THE VAGABOND

15th. Lay pleasantly till 8, watching the snow "as Jove," methought, "descending from his Tower" come softly down. Thence up to draw the window but staid looking and caught a few perfect snowflakes on my gown. And Lord! How beautiful they be, Nothing in nature is unbeautiful even unto to the flake. See here a form of a star-which comes from a low cloud, I am told;-see here a tabular form-from high cloud;-see here little gems which man with all his wit could never make as beautiful. I am glad at my heart this day to enter into what Job hath well called "the treasure of the snow".

Whereupon I by the fire to read a good part of Professor Whitehead's little essay "Nature and Life", which is mighty good; and thence to Emerson A at 12 to his birthday lecture. He being seventy-five it did much surprise me with what enthusiasm and inspiration he did lecture. But then I know as poets say "philosophers' hearts never wrinkle", especially, methinks, so great an one.

It doth please me much to note his teaching which I confess I do not fully understand, but what I know I will say: Like Plato he doth seek the Real; but he doth not find it in ideas but in process and activity. Thence he doth ask: (and a vital question) What be the status of life in this activity? And doth answer that it be "content". Whereupon this doth imply the interrelationship of life and nature and that one cannot be known apart from the other. And this, methinks, is a mighty fine notion, and one in a large degree be accepted by science.

Whereupon from this principle, and many others, he doth set down-as is the business of philosophers-a notion upon which a systematic metaphysical cosomology ought to be constructed. And this be the far-reaching notion "that the energetic activity considered in physics is the emotional intensity entertained in life." Which, bless my soul, is an exceeding fine idea for it doth relate the activities of life and nature into the creative reality; and doth make us and our experiences an integral part of the whole. But this meaningless to those who know not philosophy.

But Lord! Enough of this business; the man be greater than his works; and I be as much charmed by his kindliness, his "god bless my souls", and his complimentary "you knows" as I be fascinated by the adventure of his thoughts. I do listen to him and my heart doth feel that here indeed is nature's spokesman.

But by and by after many congratulations I to the Dunster tea and thence, very merry, sleyghing all the day.