2 December 1859

Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862

Broadside

Title: Martyrdom of John Brown

Program created by Thoreau for the funeral service for John Brown to be held in the Concord Town Hall on December 2nd. Event will include "Reading of pertinent passages. Selections from Brown's last words. Service for the death of a martyr." Also contains a "Dirge" in Brown's honor, written by Sanborn to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne" The first verse states "To-day beside Potomac's wave, Beneath Virginia's Sky, They slay the man who loved the slave, and dared for him to die." Concord was the home to many of Brown's most famous and ardent supporters. The dirge is misdated 30 December at…

GLC05925.02

1849

Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862

Book signed

Title: A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers

First edition printing in original brown pebble cloth. Printed by James Munroe & Co., Boston; New York : George P. Putnam; Philadelphia : Lindsay and Blackiston; London : John Chapman, 1849. Based on a boat trip taken with his brother from Concord, Massachusetts, to Concord, New Hampshire. Book is inscribed on first blank plate, "To Starr King/ from his friend William L. Aeger/ Jan 1859." Also signed in pencil on title page by Edith K. Davis, possibly at a later date.

GLC00326

June 30, 1858

Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Daniel Ricketson

Thoreau writes to his good friend, a historian and poet, that he is about to take a trip to the White Mountains. He apologizes for not writing sooner. Muses on the nature of his friendships and refers to his "preaching" in the mode of Walden. " ... is it of any consequence to preach to an audience of men who can fail? - or who can be revived? ... If a man has speculated and failed, he will probably do these things again, in spite of you or me." Mentions his friendship with Channing [William Ellery] and states Channing visited and left a poem called "Near Home." Informs he went on an…

GLC01751.01