Page:Familiar letters of Henry David Thoreau.djvu/257

 JET. 35.] TO SOPHIA THOREAU. 233

to the spirits and their knockings. Most people here believe in a spiritual world which no respec table junk bottle, which had not met with a slip, would condescend to contain even a portion of for a moment, whose atmosphere would ex tinguish a candle let down into it, like a well that wants airing ; in spirits which the very bull frogs in our meadows would blackball. Their evil genius is seeing how low it can degrade them. The hooting of owls, the croaking of frogs, is celestial wisdom in comparison. If I could be brought to believe in the things which they believe, I should make haste to get rid of my certificate of stock in this and the next world s enterprises, and buy a share in the first Immediate Annihilation Company that offered. I would exchange my immortality for a glass of small beer this hot weather. Where are the heathen ? Was there ever any superstition be fore ? And yet I suppose there may be a vessel this very moment setting sail from the coast of North America to that of Africa with a mission ary on board ! Consider the dawn and the sun rise, the rainbow and the evening, the words of Christ and the aspiration of all the saints ! Hear music ! see, smell, taste, feel, hear, any thing, and then hear these idiots, inspired by the cracking of a restless board, humbly asking, &quot; Please, Spirit, if you cannot answer by knocks, answer by tips of the table.&quot; !!!!!!!