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4 at this little pile of treasures give me. How strange and still how pleasant to think of you having gone to Lake Tahoe
so soon after we left it. How exquisitely beautiful it is, Did you ever before see such contrasting color in the same sheet
of water? and even the quality of the water appeared different, from water usually. Yes I have read Walden, What shall I say;
Vexed one minute -enchanted the next; I was seldom thrown into sympathy with illegible Do you recall his chapter on Sounds
and Solitude , - these were my favorite parts of the book. I am afraid to give you my thoughts about them for they would be
crude, and probably not give you pleasure. Now what shall I say 1 Washington, Jany 24th, 1878. My dear Mr Muir. A
few days since your welcome letter came and I was very happy to receive it. I had begun to think your precious studies had
driven every other object from mind. I have wished many times you could be here during this week to meet your two valued friends
Dr Gray and Prof Butler, and there is another whom you may not remember so well. but who retains the warmest recollection
of meeting you in Yosemite Valley in 69. General Abvord? . General A. brought Prof Butler, to see us one evening this week
and we attended a lecture which he delivered badly named