The Writings of John Burroughs — Volume 05: PepactonBurroughs, John
History
The Writings of John Burroughs — Volume 05: Pepacton
Burroughs, John
Natural history -- Outdoor books
The largest spring in England, called the Well of St. Winifred, at
Holywell, flows less than three barrels per second. I recently
went many miles out of my way to see the famous trout spring in
Warren County, New Jersey. This spring flows about one thousand
gallons of water per minute, which has a uniform temperature of
fifty degrees winter and summer. It is near the Musconetcong
Creek, which looks as if it were made up of similar springs. On
the parched and sultry summer day upon which my visit fell, it was
well worth walking many miles just to see such a volume of water
issue from the ground. I felt with the boy Petrarch, when he first
beheld a famous spring, that "were I master of such a fountain I
would prefer it to the finest of cities." A large oak leans down
over the spring and affords an abundance of shade. The water does
not bubble up, but comes straight out with great speed, like a
courier with important news, and as if its course underground had
been a direct and an easy one for a long distance. Springs that
issue in this way have a sort of vertebra, a ridgy and spine-like
centre that suggests the gripe and push there is in this element.
What would one not give for such a spring in his back yard, or
front yard, or anywhere near his house, or in any of his fields?
One would be tempted to move his house to it, if the spring could
not be brought to the house. Its mere poetic value and suggestion
would be worth all the art and ornament to be had. It would
irrigate one's heart and character as well as his acres. Then one
might have a Naiad Queen to do his churning and to saw his wood;
then one might "see his chore done by the gods themselves," as
Emerson says, or by the nymphs, which is just as well.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account