OftheAmericanwritersLongfellowhasbeenmostapassionwithme，astheEnglish，andGerman，andSpanish，andRussianwritershavebeen。I
amsurethatthiswaslargelybymerechance。ItwasbecauseIhappened，insuchaframeandatsuchatime，tocomeuponhisbooksthatIlovedthemabovethoseofothermenasgreat。IamperfectlysensiblethatLowellandEmersonoutvaluemanyofthepoetsandprophetsIhavegivenmyheartto;Ihavereadthemwithdelightandwithadeepsenseoftheirgreatness，andyettheyhavenotbeenmylifelikethoseother，thoselesser，men。Butnoneofthepassionsarereasoned，andIdonottrytoaccountformyliterarypreferencesortojustifythem。
Idraggedalongthroughseveralmonthsofthatwinter，anddidmybesttocarryoutthatnotableschemeofnotmindingmyvertigo。Itrieddoinghalf—work，andhelpingmyfatherwiththecorrespondence，butwhenitappearedthatnothingwouldavail，heremainedinchargeofit，tillthecloseofthesession，andIwenthometotrywhatacompleteandprolongedrestwoulddoforme。Iwasnotfitforworkintheprinting—
office，butthatwasasimplermatterthantheliteraryworkthatwasalwaystemptingme。Icouldgetawayfromitonlybytakingmygunandtrampingdayafterdaythroughthedeep，primevalwoods。Thefatiguewaswholesome，andIwassobadashotthatnoothercreaturesufferedlossfrommygainexceptonehaplesswildpigeon。Thethawingsnowleftthefallenbeechnutsoftheautumnbeforeuncoveredamongthedeadleaves，andtheforestwasfullofthebeautifulbirds。InmostpartsofthemiddleWesttheyarenolongerseen，exceptintwosorthrees，butoncetheywerelikethesandsoftheseaformultitude。Itwasnotnowtheseasonwhentheyhidhalftheheavenswiththeirflightdayafterday;
buttheywereinmyriadsallthroughthewoods，wheretheiriridescentbreastsshonelikeasuddenuntimelygrowthofflowerswhenyoucameuponthemfromthefront。Whentheyroseinfright，itwasliketheupwardleapoffire，andwiththeroarofflame。Iuseimageswhich，afterall，arefalsetothethingIwishtoexpress;buttheymustserve。Itriedhonestlyenoughtokillthepigeons，butIhadnoluck，ortoomuch，tillIhappenedtobringdownoneofapairthatIfoundapartfromtherestinasoftytree—top。ThepoorcreatureIhadwidowedfollowedmetothevergeofthewoods，asIstartedhomewithmyprey，andIdonotcaretoknowmorepersonallythefeelingsofamurdererthanIdidthen。Itriedtoshootthebird，butmyaimwassobadthatIcouldnotdoherthismercy，andatlastsheflewaway，andIsawhernomore。