New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-09

US see what Is yours llOhhN"'
| THE CARLYLE And EMERSON ASSOCIAIION'
There can be no valid objection to individual
or associated endeavOr to extend the Influence
and increase the number of readers of Mr.. Car
| lyle and Mr. Emerson. The world is better
because these eminent writers have lived ana
wrought in it. Men are better, clearer OF pur-
pose. and stronger of will, and kindled with
higher and worther ambitions, who diligently
and Understandings read them And yet there
is something preposterOus in the proposal TO
| found an association which shall make the
popularization of their writings the principal
| instrument wberewith to regenerate the world.
Such nm association is contemplated. Its pro-
moters, who date their prospectus from Lon
don. invite cooperation, and lay out very
ambitious plan of reformatory procedure. Ihey
purpose to promote education, investigate the
causes of pauperism, with view to Its remedy
to advocate the rights of women to oppose
vars, to broaden the basis OF the Church OF
England. IN order that it may include all earnest
Thinkers, to whatever conclusions their thought
NAV have brought them, and generally to
foster and promote the love of the beautiful In
art and social life.
These purposes are meritoriOus. lt would be
n oood thing if the association had effective
means of accomplishing ends so salutary ana
desirable. But one must have considerable
faith in the stimulating influence OF Mr'
Caryle's lurd rhetoric, and the tranqullizlng
and elevating effect of Mr.. Emerson's serene
and graceful exhortations, if he bases hls hope
of improving the condition of mankind chiefly
upon an increase in the circulation OF these
Volumes Those who hearken to the teachings
of these two great preachers are necessarily
few. Appreciation of their dscOurses implies
not only more literary cultivation than tho
majority of people possess, or are ever likely
to possess, but a peculiar quality of mind
which is even rarer than high cultivation.
We have known good scholars and sensi-
BILE men who could see nothing in Mr..
Carlyle's literary methods but confusion
infinitely confounded-wild words which
the writer used to conceal his meaning,
if indeed he had any meaning (which it was
worth his while to convey, or the readers
while to interpret; and there are certainly
numbers of persons who pay taxes aud have
souls to be saved, and whose general welfare
the philanthropist desires, who could not read
Mr.. Emerson without SO much mental obfusca-
ton rs to do them harm rather than good IL
may be said that Mr.. Emerson and Mr.. Car
lyle instruct the minds which, in their turn,
instruct the world; that their minstrations are
diocesan, not merely parish preachments; ana
TO this, with some reservation, we assent. With
out any endeavOr to lay down scheme OF
morals or philosophy, each, Ill his way lncul-
Gates a good many precepts which the world
may well heed. The entire purpOrt and upshot
of Carylcs creed may DO summed up IN his
own words: ado the duty that lies nearest
thy hand,r and "be that thou soonest to be-"
These are wise and benefcent pTeccpts. But,
as in the early days of philosophy it was
doubted whether there was any more virtue on
account of the stOics, any more pleasure
on account of the epicureans, 1t ls an OminOus
question whether there is one sham or one
suggard the less in the world on account of
all Mr.. Carlyle's dozen volumes, more or less
Mr.. Carlyle's injunction, loudly and passion
ately reiterated, shrieked indeed into the dull
ears of men, is to Do; Mr.. Emerson, with voice
of silver invites us to BE. Ii is not by the
depth Of the footsteps which he tramples into
the earth in the race for power or gain, nor
by the material monuments which he erects
around him, nor the investiture which he
wears, whether it be the plume OF the war
rior. or the robe of the judge or the surphce
of the priest, by which the man is to he meas
ured but by the spiritual life which informs
him. The preacher thinks that the life is more
than meat, and the body more than raiment;
that to be namelcss in worthy deeds exceeds an
unworthy history that to be obscure in lofty
meditatiOns exceeds the renOwn of ScipiO or Au-
gustus; that to be penniless and wise is beterthan
to be opulent and stupid. The tub of Diogenes
and the mantle of Simplicius are better than
the palace of CrGsus and the robes of Sarda-
napalus. 1t is well that we have one preacher
who has the courage to tell us that there are
better things than getting money. And it
would be better still if any considerable num-
Der needed what he said. 1t would perhaps
be useful if the young men who are girdIng
on their harness, and who in this country are
too much disposed to accompany that habilita-
ton with the spirit which alone befalls him
that putteth it off, would lay his lessons well
to heart. But they do not. They make haste
to be rich, and exhibit q savage and inconti-
nent hunger for the reward of effort before
the effort itself has been rendered. Their
guides are the witch-lights and Pickering
phantasms of success and visible gain, instead
of the eternal stars of lofty purpose aud good
desert, which ought to lead them as the pillar
of fire led the Israclites out of the land of
bondage The truth is that precepts may be
too lofty, and tho good which observance of
them promisestoo remote'and obscure to assure
their general acceptance. Everybody could un-
derstand Poor Richard when he inculcated the
advantage of thrift and frugality, but there
have probably been good many men of
property who could not see the point of selling
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