Nature and Human Nature

Nature and Human Nature

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Nature and Human Nature
by Thomas Chandler Haliburton (#2 in our series by Thomas Chandler Haliburton)
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Title: Nature and Human Nature
Author: Thomas Chandler Haliburton
Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6112] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on November 10, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, NATURE AND HUMAN NATURE ***

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NATURE AND HUMAN NATURE by Thomas Chandler Haliburton
1855
Hominem, pagina nostra sapit.--MART Eye nature's walks, shoot folly as it flies, And catch the manners living as they rise.--POPE

CONTENTS
I. A SURPRISE
II. CLIPPERS AND STEAMERS
III. A WOMAN'S HEART
IV. A CRITTER WITH A THOUSAND VIRTUES AND BUT ONE VICE
V. A NEW WAY TO LEARN GAELIC
VI. THE WOUNDS OF THE HEART
VII. FIDDLING AND DANCING, AND SERVING THE DEVIL
VIII. STITCHING A BUTTON-HOLE
IX. THE PLURAL OF MOOSE
X. A DAY ON THE LAKE.--
PART I
XI. A DAY ON THE LAKE.--PART II
XII. THE BETROTHAL
XIII. A FOGGY NIGHT
XIV. FEMALE COLLEGES
XV. GIPSEYING
XVI. THE WORLD BEFORE THE FLOOD
XVII. LOST AT SEA
XVIII. HOLDING UP THE MIRROR
XIX. THE BUNDLE OF STICKS
XX. TOWN AND COUNTRY
XXI. THE HONEYMOON
XXII. A DISH OF CLAMS
XXIII. THE DEVIL'S HOLE; OR, FISH AND FLESH
XXIV. THE CUCUMBER LAKE
XXV. THE RECALL

CHAPTER I.
A SURPRISE.
Thinks I to myself, as I overheard a person inquire of the servant at the door, in an unmistakeable voice and tone, "Is the Squire to hum?" that can be no one else than my old friend Sam Slick the Clockmaker. But it could admit of no doubt when he proceeded, "If he is, tell him I am here."
"Who shall I say, Sir?"
The stranger paused a moment, and then said, "It's such an everlastin' long name, I don't think you can carry it all to wunst, and I don't want it broke in two. Tell him it's a gentleman that calculates to hold a protracted meeten here to-night. Come, don't stand starin' there on the track, you might get run over. Don't you hear the engine coming? Shunt off now."
"Ah, my old friend," said I, advancing, and shaking him by the hand, "how are you?"
"As hearty as a buck," he replied, "though I can't jist jump quite so high now."
"I knew you," I said, "the moment I heard your voice, and if I had not recognised that, I should have known your talk."
"That's because I am a Yankee, Sir," he said, "no two of us look alike, or talk alike; but being free and enlightened citizens, we jist talk as we please."
"Ah, my good friend, you always please when you talk, and that is more than can be said of most men."
"And so will you," he replied, "if you use soft sawder that way. Oh, dear me! it seems but the other day that you laughed so at my theory of soft sawder and human natur', don't it? They were pleasant days, warn't they? I often think of them, and think of them with pleasure too. As I was passing Halifax harbour, on my way hum in the 'Black Hawk,' the wind fortunately came ahead, and thinks I to myself, I will put in there, and pull foot1 for Windsor and see the Squire, give him my Journal, and spend an hour or two with him once more. So here I am, at least what is left of me, and dreadful glad I am to see you too; but as it is about your dinner hour I will go and titivate up a bit, and then we will have a dish of chat for desert, and cigars, to remind us of by-gones, as we stroll through your shady walks here."
1 The Americans are not entitled to the credit or ridicule, whichever people may be disposed to bestow upon them, for the extraordinary phrases with which their conversation is occasionally embellished. Some of them have good classical authority. That of "pull-foot" may be traced to Euripides, [Greek text].
My old friend had worn well; he was still a wiry athletic man, and