New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-01-14
SUPPLEMENT TO THE
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
~ see Daily Tribune OF This Day
for tho city a.sessuent Advertisement.


fA''rAt'
.,s,e enters into the drama the world, At a time
when toe minds OF men are generally awakened
sod excited to topics Of grave aud practical impor
lance 1t is 40, grea, poem that mankind no"
want or look for; they rather demand great work.
or works on human society on the momentous
probleuss which our social progress, as well as our
sociel difficulties. alike give rise TO- II on anew
literature a peculiar mission could be imposed such
would probably be the task assigned to IT,
The cnergcsic aud ceaseless industry Of the PEG
De OF America. the stern aud serious character OF
Tie ioun lers Of New England, the tendency which
democracy must necessarily encourage % reason
much and boldly on TIC interests Of the communl'
t.-would ell lead Us 10 the same Anticipation so
Ear us az Anticipation can be warranted regarding
. the giraffe course and capricous development Of
literary genius
The first contribution. We believe our libraries
received from America was the Archaeological half
metaphysical treatise on the VIII, by Jonathan Ed
wards This follower Of Calvin is understood %
have stated the gloomy and rePolsive doctrines OF
his master with an unnsalcd iOfce OF logic. such
IS the reputation which EdCdrds on the VA en-
Joys and we are contented 70 speak from reputa
ton. The doctrine o. necessity, even when intel
ngen'iy applied % the circle OF human thoughts and
passions IL not the most inviting tenet OF philosophy
10 Is guicsly learned, and what little fruit it yields
h. soon gathered. But when combined with the
theological dogma, wTung from texts Of Scripture
ti predcstnation; when the law Of necessity sup
posed b. regulate the temper and affairs OF the hu
iuaa being in this little hie is converted into d.
VINO sentence OF condemnation to future aud
etsrua iateit then becomes one Oi the most OiIOus
and irrational OF teuets that ever obscured toe
reason on clouded the piety Of mankind. We con
tess therefore that we are satisfied with reechong
the traditional reputation Of Jonathan Edwards,
without earning by perusal OF his work, the right
b pronounce upon it's justice.
The first contribution, also. which America made
10 the amount Of our knowledge, was OF scientific
character and moreover, the most anti poencal
msg!nablc. AS such, at least 1t must be described
5v those who are accustomed to think that pecu-
hlf mystery attached 10 one phenomenon Of Nature
r.ore than another is essentially poetic. Several
yOet. our Campbell amoog the number, have
complained that the laws OF optics have disen-
cAanted the rainbow bat the analysis OF Newton
- poetry itself compared to that instance OF the
deing aud leveling spirit OF science winch rank
la exhibited when be proved tue lightniDg 10 be
plain electricity took the bolts OF Jupiter ensly zed
them bottled them IN Leyden jars and expert
mented them with the sparks Of bis o@n
electrical machine.
As the frat efforts Of American genius were In
the paths OF grave aud searching inquiry co. too at
tots present moment II ee were called upon to
Joint out among the WORKS OF Our trans Atlantic
BRETHREN our compatrOts still 10 language, the ono
which, above ell others, displayed the Undoubted
marks Of original genlus-it would be a prose
work aud one OF philosophical character VIC
Of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
The Americans are frequently heard to !amen.
tho sbseuce of nationality In their literature Per
hsps no people are the first to perceive Their own
character rejected ia the writings OF one oil their
coaDtryms1 this nationality is much more open t0
the observation Of foreigner. We are quite sure
that no French or German critic could read the
specula ions Of En- erson, thOuttfscing them the
spirit Of tie nation to which this writer belongs
The new democracy OF the New World is apPar
4 Z. IN, al .bN Of ua NHh
vet is no democrat and, Ia the ordinary sense OF
the word. ~ politician For what IS the pre-.
