Henry D. Thoreau is enrolled in the Concord Academy and its preceptor, Phineas Allen, boards at the Thoreaus’ around this time (The Days of Henry Thoreau, 26; New England Quarterly 21 (March 1948):104; Emerson Society Quarterly 9 (4th quarter 1957):3).
Thoreau writes an essay, probably related to his schooling, in this year or 1829:
Why do the seasons change? and why
Does Winter’s stormy brow appear?
Is it the word of him on high
Who rules the changing, varied year.
In Autumn we see the trees loaded with fruit. Now the farmers begin to lay in their Winter’s store, and the markets abound with fruit. The trees are partly stripped of their leaves. The birds which visited us in Spring are now retiring to warmer countries, as they know that Winter is coming.
Next comes Winter. Now we see the ground covered with snow, and the trees are bare. The cold is so intense that the rivers and brooks are frozen.
There is nothing to be seen. We have no birds to cheer us with their morning song. We hear only the sound of the sleigh bells.
