hothermen,itseemsasifIweremorefavoredbythegodsthanthey,beyondanydesertsthatIamconsciousofasifIhadawarrantandsuretyattheirhandswhichmyfellowshavenot,andwereespeciallyguidedandguarded.Idonotflattermyself,butifitbepossibletheyflatterme.Ihaveneverfeltlonesome,orintheleastoppressedbyasenseofsolitude,butonce,andthatwasafewweeksafterIcametothewoods,when,foranhour,Idoubtedifthenearneighborhoodofmanwasnotessentialtoasereneandhealthylife.Tobealonewassomethingunpleasant.ButIwasatthesametimeconsciousofaslightinsanityinmymood,andseemedtoforeseemyrecovery.Inthemidstofagentlerainwhilethesethoughtsprevailed,IwassuddenlysensibleofsuchsweetandbeneficentsocietyinNature,intheverypatteringofthedrops,andineverysoundandsightaroundmyhouse,aninfiniteandunaccountablefriendlinessallatoncelikeanatmospheresustainingme,asmadethefanciedadvantagesofhumanneighborhoodinsignificant,andIhaveneverthoughtofthemsince.Everylittlepineneedleexpandedandswelledwithsympathyandbefriendedme.Iwassodistinctlymadeawareofthepresenceofsomethingkindredtome,eveninsceneswhichweareaccustomedtocallwildanddreary,andalsothatthenearestofbloodtomeandhumanestwasnotapersonnoravillager,thatIthoughtnoplacecouldeverbestrangetomeagain.—
“Mourninguntimelyconsumesthesad
Fewaretheirdaysinthelandoftheliving,
BeautifuldaughterofToscar.”
Someofmypleasantesthourswereduringthelongrainstormsinthespringorfall,whichconfinedmetothehousefortheafternoonaswellastheforenoon,soothedbytheirceaselessroarandpeltingwhenanearlytwilightusheredinalongeveninginwhichmanythoughtshadtimetotakerootandunfoldthemselves.Inthosedrivingnorth-eastrainswhichtriedthevillagehousesso,whenthemaidsstoodreadywithmopandpailinfrontentriestokeepthedelugeout,Isatbehindmydoorinmylittlehouse,whichwasallentry,andthoroughlyenjoyeditsprotection.Inoneheavythundershowerthelightningstruckalargepitch-pineacrossthepond,makingaveryconspicuousandperfectlyregul