CONCORD, March 22, 1861.
FRIEND RICKETSON,--The bluebird was here the 26th of February, at
least, which is one day earlier than you date; but I have not heard of
larks nor pigeon woodpeckers. To tell the truth, I am not on the alert
for the signs of spring, not having had any winter yet. I took a
severe cold about the 3d of December, which at length resulted in a
kind of bronchitis, so that I have been confined to the house ever
since, excepting a very few experimental trips as far as the
post-office in some particularly fine noons. My health otherwise has
not been affected in the least, nor my spirits. I have simply been
imprisoned for so long, and it has not prevented my doing a good deal
of reading and the like.
Channing has looked after me very faithfully; says he has made a study
of my case, and knows me better than I know myself, etc., etc. Of
course, if I knew how it began, I should know better how it would end.
I trust that when warm weather comes I shall begin to pick up my
crumbs. I thank you for your invitation to come to New Bedford, and
will bear it in mind; but at present my health will not permit my
leaving home.
The day I received your letter, Blake and Brown arrived here, having
walked from Worcester in two days, though Alcott, who happened in soon
after, could not understand what pleasure they found in walking
across the country in this season, when the ways were so unsettled. I
had a solid talk with them for a day and a half--though my pipes were
not in good order--and they went their way again.
You may be interested to hear that Alcott is at present, perhaps, the
most successful man in the town. He had his second annual exhibition
of all the schools in the town, at the Town Hall last Saturday; at
which all the masters and misses did themselves great credit, as I
hear, and of course reflected some on their teachers and parents. They
were making their little speeches from one till six o'clock P. M., to
a large audience, which patiently listened to the end. In the
meanwhile, the children made Mr. Alcott an unexpected present of a
fine edition of "Pilgrim's Progress" and Herbert's Poems, which, of
course, overcame all parties. I inclose an order of exercises.[100]
We had, last night, an old-fashioned northeast snow-storm, far worse
than anything in the winter; and the drifts are now very high above
the fences. The inhabitants are pretty much confined to their houses,
as I was already. All houses are one color, white, with the snow
plastered over them, and you cannot tell whether they have blinds or
not. Our pump has another pump, its ghost, as thick as itself,
sticking to one side of it. The town has sent out teams of eight oxen
each, to break out the roads; and the train due from Boston at 8½ A.
M. has not arrived yet (4 P. M.). All the passing has been a train
from above at 12 M., which also was due at 8½ A. M. Where are the
bluebirds now, think you? I suppose that you have not so much snow at
New Bedford, if any.