The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-03-11
RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

An edition Of Emerson's Essays" has just beer
published in London, under the editorial super
sion Of Thomas Carlyle, who, in his Preface, thu.
speaks Of the Essayist and his writings:
Tho name OF Ralph Waldo Emerson is not entire.
~ new in England; distinguished travellers bring
us tdngs of such man; fractions of his writing.
have found their way into the hands of the curious
here: flinl hints that there it, in New England
some spiritual noabily called Emerson glide lhro
Reviews and Magazines. Whether hints were
true or not, readers are now to Judge for themselves
little better.
Emerson's writings and speaking amount TO some
thing: and yet hitherto rs seems 10 me this Emer-
son il perhaps far less notable for what he has spo-
ken or done, than for the many things he has not
spoken and has lorbornc TO do. Win uncommon
interest have learned that this, and in such u
never-resng- locomotive country too, is one Of
those rare men who have with1l the invaluable tai
ent of sitting still! That an educated man of good
gifts and opportunities, after looking at the public
arena, and trying, not with II success, what its
tasks and prizes might amount to, 'shoud retire for
long years into rustic obscurity; and amid the all
peryadng Jingle of dollars and chaitering of amb-
tons and promotions, should quietly, with cheer
Tnl deliberations. sit down to spend his life not in
iIammon worshlp,or the hunt for reputation, inlu-
ences place or any outward advantage whatsoever:
this when we get notice it's thing really worth
nothing.
For myself have looked over with no common
feeling 10 this brave Emerson seated by his rustic
hearth, the other side of the ocean (yet not alto
gethcr parted from me ei'her) silently comnuning
with his own soul, and with the Gods World il
finds itself alive in yOnder Pleasures of Virtue,
Progress of the Species, Black Emancipation, New
Tariff, EcIesiaslicism, Loco Focoisin, ghosts Of I'm
proved Socindnisn: these with many other ghosts
and substances, are squeaking abbcring ,according
10 their capabilities, around this man; to one man
among the sixteen millions their jabber is all un-
musical. The silent voices of the stars above and
all The green earth beneath, are profrabler to him
tell him gradually that these others are but
ghosts which will shortly have to vanish; that the
Life Fountain these proceed ont of do not vanish
The words of such a man, what words he finds
good 10 speak are worth attending to. Dy degrees
small circle Of living sous eager TO hear il gath
cred. The silence Of this man has to become
speech: may this too in lis due season prosper for
him! Emerson has gone 20 lecture, various times,
to special audiences, in Boston and occasionally
elsewhere Three of those Lectures, already prn-
ted, are known to some here; as the little pampi-
let called "Na,urc,'' of somewhat earlier date. II
may be said a great meaning lies in these pieces,
which yet finds no adequate expression for il
self. a noteworthy though very unat,raciive work.
moreover, is that new periodical they call "The
DIAL" in which he occasionally writes; which an
pears indeed generally TO be imbued with his way
of thinking, and 10 proceed from the circle tina,
learns of him. The present little volume of " Is.
says" printed in Boston few months ago, is En-
erson's first book. an unpreending little book COM
posed probably in good part, from mere lectures
which already lay written. 1t affords us, on sew
eral sides in such manner az it can. a direct
glimpse into the man and that spirited world of
his.