Emerson's Walden

Abstract

Walden will always be associated with Henry Thoreau. It should also be associated with Emerson. Everyone knows that Thoreau built his cabin on Emerson's land at Walden Pond; it is less often recalled that Emerson not only owned land out there (which his family made sure would be kept open to public forever) but also that Emerson himself had a primary, crucial, spiritual connection to Walden. Emerson loved pond woods, they were absolutely vital to his own life work. For Emerson, who walked out to Walden almost every day for many years, Walden meant renewal, new possibilities, morning of mind, from his Walden walks came his writings. He once thought of calling his second published book Forest Essays. Perhaps he should have. ********** On October 4, 1844, which just happened to be day after Herman Melville stepped ashore at Boston from his years of travel in South Seas, Emerson, out at Concord, wrote to his brother William in New York that he had lately added an absurdity or two to my usual ones, which am impatient to tell you of. In one of my solitary wood-walks by Walden Pond, met two or three men who told me they had come thither to sell buy a field, on which they wished me to bid as a purchaser. Emerson is quick to point out that this is not just any old field. As it was on shores of pond, now for many years had a sort of daily occupancy in it, bid on it, bought it, eleven acres for $8.10 per acre. The next day carried some of my well-beloved gossips to same place they deciding that field was not good for anything if Heartwell Bigelow should cut down his pine-grove, bought, for 125 dollars more, his pretty wood lot of three or four acres, so am landlord waterlord of 14 acres, more or less, on shore of Walden, can raise my own blackberries. The purchase of course had consequences. I am now, like other men who have hazarded a small stake, mad for more.... Mrs Brown wishes me to build her a cottage on some land near my house; dreaming Alcott is here with his Indian dreams that helped him to some house farm in Spirit Land! Emerson had just sent off proofs for Essays: Second Series. He explained to his brother that his purchases were the light-headed frolics of a hack of a scribe when released at last from months of weary tending on printers devil. (1) Brother William was unimpressed, partly because times were hard neither brother had money to spare. But it is also clear from William's reply that he thought Walden area was already ruined, indeed violated, not worth acquiring. If you had bought shores of Walden Pond he wrote his brother, before they were thrown open to garish eye of railroad traveler, should not have marveled. But confess shall hardly think those years bring you wisdom, if you throw away even these cheap acres upon such a sieve (pardon confusion of metaphor) as orphic philosopher. William obviously didn't think much of Bronson Alcott, but he added, gamely, If you want any money to complete your purchase, will furnish whatever you call for. (2) Whatever William might think, purchase was clearly an important one for Emerson. To his English friend Thomas Carlyle he wrote; and when shall show you a pretty pasture woodlot which bought last week on borders of a lake which is chief ornament of this town called Walden Pond. One of these days, if should have any money, may build me a cabin or a turret there high as treetops spend my nights as well as days in midst of a beauty which never fades for me. (3) But it wasn't Alcott, or Lucy Brown or Emerson who came to Walden built a cabin; it was Henry Thoreau who did so, perhaps in response to a letter from Ellery Channing suggesting that he, Thoreau, go out to Walden begin grand process of devouring yourself alive. …