The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-04-15
Emerson

Ii is great relief to ordinary mortals to
discover that philosopher has anything in
common with themselves. Mr.. Emerson
once foated before our fancy A. a clou'l half
half dark half skimming the earth,
now sailing above the mountains, now flash
ing incxpressible light, then suddenly turn
ing upon Us cold sharp mass Of darkness
with perchance glimmer of stars from its
impenetrable depths.--Wheth in some great
cycle OF transmigration Plato had taken
shape again-but only such dreamy shape
AS becomes u discmbodied spirit or whether
Plato himself wasSa. nebuia Of antiquity now
floating upon the sphere OF our atmosphere,
and assuming q morei consolidated form
We never could determine from any thing We
heard or saw from the sage Of Concord.''
Is I it fell to us once after listening for an
hour--Mr. Emerson always closes with the
hour, even il he breaks OF in the middle OF
an sphorism--to enc Of those rare illusions
Of the poet philosopher, that leave one be-
wildcred as to his personal identity, floating
upon golden clouds Of song--it fell upon us
to speak the oracle face to face, TO be iostled
with him for miles in the same carriage, to
chamber with him over rocks and fences TO
the hill top, to set down with him at the came
hospitable board, to hear him in the chit
chat Of the parlor, and again TO have q car
riage talk in tie still night through the
woods. This near view Of Mr.. Emerson
surprised Us almost as much as the simmer
tai CGsar," under the common conditions
Of humanity, amazed the sturdy Cassius; but
on quite other grounds. We found him not
man Of ''feeble temper,s COMPOUNDED BY
familiar things-but that tongue OF his, that
jus. now babe men mark him, and write his
speeches in their books, discoursed with
plaineet common sense, the largest practical
wsedom, and the kindliest affection, upon the
things Of common life. Not trace Of Pc
dantry or mysticism, not the least air Of
conscious superiority, could now be de-
tected in him who had just discoursed 50
loftilv OF the exclusive caste Of the scholar.
Indeed, il called upon to make confession
Of the sins that most beset him in society,
like the austere and lofty Damiani, he must
have written contempt of pompous follies,
aud a disposition to laughter"
lie had spoken in his address Of the uni.
formity with which oil the disclosures Of Spi-
ritualists, from whatever spirit and thro' what.
ever medium, come to US BY way Of Imam
uel Swedenborg. Recalling this admirable
hit, we provoked him to an eloquent period
upon the grandeur Of an attested revelation:
and then with that emphatic hesi.ancy which
precedes some apt expression, he added OF
spirit-rappings. "fhis r-r-rai-hoie rcvela-
ton, have no patience with" No phil
osophy could more eGectualiy annihilate the
whole system.
We passed golden orchard. ~ love to
see the crop Of apples looking well. The
apple is the social fruit OF New England;
The winter evenings and the Ere side" There
was a poem uf kindly feeiing in that AM
hand remark. good i've mile walker, none
OF the party could excel him in climbing; not
even The enthusiastic and accomplished lord
oi the nanor-whosc guests we were--could
poih' oni with more appreclatiye eye the