BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THOREAU
BY RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
Henry David Thoreau was the last male descendant of a French ancestor who came to this country from the Isle of Guernsey. His character exhibited occasional traits drawn from this blood, in singular combination with a very strong Saxon genius.
He was born in Concord, Massachusetts, on theJL2th ofjJuly, 1817. He was graduated at Harvard College in 1837, but without any literary distinction. An icon oclast in literature, he seldom thanked colleges for their service to him, holding them in small esteem, whilst yet his debt to them was important. After leaving the University, he joined his brother in teach ing a private school, which he soon renounced. His father was a manufacturer of lead-pencils, and Henry applied himself for a time to this craft, believing he could make a better pencil than was then in use.; After completing his experiments, he exhibited his work to chemists and artists in Boston, and having obtained their certificates to its excellence and to its equality with the best London manufacture, he re turned home contented. His friends congratulated him that he had now opened his way to fortune, But he replied, that he should never make another pencil. " Why should I ? I would not do again
