New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-27
LECTURE. CULTURE.
BY RALPH WALDO EMERSON

On Thursday evening, at Hope Chapel,
M Emerson read the third lecture of his course
upon the Conduct of Life. He commenced by
speaking Of Ego.ism. It is the pest OF Society.
Egotism is metaphysical variooid. One OF its
worst features Is the craving OF sympathy. II
even loves sickness because actual pain en-
gendsrs signs Of sympathy. All cultivated men
are infected more or less with this dropsy. But
they are still the leaders The life of few men is
the life of every place. In Boston you hear and
a few SO in New York, and then you may as well
die. Life is very narrow Bring few men to-
gethsr, and under the spell OF one calm genius
what frank, sad con LESSONS will be made Culture
10 the question from fe best thoughts that
should not be charlatan, but temper and subdne
life. Culture reOTesses mis- balance and puts him
among his equals. Ii is poor compliment al ways
to talk with man upon his speciality as II he were
che zee mite and was therefore strong on Chesnirs
and3stilton Culture takes the grocer out ofhls mo
lssses and makes him genial. We pay a heavy price
for those fancy goocs, Fine Arts and Philoso ,hy.
No performance Is worth loss OF eeaiallty. TRaL
vi happy man called OF genlus Is an unfortunate
man. Nature always carries her point despite the
means.
The aLtidote to this egotism, is the culture which
acquaiDts US with variety. Men can do much br
each other no one who has seen horse broken, will
not say u man trained, but will ackno Wedge some
validity in education. Let us make our educs
ton Of children solid-iet 1t be the ounce Of
prevention. When shall We learn to superscdc
politics by education, preventing crime rather tnaa
furnishing 1t. Every fine sonl should DO so trained
that at 80 or 40. the man should not say: "Tnls
which | might do, | cannot, for want Of wsaJ
ols" Mr.. E. here referred to the education, aud
showed that the uuant love OF the boy for gus
and rod is true hint at his syHnastic culture, WHICH
Just as necessary as books Oae Of the best benz
fits of college education is to sho the hey no poor
college education 10. So with billiards and dancing
Prove them, and yea soon hId their value-whlcn
is the end OF that educ alton All this, no wsver, is
true only of the teachabs boy. In vain your effort,
II the scholar 10 Ounce. We all ike what We have
not. l knew superior man VINO could never set
over not having been TO college.
am not much OF an advocate for travelling. I
observe that the men who 20 abroad are nothing at
home, ard come home because they are nobody
abroad. Only the light man 10 the traveller. Yet will
not be VI ust. Travelling Is good for many Some are
made to travel, as Others 70 be farmers and TO a
man OF. sense, travel Isl an Advantage. SO many Ian
gusges as he has, SO many men is ne. Moreover 10
every col stituton there is some solstice when the
stars stand still IN our souls and then travei IL msci
cal aEg good. Railroads too unite the advantages OF
city ano country life The baladce OF sympathy is al
ways with man in the city great part OF our edsct
ton IssociaI. ItIequnee great many fine men and
women to make one Madam d. SIael. | wish also,
the cities could teach quiet manners. Tae faut OF
our youth is pTe.ensiOn. The man OF the world
takes a low tone, never makes speeches. Goethe,
Epaminondss, Napoleon, are quiet and love TO &C
incog. II is curious that we Americans do not have
a crop of water the brain, but little gas there.
shrewd foreigner renarked. that our qnicteS COO
veTsatioR has air of speech making Ia En-
gland, a with a face OF red dough, suddenly
surprises you with flow Of elegant culture and
erudtiep. 1t rebukes the gilt beads and scarlet
feathers. gentlemen Is easily great, net BY sal
hes but by his permanent life.
The fault OF the city lsdisspation. Trlfes are mag
nifed therefore the youth must dsspiss these tries
which, like midses and sand flies routing travellers
in tropical lands, lay our hfe waste. Mr.. spoke
OF the gain Of acquiring a command over any Ape
tites. Yet do not ide into the other extreme.
quicdlipg abstemiousness 10 profsne. Some one
says, the eplcure Is he who can eat anything. cats
ard dogs, snakes, roots and stones. the lecturer
nobly indicated the unsuDg thrft OF lonely homes
in all cities, which goes rusty, but educates the CHI
dIen.
Everything can be bought too dear. II you ex-
pect to travel In the old ru,s take leave OF greatness
And the outh has rot achieved the first step, who
has rated at its value the iRconcsvabe levity Of
local opinion. Let the youth of genius use Boston,
New-York and Philadelphia as village suburbs 10 Try
bis talents on. Then TO whatever Rome his age az
fords
Another point OF culture is to open the sense of
beauty. What day davns when . man learns the
beautlfai possibility Of manners, OF feeling-of all
The study Of astronomy induces mental dignity.
Even high dome limbers our manners. Sculpture
ana paintings should teach US the same Good man
Lers, however, are only the natural expression of
great feelings. Yoy cannot teach them If they are
not latent The secret Of culture il - interest a
man more in his public than private action. This
illustrated in the Poet who searches all the crt-
icism s-as Poet for the praise bat as Man for the
humanity. Culture, further reenfofces the lower
powers Of eoquence, politics and the rest A mao
who Is at home In Washington has tae key of AL the
political specalaiions OF the provinces.
The boy should have his culture when very young.
Our scholars do not seem 20 have known books Ia
youth, at which age, Only, Milton and cnaucer are
truly Infinite.
There are ssil higher secrets Of culture, for the
proficient not for the apprentice. Mr.. Emerson sx-
hortd the lofty desire OF the Iuest culture not TO
shrink or TO be afraid The man OF the world must
eat Of every apple once. Let him 80 eacs to Covsn
try, uemoie az the small scorn OF dwaIfs.
Culture viii DO the great wosk and finally destroy
even the bells themselves. Me-. Emerson closed
his lecture In strain Of prophetic gravity IN refer
ence to the hope and prospec: OF America. TAis
rude chaos must Dc mashed and nodded into shape.
Let us hope that II ss rot another Europe, bur a
new and individual character.
The pext and last lecture is on Saturday evening.
q Mr.. White, the Pqolisher ofPa mall,