Sketches from Memory (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")

"Sketches from Memory (From 'Mosses from an Old Manse')" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a collection of essays and sketches from the 1800s that looks into memories, the loveliness of nature, and what it means to be human through Hawthorne's imaginative writing style. The book gives us Hawthorne's thoughts about America, like his time in the White Mountains and on the Grand Canal. It shows how he saw nature and how it connects to how we feel. In this set of stories, Hawthorne writes about seeing the amazing White Mountains and riding along the Grand Canal, showing off the striking scenery and different people he met. One part tells about the grand mountains, describing a trip through the Notch, thinking about how powerful nature is, and talking about its importance to settlers and Native Americans long ago. He also shares fun facts about the people he traveled with, like a scientist who studied minerals and some visitors, and tells old stories linked to the mountains. Another part shows what it was like to travel on the canal, describing life along the water in a funny but also sad way, while thinking about progress, the natural world, and how time passes. These stories give us a closer look at the beauty and challenges of being human and how it all connects with the world around us.