第1章

\"Here’stobudgets，packs，andwallets;

Here’stoallthewanderingtrain。\"

BURNS。（1）

ICONFESSit，Iamkeenlysensitiveto\"skyeyinfluences。\"

（2）Iprofessnoindifferencetothemovementsofthatcapriciousoldgentlemanknownastheclerkoftheweather。I

cannotconcealmyinterestinthebehaviorofthatpatriarchalbirdwhosewoodensimilitudegyratesonthechurchspire。

Winterproperiswellenough。Letthethermometergotozeroifitwill;somuchthebetter，iftherebytheverywindsarefrozenandunabletoflaptheirstiffwings。Soundsofbellsinthekeenair，clear，musical，heart—inspiring;quicktrippingoffairmoccasinedfeetonglitteringicepavements;brighteyesglancingabovetheupliftedmufflikeasultana’sbehindthefoldsofher*yashmak;*（3）schoolboyscoastingdownstreetlikemadGreenlanders;thecoldbrillianceofobliquesunbeamsflashingbackfromwidesurfacesofglitteringsnow，orblazinguponicejewelryoftreeandroof:thereisnothinginallthistocomplainof。Astormofsummerhasitsredeemingsublimities，——itsslow，upheavingmountainsofcloudgloominginthewesternhorizonlikenew—createdvolcanoes，veinedwithfire，shatteredbyexplodingthunders。Eventhewildgalesoftheequinoxhavetheirvarieties，——soundsofwind—

shakenwoodsandwaters，creakandclatterofsignandcasement，hurricanepuffs，anddown—rushingrain—spouts。Butthisdull，darkautumndayofthawandrain，whentheverycloudsseemtoospiritlessandlanguidtostormoutrightortakethemselvesoutofthewayoffairweather;wetbeneathandabove，remindingoneofthatraylessatmosphereofDante’sThirdCircle，wheretheinfernalPriessnitz（4）

administershishydropathictorment，——

\"Aheavy，cursed，andrelentlessdrench，——

Thelanditsoaksisputrid;\"

orrather，aseverythinganimateandinanimateisseethinginwarmmist，suggestingtheideathatNature，grownoldandrheumatic，istryingtheefficacyofaThomsoniansteam—box（5）

onagrandscale;nosoundssavetheheavyplashofmuddyfeetonthepavements;themonotonous，melancholydripfromtreesandroofs;thedistressfulgurglingofwaterducts，swallowingthedirtyamalgamofthegutters;adim，leaden—

coloredhorizonofonlyafewyardsindiameter，shuttingdownaboutone，beyondwhichnothingisvisiblesaveinfaintlineordarkprojection;theghostofachurchspireortheeidolonofachimney—pot，——hewhocanextractpleasurableemotionsfromthealembicofsuchadayhasatrickofalchemywithwhichI

amwhollyunacquainted。

（1）Fromtheclosingairin*TheJollyBeggars，*acantata。

（2）\"AbreaththouartServiletoalltheskyeyinfluences，Thatdostthishabitation，wherethoukeep’stHourlyafflict。\"

Shakespeare:*MeasureforMeasure，*actIII。scene1。

（3）\"Sheturnsandturnsagain，andcarefullyglancesaroundheronallsides，toseethatsheissafefromtheeyesofMussulmans，andthensuddenlywithdrawingtheyashmaksheshinesuponyourheartandsoulwithallthepompandmightofherbeauty。\"Kinglake’s*Eothen，*chap。iii。Inanoteto*Yashmak*Kinglakeexplainsthatitisnotameresemi—

transparentveil，butthoroughlyconcealsallthefeaturesexcepttheeyes:itiswithdrawnbybeingpulleddown。

（4）VincenzPriessnitzwastheoriginatorofthewater—cure。

Afterexperimentinguponhimselfandhisneighborshetookuptheprofessionofhydropathyandestablishedbathsathisnativeplace，GrafenberginSilesia，in1829。Hediedin1851。

（5）Dr。SamuelThomson，aNewHampshirephysician，advocatedtheuseofthesteambathasarestorerofsystemwhendiseased。Hediedin1843andleftbehindanautobiography（*LifeandMedicalDiscoveries*）whichcontainsarecordofthepersecutionsheunderwent。

Hark！arapatmydoor。Welcomeanybodyjustnow。Onegainsnothingbyattemptingtoshutoutthespritesoftheweather。Theycomeinatthekeyhole;theypeerthroughthedrippingpanes;theyinsinuatethemselvesthroughthecrevicesofthecasement，orplumpdownchimneyastrideoftheraindrops。

