[Letters Abridged-Two Unpublished.]

Authors

In Emanuels, George F., John Muir Inventor

Files

Kimes Entry Number

507

Original Date

1-1-1984

William and Maymie Kimes Annotation

In the first letter to his sister Maggie and her husband, written ""By the ingleside of my sheep hut, Jan. 13, 1869 Merced Co. Calif.,"" Muir comments, ""I am a gentle shepherd, an occupation which according to all philosophies tends to wisdom and virtue. . . . I never was so thoroughly hermitized as at present, not a sheep in my flock or bird on the plains lives a more simple uncompounded life than I."" He goes on to say,"". . .so wags my life, uneventful as the journey of a pendulum in its box, but though quiet & waveless in an ordinary business interpretation, it lacks but little that I could wish."" The second abridged letter (pp. 78-79) is a reprint from no. 366, v. 1, pp. 208-209. The third (p. 81) is excerpted from no. 412, p. 251. The last one (pp. 82-83) written to Maggie March 1, 1873 asks, ""Do you ever hope to come hither?. . . I would like to take you and Sarah husbandless and babyless away back into the mountains to stroll free and alone as when we used to make excursions around ""The Lake."" What a world of wonders every individual day would be. For hours and hours you would forget your homes & husbands & children & in rare times regard them as trifles. I am sure of that my lassie. It seems too bad that every year I should guide strangers to the dearest sanctuaries of the Sierra & not one of my own kin, but who knows what paths our feet may yet travel."" Although not so indicated in the book, the author stated to us that the two letters to Maggie were previously unpublished and were from the collection of a member of the [Margaret Muir] Reid family. John Muir Inventor was published in black cloth with the title and author printed in red on a gray spine, the edition being limited to 275 copies. Simultaneously, a trade edition was issued in red cloth with gilt-stamped title and decoration on the front cover and title and author on the spine.

Publication

Fresno: Panorama West Books

Page/Column

pp. 72-74; 78-79; 81; 82-83.

Excerpt/Portion of

The third (p. 81) is excerpted from no. 412, p. 251.

Reprint/Offprint

The second abridged letter (pp. 78-79) is a reprint from no. 366, v. 1, pp. 208-209.

Recommended Citation

In Emanuels, George F., John Muir Inventor, "[Letters Abridged-Two Unpublished.]" (1984). John Muir: A Reading Bibliography by Kimes (Muir articles 1866-1986). 586.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmb/586