The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-09-22
THEODORE CLAPP UPON EMERSON

y In a letter of the New Orleans Picayune,
MIR. Clapp has The following upon Ralph
Waldo Emerson - ,-.
My chief ohjec,in visiting Williamslown
was 10 hear Ralph Waldo Emerson's ad-
dress 10 the Literary Societies. 1t was a
production Of uncommon merit and great
originality. Instead of using far.ieicheG,
obscure, affected and iransenden,al phra-
seoogy, his style was wonderfully simple,
strong, intense, smooth, perspicpons and
elegant. No composition ever displayed
a more correc, aud delicate taste. He un-
dersiands perfectly the power and beauty
Of the English language. ] expected 10
hear him enunciale sentences constructed
with Ciceronian fulness, aiming by poly
syllable terms, accommodating epilheis, and
swelling expressions 10 soar above the
vulgar and excited vague, misty, unde.
lermiled ideas OF The vast, ethereal, and
magnificent. Bt his periods were short
pithy sharp, epiyrammaiic, free from The
incumberance of unmeaning, superfiuous
words definite, bold, glowing, and poured
forth with the lullness and rapidi'y Of tor
rent. Yet his manner OF speaking is sin
guarly gentle, placid aud calm. The torres
OF his voice are clear and melodions. The
expressions OF his councnance are divincly
sOl,, sweet, mild, serene, soothing and be-
neyolen,, exciting in The spectator sensa.
lion of delight, resembling that awakened
by The contemplation of beautiful objects IN
ihe'natural world, though Of a much more
spiritual and exalted nature. No person
can hear Mr.. Emerson speak or converse
without feeling iha, hs soul is reple,e with
wisdom, learning, candor sensibiiiy, gener.
Gus sentiments, and sublime philanlhro.
py. ....S ..I............ .... ...-.'
As 10 The subject Of his Discourse, il con.
sisted of easy, natural, unaffected and i'm.
melhodical Ideas on The importance Of a
more elevated standard of education in ouI
republic. ave have colleges enough
said he, "and considering our youth, well
endowed but our young men generally,
as soon as they graduate, bid adieu 10 the
muses., and are swept around in the vortex
of American politics ard trade, Ii they
sink 10 DO seen no more" He told us that
neither in the United States nor in England
was any thing so highly priced as the "al.
mighty dollar Even The brilliant, though
shallow Macaulayn could sec no charms,
but III the money-making, honor.craving,
aud uiili'alian philosophy. "Let the great
and mobiles, minds among us present 10 the
public the sublimes, lhoughis, inventions or
discoveries, yet they would be entirely un.
noticed unless their principles could be
connected with the purposes Of practical
utility. But the moment their glorious
deeds are manufactured into some labor.
saving, iime.annihila,ing machine, which
will pay 20, so, or an 100 per cent, all the
people exclaim il q is tie UOite of God. II
Is not the men of thought who are hpnored
here, but ACKNOWLEDGEMENT wealth. never
heard before such an impressive description
OF the value of knowledge. He affirmed
iha, ones power and glory are just IN pro.
portion 10 his clear, true aud vivid percep.
lions of the nature of things, physical, in.
iellec,ual, moral and religious. Also,
knowledge according TO his statement is
The only soil in which virtue can germinale
and thrive. II is only The knowledge part OF
creation that are capable of real goodness.
If men's knowledge were illimilable, they
would be nvulnerable TO the shafts OF sin
and corruption. Education is The only
panacea Tor The evils OF The present life.
The views OF this great man OIL religion
have been either grossly misunderstood, or
misrepresen,ed, or both, perhaps. He lis
not an atheist, as many have asserted, i
was Introduced 10 him, and favored with o
delightful conversation He holds that
there is no fnalliy 10 use his own wor,l) 10
anything which we are acquainted. We
know lha, there ara fini'e thinkers. They
Wilt ink on aud forever. There could
no, be finite thinking without infinite think.
ing There could moi be flute power. wis,
dom and love, without infnile power,
wisdom and love. So he reasons. "Grant, "
(said Mr.. E) 3lhal there cannot be mind
without brain, for anything we know TO
the contrary, the soul after The death Of the
body has The power OF forming for itself
another brain, ethereal, refined, aud in-
des,ruciible. There Il, no abyss OF anni.
hila,lon for anything true, good or beautiful
in the boundless universe" Mr.. T.. is not
an atheist, any more than DR.. Charming was.
He ID simply opposed 10 hypocrisy, cant,
pre,esce, assumption, bigolry and humbug.
How often have the greatest, most enlarg-
ed, and sainied philosophers, through ignor.
ance or prejudice. been, denounced by
their contemporaries whom lposicriiy now
admire, and will hereafter, forever admire.
"Time," says Cicero, "oveuhrows the ".
lusions Of opinion, and fashion; bu, es'ab-
fishes upon an immoyable, everlasting
basis The decisions oi feasonl and nature.
,l..-sn.r Yours, truly, 4 ~ 7. CLAPp.' ~
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