4.16.2014

Walden Pond Society
...Thoreau's Journal: 16-Apr-1857

Almost a month ago, at the post-office, Abel Brooks, who is pretty deaf, sidling up to me, observed in a loud voice, which all could hear, “Let me see, your society is pretty large, ain’t it?” “Oh, yes, large enough,” said I, not knowing what he meant. “There’s Stewart belongs to it, and Collier, he’s one of them, and Emerson, and my boarder” (Pulsifer), “and Channing, I believe, I think he goes there.” “You mean the walkers; don’t you?” “Ye-es, I call you the Society. All go to the woods; don’t you?” “Do you miss any of your wood?” I asked. “No, I hain’t worried any yet. I believe you’re a pretty clever set, as good as the average,” etc., etc.

Telling Sanborn of this, he said that, when he first came to town and boarded at Holbrook’s, he asked H. how many religious societies there were in town. H. said that there were three,—the Unitarian, the Orthodox, and the Walden Pond Society.

2 comments:

michael jameson said...

how human it is for people to form groups,not just the cluster of a town but within small groups are formed some of friends some religious and some to share a craft,and at times there are thinkers that cannot endure the interruptions of society so nature is there escape,they discuss new and old ideas,not like groups that have all the rules set and that's it,these are creative thinkers with the past,present and future to explore,like the readers of thoreau! michael jameson oldantiqueguy@hotmail.com

Premodern Bloke said...

Except that the Transcendentalists had their doctrines and dogmas, just like any other religion. Dogma, like ritual, is inescapable. Man is first and foremost Homo Adorans.

Jeff