valng spirit Of his writings Soitrellance, aud
the determination to see ia the man OF to day, Ia
his own, aud in bis neghbors mlnd, the elements
Of ell greatness Whatever the most exalted
characters Of history. whatever the most opulent
Of literatures has displayed or revealed OF action
or Of thought-the germ of all lies within yourself
This is his frequent text. What does he say CT
history
have no expectation that any will read history
BIZ aen whose have resounied far has deeper
ssn.e than what be is doing today"
He is as he describes himself. an endless
seeker Of Truth. with no Past at bis back. He de-
lights to raise the individual existing mind TO the
level il not above the level of all that has been
thought or enacted. He will not endure the impos'
ing claims of antiquity, of greet nations or OF great
names;
aItisrsmstkablep he saws "that involuncrlly al
WAYS esd az peror beings Universal history, the poets,
tbs romancers do not their stateest pictures IN the
esrdoal the Imperial palaces Ia the triunph OF VII OF
Of genius make that we tbaths
betteTs but rather true that IN their gnoet
strokes. there leelmost at home ft taet SHafsP9fe
as' e PC ring yondG sap o. BOY t'@i ''1'' !" TIC CUT
ner, feels 10 be true Of himseif'
Neither do the names of foreign cities any more
,hsn of ancient nations overawe or Cypress him.
OF travelling, he says,
have no churlish objection the crcumnavestion of
The GLOBE for the purposes OF art Of stud aud oenoo
euce tlat the man is rst domestcaed or does not
70 abroad with the hope OF finding somewhat greater Than
" Knows lie who travels 70 be smusea or 70 sst soS
What which he does not travels away from himself
and grows old In youth among old things InTheoe
10 Palmyra his will and mind have become old and dap
dated they. lie carries ruins 10 ruins TfaVenne lss
cry that place nothing AT bone, dream that a. Ma
pies at Rome be intoxicated with beauty and lose
nv sadness. pack my trunk, embrace my friends, EN-
bark on Inc sea- at last wake 10 Naples, and there
beside me the fact the sad self unreentine lden
teal tbet fed from seek the Vatican and the palaces
t 10 be Intoxicated with sights and suggestions, but
not intoxicated My giant goes with me wherever co.
In a still higher strain he writes,
"Thsre is mind common to al individual men
Every MAJ IL an inlet the and 70 all OF the same
he that ad nitied TO the sht oi reason Is 11e
eemsn Of the whole ests,e Wa, ts'o uSs e
s,say time has tefallen any man ne eau unHerstanu;
Wac hath access to this universal und Is party 20 "a
that be done Tor tins IS the only ana sovereign
sssst" ..,..,,.,,,
c, the Essay on History, aud the Essay entitled
Mature" ope with a similar sentiment. He dis.
claims the retrospective spirit oiour age that wood
opu, toe living generation into masquerade out OF
De faded wardrobe of the Past He will no. see
through the eyes Of others:
.yshy should not also. he demands enJoy an ori-
,in,l sinon 10 the universe. Why should have
poetry and philosophy Of insight aud not OF radltioD
religion by revelation TO and mol the history OF
,AerS me sun shi1es todsy also Let US demand oar
eSr works, and laws, and worship
In the Essay on Sefreance-a title which
might over ride great portion of his writings-he
Gays:
"OuT reading Is men5icsut and sycophantc In n'to-
makes fools of us plays false. King
e0 and oIoshp, power and estate, are sauoie Noeao
elsry private John and Edward Ia small house
ssd comment days work bu the things OF life the
both the total Of both Is the same why Al
ta3 difference Alfred, and ScandeTbeg and OustsNss
Sxspose they dad t.ey IVsa out rfs~
Add IN a more sublime mood be proceeds
'NheDeveTa mind l. simple and receives divine !
vccu4 treu d things pass yue teachers, texts,
temples al Whence, then, this worship OF he Past 4
TIE cspturcs conspie,or. against The sanity ani
n,jesfy VI the soul Man 10 nmid and sPologcte |