Page:Familiar letters of Henry David Thoreau.djvu/312

 288 FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS. [1854,

TO DANIEL RICKETSON (AT NEW BEDFORD).

CONCORD, October 1, 1854.

DEAR SIR, Your account excites in me a desire to see the Middleborough Ponds, of which I had already heard somewhat ; as also some very beautiful ponds on the Cape, in Harwich, I think, near which I once passed. I have some times also thought of visiting that remnant of our Indians still living near you. But then, you know, there is nothing like one s native fields and lakes. The best news you send me is, not that Nature with you is so fair and genial, but that there is one there who likes her so well. That proves all that was asserted.

Homer, of course, you include in your list of lovers of Nature ; and, by the way, let me men tion here, for this is &quot; my thunder &quot; lately, William Gilpin s long series of books on the Pic turesque, with their illustrations. If it chances that you have not met with these, I cannot just now frame a better wish than that you may one day derive as much pleasure from the inspection of them as I have.

Much as you have told me of yourself, you have still, I think, a little the advantage of me in this correspondence, for I have told you still more in my book. You have therefore the broad est mark to fire at.