Henry Salt played a pivotal role in introducing Thoreau to an English audience. Prior to Salt’s efforts, only a handful of articles on the Concordian had appeared in England. This changed when Salt began writing about Thoreau.
His first essay on Thoreau was published in Justice in 1885, and the following year he sought to reach a broader readership by contributing an article on the poet-naturalist to Temple Bar. In this piece, Salt highlighted the absence of a comprehensive biography, yet skilfully utilised the available printed material on Thoreau.
As George Hendrick observes, Salt’s 1886 essay stands out as an exceptionally well-informed work, particularly for someone who relied solely on printed sources and had never visited the United States. Within three years, Salt embarked on expanding this essay into a full-length book.
For his biography, Salt gathered new insights from prominent figures such as F. B. Sanborn, H. G. O. Blake, Daniel Ricketson, Dr. E. W. Emerson, Edward Hoar, Col. T. W. Higginson, Dr. A. H. Japp (H. A. Page), John Burroughs, W. S. Kennedy, and Dr. Samuel A. Jones. In turn, Salt provided valuable assistance to American Thoreau scholars.
The Life of Henry David Thoreau was first published by Richard Bentley in 1890, with a second edition following in 1896. This later edition introduced subtle revisions, offering a more sympathetic portrayal of Thoreau’s parents, while incorporating new information and correcting factual inaccuracies from the 1890 edition.
What distinguishes Salt’s biography is his compassionate portrayal of Thoreau—not only as a writer and thinker, but as a human being. Salt captured Thoreau’s unique qualities, while remaining unflinching in acknowledging his contradictions and flaws.
Salt’s profound understanding of Thoreau is evident throughout his work; the Thoreauvian spirit permeates much of Salt’s own writings, from his humanitarian articles to his biographies and pamphlets advocating for social justice.
In 1993, more than a century after its first publication, Salt’s third and previously unpublished edition of The Life of Henry David Thoreau was brought to print by Centaur Press, with an introduction and editorial contributions from George Hendrick, Willene Hendrick, and Fritz Oehlschlaeger.
Thoreau in Henry Salt Books
Henry Salt on Thoreau
- Thoreau as Pioneer, The Humanitarian, September 1917
- Thoreau’s Poetry, Art Review (London), May 1890
- Thoreau and the Simple Life, The Humane Review, October 1906
- Froude to Thoreau, The Academy, March 11, 1899
- Henry David Thoreau, Vegetarian Review, May 1896
- Henry D. Thoreau, Temple Bar, November 1886
- Henry D. Thoreau, Justice, November 14, 1885
- Thoreau in Twenty Volumes, Fortnightly Review, June 1908
- David Henry Thoreau: A Centenary Essay, The Humanitarian, January-April 1917
- Thoreau Illustrated, The Saturday Review, November 5, 1898