4 December 1854 – 10 December 1854

P. M. — Down railroad to Walden. Walden went down quite rapidly about the middle of November, leaving the isthmus to Emerson’s meadow bare. Flint’s has been very low all summer. The north- east sides of the trees are thickly incrusted with snowy shields, visible afar, the snow was so damp (at Boston it turned to rain). This had none of the dry delicate powdery beauties of a common first snow. Already the bird-like birch scales dot the snow.

Very cold last night. Probably river skimmed over in some places. The damp snow with water beneath (in all five or six inches deep and not drifted, notwithstanding the wind) is frozen solid, making a crust which bears well. This, I think, is unusual at this stage of the winter.

‘To Providence to lecture. I see thick ice and boys skating all the way to Provi- dence, but know not when it froze, I have been so busy writing my lecture; probably the night of the 4th. In order to go to Blue Hill by Providence Railroad, stop at Readville Station (Dedham Low Plain once), eight miles; the hill apparently two miles east. Was struck with the Providence depot, its towers and great length of brick. Lectured in it. Went to R. Williams’s Rock on the Blackstone with Newcomb and thence to hill with an old fort atop in Seekonk, Mass., on the east side of the Bay, whence a fine view down it. At lecture spoke with a Mr. Clark and Vaughn and Eaton. After lecturing twice this winter I feel that I am in danger of cheapening myself by trying to become a successful lecturer, 2. €., to interest my audiences. I am disappointed to find that most that I am and value myself for is lost, or worse than lost, on my audience. I fail to get even the attention of the mass. I should suit them better if I suited myself less. I feel that the public demand an average man, — average thoughts and manners, — not originality, nor even absolute excellence. You cannot interest them except as you are like them and sympathize with them. I would rather that my audience come to me than that I should go to them, and so they be sifted; 2. e., I would rather write books than lectures. That is fine, this coarse. To read to a promiscuous audience who are at your mercy the fine thoughts you solaced yourself with far away is as violent as to fatten geese by cramming, and in this case they do not get fatter.

Walked through Olneyville in Johnston, two and a half or three miles west of Providence. Harris tells me that since he exchanged a duplicate Jesuit Relation for one he had not with the Montreal men, all theirs have been burnt. He has two early ones which I have not seen.

P. M.— Up river and meadow on ice to Hubbard Bridge and thence to Walden. Winter has come unnoticed by me, I have been so busy writing. This is the life most lead in respect to Nature. How different from my habitual one! It is hasty, coarse, and trivial, as if you were a spindle in a factory. The other is leisurely, fine, and glorious, like a flower. In the first case you are merely getting your living; in the second you live as you go along. You travel only on roads of the proper grade without jar or running off the track, and sweep round the hills by beautiful curves. Here is the river frozen over in many places, I am not sure whether the fourth night or later, but the skating is hobbly or all hobbled like a coat of mail or thickly bossed shield, apparently sleet frozen in water. Very little smooth ice. How black the water where the river is open when I look from the light, by contrast with the surrounding white, the ice and snow! A black artery here and there concealed under a pellicle of ice. Went over the fields on the crust to Walden, over side of Bear Garden. Already foxes have left their tracks. How the crust shines afar, the sun now setting! There is a glorious clear sunset sky, soft and delicate and warm even like a pigeon’s neck. Why do the moun- tains never look so fair as from my native fields ?

Surveying for T. Holden. A cold morning. What is that green pipes on the side-hill at Nut Meadow on his land, looking at first Jike green-briar cut off?’ It forms a dense bed about a dozen rods along the side of the bank in the woods, a rod in width, rising to ten or twelve feet above the swamp. White Pond mostly skimmed over. The scour- ing-rush is as large round as a bulrush, forming dense green beds conspicuous and interesting above the snow, an evergreen rush. C. says he saw three larks on the 5th.

P. M. — To Nut Meadow. Weather warmer; snow softened. Saw a large flock of snow buntings (quite white against woods, at any rate), though it is quite warm. Snow-fleas in paths; first I have seen. Hear the small woodpecker’s whistle; not much else; only crows and partridges else, and chickadees. How quickly the snow feels the warmer wind! The crust which was so firm and rigid is now suddenly softened and there is much water in the road.