Autobiography　of　a　Pocket…Handkerchief
  by　James　Fenimore　Coopoer
  CHAPTER　I。
  Certain　moral　philosophers；　with　a　due　disdain　of　the　flimsy　foundations
  of　human　pride；　have　shown　that　every　man　is　equally　descended　from　a
  million　of　ancestors；　within　a　given　number　of　generations；　thereby
  demonstrating　that　no　prince　exists　who　does　not　participate　in　the
  blood　of　some　beggar；　or　any　beggar　who　does　not　share　in　the　blood
  of　princes。　Although　favored　by　a　strictly　vegetable　descent　myself；　the
  laws　of　nature　have　not　permitted　me　to　escape　from　the　influence　of
  this　common　rule。　The　earliest　accounts　I　possess　of　my　progenitors
  represent　them　as　a　goodly　growth　of　the　Linum　Usitatissimum；　divided
  into　a　thousand　cotemporaneous　plants；　singularly　well　conditioned；　and
  remarkable　for　an　equality　that　renders　the　production　valuable。　In　this
  particular；　then；　I　may　be　said　to　enjoy　a　precedency　over　the
  Bourbons；　themselves；　who　now　govern　no　less　than　four　different
  states　of　Europe；　and　who　have　sat　on　thrones　these　thousand　years。
  ｛Linum　Usitatissimum　=　Linum　usitatissimum　（Cooper's　capitalization
  varies）　is　the　botanical　name　for　the　variety　of　flax　from　which　linen　is
  made｝
  While　our　family　has　followed　the　general　human　law　in　the　matter　just
  mentioned；　it　forms　a　marked　exception　to　the　rule　that　so　absolutely
  controls　all　of　white　blood；　on　this　continent；　in　what　relates　to
  immigration　and　territorial　origin。　When　the　American　enters　on　the
  history　of　his　ancestors；　he　is　driven；　after　some　ten　or　twelve
  generations　at　most；　to　seek　refuge　in　a　country　in　Europe；　whereas
  exactly　the　reverse　is　the　case　with　us；　our　most　remote　extraction　being
  American；　while　our　more　recent　construction　and　education　have　taken
  place　in　Europe。　When　I　speak　of　the　〃earliest　accounts　I　possess　of　my
  progenitors；〃　authentic　information　is　meant　only；　for；　like　other　races；
  we　have　certain　dark　legends　that　might　possibly　carry　us　back　again　to
  the　old　world　in　quest　of　our　estates　and　privileges。　But；　in　writing　this
  history；　it　has　been　my　determination　from　the　first；　to　record　nothing
  but　settled　truths；　and　to　reject　everything　in　the　shape　of　vague　report
  or　unauthenticated　anecdote。　Under　these　limitations；　I　have　ever
  considered　my　family　as　American　by　origin；　European　by　emigration；
  and　restored　to　its　paternal　soil　by　the　mutations　and　calculations　of
  industry　and　trade。
  The　glorious　family　of　cotemporaneous　plants　from　which　I　derive　my
  being；　grew　in　a　lovely　vale　of　Connecticut；　and　quite　near　to　the　banks
  of　the　celebrated　river　of　the　same　name。　This　renders　us　strictly
  Yankee　in　our　origin；　an　extraction　of　which　I　find　all　who　enjoy　it　fond
  of　boasting。　It　is　the　only　subject　of　self…felicitation　with　which　I　am
  acquainted　that　men　can　indulge　in；　without　awakening　the　envy　of　their
  fellow…creatures；　from　which　I　infer　it　is　at　least　innocent；　if　not
  commendable。
  We　have　traditions　among　us　of　the　enjoyments　of　our　predecessors；　as
  they　rioted　in　the　fertility　of　their　cis…atlantic　field；　a　happy　company　of
  thriving　and　luxuriant　plants。　Still；　I　shall　pass　them　over；　merely
  remarking　that　a　bountiful　nature　has　made　such　provision　for　the
  happiness　of　all　created　things　as　enables　each　to　rejoice　in　its　existence；
  and　to　praise；　after　its　fashion　and　kind；　the　divine　Being　to　which　it
  owes　its　creation。
  ｛cis…atlantic　=　this　side　of　the　Atlantic　（Latin）｝
  In　due　time；　the　field　in　which　my　forefathers　grew　was　gathered；　the
  seed　winnowed　from　the　chaff　and　collected　in　casks；　when　the　whole
  company　was　shipped　for　Ireland。　Now　occurred　one　of　those　chances
  which　decide　the　fortunes　of　plants；　as　well　as　those　of　men；　giving　me　a
  claim　to　Norman；　instead　of　Milesian　descent。　The　embarkation；　or
  shipment　of　my　progenitors；　whichever　may　be　the　proper　expression；
  occurred　in　the　height　of　the　last　general　war；　and；　for　a　novelty；　it
  occurred　in　an　English　ship。　A　French　privateer　captured　the　vessel　on
  her　passage　home；　the　flaxseed　was　condemned　and　sold；　my　ancestors
  being　transferred　in　a　body　to　the　ownership　of　a　certain　agriculturist　in
  the　neighborhood　of　Evreux；　who　dealt　largely　in　such　articles。　There
  have　been　evil　disposed　vegetables　that　have　seen　fit　to　reproach　us
  with　this　sale　as　a　stigma　on　our　family　history；　but　I　have　ever
  considered　it　myself　as　a　circumstance　of　which　one　has　no　more　reason
  to　be　ashamed　than　a　D'Uzes　has　to　blush　for　the　robberies　of　a　baron
  of　the　middle　ages。　Each　is　an　incident　in　the　progress　of　civilization；　the
