New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-16
EMERSON'S NEW ESSAYS.
rrrrPs AND SOCIAL AIMS.n

tyRon A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT THE TRfBUSsI
BosToY, Dec 11.-Long has Emerson's new
book essays waited for and now that IL mas come
let all the bes rung, when prince IL oorn' Hh
Emerson at his besthe wisdom and temperance Oh age
fndled by the glow and fervor Of youth which seems
N no immortal The title the book is Letters and
Social Aims" The separate essays are on Poetry ana
IMAGINATION" Social Aims" "Eloquence,' =" re
sources" "The Comic" Quotation and Originality
progress Of Culture" persian Poetry" "Inspira-
ton" Greatness" and Immortality" The introduc-
tory essay on Poetry aud Imagination" Is full OF eo
sucnce What he says the poetry Of science reminds
enc OF the fine tribute lately paid TO the Concord phoso
pher by Prof Tyna In his reply 70 Martineau ana the
rest Of his critics. Says Tyndall;
The reader Of nay small contributions to the literature
with the overlapping margins OF science su
theology will have noticed how frequently quote mr;
Enerson I do manly because In him we nave poet
md profoundly religious man. who is really and en-
dely undaunted by the discoveries OF science past,
takes her eraver brother science by the
hand and cheers him with immortal iaughicr ny EN-
INTO the finer forms and hues of an ideal world
Our present theme is touched upon in the lines
"The journeying atoms, primorlia wholes
As regards veraeity and insight these Few w0Ts ou
sended iy MI Martineau in those dispositions force
IA which he treats the physicist as eoJHIOf ana speaAs
W wttily OF atomic polarity
Emerson speaks OF the restraining grace OF common
,cnse rs The mark Of oil the valid minds The common
sense which NEEDLE with the absolute but taxes
things at their word is the house OF health ana me- In
spite all the Joys Of poets and joys OF SAINTS inc most
imaginative aud distracted never makes with IMMUNITY
the least mistake this particular never tries to kdie
his oven with wafer carries loren into powder
mill nor seizos his wild charger by the tail But all the
while hints are given that no: TO stay here that
We must be making ready 10 goa warning that TINS
magnificent hotel and convenioncy which We call nature
are not final Nothing stands still in nature-the crea
Hon Is on wheels in transit. always passing INTO
pto
indeed is studying to lofty and poetic ends when
II whispers TO US that,
The globes OF the universe preeipatos OF some
thing more subtle nay, somewhat was mumured IN our
ear that Gwinded astronomy into toy; that too, was
no fnality-ony PROVISIONAL makesliit; that under
ride ON matter TO the last atom lt was STEPPED In
thought-did everywhere express thOusnt; tGa', az
great couqueroTs have burned their ships when once Ie
were landed on wishedfor shore, the noble house
Of nature We nabt has temporary s o al ana 1 Ws mora Ta
and therefore the beginnings are such.
Mr. Emerson thinks science is false when 1t is I'M
poetica Reptile molusk. man, angel only exists in
system in relation The poet knows the missing link by
the ioy il gives. He gives only the eminent expert
euces Of fe-a good stepping from peak to peak nor
planting his foot except upon mountain Nothing 80
marks a imaginative expression A 1iguratve
expression arrests attention. and is remembered ana
repeated The impressions the imagination make tie
great days hfe the book the landscape or the per
sonaty which did stay the surface OF the eye or
ear but penetrates the inward sense agtaes u.s. and
Is not forgotten The poet squanders ON the hour an
amount OF life that would more than furnish the seventy
years Of the man that stands next him.
Never has Emerson been more eloquent than In the
portion of this essay devoted TO the imagination. Ma
ture he says the true ideast When she serves us
best when on days. she speaks to the Imagination
we feel that the huge heaven and earth are but wen
drawn US, that the light skies, ana mountains
ere painted vcisstudes OF the soul very exact
In is our essyst his demands the poet Great de-
sign belongs to a poem, and skill of execution can
stone 10 for the absence Of this greatness OF con
cfption OF the writer's whose capital is their
technical skill grace OF expression, lie says
"We want an architect, and they bring US
An upholsterer" The essay "social Aims" is
full Of wise aud quaint suggestion The author attaches
great Importance to manners-those beTaycTs of mans
secrets origin culture disposition lie thinks We can
hardly overesmate the importance of surrounding our
children with the wellbred from the start since nothing
short of this the obstacle of an
unlucky temperlnent. IL is chief requisite OF goOd
manners 10 avoid exaggeraon The perpetual smile OF
the universal compliment of no value Shan the mega
tive side saws our philosopher Never worry people with
your contritons with dismal views OF politics or
society The law of table is Beautya respect TO the
common soul Of all the guests
In the essay on Eloquenee" occurs good story Dr.
Charles Chsuncy man OF marked ability among the
New-Engand clergy Of q hundred years ago. He was
invited to preach the Thursday lecture In Boston-an
occasion of note On going up the pulpit stairs he was
Informed little boy had fallen into the Frog Pond
on the Common and drowned, and the Doctor was
requested improve the sad occasion. He was mneh
distressed this unexpected call and struggled with his
prayer. He tried to make soft approaehes-he prayed
for Harvard College he prayed for The schools he I'M
plored the Divine Being tOoo bless To them all the boy
that was this morning drowned in the Frog Pond We
are told that DE-. Chauncy dlslked the sensation
preaching Of his time that lie had prayed once
that he Knight be eloquent" Judging from this
effort his prayer must have answered abundantly
In the essay The Comic is another good story OF
sultan looked in the glass and saw bow ugly he was
and began weep. TbereupOn of his courters be-
gan to weep ALSO and continued to do long after the
sultan was consoled last his master inquired the oc
easOn of this excessive SORROW since he himself who
was the ugly man. had been able stop hisaInentaous
But the courter answered. If thou hast only thy
face once and seeing hast not been able to con
tam thysef but hast wept, what should we dove who
sec thy every day and night If we weep not who
should weept Therefore have wept."
The essay on Quotation and Originality is especially
worthy of note; aso the Persian Poetry" but
like best Of all that ON Immortality" 1t is not dog
matte yet il upon the mind profound impression
of Mr. Emersons faith in future life. He says;
man OF thought is willing to die, willing 10 live;
suppose becausehe has seen the thread on which the
beads strung aud perceived that reaches up ana
down existing quite independently of the present lu
sons of affairs is afraid 10 die, Is pesered with
terors because he has not thS vision ana Is me VICTIM
swedehborg anis for household use Ii is the fear OF
the young bird 10 trust ITS wings
Among the arguments for immortality, Mr.. Emerson
adduces that OF Van Helmont, the philosopher Of Ho
land, who drew his sufficient proof purely from the
sction of the intellect II is my greatest DESIRE said
Van belmont, that might be granted unto atheists
TO have tasted, at least but only moment what it is
intellectually to understand whereby they may feel the
Immortality Of the mind as IL by touching" For
himself Emerson says % am better believer ana all
serious souls better believers in Immortality than we
can give grounds for The evidence is subtle,