Henry D. Thoreau 7

Henry D. Thoreau 7

But to return to the childhood and youth of Thoreau. When he was three

or four years old, at Chelmsford, on being told that he must die,

as well as the men in the New England Primer, and having the joys

of heaven explained to him, he said, as he came in from "coasting,"

that he did not want to die and go to heaven, because he could not

carry his sled to so fine a place; for, he added, "the boys say it is

not shod with iron, and not worth a cent." At the age of ten, says

Channing, "he had the firmness of the Indian, and could repress his

pathos, and had such seriousness that he was called 'judge.'" As an

example of childish fortitude, it is related that he carried his pet

chickens for sale to the tavern-keeper in a basket; whereupon Mr.

Wesson told him to 'stop a minute,' and, in order to return the basket

promptly, took the darlings out, and wrung their necks, one by one,

before the boy's eyes, who wept inwardly, but did not budge. Having a

knack at whittling, and being asked by a schoolmate to make him a bow

and arrow, young Henry refused, not deigning to give the reason,--that

he had no knife. "So through life," says Channing, "he steadily

declined trying or pretending to do what he had no means to execute,

yet forbore explanations." He was a sturdy and kindly playmate, whose

mirthful tricks are yet remembered by those who frolicked with him,

and he always abounded with domestic affection. While in college he

once asked his mother what profession she would have him choose. She

said, pleasantly, "You can buckle on your knapsack, dear, and roam

abroad to seek your fortune;" but the thought of leaving home and

forsaking Concord made the tears roll down his cheeks. Then his

sister Helen, who was standing by, says Channing, "tenderly put her

arm around him and kissed him, saying, 'No, Henry, you shall not go;

you shall stay at home and live with us.'" And this, indeed, he did,

though he made one or two efforts to seek his fortune for a time

elsewhere.

 

His reading had been wide and constant while at school, and after

he entered college at the age of sixteen. His room in Cambridge was

in Hollis Hall; his instructors were such as he found there, but

in rhetoric he profited much by the keen intelligence of Professor

Channing, an uncle of his future friend and biographer, Ellery

Channing. I think he also came in contact, while in college, with

that singular poet, Jones Very, of Salem. He was by no means unsocial

in college, though he did not form such abiding friendships as do

many young men. He graduated in 1837. His expenses at Cambridge,

which were very moderate, compared with what a poor scholar must now

pay to go through college, were paid in part by his father, in part

by his aunts and his elder sister, Helen, who had already begun to

teach school; and for the rest he depended on his own efforts and the

beneficiary funds of the college, in which he had some little share.

I have understood that he received the income of the same modest

endowment which had been given to William and Ralph Waldo Emerson

when in college, some years before; and in other ways the generous

thought of that most princely man, Waldo Emerson, was not idle in

his behalf, though he knew Thoreau then only as the studious son of

a townsman, who needed a friend at court. What Mr. Emerson wrote to

Josiah Quincy, who was then president of Harvard College, in behalf of

Henry Thoreau does not appear, except from the terms of old Quincy's

reply; but we may infer it. Thoreau had the resource of school-keeping

in the country towns, during the college vacation and the extra

vacation that a poor scholar could claim; and this brought him, in

1835, to an acquaintance with that elder scholar, Brownson, who

afterwards became a Catholic doctor of theology. He left college one

winter to teach school at Canton, near Boston, where he was examined

by Rev. Orestes A. Brownson, then a Protestant minister in Canton.

He studied German and boarded with Mr. Brownson while he taught the

school. In 1836, he records in his journal that he "went to New York

with father, peddling." In his senior year, 1836-37, he was ill for

a time, and lost rank with his instructors by his indifference to

the ordinary college motives for study. This fact, and also that he

was a beneficiary of the college, further appears from the letter of

President Quincy to Mr. Emerson, as follows:--

 

"CAMBRIDGE, _25th June, 1837_.

 

"MY DEAR SIR,--Your view concerning Thoreau is entirely in

consent with that which I entertain. His general conduct

has been very satisfactory, and I was willing and desirous

that whatever falling off there had been in his scholarship

should be attributable to his sickness. He had, however,

imbibed some notions concerning emulation and college

rank which had a natural tendency to diminish his zeal,

if not his exertions. His instructors were impressed with

the conviction that he was indifferent, even to a degree

that was faulty, and that they could not recommend him,

consistent with the rule by which they are usually governed

in relation to beneficiaries. I have always entertained

a respect for and interest in him, and was willing to

attribute any apparent neglect or indifference to his ill

health rather than to wilfulness. I obtained from the

instructors the authority to state all the facts to the

Corporation, and submit the result to their discretion.

This I did, and that body granted _twenty-five dollars_,

which was within _ten_, or at most _fifteen_, dollars of

any sum he would have received, had no objection been made.

There is no doubt that, from some cause, an unfavorable

opinion has been entertained, since his return after his

sickness, of his disposition to exert himself. To what it

has been owing may be doubtful. I appreciate very fully

the goodness of his heart and the strictness of his moral

principle; and have done as much for him as, under the

circumstances, was possible.

