mayperceivenodifferenceintheweather，itdoes。Whowouldhavesuspectedsolargeandcoldandthick-skinnedathingtobesosensitive？Yetithasitslawtowhichitthundersobediencewhenitshouldassurelyasthebudsexpandinthespring。Theearthisallaliveandcoveredwithpapillae。Thelargestpondisassensitivetoatmosphericchangesastheglobuleofmercuryinitstube。
　　OneattractionincomingtothewoodstolivewasthatIshouldhaveleisureandopportunitytoseetheSpringcomein。Theiceinthepondatlengthbeginstobehoneycombed，andIcansetmyheelinitasIwalk。Fogsandrainsandwarmersunsaregraduallymeltingthesnow；thedayshavegrownsensiblylonger；andIseehowIshallgetthroughthewinterwithoutaddingtomywood-pile，forlargefiresarenolongernecessary。Iamonthealertforthefirstsignsofspring，tohearthechancenoteofsomearrivingbird，orthestripedsquirrel’schirp，forhisstoresmustbenownearlyexhausted，orseethewoodchuckventureoutofhiswinterquarters。Onthe13thofMarch，afterIhadheardthebluebird，songsparrow，andred-wing，theicewasstillnearlyafootthick。
　　Astheweathergrewwarmeritwasnotsensiblywornawaybythewater，norbrokenupandfloatedoffasinrivers，but，thoughitwascompletelymeltedforhalfarodinwidthabouttheshore，themiddlewasmerelyhoneycombedandsaturatedwithwater，sothatyoucouldputyourfootthroughitwhensixinchesthick；butbythenextdayevening，perhaps，afterawarmrainfollowedbyfog，itwouldhavewhollydisappeared，allgoneoffwiththefog，spiritedaway。OneyearIwentacrossthemiddleonlyfivedaysbeforeitdisappearedentirely。In1845Waldenwasfirstcompletelyopenonthe1stofApril；in’46，the25thofMarch；in’47，the8thofApril；in’51，the28thofMarch；in’52，the18thofApril；in’53，the23dofMarch；in’54，aboutthe7thofApril。
　　Everyincidentconnectedwiththebreakingupoftheriversandpondsandthesettlingoftheweatherisparticularlyinterestingtouswholiveinaclimateofsogreatextremes。Whenthewarmerdayscome，theywhodwellneartheriverheartheicecrackatnightwithastartlingwhoopasloudasartillery，asifitsicyfetterswererentfromendtoend，andwithinafewdaysseeitrapidlygoingout。Sothealligatorcomesoutofthemudwithquakingsoftheearth。Oneoldman，whohasbeenacloseobserverofNature，andseemsasthoroughlywiseinregardtoallheroperationsasifshehadbeenputuponthestockswhenhewasaboy，andhehadhelpedtolayherkeel——whohascometohisgrowth，andcanhardlyacquiremoreofnaturalloreifheshouldlivetotheageofMethuselah——
　　toldme——andIwassurprisedtohearhimexpresswonderatanyofNature’soperations，forIthoughtthattherewerenosecretsbetweenthem——thatonespringdayhetookhisgunandboat，andthoughtthathewouldhavealittlesportwiththeducks。Therewasicestillonthemeadows，butitwasallgoneoutoftheriver，andhedroppeddownwithoutobstructionfromSudbury，wherehelived，toFairHavenPond，whichhefound，unexpectedly，coveredforthemostpartwithafirmfieldofice。Itwasawarmday，andhewassurprisedtoseesogreatabodyoficeremaining。Notseeinganyducks，hehidhisboatonthenorthorbacksideofanislandinthepond，andthenconcealedhimselfinthebushesonthesouthside，toawaitthem。Theicewasmeltedforthreeorfourrodsfromtheshore，andtherewasasmoothandwarmsheetofwater，withamuddybottom，suchastheduckslove，within，andhethoughtitlikelythatsomewouldbealongprettysoon。Afterhehadlainstillthereaboutanhourheheardalowandseeminglyverydistantsound，butsingularlygrandandimpressive，unlikeanythinghehadeverheard，graduallyswellingandincreasingasifitwouldhaveauniversalandmemorableending，asullenrushandroar，whichseemedtohimallatoncelikethesoundofavastbodyoffowlcomingintosettlethere，and，seizinghisgun，hestartedupinhasteandexcited；buthefound，tohissurprise，thatthewholebodyoftheicehadstartedwhilehelaythere，anddriftedintotheshore，andthesoundhehadheardwasmadebyitsedgegratingontheshore——
　　atfirstgentlynibbledandcrumbledoff，butatlengthheavingupandscatteringitswrecksalongtheislandtoaconsiderableheightbeforeitcametoastandstill。
