecountry.These,withConcordRiv