Iriseandthrowopenthedoor。Atall，shambling，loose—

jointedfigure;apinched，shrewdface，sun—brownandwind—

dried;small，quick—winkingblackeyes，——therehestands，thewaterdrippingfromhispulpyhatandraggedelbows。

Ispeaktohim;buthereturnsnoanswer。Withadumbshowofmisery，quitetouching，hehandsmeasoiledpieceofparchment，whereonIreadwhatpurportstobeamelancholyaccountofshipwreckanddisaster，totheparticulardetriment，loss，anddamnificationofonePietroFrugoni，whois，inconsequence，sorelyinwantofthealmsofallcharitableChristianpersons，andwhois，inshort，thebearerofthisveraciousdocument，dulycertifiedandindorsedbyanItalianconsulinoneofourAtlanticcities，ofahigh—sounding，buttoYankeeorgansunpronounceable，name。

Herecommencesastruggle。Everyman，theMahometanstellus，hastwoattendantangels，——thegoodoneonhisrightshoulder，thebadonhisleft。\"Give，\"saysBenevolence，aswithsomedifficultyIfishupasmallcoinfromthedepthsofmypocket。\"Notacent，\"saysselfishPrudence;andIdropitfrommyfingers。\"Think，\"saysthegoodangel，\"ofthepoorstrangerinastrangeland，justescapedfromtheterrorsofthesea—storm，inwhichhislittlepropertyhasperished，thrownhalf—nakedandhelplessonourshores，ignorantofourlanguage，andunabletofindemploymentsuitedtohiscapacity。\"\"Avileimpostor！\"repliestheleft—handsentinel;

\"hispaperpurchasedfromoneofthoseready—writersinNewYorkwhomanufacturebeggar—credentialsatthelowpriceofonedollarpercopy，withearthquakes，fires，orshipwrecks，tosuitcustomers。\"

AmidstthisconfusionoftonguesItakeanothersurveyofmyvisitant。Ha！alightdawnsuponme。Thatshrewd，oldface，withitssharp，winkingeyes，isnostrangertome。PietroFrugoni，Ihaveseentheebefore。*Si，signor，*thatfaceofthinehaslookedatmeoveradirtywhiteneckcloth，withthecornersofthatcunningmouthdrawndownwards，andthosesmalleyesturnedupinsanctimoniousgravity，whilethouwastofferingtoacrowdofhalf—grownboysanextemporaneousexhortationinthecapacityofatravellingpreacher。HaveI

notseenitpeeringoutfromunderablanket，asthatofapoorPenobscotIndian，whohadlosttheuseofhishandswhiletrappingontheMadawaska？Isitnotthefaceoftheforlornfatherofsixsmallchildren，whomthe\"marcurydoctors\"had\"pisened\"andcrippled？Diditnotbelongtothatdown—eastunfortunatewhohadbeenouttothe\"Geneseecountry\"（1）andgotthe\"fevernnager，\"andwhosehandshooksopitifullywhenheldouttoreceivemypoorgift？Thesame，underalldisguises，——StephenLeathers，ofBarrington，——him，andnoneother！Letmeconjurehimintohisownlikeness:——

（1）The*Geneseecountry*isthenamebywhichthewesternpartofNewYork，borderingonLakesOntarioandErie，wasknown，when，atthecloseofthelastandbeginningofthiscentury，itwastopeopleontheAtlanticcoasttheGreatWest。

In1792communicationwasopenedbyaroadwiththePennsylvaniasettlements，buttheearlysettlerswerealmostallfromNewEngland。

\"Well，Stephen，whatnewsfromoldBarrington？\"

\"Oh，well，IthoughtIknewye，\"heanswers，nottheleastdisconcerted。\"Howdoyoudo？andhow’syourfolks？Allwell，Ihope。Itookthis’erepaper，yousee，tohelpapoorfurriner，whocouldn’tmakehimselfunderstoodanymorethanawildgoose。IthoughI’djuststarthimfor’ardalittle。

Itseemedamarcytodoit。\"