　　Atlengththesun’srayshaveattainedtherightangle，andwarmwindsblowupmistandrainandmeltthesnowbanks，andthesun，dispersingthemist，smilesonacheckeredlandscapeofrussetandwhitesmokingwithincense，throughwhichthetravellerpickshiswayfromislettoislet，cheeredbythemusicofathousandtinklingrillsandrivuletswhoseveinsarefilledwiththebloodofwinterwhichtheyarebearingoff。
　　FewphenomenagavememoredelightthantoobservetheformswhichthawingsandandclayassumeinflowingdownthesidesofadeepcutontherailroadthroughwhichIpassedonmywaytothevillage，aphenomenonnotverycommononsolargeascale，thoughthenumberoffreshlyexposedbanksoftherightmaterialmusthavebeengreatlymultipliedsincerailroadswereinvented。Thematerialwassandofeverydegreeoffinenessandofvariousrichcolors，commonlymixedwithalittleclay。Whenthefrostcomesoutinthespring，andeveninathawingdayinthewinter，thesandbeginstoflowdowntheslopeslikelava，sometimesburstingoutthroughthesnowandoverflowingitwherenosandwastobeseenbefore。
　　Innumerablelittlestreamsoverlapandinterlaceonewithanother，exhibitingasortofhybridproduct，whichobeyshalfwaythelawofcurrents，andhalfwaythatofvegetation。Asitflowsittakestheformsofsappyleavesorvines，makingheapsofpulpyspraysafootormoreindepth，andresembling，asyoulookdownonthem，thelaciniated，lobed，andimbricatedthallusesofsomelichens；oryouareremindedofcoral，ofleopard’spawsorbirds’feet，ofbrainsorlungsorbowels，andexcrementsofallkinds。Itisatrulygrotesquevegetation，whoseformsandcolorweseeimitatedinbronze，asortofarchitecturalfoliagemoreancientandtypicalthanacanthus，chiccory，ivy，vine，oranyvegetableleaves；
　　destinedperhaps，undersomecircumstances，tobecomeapuzzletofuturegeologists。Thewholecutimpressedmeasifitwereacavewithitsstalactiteslaidopentothelight。Thevariousshadesofthesandaresingularlyrichandagreeable，embracingthedifferentironcolors，brown，gray，yellowish，andreddish。Whentheflowingmassreachesthedrainatthefootofthebankitspreadsoutflatterintostrands，theseparatestreamslosingtheirsemi-cylindricalformandgraduallybecomingmoreflatandbroad，runningtogetherastheyaremoremoist，tilltheyformanalmostflatsand，stillvariouslyandbeautifullyshaded，butinwhichyoucantracetheoriginalformsofvegetation；tillatlength，inthewateritself，theyareconvertedintobanks，likethoseformedoffthemouthsofrivers，andtheformsofvegetationarelostintheripplemarksonthebottom。
　　Thewholebank，whichisfromtwentytofortyfeethigh，issometimesoverlaidwithamassofthiskindoffoliage，orsandyrupture，foraquarterofamileononeorbothsides，theproduceofonespringday。Whatmakesthissandfoliageremarkableisitsspringingintoexistencethussuddenly。WhenIseeontheonesidetheinertbank——forthesunactsononesidefirst——andontheotherthisluxuriantfoliage，thecreationofanhour，IamaffectedasifinapeculiarsenseIstoodinthelaboratoryoftheArtistwhomadetheworldandme——hadcometowherehewasstillatwork，sportingonthisbank，andwithexcessofenergystrewinghisfreshdesignsabout。IfeelasifIwerenearertothevitalsoftheglobe，forthissandyoverflowissomethingsuchafoliaceousmassasthevitalsoftheanimalbody。Youfindthusintheverysandsananticipationofthevegetableleaf。Nowonderthattheearthexpressesitselfoutwardlyinleaves，itsolaborswiththeideainwardly。Theatomshavealreadylearnedthislaw，andarepregnantbyit。Theoverhangingleafseeshereitsprototype。Internally，whetherintheglobeoranimalbody，itisamoistthicklobe，awordespeciallyapplicabletotheliverandlungsandtheleavesoffatjnai，labor，lapsus，tofloworslipdownward，alapsing；
　　jiais，globus，lobe，globe；alsolap，flap，andmanyotherwords；
　　externallyadrythinleaf，evenasthefandvareapressedanddriedb。Theradicalsoflobearelb，thesoftmassofthebsinglelobed，orB，doublelobed，withtheliquidlbehinditpressingitforward。Inglobe，glb，thegutturalgaddstothemeaningthecapacityofthethroat。Thefeathersandwingsofbirdsarestilldrierandthinnerleaves。Thus，also，youpassfromthelumpishgrubintheearthtotheairyandflutteringbutterfly。Theveryglobecontinuallytranscendsandtranslatesitself，andbecomeswingedinitsorbit。Evenicebeginswithdelicatecrystalleaves，asifithadflowedintomouldswhichthefrondsofwaterplantshaveimpressedonthewaterymirror。Thewholetreeitselfisbutoneleaf，andriversarestillvasterleaveswhosepulpisinterveningearth，andtownsandcitiesaretheovaofinsectsintheiraxils。
