The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1878-03-29
AN INCOMPLETE CIVILIZATION.
RALPH WALDO EMERsoN ON THE FUTURE OF
as THE REPUBLIC.
FroIn His Nnw .actnrt,

From His New Lecture.
1t is certain that our civilization is yet
incomplete. 1t is not question of wheth,
er there shall be a multitude of people here.
That is settled. But shall we, the new ma
tion, be the guide and lawgiver of all ma,
tions as having clearly chosen and firmly
held the simplest and best rule of society ?
To buy and import much from England and
/ Europe does not make us better men.
Every town has its cottages, it's fashions,
| its church, from England. America is pro-
vincial. 1t is an immense Halifax. Our
| politics threaten England and her manners
threaten u.s. Our tendency is to make men
all alike and extinguish the individual.
The builders Of London gave you your
houses and tEsg- bishops of London your
faith. Thus we find that often the passion
for Europe casts out the passion for Amer
lea; they for whom London and Paris have
spoiled their own home can we'll be spared
to return to those cities. / can not only
see room for more genius than we have
| here, but for more than we have in the
world. Our young men lack idealism. A
| man, to be success. must not be pure
idealism, but he must have ideas. He does
not want to be sun-dazzled or sun-blind, but
he must have glinmer enough to keep him
from knocking his head against the wall.
We want men of originality, with ideas
wider than their nationality, and taking in
the interests of the race and of civilization.
We need men of moral and elastic minds,
who can live in The moment and take a step
forward. Columbus was not back ward
feeling crab, nor was Martin Luther, nor
John Adams, nor Patrick Henry, nor
Thomas jefferson. The genus and the
destiny of America is not sluggard, but is
an incessant advance, like the hand on the
dial's face and the heavenly bodies by which
it is moved. The flower of civilization is
the finished man, the man Of sense, of ac-
complishments, of social power-a gentle
man. What hinders that he be born here
The new times need the new man, the COM
Elemental man, whom plainly this country
must bring forth. Morality is the object of
the government. We want state of things
in which crime will not pay, which allows
every man the largest liberty compatible
with the liberty of every other man. I
b ope America will come to have it's pride in
having nation of servants and not ma
ton of served; where every man can say,
+" serve; apply my faculty to the whole |
extent of my power to the service of man
kind in nay especial place." He thereby |
shows reason for being in the world, and |
that he is net mere incumbrance. But
the helm is given to better guidance than
cur own, and seeing how that guidance has
rested ON this Union thus far, | have good
confidence for the future. I feel that in all
directions the light is breaking; that trade
and government will not lose by the over
Bhrow Of the enemies of mankind; that the
useful and the elegant arIs Will be exercIseu
within as as nation; that the reason, the
aoblest affections and the purest religion
will find their abiding place In our institu-
ions.