  man　and　the　vegetable　alike　taking　the　direction　pointed　out　by
  Providence　for　the　fulfilment　of　his　or　its　destiny。
  ｛Milesian　=　slang　for　Irish；　from　Milesius；　mythical　Spanish　conqueror
  of　Ireland；　Evreux　=　town　in　Normandy；　France；　a　D'Uzes　=　a　member
  of　an　ancient　noble　family　in　southern　France｝
  Plants　have　sensation　as　well　as　animals。　The　latter；　however；　have　no
  consciousness　anterior　to　their　physical　births；　and　very　little；　indeed；　for
  some　time　afterwards；　whereas　a　different　law　prevails　as　respects　us；
  our　mental　conformation　being　such　as　to　enable　us　to　refer　our　moral
  existence　to　a　period　that　embraces　the　experience；　reasoning　and
  sentiments　of　several　generations。　As　respects　logical　inductions；　for
  instance；　the　linum　usitatissimum　draws　as　largely　on　the　intellectual
  acquisitions　of　the　various　epochas　that　belonged　to　the　three　or　four
  parent　stems　which　preceded　it；　as　on　its　own。　In　a　word；　that
  accumulated　knowledge　which　man　inherits　by　means　of　books；
  imparted　and　transmitted　information；　schools；　colleges；　and　universities；
  we　obtain　through　more　subtle　agencies　that　are　incorporated　with　our
  organic　construction；　and　which　form　a　species　of　hereditary
  mesmerism；　a　vegetable　clairvoyance　that　enables　us　to　see　with　the
  eyes；　hear　with　the　ears；　and　digest　with　the　understandings　of　our
  predecessors。
  ｛epochas　=　archaic　Latinized　spelling　of　epochs｝
  Some　of　the　happiest　moments　of　my　moral　existence　were　thus
  obtained；　while　our　family　was　growing　in　the　fields　of　Normandy。　It
  happened　that　a　distinguished　astronomer　selected　a　beautiful　seat；　that
  was　placed　on　the　very　margin　of　our　position；　as　a　favorite　spot　for　his
  observations　and　discourses；　from　a　recollection　of　the　latter　of　which；
  in　particular；　I　still　derive　indescribable　satisfaction。　It　seems　as　only
  yesterdayit　is　in　fact　fourteen　long；　long　yearsthat　I　heard　him　thus
  holding　forth　to　his　pupils；　explaining　the　marvels　of　the　illimitable　void；
  and　rendering　clear　to　my　understanding　the　vast　distance　that　exists
  between　the　Being　that　created　all　things　and　the　works　of　his　hands。　To
  those　who　live　in　the　narrow　circle　of　human　interests　and　human
  feelings；　there　ever　exists；　unheeded；　almost　unnoticed；　before　their　very
  eyes；　the　most　humbling　proofs　of　their　own　comparative　insignificance
  in　the　scale　of　creation；　which；　in　the　midst　of　their　admitted　mastery
  over　the　earth　and　all　it　contains；　it　would　be　well　for　them　to　consider；
  if　they　would　obtain　just　views　of　what　they　are　and　what　they　were
  intended　to　be。
  I　think　I　can　still　hear　this　learned　and　devout　manfor　his　soul　was
  filled　with　devotion　to　the　dread　Being　that　could　hold　a　universe　in
  subjection　to　His　willdwelling　with　delight　on　all　the　discoveries　among
  the　heavenly　bodies；　that　the　recent　improvements　in　science　and
  mechanics　have　enabled　the　astronomers　to　make。　Fortunately；　he　gave
  his　discourses　somewhat　of　the　progressive　character　of　lectures；
  leading　his　listeners　on；　as　it　might　be　step　by　step；　in　a　way　to　render　all
  easy　to　the　commonest　understanding。　Thus　it　was；　I　first　got　accurate
  notions　of　the　almost　inconceivable　magnitude　of　space；　to　which；
  indeed；　it　is　probable　there　are　no　more　positive　limits　than　there　are　a
  beginning　and　an　end　to　eternity！　Can　these　wonders　be；　I　thoughtand
  how　pitiful　in　those　who　affect　to　reduce　all　things　to　the　level　of　their
  own　powers　of　comprehension；　and　their　own　experience　in　practice！
  Let　them　exercise　their　sublime　and　boasted　reason；　I　said　to　myself；　in
  endeavoring　to　comprehend　infinity　in　any　thing；　and　we　will　note　the
  result！　If　it　be　in　space；　we　shall　find　them　setting　bounds　to　their
  illimitable　void；　until　ashamed　of　the　feebleness　of　their　first　effort；　it　is
  renewed；　again　and　again；　only　to　furnish　new　proofs　of　the　insufficiency
  of　any　of　earth；　even　to　bring　within　the　compass　of　their　imaginations
  truths　that　all　their　experiments；　inductions；　evidence　and　revelations
  compel　them　to　admit。
  〃The　moon　has　no　atmosphere；〃　said　our　astronomer　one　day；　〃and　if
  inhabited　at　all；　it　must　be　by　beings　constructed　altogether　differently
  from　ourselves。　Nothing　that　has　life；　either　animal　or　vegetable　as　we
  know　them；　can　exist　without　air；　and　it　follows　that　nothing　having　life；
  according　to　our　views　of　it；　can　exist　in　the　moon：or；　if　any　thing
  having　life　do　exist　there；　it　must　be　under　such　modifications　of　all　our
  known　facts；　as　to　amount　to　something　like　other　principles　of　being。〃
  〃One　side　of　that　planet　feels　the　genial　warmth　of　the　sun　for　a　fortnight；
  while　the　o