　　Whenthesunwithdrawsthesandceasestoflow，butinthemorningthestreamswillstartoncemoreandbranchandbranchagainintoamyriadofothers。Youhereseeperchancehowblood-vesselsareformed。Ifyoulookcloselyyouobservethatfirsttherepushesforwardfromthethawingmassastreamofsoftenedsandwithadrop-likepoint，liketheballofthefinger，feelingitswayslowlyandblindlydownward，untilatlastwithmoreheatandmoisture，asthesungetshigher，themostfluidportion，initsefforttoobeythelawtowhichthemostinertalsoyields，separatesfromthelatterandformsforitselfameanderingchannelorarterywithinthat，inwhichisseenalittlesilverystreamglancinglikelightningfromonestageofpulpyleavesorbranchestoanother，andeverandanonswallowedupinthesand。Itiswonderfulhowrapidlyyetperfectlythesandorganizesitselfasitflows，usingthebestmaterialitsmassaffordstoformthesharpedgesofitschannel。
　　Sucharethesourcesofrivers。Inthesiliciousmatterwhichthewaterdepositsisperhapsthebonysystem，andinthestillfinersoilandorganicmatterthefleshyfibreorcellulartissue。Whatismanbutamassofthawingclay？Theballofthehumanfingerisbutadropcongealed。Thefingersandtoesflowtotheirextentfromthethawingmassofthebody。Whoknowswhatthehumanbodywouldexpandandflowouttounderamoregenialheaven？Isnotthehandaspreadingpalmleafwithitslobesandveins？Theearmayberegarded，fancifully，asalichen，umbilicaria，onthesideofthehead，withitslobeordrop。Thelip——labium，fromlabor？——
　　lapsorlapsesfromthesidesofthecavernousmouth。Thenoseisamanifestcongealeddroporstalactite。Thechinisastilllargerdrop，theconfluentdrippingoftheface。Thecheeksareaslidefromthebrowsintothevalleyoftheface，opposedanddiffusedbythecheekbones。Eachroundedlobeofthevegetableleaf，too，isathickandnowloiteringdrop，largerorsmaller；thelobesarethefingersoftheleaf；andasmanylobesasithas，insomanydirectionsittendstoflow，andmoreheatorothergenialinfluenceswouldhavecausedittoflowyetfarther。
　　ThusitseemedthatthisonehillsideillustratedtheprincipleofalltheoperationsofNature。TheMakerofthisearthbutpatentedaleaf。WhatChampollionwilldecipherthishieroglyphicforus，thatwemayturnoveranewleafatlast？Thisphenomenonismoreexhilaratingtomethantheluxurianceandfertilityofvineyards。True，itissomewhatexcrementitiousinitscharacter，andthereisnoendtotheheapsofliver，lights，andbowels，asiftheglobewereturnedwrongsideoutward；butthissuggestsatleastthatNaturehassomebowels，andthereagainismotherofhumanity。
　　Thisisthefrostcomingoutoftheground；thisisSpring。Itprecedesthegreenandfloweryspring，asmythologyprecedesregularpoetry。Iknowofnothingmorepurgativeofwinterfumesandindigestions。ItconvincesmethatEarthisstillinherswaddling-clothes，andstretchesforthbabyfingersoneveryside。
　　Freshcurlsspringfromthebaldestbrow。Thereisnothinginorganic。Thesefoliaceousheapsliealongthebankliketheslagofafurnace，showingthatNatureis“infullblast“within。Theearthisnotamerefragmentofdeadhistory，stratumuponstratumliketheleavesofabook，tobestudiedbygeologistsandantiquarieschiefly，butlivingpoetryliketheleavesofatree，whichprecedeflowersandfruit——notafossilearth，butalivingearth；comparedwithwhosegreatcentrallifeallanimalandvegetablelifeismerelyparasitic。Itsthroeswillheaveourexuviaefromtheirgraves。Youmaymeltyourmetalsandcastthemintothemostbeautifulmouldsyoucan；theywillneverexcitemeliketheformswhichthismoltenearthflowsoutinto。Andnotonlyit，buttheinstitutionsuponitareplasticlikeclayinthehandsofthepotter。
　　Erelong，notonlyonthesebanks，butoneveryhillandplainandineveryhollow，thefrostcomesoutofthegroundlikeadormantquadrupedfromitsburrow，andseekstheseawithmusic，ormigratestootherclimesinclouds。ThawwithhisgentlepersuasionismorepowerfulthanThorwithhishammer。Theonemelts，theotherbutbreaksinpieces。