THE RANDALL FAMILY I 7
trude upon ; but I deny his right to pretend that his entire soul is a " holy of holies." It belongs partly to himself and partly to his fellow-beings. If I lived in Boston, wouldn't I unearth you } Wouldn't I drag you out of your den }
Hoard up the productions of others' genius as much as you please, and gloat over the possession of this and that and the other treasure — but don't lock up your own inspirations !
Come, you have collected a splendid lot of choice works of art. You have taken them out of the world, now I think of it. On the whole, have you not been doing mis- chief all this time in absorbing all these gems } Would they not have delighted a great many more people, if they had knocked about till they got worn out .? And then you propose to have them decently interred in Harvard College. If you do, by thunder, I will not rest till I see your name painted on a big board, and affixed to some of the college buildings as they do those of munificent donors : vide " Thos. Hollis," " Soc. Prom. Evang." &c, "Wales," and the rest! But, however you inter your engravings and drawings, I protest against your poems being so interred. And don't let me hear again of your losing volumes of manuscript in " ponds at Stow," or else- where !
Alcott accused T. Carlyle (in a letter to Emerson) of '• inhospitality to his thought." We are disposed to be hospitable to your thought, but you deny us the pleasure of its society. Don't do so any more. Get your other poems published. Don't be so unflinchingly unlike every- body else in this matter, at least. I am bound to go to Boston again next summer on purpose to unearth you. So prepare your mind for it.
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