dy; he
was never wearied; and Mr. Herder found him an assistant as
acute as he was willing.

"You do know your own woods -- better than I do!" -- he remarked
one day when Winthrop had helped him out of a botanical
difficulty.

"It's only the knowledge of the eye," Winthrop replied, with a
profound feeling of the difference.

"But you do seem to love knowledge -- of every kind," said the
naturalist, -- "and that is what I like."

"I have very little," said Winthrop. "I ought to love what I
can get."

"That is goot," said Mr. Herder; -- "that is de right way. Ven
I hear a man say, 'I have much knowledge,' -- I know he never
will have much more; but ven I hear one say, 'I have a
little,' -- I expect great things."

Winthrop was silent, and presently Mr. Herder went on.

"What kind of learning do you love de best?"

"I don't know, sir, really."

"What have you studied?"

Winthrop hesitated.

"A little Latin, sir."

"Latin! -- How much Latin have you read?"

"The Gospel of John, and nearly the first book of the Aeneid.
But I have very little time."

"The Evangel of St. John, and the Aeneid. Are you going on to
study it now?"

"Yes sir, -- as much as I can find time."

"Greek too?"

"No sir. I am only beginning."

"I ask, because I saw some Greek books on de table de ozer
night and I wondered -- excuse me -- who was reading them. You
do not know nothing of German?"

"No sir."

"Ah, you must learn de German -- dat is _my_ language."

"I don't know my own language yet," said Winthrop.

"Vat is dat?"

"English."

"English! -- But how do you do, here amongst de hills -- is
there somebody to learn you?"

"No sir."

"And you go by yourself? -- Vell, I believe you will climb
anything," said Mr. Herder, with a little smile; "only it is
goot to know what place to begin, -- as I have found."

"I must begin where I can, sir."

"But you should get to de Universite; from dere it is more
easy."

"I know that, sir; that is what I am trying to fit myself
for."

"You do not need so much fitting -- you will fit yourself
better there. I would get away to de Universite. You will go
up -- I see it in your face -- you will go up, like you go up
these rocks; it is pretty steep, but you know, vere one person
cannot stand, anozer will mount. And what will you do wiz
yourself when you get to de top?"

"I don't know yet, sir," Winthrop said laughing.

"It is just so goot not to know," said Mr. Herder.