The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-09
EMERSON AND CdRLYLE.
a Letter from the Poet OF Concord 60 th'
Poet OF Chelsea.

n Letter from the Poet OF Concord TO tho
Poet OF Chelsea.
From the Athenoum.
The following letter. addressed by Emerson
90 Carlyle will be read with interest at the present
moment. MIR, Emersous pc uliar spelling OF Toufois.
drockh has been preserved
CoNcoRD Mass. Nov. 90 1894.
MY DEAR SIR: Your letter. which received
spddened place. had quite recently received
the news of the death of n brother in tho
island OF Porto Rico. whose loss to mo will be
II lifelong sorrow. As he passes out OF sight
come to me visible rs well rs spiritual tokens
Of fratcrnn frcndliness which. by. it's own
law. transccnds the tedious barriers Of custom
and nation and opens the way TO, the heart.
This is a true, consolation, and thankod my
lined Tined it. Tor the s moment rea III Tho hope
to which have rlung with both hands. through
each disappointment that | might convcrs?
and whose argument could not predict. MAY
psse the word " thank my God whcnevor
/ receive with gront pleasure tho wonderful
Professor now that first tho decent limbs of 0si-
90 and BosGn BAY T ra laws 10 eace
prohibit that tho soul imrris2ned within tho
strait edges Of these types should add one h
by SO much US a Salvel Of his Western World.
but he remained incxorable for any now COM
feel ike congratulating you ppon tho cold
welcome which you say TeuielSdroch has mot.
high sacred sort like 1t a great deal bctteI
than ever, and before It vas all published had
not think 1t shall lack present popularity.
That it should not be known seems possible.
into that muck heap Of Frose''s Magazine who
would DO tho wiser? But this has too much
wit AND MD i Wnd b6 nD d to trss
faithful Yn mirror % Of tRs very cry Hour. But YOU
know the pr22yerb; 10 be- fortunate be not
plane SO low rs to be thoroughly intclligbe to
the vulgar. Nevertheless. as God maketh the
Seem to do So so the thoughts Of the best m nds
always become tho last opinion. OF society.
Truth is eyer born IN manger put Is 60 com GT
larity Of this PHILOSOPHICAL Poem lshali / cali
inent friend Goethe. With him am becoming
better, acquainted, but mine must be quail:
of IN vo to IL rs Lm o cannot
but regard i as his misfortune with ,conspicu..
Gus bad influeTnce on his genius-that velvet
whose ut ornaments and reliefs are poverty and
hatred to reposo ity years In chairs Of statSj
his head to save him from the mean end for
giye0 Of retiring from the minnci9a ncenss
Then the Puritan in me accepts no apology for
n a splendid, nature. while that nature Is bat,
MANN manh?od and his f miSfortunos cali out adopts
knowledged. crowned, can only retain our
sympathy BY turning the same force once ok,
inward. and carrying forward and planting
tho standard of 0romasdes so many leagues
further on into the chyious dark: Failing this.
1t loses its nature and becomes talent accord
ing to tho deinition-mere skill in affirming
vulgar ends. Acertain wonderful friend Of mine
said that "A fnlse priest is the falsest OF false
things" But what makes the priest?, cas-
sock Diogenesl or the power land thonce
the SuDerlumAnl Is not he who DerCeiyeS and
proclaims the Superhumanities, he who has
Hs
emily Powers OF Sorrow" and so on. forever tho
fhen to to- write ' iuxuriously is not tho Same
thing as TO live so. but q new and worse
condito Of human nature (which condition
this harlot muse helps to perpetuate) is a tom:
porary or superficial state The good word
and will sink altogether to ground as that works
May, / not call temporary for when I,ascend
into the pure region Of truth Tor under my
rosh as To- abds
although all men fall away from III; Yea,
though the whole generation o. Adam should
be healed rs sore Off the face OF the creation.
SO. my friend. live Socrates and Milton. those
stanch Puritans, for .evermorei Strange Is it
you said. with Socrates, SO ironcal, SO true.
and who tramped in the mire with wooden
fe e wq Gm the
to you across the ages which some time YOU
am glad you like Sampson Reed. and that
he has inspired some curiosity. respecting his
Church sweden6organism 4 you should be
points Of attraction for YOU; Tor Instance. this
article article. The poetry Of the Old Church Is tho
derstood. for they esteem. In common with all
the Trismegisti. tho Natural World as strictly
the symbol or exponent OF the spiritual. and.
tons of certain affections: and scarce a poDu-
lar expression esteemed nguratiye. but they af-
is their whole theory r' Of social relations both
in and out Of the body-most philosophical
and, although at yarianG9, with the popular
So and then to their drollest heavon, and to
that the mythus loses me. In general. too thoy
receive 4, The fable instead OF tho moral Of their
ostihg as a sect which / think mus, conirbute
more than all other sects to the new faith
which must arise out Of all; -. .,,.,,,a.o,
myself. Account mo n drop in the ocean
seeking another drop. or God ward. striving
Que ray from every point OF tho concaye
heaven. Since my, return home have been
al my specuations on my profession, and my
doinEs thereon; but, possessing my liberty.
am dotermin"d to keep t. at the risk Of ,, use
until such duties offer themselves as can with
integrity discharge. One thing believe that
utterancc is place enough and should attain
through any inward revelation to a more, clear
perception of my assigned task. | shall en-
brace II with Joy and praise. ] shall not esteem
1t low place, for Instance, II could strengthen
your hands by true expressions OF the hope and
pleasure which your writings communicate TO
me and to some of my countrymon. Yet the
best poem Of the poet is his own mind, and
more even than IN any OF the works rejoice ia
the promise OF the workman Now ! am only
reading and musny; whom have any news to
tell of myself You shall hear them.
Now rs TO the welcome hint that You might
come to America, it shall be- to me II joyful
hone, Come and found u new Academy that
snail be church. and school. and Purnassus, as
true Poets house should be. dare not say
that wit has better chance here than in Eng
land of winning world-wages. hut 1t can always
i've, and it can scarce llnd competition. In
l"od. indeed. you shall have tho continent 10
yourself were it only rs Crusoe was king, lyou
cared TO read literary lectures, our people have
vast curiosity and tho apparatus Is very easy to
set aGoinS. Such pulpit ~ you pleased TO erect
would at least find no hindrance In tho building.
friend of mine and 81 yours remarked when
J expressed the with that YOU would come hero.
that people were not here. as in England.
sa"rhmrntcd 10 organized schools OF opinion,
but were far more convertible AUDIENCE" ~
at all you can think uf coming here. | would
send yl1l AMI all particulars Of iniDrull-