- ST. 39.] TO HARRISON BLAKE. 339
and let father and mother put in a word. To them and to Aunts, love from
HENRY.
The date of this visit to Eagleswood is worthy of note, because in that November Thoreau made the acquaintance of the late Walt Whit man, in whom he ever after took a deep interest. Accompanied by Mr. Alcott, he called on Whit man, then living at Brooklyn ; and I remember the calm enthusiasm with which they both spoke of Whitman upon their return to Concord. " Three men," said Emerson, in his funeral eulogy of Thoreau, " have of late years strongly impressed Mr. Thoreau, John Brown, his In dian guide in Maine, Joe Polis, and a third per son, not known to this audience." This last was Whitman, who has since become well known to a larger audience.
TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).
EAGLESWOOD, N. J., November 19, 1856. MR. BLAKE, I have been here much longer than I expected, but have deferred answering you, because I could not foresee when I should return. I do not know yet within three or four days. This uncertainty makes it impossible for me to appoint a day to meet you, until it shall be too late to hear from you again. I think, there-
