Atruefriendofman；almosttheonlyfriendofhumanprogress。AnOldMortality，sayratheranImmortality，withunweariedpatienceandfaithmakingplaintheimageengraveninmen’sbodies，theGodofwhomtheyarebutdefacedandleaningmonuments。Withhishospitableintellectheembraceschildren，beggars，insane，andscholars，andentertainsthethoughtofall，addingtoitcommonlysomebreadthandelegance。Ithinkthatheshouldkeepacaravansaryontheworld’shighway，wherephilosophersofallnationsmightputup，andonhissignshouldbeprinted，“Entertainmentforman，butnotforhisbeast。Enteryethathaveleisureandaquietmind，whoearnestlyseektherightroad。“HeisperhapsthesanestmanandhasthefewestcrotchetsofanyIchancetoknow；thesameyesterdayandtomorrow。Ofyorewehadsaunteredandtalked，andeffectuallyputtheworldbehindus；forhewaspledgedtonoinstitutioninit，freeborn，ingenuus。Whicheverwayweturned，itseemedthattheheavensandtheearthhadmettogether，sinceheenhancedthebeautyofthelandscape。A
blue-robedman，whosefittestroofistheoverarchingskywhichreflectshisserenity。Idonotseehowhecaneverdie；Naturecannotsparehim。
Havingeachsomeshinglesofthoughtwelldried，wesatandwhittledthem，tryingourknives，andadmiringtheclearyellowishgrainofthepumpkinpine。Wewadedsogentlyandreverently，orwepulledtogethersosmoothly，thatthefishesofthoughtwerenotscaredfromthestream，norfearedanyangleronthebank，butcameandwentgrandly，likethecloudswhichfloatthroughthewesternsky，andthemother-o’-pearlflockswhichsometimesformanddissolvethere。Thereweworked，revisingmythology，roundingafablehereandthere，andbuildingcastlesintheairforwhichearthofferednoworthyfoundation。GreatLooker！GreatExpecter！
toconversewithwhomwasaNewEnglandNight’sEntertainment。Ah！
suchdiscoursewehad，hermitandphilosopher，andtheoldsettlerI
havespokenof——wethree——itexpandedandrackedmylittlehouse；Ishouldnotdaretosayhowmanypounds’weighttherewasabovetheatmosphericpressureoneverycircularinch；itopeneditsseamssothattheyhadtobecalkedwithmuchdulnessthereaftertostoptheconsequentleak；——butIhadenoughofthatkindofoakumalreadypicked。
TherewasoneotherwithwhomIhad“solidseasons，“longtoberemembered，athishouseinthevillage，andwholookedinuponmefromtimetotime；butIhadnomoreforsocietythere。
Theretoo，aseverywhere，IsometimesexpectedtheVisitorwhonevercomes。TheVishnuPuranasays，“Thehouse-holderistoremainateventideinhiscourtyardaslongasittakestomilkacow，orlongerifhepleases，toawaitthearrivalofaguest。“Ioftenperformedthisdutyofhospitality，waitedlongenoughtomilkawholeherdofcows，butdidnotseethemanapproachingfromthetown。
WinterAnimalsWhenthepondswerefirmlyfrozen，theyaffordednotonlynewandshorterroutestomanypoints，butnewviewsfromtheirsurfacesofthefamiliarlandscapearoundthem。WhenIcrossedFlint’sPond，afteritwascoveredwithsnow，thoughIhadoftenpaddledaboutandskatedoverit，itwassounexpectedlywideandsostrangethatI
couldthinkofnothingbutBaffin’sBay。TheLincolnhillsroseuparoundmeattheextremityofasnowyplain，inwhichIdidnotremembertohavestoodbefore；andthefishermen，atanindeterminabledistanceovertheice，movingslowlyaboutwiththeirwolfishdogs，passedforsealers，orEsquimaux，orinmistyweatherloomedlikefabulouscreatures，andIdidnotknowwhethertheyweregiantsorpygmies。ItookthiscoursewhenIwenttolectureinLincolnintheevening，travellinginnoroadandpassingnohousebetweenmyownhutandthelectureroom。InGoosePond，whichlayinmyway，acolonyofmuskratsdwelt，andraisedtheircabinshighabovetheice，thoughnonecouldbeseenabroadwhenIcrossedit。
Walden，beingliketherestusuallybareofsnow，orwithonlyshallowandinterrupteddriftsonit，wasmyyardwhereIcouldwalkfreelywhenthesnowwasnearlytwofeetdeeponalevelelsewhereandthevillagerswereconfinedtotheirstreets。There，farfromthevillagestreet，andexceptatverylongintervals，fromthejingleofsleigh-bells，Islidandskated，asinavastmoose-yardwelltrodden，overhungbyoakwoodsandsolemnpinesbentdownwithsnoworbristlingwithicicles。