Wellandshiftilyanswered，thouraggedProteus。Onecannotbeangrywithsuchafellow。IwilljustinquireintothepresentstateofhisGospelmissionandabouttheconditionofhistribeonthePenobscot;anditmaybenotamisstocongratulatehimonthesuccessofthesteam—doctorsinsweatingthe\"pisen\"oftheregularfacultyoutofhim。Butheevidentlyhasnowishtoenterintoidleconversation。Intentuponhisbenevolenterrandheisalreadyclatteringdownstairs。InvoluntarilyIglanceoutofthewindowjustinseasontocatchasingleglimpseofhimereheisswallowedupinthemist。

Hehasgone;and，knaveasheis，Icanhardlyhelpexclaiming，\"Luckgowithhim！\"Hehasbrokeninuponthesombretrainofmythoughtsandcalledupbeforemepleasantandgratefulrecollections。Theoldfarm—housenestlinginitsvalley;hillsstretchingofftothesouthandgreenmeadowstotheeast;thesmallstreamwhichcamenoisilydownitsravine，washingtheoldgarden—wallandsoftlylappingonfallenstonesandmossyrootsofbeechesandhemlocks;thetallsentinelpoplarsatthegateway;theoak—forest，sweepingunbrokentothenorthernhorizon;thegrass—growncarriage—path，withitsrudeandcrazybridge，——thedearoldlandscapeofmyboyhoodliesoutstretchedbeforemelikeadaguerreotypefromthatpicturewithin，whichIhavebornewithmeinallmywanderings。Iamaboyagain，oncemoreconsciousofthefeeling，halfterror，halfexultation，withwhichIusedtoannouncetheapproachofthisveryvagabondandhis\"kindredaftertheflesh。\"

Theadventofwanderingbeggars，or\"oldstragglers，\"aswewerewonttocallthem，wasaneventofnoordinaryinterestinthegenerallymonotonousquietudeofourfarm—life。Manyofthemwerewellknown;theyhadtheirperiodicalrevolutionsandtransits;wewouldcalculatethemlikeeclipsesornewmoons。Someweresturdyknaves，fatandsaucy;and，whenevertheyascertainedthatthe\"menfolks\"wereabsent，wouldorderprovisionsandciderlikemenwhoexpectedtopayforthem，seatingthemselvesatthehearthortablewiththeairofFalstaff，——\"ShallInottakemineeaseinmineinn？\"Others，poor，pale，patient，likeSterne’smonk，（1）camecreepinguptothedoor，hatinhand，standingthereintheirgraywretchednesswithalookofheartbreakandforlornnesswhichwasneverwithoutitseffectonourjuvenilesensibilities。Attimes，however，weexperiencedaslightrevulsionoffeelingwheneventhesehumblestchildrenofsorrowsomewhatpetulantlyrejectedourprofferedbreadandcheese，anddemandedinsteadaglassofcider。Whateverthetemperancesocietymightinsuchcaseshavedone，itwasnotinourheartstorefusethepoorcreaturesadraughtoftheirfavoritebeverage;andwasn’titasatisfactiontoseetheirsad，melancholyfaceslightupaswehandedthemthefullpitcher，and，onreceivingitbackemptyfromtheirbrown，wrinkledhands，tohearthem，halfbreathlessfromtheirlong，deliciousdraught，thankingusforthefavor，as\"dear，goodchildren\"！Notunfrequentlythesewanderingtestsofourbenevolencemadetheirappearanceininterestinggroupsofman，woman，andchild，picturesqueintheirsqualidness，andmanifestingamaudlinaffectionwhichwouldhavedonehonortotherevellersatPoosie—Nansie’s，immortalinthecantataofBurns。（2）Iremembersomewhowereevidentlythevictimsofmonomania，——hauntedandhuntedbysomedarkthought，——possessedbyafixedidea。One，ablack—eyed，wild—

hairedwoman，withawholetragedyofsin，shame，andsufferingwritteninhercountenance，usedoftentovisitus，warmherselfbyourwinterfire，andsupplyherselfwithastockofcakesandcoldmeat;butwasneverknowntoansweraquestionortoaskone。Sheneversmiled;thecold，stonylookofhereyeneverchanged;asilent，impassiveface，frozenrigidbysomegreatwrongorsin。Weusedtolookwithaweuponthe\"stillwoman，\"andthinkofthedemoniacofScripturewhohada\"dumbspirit。\"

（1）WhomhemetatCalais，asdescribedinhis*SentimentalJourney。*

（2）The*cantata*is*TheJollyBeggars，*fromwhichthemottoheadingthissketchwastaken。*Poosie—Nansie*wasthekeeperofataverninMauchline，whichwasthefavoriteresortofthelamesailors，maimedsoldiers，travellingballad—singers，andallsuchloosecompanionsashangabouttheskirtsofsociety。Thecantatahasforitsthemetherivalryofa\"pigmyscraperwithhisfiddle\"andastrollingtinkerforabeggarwoman:hencethe*maudlinaffection。*

