Page:Some unpublished letters of Henry D. and Sophia E. Thoreau; a chapter in the history of a still-born book.djvu/20

 while on the succeeding leaf is the pencilled inscription, "Mr. from S. E. Thoreau." The book selected as a memento for the visitor's wife is an American edition of The Spectator, two volumes in one, Philadelphia, 1832. On the title-page is an autograph, in a fine clerkly hand: "J. Thoreau." It is the signature of Thoreau's father, a man, according to one biographer, "who led a plodding, unambitious and respectable life in Concord village." It is not mentioned whether he 'kept a gig'; but commend us always to the 'plodder' who, from his scanty means, provides his family book-shelf with a substantially bound and well printed copy of the Spectator. One can readily believe that such a man was respected, gigless though he be; but few would have the hardihood to declare that a