New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-09


But Man Is most thy fsvor'd home.'
But Mr.. Emerson would snsser mans wants by
a." self culture" All that seliculture can do for man
is 10 make him feel more keenly and painfully his
wants and deficiencies, but it can do nothing to
satisfy or supply them. This IL openly and sadly
confessed by Of the celebrities of the school Of
overwhelmingly Fuller. One of her
biogrsphers says, that Margsrets life had an ain;
and adds, Ghis, after all IL the test. question.
Now, what was this aim Here it il; he gives it in
her own words, in aal,es: :" Early knew" she
writes, "that the Only object in life is to grow
A great aim that melon, q pumpkin, or a
squash could cay the same If they could only speak.
II the good man only knew it, this Is ne aim at all.
Ibis votary OF sef.culture proclaims It in her own
words, and that at a moment when there was field
opened to her TO speak, if che had anything to say,
in the columns Of periodical. bat, 10 truth, sac
confesses, have - much to ray; for, soce had
leisuIe to look at myself | find thar, so far from
being an original genus. have not yet learned to
thin k to any depth and that the utmost have done
in life has been TO form my CD nacter to certain de-
gree Of consistency, cultivate my Tastes and learn TO
tell the truth with little better grace than did at
fret A confession Dot unlike that which Goethe
puts into the mouth of Faust
"Ie.lit have hesped upon my brain
The satheI'd treasures Of mans thou. ht in vain.
Aud when at Iens.h from stuoious toll | res,,
hsiTs breadth /. not sdded ts my hight.
am no more the Infinite"
That this self-culture, to which che devoted
many years, can give peace TO the heart nor sn-
swef any Of its wants furnish any al 10 life, the
IL xt writer il her biography shows. Tine very rest
lessnefs of MsrgaIets intellect" be says was the
confess on that ber heart had found hsme. Lis
ten how aimess self culture leaves the soul. "Wnst
heaven it is Margaret who speaks" 1t must be
to have the hsp Piness Of accomplishing something.
to feel the glow Of action without eXhanste1
WEAKNESS Surely the race would have itself
out by corosion, If men in all ages had suffered as
we now do from the consciousness of an unattainet
Ideal" Thus self culture, while 1t renders mao
little accomplished utterly fails to supply his
warts; On the contrary II only adds to man misery,
by making him more painfully conscious Of bic w.nts.
STILL this is all that Mr. Emerson has to offer TO the
youth Of our land. Mans destiny to him is q riddle.
and the future is wrapped up in darkness. When he
attempts TO utter word of hope it is but the echo Of
q fat Pantheism.
Mr. Emerson has accomplished bis task 10 clearing
the ground from all rubbah; and nov the time has
con when the seeds Of truth should be planted.
The tide of life must be turned from fruitless mega
ton to fruitful affirmation. Mr.. Enersons maxins
NUT be converted. Substitute humility to obey, TOR
"telfreliance &C urage 10 believe, for trust thy
self deny myself Tor =" act out thysef; '-nssier
thy instincts, for obey thy Instincts self s.crihc4,
for " self-culture; surrender thysef to God, for
"be Myself" For the end of man is not ia himself,
nor in bis instincts, in his soul but IN God AL
greatness lies in the direction of God.
1t is NO more than fair to present the writer's
notice of his former intellectual connection with
the Transcepdehtalists, and his appeal to them on
the ground Of once cherished affinity.
We do not, however yield up all hopes for this
cass of men stleast, for some Of them.
Their independent spirit and indifference to all hu-
respect, the generous efforts and sacrifices which
they have made TO realize their aspratlons excite our
admiration, win cur love and command our respect.
Though unsuccessful, still all aspiration after purer
ard better life is not extinct in their bosoms They
still feel they feel wants which have never been
met and satisfied. We see before US these men, gift
3D. brave and in earnest more ready to obey truth,
though should cost their sef love somewhat than
TO yield TO what they know TO be false. Oh could We
say word that would reach their hearts, We should
be all too happy
Once we were their companion and bosom friend -
but we are changed Changed, not in aspirs.
tons, not in heart affections, not in purpo.
in life no, these are not changed but exalted,
purified, and enlarged! Our change was this 10
pass from a natural TO a supernatural basis Of life,
thus giving TO cur nature q nex and extraordinary
participation in the Divine Nature, and bringing up
our being TO the archetype of man, existing in tRs
Divine Mind. For Jesus Christ did not come down
from heaven TO contradict or destroy man nature,
but TO rectify and restore il, and to give 10 man a
new, superior divine mode Of life ana activity. Je-
sus Christ became man in order to enrich men with
the gift Of his own Divinity.
This our char &c, and il was OF the happiest
moments Of our life when we discovered, for the fret
time, that not required Of either to abandon
reason, drown ii in false excitement OF feel.
ing, to be religious man. Thst TO become Catholic,
90 lo1 IOui Dtuk cOuudII W IcoeOu, vas d euPiOm5
act of reason. 1t 10Y to to find tn IT. instead
Of being required to plsy the whining hy2ocri,e or
the blind fanatic, and thus renounce our manhood IN
order 10 become q Christian, we were called upon TO
NAL act which all the faculties Of our being spcn-
taneously united in making That after having inside
this act could look up and the heavens appeared
10 smile upon more cheerfully the stars to shine
more brightly, and the earth seemed clothed with
greater beauty. That instesd Of our symp sthes be-
ing cut Of from our feDo~ men, AID our willingness
10 make sacrifices for their well-being diminished We
found ourselves prepared 10 pat into execution what
before Vas only upon our lips, and ready to make
sacrifices which before We had scarcry lima yined.
This We repeat, was our change. Bat alas our
companions remain the same
They are sill in the selfsame place where at tie
setting they were They still seeking for LIE
srl looking for peace, and vainly striving TO realize
thsr uuer destiny.
They cry for strength. remaining veat,
AID seem 10 find, bat still to seek 4"
They are conscious Of energies which were never
brought into action they have capacities the objects
Of which they scarcely have even dreamt Of: and in
their souls lie buried of life thu, TILL now re-
main unseaed.
Oh, could we but give them gimpse Of the .oul
under the immediate influence Of divine grace could
We give 10 the hearts only for moment, taste of
the divine love which Jesus Christ came to enknde
upon earth could We get them 10 understand the pos
sbiity of the soul being filled vii, pure divine aud
ineIhsustble energy; ues We should have gven
them some conception Of the meaning and necessity of
the Church, and accomplished the wish nearss; to
heart.
The Transcendentalists would probably answer
such eIpostul.tiops BY citing the experience of
A.. L. . Al a, c,oaf aS h. horpt of ".