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Man was born。 Whether that Artificer of things；
The origin of a better world； made him from the divine seed；
Or the earth； being recent and lately sundered from the high
Ether； retained some seeds of cognate heaven。〃
A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener。 So
our prospects brighten on the influx of better thoughts。 We should
be blessed if we lived in the present always； and took advantage of
every accident that befell us； like the grass which confesses the
influence of the slightest dew that falls on it； and did not spend
our time in atoning for the neglect of past opportunities； which we
call doing our duty。 We loiter in winter while it is already
spring。 In a pleasant spring morning all men's sins are forgiven。
Such a day is a truce to vice。 While such a sun holds out to burn；
the vilest sinner may return。 Through our own recovered innocence
we discern the innocence of our neighbors。 You may have known your
neighbor yesterday for a thief； a drunkard； or a sensualist； and
merely pitied or despised him； and despaired of the world； but the
sun shines bright and warm this first spring morning； recreating the
world； and you meet him at some serene work； and see how it is
exhausted and debauched veins expand with still joy and bless the
new day； feel the spring influence with the innocence of infancy；
and all his faults are forgotten。 There is not only an atmosphere
of good will about him； but even a savor of holiness groping for
expression； blindly and ineffectually perhaps； like a new…born
instinct； and for a short hour the south hill…side echoes to no
vulgar jest。 You see some innocent fair shoots preparing to burst
from his gnarled rind and try another year's life； tender and fresh
as the youngest plant。 Even he has entered into the joy of his
Lord。 Why the jailer does not leave open his prison doors why
the judge does not dismis his case why the preacher does not
dismiss his congregation！ It is because they do not obey the hint
which God gives them； nor accept the pardon which he freely offers
to all。
〃A return to goodness produced each day in the tranquil and
beneficent breath of the morning； causes that in respect to the love
of virtue and the hatred of vice； one approaches a little the
primitive nature of man； as the sprouts of the forest which has been
felled。 In like manner the evil which one does in the interval of a
day prevents the germs of virtues which began to spring up again
from developing themselves and destroys them。
〃After the germs of virtue have thus been prevented many times
from developing themselves； then the beneficent breath of evening
does not suffice to preserve them。 As soon as the breath of evening
does not suffice longer to preserve them； then the nature of man
does not differ much from that of the brute。 Men seeing the nature
of this man like that of the brute； think that he has never
possessed the innate faculty of reason。 Are those the true and
natural sentiments of man？〃
〃The Golden Age was first created； which without any avenger
Spontaneously without law cherished fidelity and rectitude。
Punishment and fear were not； nor were threatening words read
On suspended brass； nor did the suppliant crowd fear
The words of their judge； but were safe without an avenger。
Not yet the pine felled on its mountains had descended
To the liquid waves that it might see a foreign world；
And mortals knew no shores but their own。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
There was eternal spring； and placid zephyrs with warm
Blasts soothed the flowers born without seed。〃
On the 29th of April； as I was fishing from the bank of the
river near the Nine…Acre…Corner bridge； standing on the quaking
grass and willow roots； where the muskrats lurk； I heard a singular
rattling sound； somewhat like that of the sticks which boys play
with their fingers； when； looking up； I observed a very slight and
graceful hawk； like a nighthawk； alternately soaring like a ripple
and tumbling a rod or two over and over； showing the under side of
its wings； which gleamed like a satin ribbon in the sun； or like the
pearly inside of a shell。 This sight reminded me of falconry and
what nobleness and poetry are associated with that sport。 The
Merlin it seemed to me it might be called： but I care not for its
name。 It was the most ethereal flight I had ever witnessed。 It did
not simply flutter like a butterfly； nor soar like the larger hawks；
but it sported with proud reliance in the fields of air； mounting
again and again with its strange chuckle； it repeated its free and
beautiful fall； turning over and over like a kite； and then
recovering from its lofty tumbling； as if it had never set its foot
on terra firma。 It appeared to have no companion in the universe
sporting there alone and to need none but the morning and the
ether with which it played。 It was not lonely； but made all the
earth lonely beneath it。 Where was the parent which hatched it； its
kindred； and its father in the heavens？ The tenant of the air； it
seemed related to the earth but by an egg hatched some time in the
crevice of a crag； or was its native nest made in the angle of a
cloud； woven of the rainbow's trimmings and the sunset sky； and
lined with some soft midsummer haze caught up from earth？ Its eyry
now some cliffy cloud。
Beside this I got a rare mess of golden and silver and bright
cupreous fishes； which looked like a string of jewels。 Ah！ I have
penetrated to those meadows on the morning of many a first spring
day； jumping from hummock to hummock； from willow root to willow
root； when the wild river valley and the woods were bathed in so
pure and bright a light as would have waked the dead； if they had
been slumbering in their graves； as some suppose。 There needs no
stronger proof of immortality。 All things must live in such a
light。 O Death； where was thy sting？ O Grave； where was thy
victory； then？
Our village life would stagnate if it were not for the
unexplored forests and meadows which surround it。 We need the tonic
of wildness to wade sometimes in marshes where the bittern and
the meadow…hen lurk； and hear the booming of the snipe； to smell the
whispering sedge where only some wilder and more solitary fowl
builds her nest； and the mink crawls with its belly close to the
ground。 At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn
all things； we require that all things be mysterious and
unexplorable； that land and sea be infinitely wild； unsurveyed and
unfathomed by us because unfathomable。 We can never have enough of
nature。 We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor；
vast and titanic features； the sea…coast with its wrecks； the
wilderness with its living and its decaying trees； the
thunder…cloud； and the rain which lasts three weeks an