Page:The writings of Henry David Thoreau, v6.djvu/19

Rh it so (though this seems a somewhat prosaic account of the matter), that he was bent upon ever exploring his own genius and obeying its most delicate intimations, and in his love of nature found the purest encouragement in that direction, this constitutes to me the great charm of his Journal, as it does of all his writings,—as it did also of his life and conversation.

I desire to express here my obligations to Mr. W. E. Channing, and Mr. F. B. Sanborn, of Concord, both of them friends and biographers of Thoreau, for indicating to me the position of places on the accompanying map, most of which are referred to in the Journal.

THE EDITOR. 1em