the complete writings-3-第11章

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w　that　was　to　be　done；　and　suddenly　it　occurred　to　him　（having　been　much　interested　lately　in　watching　the　work　of　a　photographer）　that；　when　a　photograph　is　going　to　be　taken；　all　that　has　to　be　done　is　to　put　the　object　in　position；　and　the　sun　makes　the　picture；　and　so　he　rather　thought　that　all　we　had　got　to　do　was　to　put　our　hearts　in　place；　and　God　would　do　the　writin'。〃

Phelps's　theology；　like　his　science；　is　first…hand。　　In　the　woods；　one　day；　talk　ran　on　the　Trinity　as　being　nowhere　asserted　as　a　doctrine　in　the　Bible；　and　some　one　suggested　that　the　attempt　to　pack　these　great　and　fluent　mysteries　into　one　word　must　always　be　more　or　less　unsatisfactory。　　〃Ye…es；〃　droned　Phelps：　〃I　never　could　see　much　speckerlation　in　that　expression　the　Trinity。　　Why；　they'd　a　good　deal　better　say　Legion。〃

The　sentiment　of　the　man　about　nature；　or　his　poetic　sensibility；　was　frequently　not　to　be　distinguished　from　a　natural　religion；　and　was　always　tinged　with　the　devoutness　of　Wordsworth's　verse。　　Climbing　slowly　one　day　up　the　Balcony；he　was　more　than　usually　calm　and　slow；he　espied　an　exquisite　fragile　flower　in　the　crevice　of　a　rock；　in　a　very　lonely　spot。

It　seems　as　if；〃　he　said；　or　rather　dreamed　out；　it　seems　as　if　the　Creator　had　kept　something　just　to　look　at　himself。〃

To　a　lady　whom　he　had　taken　to　Chapel　Pond　（a　retired　but　rather　uninteresting　spot）；　and　who　expressed　a　little　disappointment　at　its　tameness；　saying；　of　this　〃Why；　Mr。　Phelps；　the　principal　charm　of　this　place　seems　to　be　its　loneliness；〃

〃Yes；〃　he　replied　in　gentle　and　lingering　tones；　and　its　nativeness。　It　lies　here　just　where　it　was　born。〃

Rest　and　quiet　had　infinite　attractions　for　him。　　A　secluded　opening　in　the　woods　was　a　〃calm　spot。〃　　He　told　of　seeing　once；　or　rather　being　in；　a　circular　rainbow。　　He　stood　on　Indian　Head；　overlooking　the　Lower　Lake；　so　that　he　saw　the　whole　bow　in　the　sky　and　the　lake；　and　seemed　to　be　in　the　midst　of　it；　〃only　at　one　place　there　was　an　indentation　in　it；　where　it　rested　on　the　lake；　just　enough　to　keep　it　from　rolling　off。〃　　This　〃resting〃　of　the　sphere　seemed　to　give　him　great　comfort。

One　Indian…summer　morning　in　October；　some　ladies　found　the　old　man　sitting　on　his　doorstep　smoking　a　short　pipe。

He　gave　no　sign　of　recognition　　except　a　twinkle　of　the　eye；　being　evidently　quite　in　harmony　with　the　peaceful　day。　　They　stood　there　a　full　minute　before　he　opened　his　mouth：　then　he　did　not　rise；　but　slowly　took　his　pipe　from　his　mouth；　and　said　in　a　dreamy　way；　pointing　towards　the　brook；

〃Do　you　see　that　tree？〃　indicating　a　maple　almost　denuded　of　leaves；　which　lay　like　a　yellow　garment　cast　at　its　feet。　　〃I've　been　watching　that　tree　all　the　morning。　　There　hain't　been　a　breath　of　wind：　but　for　hours　the　leaves　have　been　falling；　falling；　just　as　you　see　them　now；　and　at　last　it's　pretty　much　bare。〃　　And　after　a　pause；　pensively：　〃Waal；　I　suppose　its　hour　had　come。〃

This　contemplative　habit　of　Old　Phelps　is　wholly　unappreciated　by　his　neighbors；　but　it　has　been　indulged　in　no　inconsiderable　part　of　his　life。　　Rising　after　a　time；　he　said；　〃Now　I　want　you　to　go　with　me　and　see　my　golden　city　I've　talked　so　much　about。〃　　He　led　the　way　to　a　hill…outlook；　when　suddenly；　emerging　from　the　forest；　the　spectators　saw　revealed　the　winding　valley　and　its　stream。　　He　said　quietly；　〃There　is　my　golden　city。〃　　Far　below；　at　their　feet；　they　saw　that　vast　assemblage　of　birches　and　〃popples；〃　yellow　as　gold　in　the　brooding　noonday；　and　slender　spires　rising　out　of　the　glowing　mass。　　Without　another　word；　Phelps　sat　a　long　time　in　silent　content：　it　was　to　him；　as　Bunyan　says；　〃a　place　desirous　to　be　in。〃