 

"Very respectfully, your humble servant,

 

"JOSIAH QUINCY.

 

"Rev. R. W. EMERSON."

 

It is possible the college faculty may have had other grounds of

distrust in Thoreau's case. On May 30, 1836, his classmate Peabody

wrote him the following letter from Cambridge,--Thoreau being then at

home, for some reason,--from which we may infer that the sober youth

was not averse to such deeds as are there related:--

 

"The Davy Club got into a little trouble, the week before

last, from the following circumstance: H. W. gave a

lecture on Pyrotechny, and illustrated it with a parcel

of fireworks he had prepared in the vacation. As you may

imagine, there was some slight noise on the occasion. In

fact, the noise was so slight that Tutor B. heard it at his

room in Holworthy. This worthy boldly determined to march

forth and attack the 'rioters.' Accordingly, in the midst

of a grand display of rockets, etc., he stepped into the

room, and, having gazed round him in silent astonishment

for the space of two minutes, and hearing various cries of

'Intrusion!' 'Throw him over!' 'Saw his leg off!' 'Pull

his wool!' etc., he made two or three dignified motions

with his hand to gain attention, and then kindly advised

us to 'retire to our respective rooms.' Strange to say, he

found no one inclined to follow this good advice, and _he_

accordingly thought fit to withdraw. There is, as perhaps

you know, a law against keeping powder in the college

buildings. The effect of Tutor B.'s intrusion was evident

on the next Monday night, when H. W. and B. were invited

to call and see President Quincy; and owing to the tough

reasoning of Tutor B., who boldly asserted that 'powder was

powder,' they were each presented with a public admonition.

 

"We had a miniature volcano at Webster's lecture, the other

morning [this was Professor Webster, afterwards hanged

for the murder of Dr. Parkman], and the odors therefrom

surpassed all ever produced by Araby the Blest. Imagine to

yourself all the windows and shutters of the lecture-room

closed, and then conceive the delightful scent produced by

the burning of nearly a bushel of sulphur, phosphoretted

hydrogen, and other still more pleasant ingredients. As

soon as the burning commenced, there was a general rush

to the door, and a crowd collected there, running out

every half minute to get a breath of fresh air, and then

coming in to see the volcano. 'No noise nor nothing.'

Bigelow and Dr. Bacon manufactured some 'laughing gas,' and

administered it on the Delta. It was much better than that

made by Webster. Jack Weiss took some, as usual; Wheeler,

Jo Allen, and Hildreth each received a dose. Wheeler

proceeded to dance for the amusement of the company, Jo

jumped over the Delta fence, and Sam raved about Milton,

Shakespeare, Byron, etc. He took two doses; it produced a

great effect on him. He seemed to be as happy as a mortal

could desire; talked with Shakespeare, Milton, etc., and

seemed to be quite at home with them."

 

The persons named were classmates of Thoreau: one of them afterward

Rev. John Weiss; Wheeler was of Lincoln, and died early in Germany,

whither he went to study; Samuel Tenney Hildreth was a brother of

Richard Hildreth, the historian, and also died young. The zest with

which his classmate related these pranks to Thoreau seems to imply in

his correspondent a mind too ready towards such things to please the

learned faculty of Cambridge.

 

Mr. Quincy's letter was in reply to one which Mr. Emerson had written

at the request of Mrs. Thoreau, who feared her son was not receiving

justice from the college authorities. Thoreau graduated without much

distinction, but with a good name among his classmates, and a high

reputation for general scholarship. When he went to Maine, in May,

1838, to see if there was not some school for him to teach there, he

took with him this certificate from his pastor, Dr. Ripley:--

 

"CONCORD, _May 1, 1838_.

 

"TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION,--The undersigned very

cheerfully hereby introduces to public notice the

bearer, Mr. David Henry Thoreau, as a teacher in the

higher branches of useful literature. He is a native of

this town, and a graduate of Harvard University. He is

well disposed and well qualified to instruct the rising

generation. His scholarship and moral character will bear

the strictest scrutiny. He is modest and mild in his

disposition and government, but not wanting in energy of

character and fidelity in the duties of his profession.

It is presumed his character and usefulness will be

appreciated more highly as an acquaintance with him shall

be cultivated. Cordial wishes for his success, reputation,

and usefulness attend him, as an instructor and gentleman.

 

"EZRA RIPLEY,

 

"_Senior Pastor of the First

Church in Concord, Mass._

 

"N. B.--_It is but justice to observe here that the

eyesight of the writer is much impaired._"

 

Accompanying this artless document is a list of clergymen in the towns

of Maine,--Portland, Belfast, Camden, Kennebunk, Castine, Ellsworth,

etc.,--in the handwriting of the good old pastor, signifying that as

young Thoreau traveled he should report himself to these brethren,

who might forward his wishes. But even at that early date, I suspect

that Thoreau undervalued the "D. D.'s" in comparison with the

"chickadedees," as he plainly declared in his later years. Another

certificate, in a firmer hand, and showing no token of impaired

eyesight, was also carried by Thoreau in this first visit to Maine. It was this:--