New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-23
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

N
80 orr, TuAxTER's "POEMs y" MONEY
,,, ,rs,cD-"NuGE NUTILEs THE LAND
or THE BEuEMOTH."
lrnou A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE fRiBrSE'I
BosToN, May 21.-A very pleasant occasion
was a gathering in private parlor, n night or TWO
since TO hear Mr. A. Bronson Acot talk about his Con-
cord Perhaps all mankind have secret love
for gossip and certainly snch genial generous, gentle
gossip this was must have pleased the most fastdl
GUS OF Mr. Emerson Mr.. Alcott spoke with the warm
est admiration lie said he knew him first forty years
ago. going to see him then with Margaret Fuller This
was before l:!. Emerson had published anything; but
during that visit Mr. Alcott saw the MS OF his
first book Afterward they becane c'shools anu u. ,
friends: but his first impressions OF Mr.. D"-,
remain vivid. ono OF his fine manners-hhe IN the
best sense Of the word-manners full OF courteous
charm. OF hospitality toward the Thought OF otners Vi
kindly considerations Mr.. Emerson was descenoeu
from generations Of cultured people; ana inherited CUT
ure has more to do with what call genius than we
are in the habit of considering People oteh speak vi
the fragmentary nature OF his essays ihose grun-
ble7s who wolld find fault with the spots on the SUM-
talk .about the sentences disconnected, and say
"Why could MT he have had beginning ana huuie'
and an endl" But Mr.. Emerson writes not as ue VINO
laborlousy builds M, at once, symmetflch "hoie'
He keeps a diary If his thought il quichehed oy some
meeting with "A friend he puts 1t down; or II passage
IN "A
wood or field and to reproduce in words some
ncatino charm some transient tint OF earth or sky
some vbisDer of the wind murmur of the stream
And by and by, when he would read iecture- those
discourses so unique and 80 suggestive ne MY caled
,ectpresbe turns over this diary and makes from all
these numerous and vaned gems, his gtterlng mosaic
Thon ne reads II before one audience and another Until
he has read IT into a certain sort OF barmony-seen
what to say and what leave ont and then at last 1t
cots info nrint and charms the best men and women
everywhere those who think deepest and live highest
Hawthorne was another great neighbor but neghbor
strangely shy and unnelghbory. In all the years they
lived near each other, he entered MT Acots mouse
twice. and each time discovered reason why he could
not stay long II Emersons works give you the mpres
sion of his having acquainted only with men of an
ideal purity Hawthone's might almost suggest to you
that he had dwelt forever sad ookeron IN the tents
| of wcLedness How few of his characters one can
really love-what of them would one willingly be
And vet with what matchless power he draws them
sinful men and suffering women-where has he his peer
as painter OF such portraitsi lie was happy in his
wife She stood willingly between him and the world.
She was the faithful guardian OF his door, and turned
away from him the feet OF the intruders
third neighbOr ThOrcau-a man so curiousy IN
dependent OF the world that being ready for graduation
al Harvard he did not consider his diploma worth a
dollar and half and therefore would not take IT, mo
reau resolved said Mr. Alcott to form a community
|
derstandng resolved to be the whole of IT, himself
For this community Of ne built hermitage, on land
owned by Mr. Emerson, the borders Of Walden Pond
For him. Concord at the Garden of Eden, and
the Hub OF the world He was accustomed TO say tnat
nothing existed anywhere that could not be found In
Concord if you looked for IL long enough. One OF his
great friends WIN. Eery Claiming, the poet, who
mourns for him to this day with unforgetful con-
stancy grief that fluids consolation. Claiming is as
queer neighbor the rest; but in my opinion MI.
A0t Overrates his poeca gift He writes in his longer
poems, ted.Ousy though they illuminated by lines,
here and there, which shine like flash of sunlight In
shady place. But he is odd enough to be tit TO live In
Concord He secludes himself from the Gohs and Van
das OF the outside world, and confines his confidence
and his courtesies to the illuminate. Nor Is Nj Aloott,
himself unworthy to dwell among his neghbors-a man
as quaint and peculiar any Of them with the wsd
OF philosopher the faith OF child, aud hospitality
Of nature that 1t opens its arms to the whole
world. mo man ever lived who was more absolutely
himself" one of his family said Of him, aud this Is
| true.
Hurd & Houghton are about to publish a new edition
Of the Poems" of Celia Thaxter, which is practically
almost book, many poems have been added to
those the volume of two three years ago
! Here is one OF the ones by way OF specimen: