wenta-chestnuttingthereinthefall，onwindydays，whenthenutsweredroppingintothewaterandwerewashedtomyfeet；andoneday，asIcreptalongitssedgyshore，thefreshsprayblowinginmyface，Icameuponthemoulderingwreckofaboat，thesidesgone，andhardlymorethantheimpressionofitsflatbottomleftamidtherushes；yetitsmodelwassharplydefined，asifitwerealargedecayedpad，withitsveins。Itwasasimpressiveawreckasonecouldimagineontheseashore，andhadasgoodamoral。Itisbythistimemerevegetablemouldandundistinguishablepondshore，throughwhichrushesandflagshavepushedup。Iusedtoadmiretheripplemarksonthesandybottom，atthenorthendofthispond，madefirmandhardtothefeetofthewaderbythepressureofthewater，andtherusheswhichgrewinIndianfile，inwavinglines，correspondingtothesemarks，rankbehindrank，asifthewaveshadplantedthem。TherealsoIhavefound，inconsiderablequantities，curiousballs，composedapparentlyoffinegrassorroots，ofpipewortperhaps，fromhalfaninchtofourinchesindiameter，andperfectlyspherical。Thesewashbackandforthinshallowwateronasandybottom，andaresometimescastontheshore。Theyareeithersolidgrass，orhavealittlesandinthemiddle。Atfirstyouwouldsaythattheywereformedbytheactionofthewaves，likeapebble；yetthesmallestaremadeofequallycoarsematerials，halfaninchlong，andtheyareproducedonlyatoneseasonoftheyear。Moreover，thewaves，Isuspect，donotsomuchconstructasweardownamaterialwhichhasalreadyacquiredconsistency。Theypreservetheirformwhendryforanindefiniteperiod。
Flint’sPond！Suchisthepovertyofournomenclature。Whatrighthadtheuncleanandstupidfarmer，whosefarmabuttedonthisskywater，whoseshoreshehasruthlesslylaidbare，togivehisnametoit？Someskin-flint，wholovedbetterthereflectingsurfaceofadollar，orabrightcent，inwhichhecouldseehisownbrazenface；whoregardedeventhewildduckswhichsettledinitastrespassers；hisfingersgrownintocrookedandbonytalonsfromthelonghabitofgraspingharpy-like；——soitisnotnamedforme。I
gonottheretoseehimnortohearofhim；whoneversawit，whoneverbathedinit，whoneverlovedit，whoneverprotectedit，whoneverspokeagoodwordforit，northankedGodthatHehadmadeit。
Ratherletitbenamedfromthefishesthatswiminit，thewildfowlorquadrupedswhichfrequentit，thewildflowerswhichgrowbyitsshores，orsomewildmanorchildthethreadofwhosehistoryisinterwovenwithitsown；notfromhimwhocouldshownotitletoitbutthedeedwhichalike-mindedneighbororlegislaturegavehim——
himwhothoughtonlyofitsmoneyvalue；whosepresenceperchancecursedalltheshores；whoexhaustedthelandaroundit，andwouldfainhaveexhaustedthewaterswithinit；whoregrettedonlythatitwasnotEnglishhayorcranberrymeadow——therewasnothingtoredeemit，forsooth，inhiseyes——andwouldhavedrainedandsolditforthemudatitsbottom。Itdidnotturnhismill，anditwasnoprivilegetohimtobeholdit。Irespectnothislabors，hisfarmwhereeverythinghasitsprice，whowouldcarrythelandscape，whowouldcarryhisGod，tomarket，ifhecouldgetanythingforhim；whogoestomarketforhisgodasitis；onwhosefarmnothinggrowsfree，whosefieldsbearnocrops，whosemeadowsnoflowers，whosetreesnofruits，butdollars；wholovesnotthebeautyofhisfruits，whosefruitsarenotripeforhimtilltheyareturnedtodollars。Givemethepovertythatenjoystruewealth。Farmersarerespectableandinterestingtomeinproportionastheyarepoor——