Is　this　philosopher　contented　with　what　life　has　brought　him？　Speaking　of　money　one　day；　when　we　had　asked　him　if　he　should　do　differently　if　he　had　his　life　to　live　over　again；　he　said；　〃Yes；　but　not　about　money。　　To　have　had　hours　such　as　I　have　had　in　these　mountains；　and　with　such　men　as　Dr。　Bushnell　and　Dr。　Shaw　and　Mr。　Twichell；　and　others　I　could　name；　is　worth　all　the　money　the　world　could　give。〃　　He　read　character　very　well；　and　took　in　accurately　the　boy　nature。　　〃Tom〃　（an　irrepressible；　rather　overdone　specimen）；〃　Tom's　a　nice　kind　of　a　boy；　but　he's　got　to　come　up　against　a　snubbin'…post　one　of　these　days。〃〃Boys！〃　he　once　said：　〃you　can't　git　boys　to　take　any　kinder　notice　of　scenery。　　I　never　yet　saw　a　boy　that　would　look　a　second　time　at　a　sunset。　　Now；　a　girl　will　some　times；　but　even　then　it's　instantaneous；comes　an　goes　like　the　sunset。　　As　for　me；〃　still　speaking　of　scenery；　〃these　mountains　about　here；　that　I　see　every　day；　are　no　more　to　me；　in　one　sense；　than　a　man's　farm　is　to　him。　　What　mostly　interests　me　now　is　when　I　see　some　new　freak　or　shape　in　the　face　of　Nature。〃

In　literature　it　may　be　said　that　Old　Phelps　prefers　the　best　in　the　very　limited　range　that　has　been　open　to　him。　　Tennyson　is　his　favorite　among　poets　an　affinity　explained　by　the　fact　that　they　are　both　lotos…eaters。　　Speaking　of　a　lecture…room　talk　of　Mr。　Beecher's　which　he　had　read；　he　said；　〃It　filled　my　cup　about　as　full　as　I　callerlate　to　have　it：　there　was　a　good　deal　of　truth　in　it；　and　some　poetry；　waal；　and　a　little　spice；　too。　　We've　got　to　have　the　spice；　you　know。〃　　He　admired；　for　different　reasons；　a　lecture　by　Greeley　that　he　once　heard；　into　which　so　much　knowledge　of　various　kinds　was　crowded　that　he　said　he　〃made　a　reg'lar　gobble　of　it。〃　　He　was　not　without　discrimination；　which　he　exercised　upon　the　local　preaching　when　nothing　better　offered。　　Of　one　sermon　he　said；　〃The　man　began　way　back　at　the　creation；　and　just　preached　right　along　down；　and　he　didn't　say　nothing；　after　all。　　It　just　seemed　to　me　as　if　he　was　tryin'　to　git　up　a　kind　of　a　fix…up。〃

Old　Phelps　used　words　sometimes　like　algebraic　signs；　and　had　a　habit　of　making　one　do　duty　for　a　season　together　for　all　occasions。　〃Speckerlation〃　and　〃callerlation〃　and　〃fix…up〃　are　specimens　of　words　that　were　prolific　in　expression。　　An　unusual　expression；　or　an　unusual　article；　would　be　charactcrized　as　a　〃kind　of　a　scientific　literary　git…up。〃

〃What　is　the　program　for　tomorrow？〃　I　once　asked　him。　　〃　Waal；　I　callerlate；　if　they　rig　up　the　callerlation　they　callerlate　on；　we'll　go　to　the　Boreas。〃　　Starting　out　for　a　day's　tramp　in　the　woods；　he　would　ask　whether　we　wanted　to　take　a　〃reg'lar　walk；　or　a　random　scoot；〃the　latter　being　a　plunge　into　the　pathless　forest。　　When　he　was　on　such　an　expedition；　and　became　entangled　in　dense　brush；　and　maybe　a　network　of　〃slash〃　and　swamp；　he　was　like　an　old　wizard；　as　he　looked　here　and　there；　seeking　a　way；　peering　into　the　tangle；　or　withdrawing　from　a　thicket；　and　muttering　to　himself；　〃There　ain't　no　speckerlation　there。〃　　And　when　the　way　became　altogether　inscrutable；〃Waal；　this　is　a　reg'lar　random　scoot　of　a　rigmarole。〃　As　some　one　remarked；　〃The　dictionary　in　his　hands　is　like　clay　in　the　hands　of　the　potter。〃　　A　petrifaction　was　a　kind　of　a　hard…wood　chemical　git…up。〃