One——IthinkIseehimnow，grim，gaunt，andghastly，workinghisslowwayuptoourdoor——usedtogatherherbsbythewaysideandcalledhimselfdoctor。Hewasbeardedlikeahe—goat，andusedtocounterfeitlameness;yet，whenhesupposedhimselfalone，wouldtravelonlustily，asifwalkingforawager。Atlength，asifinpunishmentofhisdeceit，hemetwithanaccidentinhisramblesandbecamelameinearnest，hobblingeverafterwithdifficultyonhisgnarledcrutches。Anotherusedtogostooping，likeBunyan’spilgrim，underapackmadeofanoldbed—sacking，stuffedoutintomostplethoricdimensions，totteringonapairofsmall，meagrelegs，andpeeringoutwithhiswild，hairyfacefromunderhisburdenlikeabig—bodiedspider。That\"manwiththepack\"alwaysinspiredmewithaweandreverence。Huge，almostsublime，initstenserotundity，thefatherofallpacks，neverlaidasideandneveropened，whatmighttherenotbewithinit？Withwhatflesh—creepingcuriosityIusedtowalkroundaboutitatasafedistance，halfexpectingtoseeitsstripedcoveringstirredbythemotionsofamysteriouslife，orthatsomeevilmonsterswouldleapoutofit，likerobbersfromAliBaba’sjarsorarmedmenfromtheTrojanhorse！

Therewasanotherclassofperipateticphilosophers——halfpedler，halfmendicant——whowereinthehabitofvisitingus。

Onewerecollect，alame，unshaven，sinister—eyed，unwholesomefellow，withhisbasketofoldnewspapersandpamphlets，andhistatteredblueumbrella，servingratherasawalking—staffthanasaprotectionfromtherain。hetoldusononeoccasion，inanswertoourinquiringintothecauseofhislameness，thatwhenayoungmanhewasemployedonthefarmofthechiefmagistrateofaneighboringState;where，ashisillluckwouldhaveit，thegovernor’shandsomedaughterfellinlovewithhim。Hewascaughtonedayintheyounglady’sroombyherfather;whereupontheirascibleoldgentlemanpitchedhimunceremoniouslyoutofthewindow，laminghimforlife，onabrickpavementbelow，likeVulcanontherocksofLemnos。（1）Asforthelady，heassuredus\"shetookondreadfullyaboutit。\"\"Didshedie？\"weinquired，anxiously。Therewasacunningtwinkleintheoldrogue’seyeasheresponded，\"Well，noshedidn’t。Shegotmarried。\"

（1）ItwasupontheIsleofLemnosthatVulcanwasflungbyJupiter，accordingtothemyth，forattemptingtoaidhismotherJuno。

Twiceayear，usuallyinthespringandautumn，wewerehonoredwithacallfromJonathanPlummer，makerofverses，pedlerandpoet，physicianandparson，——aYankeetroubadour，——

firstandlastminstrelofthevalleyoftheMerrimac，encircled，tomywonderingyoungeyes，withtheverynimbusofimmortality。Hebroughtwithhimpins，needles，tape，andcotton—threadformymother;jack—knives，razors，andsoapformyfather;andversesofhisowncomposing，coarselyprintedandillustratedwithrudewood—cuts，forthedelectationoftheyoungerbranchesofthefamily。Nolove—sickyouthcoulddrownhimself，nodesertedmaidenbewailthemoon，noroguemountthegallows，withoutfittingmemorialinPlummer’sverses。Earthquakes，fires，fevers，andshipwrecksheregardedaspersonalfavorsfromProvidence，furnishingtherawmaterialofsongandballad。Welcometousinourcountryseclusion，asAutolycustotheclownin\"Winter’sTale，\"（1）welistenedwithinfinitesatisfactiontohisreadingofhisownverses，ortohisreadyimprovisationuponsomedomesticincidentortopicsuggestedbyhisauditors。Whenoncefairlyoverthedifficultiesattheoutsetofanewsubjecthisrhymesflowedfreely，\"asifhehadeatenballads，andallmen’searsgrewtohistunes。\"Hisproductionsanswered，asnearlyasIcanremember，toShakespeare’sdescriptionofaproperballad，——