Langley Pond, SC. And Nala, my shadow for 5 years.

Close as I can get to Walden Pond right now.

“Thus, reader, I am myself the matter of my book; you would be unreasonable to spend your leisure on so frivolous and vain a subject.” – Montaigne (“Essays”)

“I should not talk so much about myself if there were anyone else whom I knew as well. Unfortunately, I am confined to this theme by the narrowness of my experience” – Henry David Thoreau (“Walden”).

I was struck by how similar these lines are and the sentiment they convey.

Also in both memoirs/essays they are placed right at the beginning.

Montaigne’s writing predates Thoreau’s by at least 300 years. I am sure Thoreau was familiar with “Essays”, considering his study of philosophy (and other disciplines) at Concord Academy and Harvard College in the early 1800s.

So, did Henry copy Michel? Sir Isaac Newton is quoted saying “If I have seen further than others, it is only because I was standing on the shoulders of giants”.

I think (but of course, do not know) that Thoreau was paying tribute to Montaigne.

And he was borrowing.