14-former inhabitants and winter visitors-第4章

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hospitable　intellect　he　embraces　children；　beggars；　insane；　and

scholars；　and　entertains　the　thought　of　all；　adding　to　it　commonly

some　breadth　and　elegance。　　I　think　that　he　should　keep　a

caravansary　on　the　world's　highway；　where　philosophers　of　all

nations　might　put　up；　and　on　his　sign　should　be　printed；

〃Entertainment　for　man；　but　not　for　his　beast。　　Enter　ye　that　have

leisure　and　a　quiet　mind；　who　earnestly　seek　the　right　road。〃　　He　is

perhaps　the　sanest　man　and　has　the　fewest　crotchets　of　any　I　chance

to　know；　the　same　yesterday　and　tomorrow。　　Of　yore　we　had　sauntered

and　talked；　and　effectually　put　the　world　behind　us；　for　he　was

pledged　to　no　institution　in　it；　freeborn；　ingenuus。　　Whichever　way

we　turned；　it　seemed　that　the　heavens　and　the　earth　had　met

together；　since　he　enhanced　the　beauty　of　the　landscape。　　A

blue…robed　man；　whose　fittest　roof　is　the　overarching　sky　which

reflects　his　serenity。　　I　do　not　see　how　he　can　ever　die；　Nature

cannot　spare　him。

　　　　Having　each　some　shingles　of　thought　well　dried；　we　sat　and

whittled　them；　trying　our　knives；　and　admiring　the　clear　yellowish

grain　of　the　pumpkin　pine。　　We　waded　so　gently　and　reverently；　or　we

pulled　together　so　smoothly；　that　the　fishes　of　thought　were　not

scared　from　the　stream；　nor　feared　any　angler　on　the　bank；　but　came

and　went　grandly；　like　the　clouds　which　float　through　the　western

sky；　and　the　mother…o'…pearl　flocks　which　sometimes　form　and

dissolve　there。　　There　we　worked；　revising　mythology；　rounding　a

fable　here　and　there；　and　building　castles　in　the　air　for　which

earth　offered　no　worthy　foundation。　　Great　Looker！　　Great　Expecter！

to　converse　with　whom　was　a　New　England　Night's　Entertainment。　　Ah！

such　discourse　we　had；　hermit　and　philosopher；　and　the　old　settler　I

have　spoken　of　　we　three　　it　expanded　and　racked　my　little

house；　I　should　not　dare　to　say　how　many　pounds'　weight　there　was

above　the　atmospheric　pressure　on　every　circular　inch；　it　opened　its

seams　so　that　they　had　to　be　calked　with　much　dulness　thereafter　to

stop　the　consequent　leak；　　but　I　had　enough　of　that　kind　of　oakum

already　picked。

　　　　There　was　one　other　with　whom　I　had　〃solid　seasons；〃　long　to　be

remembered；　at　his　house　in　the　village；　and　who　looked　in　upon　me

from　time　to　time；　but　I　had　no　more　for　society　there。

　　　　There　too；　as　everywhere；　I　sometimes　expected　the　Visitor　who

never　comes。　　The　Vishnu　Purana　says；　〃The　house…holder　is　to　remain

at　eventide　in　his　courtyard　as　long　as　it　takes　to　milk　a　cow；　or

longer　if　he　pleases；　to　await　the　arrival　of　a　guest。〃　　I　often

performed　this　duty　of　hospitality；　waited　long　enough　to　milk　a

whole　herd　of　cows；　but　did　not　see　the　man　approaching　from　the

town。