Emily Dickinson — Letter 353 about October 1870 T. W. Higginson

        The Riddle that we guess         We speedily despise -         Not anything is stale so long         As Yesterday's Surprise. The Risks of Immortality are perhaps its' charm - A secure Delight suffers in enchantment - The larger Haunted House it seems, of maturer Childhood - distant, an alarm - entered intimate at last as a neighbor's Cottage -         The Spirit said unto the Dust         Old Friend, thou knewest me         And Time went out to tell the news         Unto Eternity - Those of that renown personally precious, harrow like a Sunset, proved but not obtained - Tennyson knew this, "Ah Christ - if it be possible" and even in Our Lord's ["] that they be with me where I am," I taste interrogation.         Experiment escorts us last -         His pungent company         Will not allow an Axiom         An Opportunity -     You speak of "tameless tastes" - A Beggar came last week - I gave him Food and Fire and as he went, "Where do you go," "In all the directions" - That was what you meant         Too happy Time dissolves itself         And leaves no remnant by -         'Tis Anguish not a Feather hath         Or too much weight to fly - I was much refreshed by your strong Letter - Thank you for Greatness - I will have deserved it in a longer time! I thought I spoke to you of the shadow - It affects me - This was still another - I saw it's notice in the Papers just before you came - Is there a magazine called the "Woman's Journal"? I think it was said to be in that - a Gate, or Door, or Latch - Someone called me suddenly, and I never found it - You told me Mrs Lowell was Mr Lowell's "inspiration" What is inspiration? You place the truth in opposite - because the fear is mine, dear friend, and the power your's -         'Tis Glory's *far sufficiency*     [overtakelessness]         that make's our *trying* poor -     [running] With the Kingdom of Heaven on his knee, could Mr Emerson hesitate? "Suffer little Children" - Could you not come without the Lecture, if the project failed?