New-York daily tribune., 1842-07-19
TUE TIMES
ALECTURE, BY RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
From The ID al

mCnts OF Man in these matters; the pain Right
and Wrong ! cannot choose but allow and honor
them. SO much for the Reform; but we cannot
say IA. much for the Rcformers Beautiful is the
impulse and the theory; the practice is less beau
tiful. The Reiormers Affirm the inward life, but
they do not trust it, bu; outward and vulgar
means. They do not rely on precisely that strength
which wins me to thcit cause not Oh Love not on
Principle, bat on Men, on Msltitudcs ON Circum-
stances, ON Money, on Party; that is, on Fear, on
Wrath, and Pride. The love which lifted men 70
the sight Of these better ends, was the true and
best distinction of this time, the disposition 10
trust Principle more than a material Force.
think Tint the soul of Reform; the conviction that
not Sensualism. not Slavery, not War, not lmpris-
onment, not even Government, is nccdcd,-Jui in
lieu Of them al, reliance on the sentiment Of man.
which viii work best the norc it is trusted; nc,
reliance on numbers. but, contrariwise di,irlst q
numbers and the feeling that then are we strongest.
when most private and alone. The young men,
who have been vcxinC Society for these last year,
with regenemtivc methods, seem to have made
this mistake they all exaggerated some speeal
means, and all failed to see that the Reform Of
Reforms must De accomplished without means.
The Reforms have their high origin in an ideal
Justice but they do not retain the purity of idea.
They are quickly organized in some low made
quatc form, and present no moro poetic image to
the mind than the evil tradition which they repro
bated. They mix the fire of the moral sentiment
with personal and party heats, with mcasurclcss
exaggeraiions, and the blindness that prefers some
darling measure TO justice and truth. Those who
urging with most ardor what are called the
greatest benefits of mankind, are narrow self
pleasing. conceited men. and affect the insane
do. They bite US, and we run mad also. think
the work Of the reformcr Innocent a, other work
that is done around him but when have seen it
near do not like il better. Ii is done in the same
wav, It's done profanely. net Piously; by manage
ment, by tactics, by clamor. 1t is a buzz in the
ear | cannot feel any peasurein sacrifices which
display TO such partiallty of character. We
do not want actions but men; not n chemical drop
OF water, but rain the spirit that sheds and show
crs actions countless, endless actions. You have
on some occasion played bold part. You have
set your heart and face against Society, whea You
thought il wrong, and returned 1t trown for trown
Excellent: you afford to forget it, reckon
ing all your action no more than the passing OF
your hand through the air. or little breath of
your mouth The world leaves no track in space,
and the greatest action of man mark in the vast
idea To the youth, diffdent of his ability, and
full Of compuncton at his Improbable existence,
the temptation is always great to lend himself to
public movements, and as one of party accom-
plish what he cannot hope TO effect alone. But he
must resist the degradation OF man to measure.
must act with truth, though should never come
10 act. rs YOU call IT, with effect. | mus, consent
10 iuacton. 4 patience which ia grand brave
and cold neglect Of the offices which prudence eX-
acts, so il be done in deep. upper pcV; con
sent to solitude and inaction which proceeds out
of an unwingness to violate character is the cen
tury which makes the gem. Whilst, therefore,
desire to express the respect the joy feel before
this sublime connexOn Of reforms, IN their
infancy around Us, urge the more earnestly the
paramount duties of selfrea' e. | cannot hud
language OF sufficient energy TO convey my sense
of the saciejness Of private integrity. All men.
all things, the State, the Church, yea, 'he friend
of the heart are phantasms and unreal beside the
sanctuary Of the heart. With SO much awe, with
so much fear, let it be respected
The great majority of men, unable to Judge OF
any principle until its light falls fact, nre hoi
aware of the evil that is around them, until they
see it in some gross form, in class Of intem-
pcra,e men, or slave holders. soldiers, or fraud
uent persons. Then they greatly moved and
maenifving the importance OF that wrong, they fan
cy that if that fact were rectihcd. all would 60
we'll and they Gil the land with camcr 10 correct
it. Hence the Missionary and other religious cf
forts If every island aud every house had BIZ
be if every child was brought into the Sunday
School, would the wounds of the world heal, and
man be upright.
But the man of ideas. accounting the circar-
stance nothing Judges of the entire state of facts
from the one cardinal fact namely the state OF his
own mind. IT, he says, Il am selfish, then Is
there slavery, or the effort 10 establish it, wherever
GO Bu, if | am Just, then Is there no slavery,
let the laws say what they will. For il treat all
men as gods, bow to me can there be such thing
as "A savcl' Bu, how frivolous is your war against
circumstances This denouncing philanthropist i
himself Shareholder in every word and lock
Does he free me Does he cheer me he IL the
State of Georsia. or Alabama. with their sansuin-
arv slave-laws, walking here on our Northeastern
shores. We are all thankful he has more poll
teal power as we are fond of liberty ourselves
| am afraid our Virtue is a little geographical
nm, moi mortified by our Vice thatis obduracy II
colors and paltcrs il curses and swears, aHd can
see to the end of it : but. own, our Virtue makes
me ashamed so sour and narrow, SO imn and
blind virtue so vicc-ko. Then again, how trivial
see I'M the contests of the abolitiomst, whilst ne
aims merely at the circumstance Of the slave
Give the slave the least elevation Of religious sen
timen,. and he is no slave you are the slave: he
not only in his humility feels bis superiority feels
that muchdeplorcd condition Of his to be a fading
t,inc. bat he makes YOU feel it TOO. he the mas
ter. The exaggcraton, which our Young people
make Of his wrongs, characterZes themselves
What are no triiles 10 them, they naturally think
are no trhes TO Pompey.
This, then, is our criticism on the reforming
movement; that it is in its origin divine; in us
management and details timd and proiane These
bsneiaciors hope to raise man by improving his
circumstances by combination of that which Is
dead, they hope 10 make something alive. In vain.
BY new iufusions alone of the spirit by which he j.
made and directed, can he be re-made and rein
forced The sad Pestaozzi, who shared with all
ardent spirits the hope Of Europe on the outbreak
af ,he Ernnch ReAnlullnn afnr Wi sing il Sc