New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-04-22
FEUIII IIl5 DIuI IOI E'PfH'
THE YOUNG AMERICAN.
Lecture read before the Mercantile Library Association
Boston, Feb It'll, 1874.
[Continucd.l
nj RALPH WALDO EMERSON


That serene Power interposes an irresistible
check upon the caprccs and olficiousncss of our
wills. His charity is not our charity. One OF
his agents is our will, but that which expresses
itself in our will, is stronger than our will. We
are very forward to help it, but 1t will not be
accelerated. 1t resists our mcddling, eleemosy'
nary contrvances. We devise sumptuary laws
aud relief laws, but the principle of population is
always reducing wages TO the lowest pittancc on
which human life can be sustained. We lcgls-
late against forcstalling and monopoly; we would
have a common granary for the poor; but the
selfishness which stores and boards the corn Tor
high prices. is the preventive of famine and the
law Of sclEpreservation IS surer policy than any
LEGISLATION can be- We concoct eleemosynary
systems, and it turns out that our charity H.
creases paupcrism. We initiate our paper cur
rency, we repair commerce with unlimited credit
and are presently visited with unlimited bank
ruptcy.
1t is easy to see that We of the existing genera
ton are conspiring with a bcneticcnce, winch, III
its working Tor coming generations, sacrifices the
passing one, which iniatuates the most selfish
men to act against their private interest for the
public welfare. We build Railroads, we know
not for what or for whom; but one thing is very
certain, that we who build will receive the very
smallest share of benefit therelrom. Immense
benefit will accrue; they are essential to the
country, but that will be felt not until we are no
longer countrymen. We do the like in all mat
tiers -
MANS heart the Almighty to the Future set
BY secret and inyiolable springs
We plant trees, we build stone houses, we redeem
the waste, we make long prospective laws, we
found colleges, hospitals, but for many and re-
mote generations We should be very much
mortified to learn that the little benefit we CHANGED
in our own persons To receive was the utmost
they would yield.
The history of commerce, which of course m
cludes the history of ito world is the record OF
this bene6cent tendency. The patrlarchal form
of government readily becomes despot'c, as each
person may see in his own family. Fathers wish
10 be the fathers OF the minds of their children,
Al. well as of their bodies, end behold with great
impatience new character and way OF thinking
nresuminp to show itself in their own son or
daughter. This feeling, which all their love and
nr;ds in the powers of their children cannot SUI
due. becomes petulance and tyranny when the
head of the clan, the Emperor of an empire, deals
with the same difference of opinion in his SUBJ
;ects. Difference of opinion is the one cnne
which Kings never forgive. An empire is an
immense egoIsm. 81 am the State SAID the
French Louis When French ambassador
mentioned to Paul of Russia, that man OF con-
sequence in St. Petefshnrgh was interesting him.
self in some matter, the Gar vehcmently inter-
ruuted him with these Words" lRere IS no man
of consequence in this empire, but ne with whom
am actually speaking; and 70 long only as !.
am speaking to him, is he n any consequence.
And Nicholas, the present., Emperor, Is reported
to have said to his council, : Gentlemen, the age
A. Ralt an No
gentlemen 1 shall oppose an iron Will to The pro-
gress of liberal opinions"
II is yery easy to see that this patrisrchal or
family management gets to be rather trouble
some TO all but the papa; the sceptre comes TO be
crowbar. And this very unpleasant egotlsm,
Feudalisrn or the power OF Aristocracy opposes,
and finally DESTROYS. The King is compelled TO
call in the aid Of his brothers and cousins, and
remote relations, to help him keep his overgrown
bopse in order; and this club of nobemen always
come at last to have will Of their own; they
combine to brave the sovereign, and call IN the
aid of the people. Each chief attaches as many
followers by kindness, and maintenance, and gifts,
an he can and as long as war lasts, the nooles'
who must be soldiers, rule very WELL But wnen
peace comes, the noble prove very whimsical
and uncomfortable masters; their fro.ics turn out
to be very insulting and degrading TO the com.
moner. Feudalism grew to be bandit and
brigand.
factu.er) had begun TO appear Trade, plant
which always grows wherever there is peace as
soon as there is peace, and as long as there is
nesce. The luxury and necessity of the noble
fos,ered it. Aud as quickly as men go to foreign
parts, in ships or caravans, new order OF tnings
snr;nos mo new ideas awake in their minds.
Nav command takes place, new servants and
new nnasters. Their information, their wealth,
their correspondence, have made them quite other
men than leit ther native shore They are mobiles
ao now and by another pa.ea. than the Kings. Feu
the Knfg.d been good; had broken the power q. OF
own but it had o sane xS good traits OF us
Tor 1t to die, and, as they say of Il was nso ,
all Its faults came out. Trade was T. pt ..an,
man that broke it down, and raised ne s1 snS
unknown power in its place, Its new agent,