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Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864

"Passages from the American Notebooks, Volume 1"

"My study is
man," said he. And looking at me, "I do not know your name," he said,
"but there is something of the hawk-eye about you, too."
This man was formerly a lawyer in good practice; but, taking to drinking,
was reduced to the lowest state. Yet not the lowest; for after the
amputation of his arm, being advised by divers persons to throw himself
upon the public for support, he told them that, even if he should lose
his other arm, he would still be able to support himself and a servant.
Certainly he is a strong-minded and iron-constitutioned man; hut, looking
at the stump of his arm, he said that the pain of the mind was a thousand
times greater than the pain of the body. "That hand could make the pen
go fast," said he. Among people in general, he does not seem to have any
greater consideration in his ruin because of his former standing in
society. He supports himself by making soap; and, on account of the
offals used in that business, there is probably rather an evil odor in
his domicile. Talking about a dead horse near his house, he said that he
could not bear the scent of it.


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