Creator
John Muir
Recipient
[Ralph Waldo] Emerson
Preview
Transcription
occasionally. He is swift & im- pulsive in flight & frequently hovers about the ends of spruce boughs like a humming bird A lot of Chickadee like birds flitted about like moths & one with a rich fluty voice approached in the Ce[illegible] tangle but did not show himself & after all these were [illegible] a big voiced owl echoed the column grove from end to end, & next day as I drifted slowly down to the lower trees I saw birds everywhere. - The Grizzly giant was full of birds, & as I was about to start for Clarks while I linger- ed among farewell impressions at the base of the last Sequoia a bird came down to one of the lowest branches near my head & uttered loud & clear a bosomful of the most startling worded song that I ever felt From first to last all of Nature seemed to hear the call of another King David & joined in one grand rejoicing. There was the sweetest wavings & hushings of trees hummings of insect wings open jointed warbligs of birds & the rocks too pulsed to the general joy, & every crystal & individual dust [4][1] Yosemite July 6thDear Emerson, You are in the calm of home & perhaps will be glad to hear this small echo from our Mariposa trees. Here is [Ramoset?] with whom you are acquainted & with whom I spent a night & day. He is noble in form & behaviour as any Sequoia friend that I have - less proper- less orthodox than his two companions but has more dignity - more freedom, wh' he manifests by the curving & thrusting of every limb. All three touch & intermingle at the top, at least when breathed upon by the winds Some spurey arrowey firs are poised about his [1]
Location
Yosemite
Date Original
[1871] Jul 6
Source
Original letter dimensions unknown.
Resource Identifier
muir02_0473-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 02, Image 0473
Copyright Status
Copyrighted
Copyright Statement
The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust. To purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish or exhibit them, see http://www.pacific.edu/Library/Find/Holt-Atherton-Special-Collections/Fees-and-Forms-.html
Owning Institution
The Houghton Library, Harvard University. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Copyright Holder
Muir-Hanna Trust
Copyright Date
1984
Page Number
Page 2
Keywords
John Muir, correspondence, letters, author, writing, naturalist, California, correspondent, mail, message, post, exchange of letters, missive, notes, epistle