There　is　no　conceit；　we　are　apt　to　say；　like　that　born　of　isolation　from　the　world；　and　there　are　no　such　conceited　people　as　those　who　have　lived　all　their　lives　in　the　woods。　　Phelps　was；　however；　unsophisticated　in　his　until　the　advent　of　strangers　into　his　life；　who　brought　in　literature　and　various　other　disturbing　influences。　　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　the　effect　has　been　to　take　off　something　of　the　bloom　of　his　simplicity；　and　to　elevate　him　into　an　oracle。　　I　suppose　this　is　inevitable　as　soon　as　one　goes　into　print；　and　Phelps　has　gone　into　print　in　the　local　papers。　　He　has　been　bitten　with　the　literary　〃git　up。〃　　Justly　regarding　most　of　the　Adirondack　literature　as　a　〃perfect　fizzle；〃　he　has　himself　projected　a　work；　and　written　much　on　the　natural　history　of　his　region。　　Long　ago　he　made　a　large　map　of　the　mountain　country；　and；　until　recent　surveys；　it　was　the　only　one　that　could　lay　any　claim　to　accuracy。　　His　history　is　no　doubt　original　in　form；　and　unconventional　in　expression。　　Like　most　of　the　writers　of　the　seventeenth　century；　and　the　court　ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the　eighteenth　century；　he　is　an　independent　speller。　　Writing　of　his　work　on　the　Adirondacks；　he　says；　〃If　I　should　ever　live　to　get　this　wonderful　thing　written；　I　expect　it　will　show　one　thing；　if　no　more；　and　that　is；　that　every　thing　has　an　opposite。　　I　expect　to　show　in　this　that　literature　has　an　opposite；　if　I　do　not　show　any　thing　els。　　We　could　not　enjoy　the　blessings　and　happiness　of　riteousness　if　we　did　not　know　innicuty　was　in　the　world：　in　fact；　there　would　be　no　riteousness　without　innicuty。〃　　Writing　also　of　his　great　enjoyment　of　being　in　the　woods；　especially　since　he　has　had　the　society　there　of　some　people　he　names；　he　adds；　〃And　since　I　have　Literature；　Siance；　and　Art　all　spread　about　on　the　green　moss　of　the　mountain　woods　or　the　gravell　banks　of　a　cristle　stream；　it　seems　like　finding　roses；　honeysuckels；　and　violets　on　a　crisp　brown　cliff　in　December。　　You　know　I　don't　believe　much　in　the　religion　of　seramony；　but　any　riteous　thing　that　has　life　and　spirit　in　it　is　food　for　me。〃　　I　must　not　neglect　to　mention　an　essay；　continued　in　several　numbers　of　his　local　paper；　on　〃The　Growth　of　the　Tree；〃　in　which　he　demolishes　the　theory　of　Mr。　Greeley；　whom　he　calls　〃one　of　the　best　vegetable　philosophers；〃　about　〃growth　without　seed。〃　　He　treats　of　the　office　of　sap：　〃All　trees　have　some　kind　of　sap　and　some　kind　of　operation　of　sap　flowing　in　their　season；〃　the　dissemination　of　seeds；　the　processes　of　growth；　the　power　of　healing　wounds；　the　proportion　of　roots　to　branches；　&c。　　Speaking　of　the　latter；　he　says；　〃I　have　thought　it　would　be　one　of　the　greatest　curiosities　on　earth　to　see　a　thrifty　growing　maple　or　elm；　that　had　grown　on　a　deep　soil　interval　to　be　two　feet　in　diameter；　to　be　raised　clear　into　the　air　with　every　root　and　fibre　down　to　the　minutest　thread；　all　entirely　cleared　of　soil；　so　that　every　particle　could　be　seen　in　its　natural　position。　　I　think　it　would　astonish　even　the　wise　ones。〃　　From　his　instinctive　sympathy　with　nature；　he　often　credits　vegetable　organism　with　〃instinctive　judgment。〃　　〃　Observation　teaches　us　that　a　tree　is　given　powerful　instincts；　which　would　almost　appear　to　amount　to　judgment　in　some　cases；　to　provide　for　its　own　wants　and　necessities。〃

Here　our　study　must　cease。　　When　the　primitive　man　comes　into　literature；　he　is　no　longer　primitive。




VI

CAMPING　OUT

It　seems　to　be　agreed　that　civilization　is　kept　up　only　by　a　constant　effort：　Nature　claims　its　own　speedily　when　the　effort　is　relaxed。　If　you　clear　a　patch　of　fertile　ground　in　the　forest；　uproot　the　stumps；　and　plant　it；　year　after　year；　in　potatoes　and　maize；　you　say　you　have　subdued　it。　　But；　if　you　leave　it　for　a　season　or　two；　a　kind　of　barbarism　seems　to　steal　out　upon　it　from　the　circling　woods；　coarse　grass　and　brambles　cover　it；　bushes　spring　up　in　a　wild　tangle；　the　raspberry　and　the　blackberry　flower　and　fruit；　and　the　humorous　bear　feeds　upon　them。　　The　last　state　of　that　ground　is　worse　than　the　first。

Perhaps　the　cleared　spot　is　called　Ephesus。　　There　is　a　splendid　city　on　the　plain；　there　are　temples　and　theatres　on　the　hills；　the　commerce　of　the　world　seeks　its　port；　the　luxury　of　the　Orien