Page:Familiar letters of Henry David Thoreau.djvu/359

 SIT. 39.] TO SOPHIA THOREAU. 335

TO SOPHIA THOREAU.

[Direct] EAGLES WOOD, PERTH AMBOY, N. J.,

Saturday eve, November 1, 1856.

DEAR SOPHIA, I have hardly had time and repose enough to write to you before. I spent the afternoon of Friday (it seems some months ago) in Worcester, but failed to see [Harrison] Blake, he having &quot; gone to the horse-race &quot; in Boston ; to atone for which I have just received a letter from him, asking me to stop at Worces ter and lecture on my return. I called on [Theo.] Brown and [T. W.] Higginson ; in the evening came by way of Norwich to New York in the steamer Commonwealth, and, though it was so windy inland, had a perfectly smooth pas sage, and about as good a sleep as usually at home. Reached New York about seven A. M., too late for the John Potter (there was n t any Jonas), so I spent the forenoon there, called on Greeley (who was not in), met [F. A. T.] Bel- lew in Broadway and walked into his workshop, read at the Astor Library, etc. I arrived here, about thirty miles from New York, about five p. M. Saturday, in company with Miss E. Pea- body, who was returning in the same covered wagon from the Landing to Eagleswood, which last place she has just left for the winter.

This is a queer place. There is one large long