Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-14
EMERSON.
An English Estimate Of Kz!s Nature

An English Estimate of kz!s Nature.
From the London Telegraph.
Prof. Tyndall spoke of Emerson as the life
long friend OF Carlyle. and community of feel
ing suggested to him a community of honor
Nevertheless. were we to erect g statue to the
American philosopher. we should commemorate
in him very different attributes from those re-
c0g'lized in the sage of Chelsea. Emerson was
attracted to Carlyle by qualities which were in
some respects. the opposite OF his own and Il IS
amusing to read between the lines written cor
Corning lis friend record OF won.!arment halt
comica. half serious. lie is 81 immense
talker." said the man of whom it cannot be
said, in the JOhnsonian sense that he was a
talKer at all; and then 81 caile; him trip
hammer with an -Eolian attachment" Car
lyles endless dcel-bOOming talk like a sort
of portable cathedral bell his contempt for
the formula OF liberalism and progress his
fierce aggressveEess and mercess rd!cule of
shalns and plantasms, were all seen by Emcr-
son from without and at q distance as
not entering into his idea of lfe On one
point, however. the two men agreed as per-
maps never did two men before. They lovet;
ana sought after truth to the supremacy of
which Their statutes. if they ever stand side by
side will bear twofoid witness. 1t is sometimes
asked concerning Emerson. What has he
done:' and. IF he was a philosopher where is
his system: Plato. We know. and Berkeley and
Kant. but who is Emerson" In tie very provo
cation to these queries prCyGcation is I'M
deniable-lies the American writer's claim to
rank. in a certain sense. above all his predeces
sorS. He could no more have been Il formulator
of systems than the prophet Isaiah could have
come down from the height Of his fcrvid nspira-
ton to evolve theological dogmas. For Emer-
son also was prophet and a seer. 1t has been
well SAID OF him that he had ''oriEinal intuition
OF spiritual TRUTHS he felt the divine i'm nature
and in the soul. as a poet. Eot reasoned about it
as dla!ectlclan- Through this rift of intuition
as through a glass. he looked upon men and
things and discovered truths If MANY kinds: in
deed. tie discovered and proclaimed truths which
TO all appearance contradcttd each other For
TINS Emerson did not consider himself RESPONSE
bic. 1t was no business OF his to reduce to or
der and justify to half-percciving world the
fragments OF that mighty whole one day to be
revealed and to prevail. SUCH q man could not
himself found school and gather round him
disciples. He had no formula to teach; only ver-
tiles to proclaim: ii may be WISHED. perhaps.
tilat Emerson had combined with his keen per
ceptivene+s and uacomprOmsing reverence less
OF the mysticism which. TO the mass of readers
makes his utterancc obscure. Who shall say
however. that these things are not in their
essence. inscparabe. 1t is the inspired man
T.,
Ike the Hebrew prophets. ransacks the world
for imagery. that through the familiar and COM
prehensib!e mighty things lying beyond might
be dlmly seen When. therefore. Schpng says
The souls or men are but the innumerabn in
dividual eyes with which the infinite world
spirit behOlds himself" we recognize within a
form OF words that seems eXtTaia-ant and far
fetched. vast idea struggling 10 Iut on an
lntelgibie shape. No less mystic than Schel-
ling. EmersOn's utterances are Frequently as
tr
too biz or too subtle for words
III Is to be feared that the time has not vet
come for Emerson statues. The PHILOSOPHER
has no disciples, and only here and there one
understands the man. Indeed there are very
few, if any, points at which Emerson touches
tie average MIND. With Carlyle the case is
different The aggressi7eaess of the Scottish
seer the energy with whica that ..triphammer''
went on smashing all sorts of unrealities and
iInpoStures: the fierce Independence of his
nature. and the sublime Indifference with
which. II need arose. he would stand one man
against wOrld-al! these are qualities easy to
appreciate. They enter into the composition of
an ordinary type 6t hero. and happily are not
strange. Emerson on the other hand was sat
isied to proclaim the truth 1t was not i'm his
nat.re to be denuncatory, and he never
pretaced his teachings with triple "Woe."
If he warred actively against dark
ness it was because his mission
lay in the creation of light He showed the
way and left to Others the whipping back to it
OF those who had Strayed. Hence the American
philosopher was no figure in the common eve:
hence. too. the world must be greatly wiser
than it is before discerning in him something
higher and better than an intellectual gladiator.
But If ms1 in general are not likely to recognize
IN Emers3n the hero for whom q statue is fitting
honor, the more thoughtful among them do
this already, and would gladly combine to carry
out ill., project were it put before them in q
practical way. There are some undoubtedly who,
though out of sympathy with his teachings only
await an opportunity to show reverence for the
memory OF great and good man. In doing
homage to that sweet nature, We do it to the
highest type of our common h umanity-may-
hap to something more. for he himself has
taught us in effect that it is not we who have
reason but reason which has us. Be this as 1t
may. Emerson was splendid manifestation of
reason IN its most comprehensive form, and
with all its most gOd-like aspirations After
the good he ever strOve. He pursued it, as in
his poem. 1.-The Forerunners,'' he depicts him
self following HAPPY guides" ''Their near
camp my spirit knows BY signs gracious as rain
bows; thence forward and long after Listen
for their harp-like laughter, And carry in nv
heart for days Peace that halows rudest
ways" Such nature as this shines with
nght all eyes can see, and If LOngfellOw is to
nave. as he well deserves. an English memorial,
why should not the man who had deeper
poetic insight than the author of .'Evangeline."
and who spoke with further meaning? Why
too should we not seize this opportunity of
practically asserting the right of inheritance in
American literature, which belongs to all who
speak our common mother tongue? In commu-
nifty of greatness lies one form of the truest al
lance between kindred nations.
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DRUNKEN YALE STUDENTS FINED.-Edward
l.. Pollock, of Pittsfeld, Mass; Henry T. Shell
ton of Bridgeport Conn. and Robert Hammill
of Chicago, drunken Yale students, who, with
three other students, Tuesday night made them
selves generally obnoxious and insulted several