New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-03-09
Ralph Waldo Emerson
From enswotD's PRosr wsrrEns or AMERICA

From GkswoIDs PROSE WRITERS or AMERICA.
Tbedevsbpment Of the transcendental philosophy
In New England is deserving Of more considera'
ton than can here be bestowed upon il. can re-
member the period whom the general principles Of
Locke, with slight infusion Of Reid and Dugald
Stuart Constituted the oahodox philosophical ere ed
q New England The first shock given 10 that
system was Professor Marsh's calm profound aud
lsnnops exposition Of the doctrines OF Colerdge,
In his preaces 10 the American editions of The
Friend and the Aids to Reflection. This was fol
loved by Mr.. brOvnson's various writings and lee
tuYes developing in popular form, the philosophy
Of Victor Cousin and the French school Almost
everybody who attend q lecture or a sermon by
Dir. brUwpson was at once transformed into a
rnetaphysician and could discourse very decsively
on the essential distinction between reason and
reason ng and could look with compassion on all
who held 10 the old philosophy. or were defective
IN insight Cousin was very grateful 10 his Ameri.
can disciple and repeatedly spoke OF him as the
FIRST metaphysician in the United States. But
there have been changes OF the moon since then,
aid IL 10 needless 10 say that Mr.. Brownson now
shines 10 the light Of different system.
Contemporary with Mr.. Brownson, though very
different IN mind snd character WA Mr.. EMERSON,
the transcendentalist par eDaaHsnce, and the most
original OF the school. Neither Coleridge nor
Cousin was sufficient for him. but in subtlety aud
danng he rather approaches Eichte He Is the
,oa Of Unitarian clergyman Of Boston, and in
1871, when about seventeen years OF age was
graduated al Harvard University Having turned his
Insnton to theology, he was ordained minister OF
me Ct the congregations OF his native city, but
embracing soon after some peculiar views In regard
10 the forms of worship, he abandoned his probes
t0n, and retiring to the quiet village OF Concord,
alter the manner Of an Arabian prophet, gave him
self up TO thinking" preparatory TO his appear
snce as revelstor. His Grafton entitled Man
Thinking delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa
Society In the Summer of 1887, attracted great
deal Of attention but less than his address before
the senior class in Divinity College Mt Cambridge
liz the following year. He began now to be under
stood his popularity was not so much ms sys-
iela as bis point Of view. He did not pretend TO
reason but to discover he was not logician, bat
sfeer he announced, not argued. His prominent
doctrine is that the Deity is impersonaL- mere
being and comes to self c0Rsc.0UsRess only IN md
ylduals The distinction Of this from pantheism is
this, iha; while pantheism &" sinks man and nature
III God" Mr.. EMERSON sinks God and nature
in nan"
Inls5s Me- EMERSON published Literary Ethics
60 Grafton and in the following year small volume
eatlSled Mature In 1910 he commenced The Dial,
magazine Of literature, philosophy and religion,
'wneh was coatinued four years IN ls4l be pub
nsnei The Method OF Nature, an grafton Man the
helonner lecture on some Of the prominent tea
present
Tines, and the first series OF his Essays In the
next two or three years he published little except
DIS papers in The Dial bat in 1874 he gave 10 the
pubic lectures ON New England Retormers. the
Young American. and Negro Emancipation IN the
West Indies and the second series Of his Essays
he has since delivered lectures on Swedenborg
Napoleon New England. and other subjects which
ue regarded by some who have heard them as de-
aaealv the finest Of his works and in December
lss6 he published volume OF Poems, which have
peculiar and remarkable merits.
Mr.. EMERSON is q" a seeker with no Past Of his
back" lie evidently aims to break tho mouids OF
Popular beliefs and get at the heart OF the matter
TO look around and within with the fresh vision OF
a FIRST man" and hike Adam IN the garden 70 put
liz own name upon what he sees He has none o.
the IN humour which denies because others affirm
he simply nkes leave % look for himself While
therefore he continually sees and represents things
10 singular lights and sometimes lnverts them' SO
thas J, would seem TO be an inevitable conclusion
inst ether he is crazy we on the other mana ne
resenersies onr faith. by giving us an original ties
umony 20 great truths. Thus, ms essay on Inc
OverSou Notwithstanding its nnscriptursl title IS
rs orthodox as 81. Paul
Whatever appearance there may be to the con
nsry Mr. EMERSON is no destructive. he y a
ea,ldsr born and anoiuted poet. His demand Is
Ira,a. He must stand face TO face with the Also
nie Unsuitable as is his craving for truth, he is
Nways orderly and serene. He gives no sign That
any lettering considerations have ever occurred to
I'm Whatever suggestions Of fear OF policy thsTe
here may be they are less than cobwebs 10 him
irney csnno. impede, they do not even tease nm,
ne ssselfpOsessed and assured rs II tie carried
W Us PICKET commission, signed and sealed OF
mankind TO say just the thing that he Is saying
ar Emerson is never commonplace. Hence We
s9ef Mat be is a genuine worker. lie cannot
sAe host Of others, write in his sleep. Every
s-'ls Is wrought out by bis own thought nave
consumes isncied that he must. IN his listless mo
~sn,s. replne at the siubbornness Of his genus
~ucn can bear 10 be mute, but which cannot De
S-ua nor tolerate in him any attempt ST " me
"s"ns There Is a very common talent, passing
~ scat deal more than it is worth--the sole
.s"s q many quite distinguished writers -"hleh
4s' 10 tne putting OF words together 90 fifty and
s'eAly that they seem 10 sing new truth, when
an old song" with no variations MIR. I'm
tssos is utterly deficient In this power He cannot
t-ssie with words. He has 10 bank notes nothing
va oolnon. II he states sn old and woEid'known
VIA be does II with that felicity oil expression
sosn gives us iresh sense OF its value ana we
ee1ess that the same thing was never before 80
vel SAID. He cts his word 10 his thought con
'~nig no ear but his own.
N reading Mr.. ENERsoNs works we must Cd
'aNe Coieridges admirable rule: "When you
S~Aoot understand an authors ignorance, account
yourself ignorant OF bis understanding" At the
!. ish'ess glance We snail fluid here and there IN
usm much TO inspire respect Tor his sagaelty ana
.anisnon ior bis genius When therefore he
.eeu.s 70 be 0nintelNbe, or absurd modesiy nc
sss that We should at least entertain the question
whether the defect be in him or as. II we cannot
explain his ignorance we shall do wisely TO distrusi
oaf own understanding IL is possible nay, IL Is N
very high degree probable not only that be really
M. EsxksoS was born In lsos.