Page:Anti-slavery and reform papers by Thoreau, Henry David.djvu/126

 LIFE AVITHOUT PRIXCIPLE.* At a Ivceura, not lonof since, I felt that the lecturer had chosen a theme too foreign to iiimself, and so failed to interest me as much a-s he migfht have done. H-e de- scribed things not in or near to liis heart, but toward his extremities and superficies. There was, in this sense, no truly central or centralizing thought in the lecture.

I would have had him deal with his privatest experience, as the poet does. The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what / tJiongJitj and attended to my answer. I am surprised, as well as delighted, when this happens, it is such a rare use he would make of me, as if he were acquainted with the tool. Commonlv, if men want anvthino: of me, it is only to know how many acres I make of their land, — since I am a surveyor, — or, at most, what trivial news I have burdened myself with. They never will go to law for my meat; they prefer the shell. A man once came a considerable distance to ask me to lecture on Slavery ; but on conversing with him, I found that he and his clique expected seven-eighths of the lecture to be theirs, and only one-eighth mine ; so I declined. I take it for granted, when I am invited to lecture anywhere, —
 * Atlantic Montlihj, Boston, October, 1863.

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