nothingness speedily to come. Meantime the four newly bought pigs are
running about the cow-yard, lean, active, shrewd, investigating
everything, as their nature is. When I throw an apple among them, they
scramble with one another for the prize, and the successful one scampers
away to eat it at leisure. They thrust their snouts into the mud, and
pick a grain of corn out of the rubbish. Nothing within their sphere do
they leave unexamined, grunting all the time with infinite variety of
expression. Their language is the most copious of that of any quadruped,
and, indeed, there is something deeply and indefinably interesting in the
swinish race. They appear the more a mystery the longer one gazes at
them. It seems as if there were an important meaning to them, if one
could but find it out. One interesting trait in them is their perfect
independence of character. They care not for man, and will not adapt
themselves to his notions, as other beasts do; but are true to
themselves, and act out their hoggish nature.


October 7th.--Since Saturday last (it being now Thursday), I have been in
Boston and Salem, and there has been a violent storm and rain during the
whole time. This morning shone as bright as if it meant to make up for
all the dismalness of the past days. Our brook, which in the summer was
no longer a running stream, but stood in pools along its pebbly course,
is now full from one grassy verge to the other, and hurries along with a
murmuring rush. It will continue to swell, I suppose, and in the winter
and spring it will flood all the broad meadows through which it flows.

I have taken a long walk this forenoon along the Needham road, and across
the bridge, thence pursuing a cross-road through the woods, parallel with
the river, which I crossed again at Dedham. Most of the road lay through
a growth of young oaks principally. They still retain their verdure,