Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Early Spring in Massachusetts, 1881: From the Journal of Henry D. Thoreau
The portrait which prefaces this volume is from a daguerreotype taken by Moxham, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Mr. W. E. Charming has given a description of Thoreau when in his vigor, which may be read as an accompaniment to this portrait.
In height, he was about the average; in his build, spare, with limbs that were rather longer than usual, or of which he made a longer use. His face, once seen, could not be forgotten. The features were quite marked the nose aquiline or very Roman, like one of the portraits of Caesar (more like a beak, as was said) large, over hanging brows above the deepest-set blue eyes that could be seen, in certain lights, and in others gray, - eyes ex pressive of all kinds of feeling, but never weak or near sighted; the forehead not unusually broad or high, full of concentrated energy and purpose; the mouth with prominent lips, pursed up with meaning and thought when silent, and giving out when open a stream of the most varied and unusual and instructive sayings. His hair was a dark brown, exceedingly abundant, fine, and soft and for several years he wore a comely beard. His whole figure had an active earnestness, as if he had no moment to waste. The clenched hand betokened purpose. In walking, he made a short cut if he could, and when sitting in the shade or by the wall-side seemed merely the clearer to look forward into the next piece of activity. Even in the boat he had a wary, transitory air, his eyes on the outlook - perhaps there might be ducks, or the Blondin turtle, or an otter, or sparrow.
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