Page:Anti-slavery and reform papers by Thoreau, Henry David.djvu/101

 90 Anti-Slavery and Reform Papers.

" He nothino; common did or mean Upon that memorable scene, !Nor called the gods with vulgar spite, To vindicate his helpless right ; But bowed his comely head Down as upon a bed." What a transit was that 'of his horizontal body alone, but just cut down from the gallows-tree ! We read, that at such a time it passed through Philadelphia, and by Saturday night had reached New York. Thus, like a meteor, it shot through the Union from the Southern reorions towards the North ! No such freisrht had the cars borne since they carried him Southward alive.

On the day of his translation, I heard, to be sure, that he was hung, but I did not know what that meant ; I felt no sorrow on that account ; but not for a day or two did I even hear that he was dead, and not after any number of days shall I believe it. Of all the men who were said to be my contemporaries, it seemed to me that John Brown was the only one who Jtad not died. I never hear of a man named Brown now — and I hear of them pretty often — I never hear of any particularly brave and earnest man, but my first thought is of John Brown, and what relation he may be to him. I meet him at every turn.

He is more alive than ever he was. He has earned im- mortality. He is not confined to North Elba nor to Kansas. He is no lonofer workino; in secret. He works in public, and in the clearest light that shines on this land.