30 August–5 September 1847

Channing wished we had a better word than Nature to express this fine picture which the river gave us in our boat yesterday. Kinde was the old word, which, however, only filled half the range of our fine Latin word. But nothing expresses that power which seems to work for beauty alone, as Channing said, whilst man works only for use. The mikania scandens, the steel blue berries of the cornel, the eupatoriums, enriched now and then by a well-placed cardinal, adorned the fine shubbery with what Channing called judicious, modest colors, suited to the climate, nothing extravagant, etc.