figure of Death in my little New England Primer。
I have mentioned only the names of those whose images come up
pleasantly before me； and I do not mean to say anything which any
descendant might not read smilingly。 But there were some of the
black…coated gentry whose aspect was not so agreeable to me。 It is
very curious to me to look back on my early likes and dislikes； and
see how as a child I was attracted or repelled by such and such
ministers； a good deal； as I found out long afterwards； according to
their theological beliefs。 On the whole； I think the old…fashioned
New England divine softening down into Arminianism was about as
agreeable as any of them。 And here I may remark； that a mellowing
rigorist is always a much pleasanter object to contemplate than a
tightening liberal； as a cold day warming up to 32 Fahrenheit is much
more agreeable than a warm one chilling down to the same temperature。
The least pleasing change is that kind of mental hemiplegia which now
and then attacks the rational side of a man at about the same period
of life when one side of the body is liable to be palsied； and in
fact is； very probably； the same thing as palsy； in another form。
The worst of it is that the subjects of it never seem to suspect that
they are intellectual invalids； stammerers and cripples at best； but
are all the time hitting out at their old friends with the well arm；
and calling them hard names out of their twisted mouths。
It was a real delight to have one of those good； hearty； happy；
benignant old clergymen pass the Sunday； with us； and I can remember。
some whose advent made the day feel almost like 〃Thanksgiving。〃 But
now and then would come along a clerical visitor with a sad face and
a wailing voice； which sounded exactly as if somebody must be lying
dead up stairs； who took no interest in us children； except a painful
one； as being in a bad way with our cheery looks； and did more to
unchristianize us with his woebegone ways than all his sermons were
like to accomplish in the other direction。 I remember one in
particular； who twitted me so with my blessings as a Christian child；
and whined so to me about the naked black children who； like the
〃Little Vulgar Boy；〃 〃had n't got no supper and hadn't got no ma；〃
and hadn't got no Catechism； （how I wished for the moment I was a
little black boy！） that he did more in that one day to make me a
heathen than he had ever done in a month to make a Christian out of
an infant Hottentot。 What a debt we owe to our friends of the left
centre； the Brooklyn and the Park Street and the Summer street
ministers； good； wholesome； sound…bodied； one…minded； cheerful…
spirited men； who have taken the place of those wailing poitrinaires
with the bandanna handkerchiefs round their meagre throats and a
funeral service in their forlorn physiognomies！ I might have been a
minister myself； for aught I know； if this clergyman had not looked
and talked so like an undertaker。
All this belongs to one of the side…shows； to which I promised those
who would take tickets to the main exhibition should have entrance
gratis。 If I were writing a poem you would expect； as a matter of
course； that there would be a digression now and then。
To come back to the old house and its former tenant； the Professor of
Hebrew and other Oriental languages。 Fifteen years he lived with his
family under its roof。 I never found the slightest trace of him
until a few years ago； when I cleaned and brightened with pious hands
the brass lock of 〃the study；〃 which had for many years been covered
with a thick coat of paint。 On that I found scratched； as with a
nail or fork； the following inscription：
E PE
Only that and nothing more； but the story told itself。 Master Edward
Pearson； then about as high as the lock； was disposed to immortalize
himself in monumental brass； and had got so far towards it； when a
sudden interruption； probably a smart box on the ear； cheated him of
his fame； except so far as this poor record may rescue it。 Dead long
ago。 I remember him well； a grown man； as a visitor at a later
period； and； for some reason； I recall him in the attitude of the
Colossus of Rhodes； standing full before a generous wood…fire； not
facing it； but quite the contrary； a perfect picture of the content
afforded by a blazing hearth contemplated from that point of view；
and； as the heat stole through his person and kindled his emphatic
features； seeming to me a pattern of manly beauty。 What a statue
gallery of posturing friends we all have in our memory！ The old
Professor himself sometimes visited the house after it had changed
hands。 Of course； my recollections are not to be wholly trusted； but
I always think I see his likeness in a profile face to be found among
the illustrations of Rees's Cyclopaedia。 （See Plates； Vol。 IV。；
Plate 2； Painting； Diversities of the Human Face； Fig。 4。）
And now let us return to our chief picture。 In the days of my
earliest remembrance； a row of tall Lombardy poplars mounted guard on
the western side of the old mansion。 Whether； like the cypress；