Forsoundsinwinternights，andofteninwinterdays，Iheardtheforlornbutmelodiousnoteofahootingowlindefinitelyfar；
suchasoundasthefrozenearthwouldyieldifstruckwithasuitableplectrum，theverylinguavernaculaofWaldenWood，andquitefamiliartomeatlast，thoughIneversawthebirdwhileitwasmakingit。Iseldomopenedmydoorinawintereveningwithouthearingit；Hoohoohoo，hoorer，hoo，soundedsonorously，andthefirstthreesyllablesaccentedsomewhatlikehowderdo；orsometimeshoo，hooonly。Onenightinthebeginningofwinter，beforethepondfrozeover，aboutnineo’clock，Iwasstartledbytheloudhonkingofagoose，and，steppingtothedoor，heardthesoundoftheirwingslikeatempestinthewoodsastheyflewlowovermyhouse。TheypassedoverthepondtowardFairHaven，seeminglydeterredfromsettlingbymylight，theircommodorehonkingallthewhilewitharegularbeat。Suddenlyanunmistakablecat-owlfromverynearme，withthemostharshandtremendousvoiceIeverheardfromanyinhabitantofthewoods，respondedatregularintervalstothegoose，asifdeterminedtoexposeanddisgracethisintruderfromHudson’sBaybyexhibitingagreatercompassandvolumeofvoiceinanative，andboo-hoohimoutofConcordhorizon。
Whatdoyoumeanbyalarmingthecitadelatthistimeofnightconsecratedtome？DoyouthinkIamevercaughtnappingatsuchanhour，andthatIhavenotgotlungsandalarynxaswellasyourself？Boo-hoo，boo-hoo，boo-hoo！ItwasoneofthemostthrillingdiscordsIeverheard。Andyet，ifyouhadadiscriminatingear，therewereinittheelementsofaconcordsuchastheseplainsneversawnorheard。
Ialsoheardthewhoopingoftheiceinthepond，mygreatbed-fellowinthatpartofConcord，asifitwererestlessinitsbedandwouldfainturnover，weretroubledwithflatulencyandhaddreams；orIwaswakedbythecrackingofthegroundbythefrost，asifsomeonehaddrivenateamagainstmydoor，andinthemorningwouldfindacrackintheearthaquarterofamilelongandathirdofaninchwide。
SometimesIheardthefoxesastheyrangedoverthesnow-crust，inmoonlightnights，insearchofapartridgeorothergame，barkingraggedlyanddemoniacallylikeforestdogs，asiflaboringwithsomeanxiety，orseekingexpression，strugglingforlightandtobedogsoutrightandrunfreelyinthestreets；forifwetaketheagesintoouraccount，maytherenotbeacivilizationgoingonamongbrutesaswellasmen？Theyseemedtometoberudimental，burrowingmen，stillstandingontheirdefence，awaitingtheirtransformation。
Sometimesonecameneartomywindow，attractedbymylight，barkedavulpinecurseatme，andthenretreated。
Usuallytheredsquirrel(SciurusHudsonius)wakedmeinthedawn，coursingovertheroofandupanddownthesidesofthehouse，asifsentoutofthewoodsforthispurpose。InthecourseofthewinterIthrewouthalfabushelofearsofsweetcorn，whichhadnotgotripe，ontothesnow-crustbymydoor，andwasamusedbywatchingthemotionsofthevariousanimalswhichwerebaitedbyit。
Inthetwilightandthenighttherabbitscameregularlyandmadeaheartymeal。Alldaylongtheredsquirrelscameandwent，andaffordedmemuchentertainmentbytheirmanoeuvres。Onewouldapproachatfirstwarilythroughtheshruboaks，runningoverthesnow-crustbyfitsandstartslikealeafblownbythewind，nowafewpacesthisway，withwonderfulspeedandwasteofenergy，makinginconceivablehastewithhis“trotters，“asifitwereforawager，andnowasmanypacesthatway，butnevergettingonmorethanhalfarodatatime；andthensuddenlypausingwithaludicrousexpressionandagratuitoussomerset，asifalltheeyesintheuniversewereeyedonhim——forallthemotionsofasquirrel，eveninthemostsolitaryrecessesoftheforest，implyspectatorsasmuchasthoseofadancinggirl——wastingmoretimeindelayandcircumspectionthanwouldhavesufficedtowalkthewholedistance——Ineversawonewalk——andthensuddenly，beforeyoucouldsayJackRobinson，hewouldbeinthetopofayoungpitchpine，windinguphisclockandchidingallimaginaryspectators，soliloquizingandtalkingtoalltheuniverseatthesametime——fornoreasonthatI
