The Maine Woods

Description

It was during his second summer at Walden that Thoreau made his first visit to the Maine woods.It was probably in response to a request from Horace Greeley that he wrote out the narrative fromhis journal, for Mr. Greeley had shown himself eager to help Thoreau in putting his wares on themarket. In a letter to Emerson, January 12, 1848, Thoreau writes: "I read a part of the story of myexcursion to Ktaadn to quite a large audience of men and boys, the other night, whom it interested.It contains many facts and some poetry." He offered the paper to Greeley at the end of March, andon the 17th of April Greeley responded: "I inclose you $25 for your article on Maine scenery, aspromised. I know it is worth more, though I have not yet found time to read it; but I have tried onceto sell it without success. It is rather long for my columns, and too fine for the million; but Iconsider it a cheap bargain, and shall print it myself if I do not dispose of it to better advantage. Youwill not, of course, consider yourself under any sort of obligation to me, for my offer was in the wayof business, and I have got more than the worth of my money." But this generous, high-mindedfriend was thinking of Thoreau's business, not his own, for in October of the same year he writes, "Ibreak a silence of some duration to inform you that I hope on Monday to receive payment for yourglorious account of 'Ktaadn and the Maine Woods, ' which I bought of you at a Jew's bargain andsold to The Union Magazine. I am to get $75 for it, and as I don't choose to exploiter you at such a rate, I shall insist on inclosing you $25 more in this letter, which will still leave me $25 to pay variouscharges and labors I have incurred in selling your articles and getting paid for them, -the latter byfar the most difficult portion of the business.