O, Thoreau, what do you mean?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brahms

Hello, everyone!
I am reading Thoreau's masterpiece, Civil Disobedience, and there are lots of problems in my working. I heartly wish somebody familiar with him and this work can give me help.
In the 13th paragraph of this paper there is a sentence as following:
"O for a man who is a man, and, as my neighbor says, has a bone in his back which you cannot pass your hand through!"what does this sentence mean, especially the words "bace which you cannot pass your hand through"?

plus:
I teach and study classical Chinese literature and ancient language, and I am willing to answer any question on this topic.

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He is pointing masculinity as a sort of not being possessed of cowardliness, willing to not back down.

Where are you teaching Chinese Literature?

Hi, JBI, thanks for your reply! I am a Chinese and give classes on those subjects in China.

In A Winter Walk, Thoreau says that all wild beasts is joyful in winter, "even on the morning of the cold Friday". What is "the cold Friday" here? And in the fourth chapter of Walden, Sound, there is a sentence mentioned so called "the Great Snow", "which is still raging and chilling mens's blood". Is there a connection between the Friday and the Great Snow?