Sunday Transcendentalist Quote

This was the entry from THIS DATE, FROM HENRY DAVID THOREAU’S JOURNAL yesterday, from January 7, 1852:

We never tire of the drama of sunset. I go forth each afternoon and look into the west a quarter of an hour before sunset, with fresh curiosity, to see what new picture will be painted there, what new panorama exhibited, what new dissolving views. Can Washington Street or Broadway show anything as good? Every day a new picture is painted and framed, held up for half and hour, in such lights as the Great Artist chooses, and then withdrawn, and the curtain falls.

Comments

Sunday Transcendentalist Quote — 3 Comments

Satia on January 8, 2012 at 7:26 am said:

Last night I had a curious experience while sitting in one room. The blinds to the windows that face southwest were closed because the setting sun streams blindingly through them by the time we approach twilight. I got up to do something and returned to my space on the couch when I noticed the brilliant slant of orange light flashing to the east, my left. Confused, I paused to let the dance of light play briefly on my face before turning to ascertain how there was evening sunlight in the east. Although I solved the mystery, its effects remained and I allowed myself the joy of this impossible moment. And had you not shared this quote I’d not have typed out this moment which I think I shall now share in my own blog . . . so thank you.

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Dawn - She Is Too Fond of Books on January 8, 2012 at 7:37 am said:

A beautiful quotation about our unique (and fleeting) sunsets!

Do you have Jeffrey Cramer’s THE QUOTABLE THOREAU? Cramer is the curator of collections at the Thoreau Institute and has edited a number of books about/by Thoreau (annotated editions of THE MAINE WOODS and WALDEN). Anyway, this little book is arranged by subject and is a super resource to finding what Thoreau had to say about various topics.

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- Joy Weese Moll on January 8, 2012 at 9:54 am said:
  
  That sounds great, Dawn — thanks!
  
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