05-solitude-第3章

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of　old　time　and　of　new　eternity；　and　between　us　we　manage　to　pass　a

cheerful　evening　with　social　mirth　and　pleasant　views　of　things；

even　without　apples　or　cider　　a　most　wise　and　humorous　friend；

whom　I　love　much；　who　keeps　himself　more　secret　than　ever　did　Goffe

or　Whalley；　and　though　he　is　thought　to　be　dead；　none　can　show　where

he　is　buried。　　An　elderly　dame；　too；　dwells　in　my　neighborhood；

invisible　to　most　persons；　in　whose　odorous　herb　garden　I　love　to

stroll　sometimes；　gathering　simples　and　listening　to　her　fables；　for

she　has　a　genius　of　unequalled　fertility；　and　her　memory　runs　back

farther　than　mythology；　and　she　can　tell　me　the　original　of　every

fable；　and　on　what　fact　every　one　is　founded；　for　the　incidents

occurred　when　she　was　young。　　A　ruddy　and　lusty　old　dame；　who

delights　in　all　weathers　and　seasons；　and　is　likely　to　outlive　all

her　children　yet。

　　　　The　indescribable　innocence　and　beneficence　of　Nature　　of　sun

and　wind　and　rain；　of　summer　and　winter　　such　health；　such　cheer；

they　afford　forever！　and　such　sympathy　have　they　ever　with　our　race；

that　all　Nature　would　be　affected；　and　the　sun's　brightness　fade；

and　the　winds　would　sigh　humanely；　and　the　clouds　rain　tears；　and

the　woods　shed　their　leaves　and　put　on　mourning　in　midsummer；　if　any

man　should　ever　for　a　just　cause　grieve。　　Shall　I　not　have

intelligence　with　the　earth？　　Am　I　not　partly　leaves　and　vegetable

mould　myself？

　　　　What　is　the　pill　which　will　keep　us　well；　serene；　contented？

Not　my　or　thy　great…grandfather's；　but　our　great…grandmother

Nature's　universal；　vegetable；　botanic　medicines；　by　which　she　has

kept　herself　young　always；　outlived　so　many　old　Parrs　in　her　day；

and　fed　her　health　with　their　decaying　fatness。　　For　my　panacea；

instead　of　one　of　those　quack　vials　of　a　mixture　dipped　from　Acheron

and　the　Dead　Sea；　which　come　out　of　those　long　shallow

black…schooner　looking　wagons　which　we　sometimes　see　made　to　carry

bottles；　let　me　have　a　draught　of　undiluted　morning　air。　　Morning

air！　　If　men　will　not　drink　of　this　at　the　fountainhead　of　the　day；

why；　then；　we　must　even　bottle　up　some　and　sell　it　in　the　shops；　for

the　benefit　of　those　who　have　lost　their　subscription　ticket　to

morning　time　in　this　world。　　But　remember；　it　will　not　keep　quite

till　noonday　even　in　the　coolest　cellar；　but　drive　out　the　stopples

long　ere　that　and　follow　westward　the　steps　of　Aurora。　　I　am　no

worshipper　of　Hygeia；　who　was　the　daughter　of　that　old　herb…doctor

AEsculapius；　and　who　is　represented　on　monuments　holding　a　serpent

in　one　hand；　and　in　the　other　a　cup　out　of　which　the　serpent

sometimes　drinks；　but　rather　of　Hebe；　cup…bearer　to　Jupiter；　who　was

the　daughter　of　Juno　and　wild　lettuce；　and　who　had　the　power　of

restoring　gods　and　men　to　the　vigor　of　youth。　　She　was　probably　the

only　thoroughly　sound…conditioned；　healthy；　and　robust　young　lady

that　ever　walked　the　globe；　and　wherever　she　came　it　was　spring。






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