these trees suggest the idea of the funeral torch or the monumental
spire； whether their tremulous leaves make wits afraid by sympathy
with their nervous thrills； whether the faint balsamic smell of their
foliage and their closely swathed limbs have in them vague hints of
dead Pharaohs stiffened in their cerements； I will guess； but they
always seemed to me to give an of sepulchral sadness to the house
before which stood sentries。 Not so with the row of elms which you
may see leading up towards the western entrance。 I think the
patriarch of them all went over in the great gale of 1815； I know I
used to shake the youngest of them with my hands； stout as it is now；
with a trunk that would defy the bully of Crotona； or the strong man
whose liaison with the Lady Delilah proved so disastrous。
The College plain would be nothing without its elms。 As the long
hair of a woman is a glory to her； are these green tresses that bank
themselves against sky in thick clustered masses the ornament and the
pride of the classic green。 You know the 〃Washington elm；〃 or if you
do not； you had better rekindle our patriotism by reading the
inscription； which tells you that under its shadow the great leader
first drew his sword at the head of an American army。 In a line with
that you may see two others： the coral fan； as I always called it
from its resemblance in form to that beautiful marine growth； and a
third a little farther along。 I have heard it said that all three
were planted at the same time； and that the difference of their
growth is due to the slope of the ground；the Washington elm being
lower than either of the others。 There is a row of elms just in
front of the old house on the south。 When I was a child the one at
the southwest corner was struck by lightning； and one of its limbs
and a long ribbon of bark torn away。 The tree never fully recovered
its symmetry and vigor； and forty years and more afterwards a second
thunderbolt crashed upon it and set its heart on fire； like those of
the lost souls in the Hall of Eblis。 Heaven had twice blasted it；
and the axe finished what the lightning had begun。
The soil of the University town is divided into patches of sandy and
of clayey ground。 The Common and the College green； near which the
old house stands； are on one of the sandy patches。 Four curses are
the local inheritance： droughts； dust； mud； and canker…worms。 I
cannot but think that all the characters of a region help to modify
the children born in it。 I am fond of making apologies for human
nature； and I think I could find an excuse for myself if I； too； were
dry and barren and muddy…witted and 〃cantankerous；〃disposed to get
my back up； like those other natives of the soil。
I know this； that the way Mother Earth treats a boy shapes out a kind
of natural theology for him。 I fell into Manichean ways of thinking
from the teaching of my garden experiences。 Like other boys in the
country； I had my patch of ground； to which； in the spring…time； I
entrusted the seeds furnished me； with a confident trust in their
resurrection and glorification in the better world of summer。 But I
soon found that my lines had fallen in a place where a vegetable
growth had to run the gauntlet of as many foes and dials as a
Christian pilgrim。 Flowers would not Blow； daffodils perished like
criminals in their cone demned caps； without their petals ever seeing
daylight； roses were disfigured with monstrous protrusions 〃through
their very centres；something that looked like a second bud pushing
through the middle of the corolla； lettuces and cabbages would not
head； radishes knotted themselves until they looked like
centenerians' fingers； and on every stem； on every leaf； and both
sides of it； and at the root of everything that dew； was a
professional specialist in the shape of grub； caterpillar； aphis； or
other expert； whose business it was to devour that particular part；
and help order the whole attempt at vegetation。 Such experiences
must influence a child born to them。 A sandy soil； where nothing
flourishes but weeds and evil beasts of small dimensions； must breed
different qualities in its human offspring from one of those fat and
fertile spots which the wit whom I have once before noted described
so happily that； if I quoted the passage； its brilliancy would spoil
one of my pages； as a diamond breastpin sometimes kills the social
effect of the wearer； who might have passed for a gentleman without
it。 Your arid patch of earth should seem to the natural birthplace
of the leaner virtues and the abler vices；of temperance and the
domestic proprieties on the one hand； with a tendency to light
weights in groceries and provisions； and to clandestine abstraction
from the person on the other； as opposed to the free hospitality； the
broadly planned burglaries； and the largely conceived homicides of
our rich Western alluvial regions。 Yet Nature is never wholly
unkind。 Economical as she was in my unparadised Eden； hard as it was
to make some of my floral houris unveil； still the damask roses
sweetened