CONCORD, January 6, 1855.
MR. RICKETSON,--I am pleased to hear from the shanty, whose inside and
occupant I have seen. I had a very pleasant time at Brooklawn, as you
know, and thereafter at Nantucket. I was obliged to pay the usual
tribute to the sea, but it was more than made up to me by the
hospitality of the Nantucketers. Tell Arthur that I can now compare
notes with him; for though I went neither before nor behind the mast,
since we had n't any, I went with my head hanging over the side all the
way.
In spite of all my experience, I persisted in reading to the Nantucket
people the lecture which I read at New Bedford, and I found them to be
the very audience for me. I got home Friday night, after being lost
in the fog off Hyannis.[55] I have not yet found a new jackknife, but
I had a glorious skating with Channing the other day, on the skates
found long ago.
Mr. Cholmondeley sailed for England direct, in the America, on the 3d,
after spending a night with me. He thinks even to go to the East and
enlist. Last night I returned from lecturing in Worcester.
I shall be glad to see you when you come to Boston, as will also my
mother and sister, who know something about you as an abolitionist.
Come directly to our house. Please remember me to Mrs. Ricketson, and
also to the young folks.
* * * * *
After writing that he expected to be at the anti-slavery meetings in
Boston, January 24 and 25, ill health and a snow-storm detained
Ricketson at Brooklawn, whereupon Thoreau wrote:--