[10] No such letter appears.
[11] That is to say, a low price compared with what is now paid. As the letter courteously states some matters that have now become curious, it may be given:—
"Philadelphia, March 24, 1852.
"Dear Sir,—I have read the articles of Mr. Thoreau forwarded by you, and will be glad to publish them if our terms are satisfactory. We generally pay for prose composition per printed page, and would allow him three dollars per page. We do not pay more than four dollars for any that we now engage. I did not suppose our maximum rate would have paid you (Mr. Greeley) for your lecture, and therefore requested to know your own terms. Of course, when an article is unusually desirable, we may deviate from rule; I now only mention ordinary arrangement. I was very sorry not to have your article, but shall enjoy the reading of it in Graham. Mr. T. might send us some further contributions, and shall at least receive prompt and courteous decision respecting them. Yours truly,
"John Sartain."
It seems sad so candid and amiable a publisher should not have succeeded.
[12] It was a "Primo Flauto" of his father's, who, like himself, was a sweet player on the flute, and had performed with that instrument in the parish choir, before the day of church-organs in Concord.
[13] Thoreau says of this adventure: "After putting our packs under a rock, having a good hatchet, I proceeded to build a substantial house. This was done about dark, and by that time we were as wet as if we had stood in a hogshead of water. We then built a fire before the door, directly on the site of our camp of two years ago. Standing before this, and turning round slowly, like meat that is roasting, we were as dry, if not drier than ever, after a few hours, and so, at last, we turned in."
Transcriber's Notes
Minor punctuation errors have been silently corrected.
Page [39]: Changed "aniversary" to "anniversary."
(Orig: two hundredth aniversary of the town settlement.)
[Footnote] from Page [111]: Dashes represent blank spaces of unrecorded death date.
(Orig: Concord, December 24, 1761, and died in Concord, ——, ——.)
Page [130]: Changed "acknowlege" to "acknowledge."
(Orig: to pure love, I may acknowlege with gratitude)
Page [229]: Changed "existnce" to "existence."
(Orig: let common people know of his existnce.)
Page [234]: Changed "that" to "than."
(Orig: make a use for them at this season that at any other.")