Letter+from+Thoreau+to+Emerson

My dear friend Emerson,

I wish to thank you for your magnanimity in providing me with a plot of land on which I may spend time to accomplish my goals in identifying the superfluous nature of today's society. My simple cabin — just one room to accomodate myself in the most basic way possible — is extremely comfortable at the pond.

While living here, I have been recording my stay in a series of journals and lectures, all of which I hope to share with you. I spend my days no longer working to live in excess, but rather to accept the wonders of life in simplicity. The first month of my stay was rather arduous as I was working adamantly to construct my cabin. Since then, I won't suggest that my stay has been easy, however, it's been more worthwhile. I wake early, often I beat the sun to rise. In the early morning I work first on my bean field, continuing it's early growth - tilling, watering, and the like.

I take some fruit with me to the pond and work for my lunch. While fishing, I gather wood in order to have a strong fire with which to cook my meals. Though this may sound tedious or boring, I assure it's not at all. It provides a worth to living and working, beyond just acquiring material posessions; it's a reversion away from what living has become and found how it should be: living and working just to live and learn.

After I eat lunch, right around noon, when the sun is highest, I take time to write, as I am now to you. I work on my journals, observations, and lectures. I don't, however, have much time as the daylight must be cherished; I work quickly to rapidly gather and write my thoughts. Reserving sufficient time, I proceed now to my most abundant feeding. I worked, while constructing my house, on a variety of animal traps, too. I set them scattered throughout the woods surrounding my house and check them every day, often to much satisfaction in a meal. Again I must reconstruct my fire from the hot coals and cook whatever meal mother nature has graciously provided me.

I hope you are well and look to hear from you again. So I'll return to share with you what I've gained from the pond.

In highest regard,

Henry David Thoreau