couldeverdetect，orhehimselfwasawareof，Isuspect。Atlengthhewouldreachthecorn，andselectingasuitableear，friskaboutinthesameuncertaintrigonometricalwaytothetopmoststickofmywood-pile，beforemywindow，wherehelookedmeintheface，andtheresitforhours，supplyinghimselfwithanewearfromtimetotime，nibblingatfirstvoraciouslyandthrowingthehalf-nakedcobsabout；tillatlengthhegrewmoredaintystillandplayedwithhisfood，tastingonlytheinsideofthekernel，andtheear，whichwasheldbalancedoverthestickbyonepaw，slippedfromhiscarelessgraspandfelltotheground，whenhewouldlookoveratitwithaludicrousexpressionofuncertainty，asifsuspectingthatithadlife，withamindnotmadeupwhethertogetitagain，oranewone，orbeoff；nowthinkingofcorn，thenlisteningtohearwhatwasinthewind。Sothelittleimpudentfellowwouldwastemanyanearinaforenoon；tillatlast，seizingsomelongerandplumperone，considerablybiggerthanhimself，andskilfullybalancingit，hewouldsetoutwithittothewoods，likeatigerwithabuffalo，bythesamezig-zagcourseandfrequentpauses，scratchingalongwithitasifitweretooheavyforhimandfallingallthewhile，makingitsfalladiagonalbetweenaperpendicularandhorizontal，beingdeterminedtoputitthroughatanyrate；——asingularlyfrivolousandwhimsicalfellow；——andsohewouldgetoffwithittowherehelived，perhapscarryittothetopofapinetreefortyorfiftyrodsdistant，andIwouldafterwardsfindthecobsstrewnaboutthewoodsinvariousdirections。
Atlengththejaysarrive，whosediscordantscreamswereheardlongbefore，astheywerewarilymakingtheirapproachaneighthofamileoff，andinastealthyandsneakingmannertheyflitfromtreetotree，nearerandnearer，andpickupthekernelswhichthesquirrelshavedropped。Then，sittingonapitchpinebough，theyattempttoswallowintheirhasteakernelwhichistoobigfortheirthroatsandchokesthem；andaftergreatlabortheydisgorgeit，andspendanhourintheendeavortocrackitbyrepeatedblowswiththeirbills。Theyweremanifestlythieves，andIhadnotmuchrespectforthem；butthesquirrels，thoughatfirstshy，wenttoworkasiftheyweretakingwhatwastheirown。
Meanwhilealsocamethechickadeesinflocks，which，pickingupthecrumbsthesquirrelshaddropped，flewtothenearesttwigand，placingthemundertheirclaws，hammeredawayatthemwiththeirlittlebills，asifitwereaninsectinthebark，tilltheyweresufficientlyreducedfortheirslenderthroats。Alittleflockofthesetitmicecamedailytopickadinneroutofmywoodpile，orthecrumbsatmydoor，withfaintflittinglispingnotes，likethetinklingoficiclesinthegrass，orelsewithsprightlydaydayday，ormorerarely，inspring-likedays，awirysummeryphe-befromthewoodside。TheyweresofamiliarthatatlengthonealightedonanarmfulofwoodwhichIwascarryingin，andpeckedatthestickswithoutfear。IoncehadasparrowalightuponmyshoulderforamomentwhileIwashoeinginavillagegarden，andI
feltthatIwasmoredistinguishedbythatcircumstancethanI
shouldhavebeenbyanyepauletIcouldhaveworn。Thesquirrelsalsogrewatlasttobequitefamiliar，andoccasionallysteppeduponmyshoe，whenthatwasthenearestway。
Whenthegroundwasnotyetquitecovered，andagainneartheendofwinter，whenthesnowwasmeltedonmysouthhillsideandaboutmywood-pile，thepartridgescameoutofthewoodsmorningandeveningtofeedthere。Whicheversideyouwalkinthewoodsthepartridgeburstsawayonwhirringwings，jarringthesnowfromthedryleavesandtwigsonhigh，whichcomessiftingdowninthesunbeamslikegoldendust，forthisbravebirdisnottobescaredbywinter。Itisfrequentlycoveredupbydrifts，and，itissaid，“sometimesplungesfromonwingintothesoftsnow，whereitremainsconcealedforadayortwo。“Iusedtostartthemintheopenlandalso，wheretheyhadcomeoutofthewoodsatsunsetto“bud“thewildappletrees。Theywillcomeregularlyeveryeveningtoparticulartrees，wherethecunningsportsmanliesinwaitforthem，andthedistantorchardsnextthewoodssufferthusnotalittle。I
amgladthatthepartridgegetsfed，atanyrate。ItisNature’sownbirdwhichlivesonbudsanddietdrink。
Indarkwintermornings，orinshortwinterafternoons，I
