26 October 1856, Sunday; morning
Perth Amboy, New Jersey; Unionist’s Hall, Eagleswood, Community
[Untitled]

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        In "A Thoreau Mystery," Thoreau Society Bulletin no. 183 (Spring 1988): 1, Elizabeth Hall Witherell traces as far as she can the provenance of a tantalizing piece of paper headed "H. D. Thoreau (through Mary Mansfield, Lynnfield) to Mrs. Jonathan Buffum.)" and containing the following text:

        Quality, fineness, durability, is the test of unity. Thus it is like attracts like; thus it is, friends, in my ever-seeking, everyearning for truth, I have chanced to intrude upon your quiet retreat, and the path is so clear, so crystal in its attraction, I slipped into recognition. It is a pleasure to me as exquisite as when I chanced to meet some friendly moss or lichen, that answered to the vacant spot in my soul on earth.
        O friends, to such, with pure, noble, truthful spirits, the world is a vast field of action; too large to admit of langour or repining, too glorious to be an aimless labor.
        I love your blessed spirit, and quietly I will withdraw, lest I become overpowered by the delicious calmness and unity, and forget to leave my [quest?]. But I shall come again, and hope you will greet me kindly.
                                              Henry David Thoreau

We have not been able to identify Mary Mansfield of Lynnfield, but Mrs. Jonathan Buffum is no doubt the wife of the Jonathan Buffum that Thoreau spent considerable time with while on his two lecture trips to Lynn—or Lynnfield—Massachusetts (see lectures 57 and 63 above). Also, in a letter to his sister Sophia dated 1 November 1856, Thoreau mentions Arnold Buffum, possibly a relative of Jonathan, as being present at the Eagleswood Community when he visited there (see lecture 51 above). We believe, but cannot prove, that Mary Mansfield carried the paper quoted above to Mrs. Jonathan Buffum in Lynn from Eagleswood and that the paper contains a close summary of what Thoreau said during "a sort of Quaker meeting" he spoke at on Sunday morning, 26 October 1856. We further believe that Thoreau, having been "spoken to" in advance about the spirit moving him to say a few words during the meeting, probably thought about what he might say beforehand. The following is a portion of Thoreau’s account of the event, for the remainder of which, see lecture 51 above:

        Sunday forenoon, I attended a sort of Quaker meeting at the same place—(The Quaker aspect & spirit prevails here—Mrs Spring says "—does thee not?") where it was expected that the spirit would move me (I having been previously spoken to about it) & it, or something else, did, an inch or so. I said just enough to set them a little by the ears & make it lively. I had excused myself by saying that I could not adapt myself to a particular audience, for all the speaking & lecturing here has reference to the children, who are far the greater part of the audience, & they are not so bright as N.E. children[.] (C, pp. 439-40)