The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-04-28
EMERSON DEAD.
The Great American Pantheist Solves
the Problem of Life.
He Passes Away Peacefully at His
Old Home in Concord.

carry with its announcement a shock to
the entire literary world. 1t will do
more, for it narrows down the cele-
brated American literary coterie-as
famous in literature as the Lake
poets of England-to a single one. OF
all that set of brilliant and comprehen-
sive intellects who moved the passions,
appealed TO the reason or stirred the
hearts of the English reading world
James Russell Lowell now alone re-
mains. The lives of these men mark
an era In American literature-a litera-
ture hut yet in its infancy. They have
forced American thought, American
imagination and American taste into a
high place before the literati of the civ
ilized world. Before their time Ameri-
can literature scarcely existed except in
name and although it cannot yet be
said to be in the front rank in the
highest intellectual walks, TIL csc men
have given it IN impetus and a ten
dency that must soon place the country.
as it now is in every other respect, on a
level or above the older nations of the
civilized globe.
Mr.. Emerson, poet, essayist and philos-
opher, was born in Boston, May %,
1903. He was the son of a clergyman
who died when Emerson was eight
years old. About that period he enter
ed the grammar school and was soon
qualified to enter the Latin school. He
began to write early, his inclipations
being principally toward poetry. Some
Of his productions he recited while still
at these schools.
He entered Harvard in 1917 and was
graduated in 1921. He did not stand
remarkably high in his classes although
he received prizes for declamations aud
dissertations, besides being poet on
''class day" He read general litera-
ture with avidity and was distinguished
in this respect among his class mates.
He taught school for five years after
leaving Harvard and was then licensed
to preach, but his health gave out.
After a trip south he was ordained as
assistant pastor to the Second Unitari-
an church at Boston. Emerson was Of
a clerical race, he being the eighth In
the order of succession.
He was first married in 1880, but his
wife died the following year. Soon at.
ter he withdrew from the church owing
to differences Of opinion on the ques.
ton of the Lords Supper. From that
time dates his well known intellectual
freedom in the treatment of his sub
jects.
In 1882 he went to Europe and re-
manned a year. Upon his return he be
gan to lecture. His first subject was
Water" Three other lectures soon
followed, two descriptive of Italy and
one on the Relation of Man to the
Globe" In 1884 he gave a series Of
biographical lectures in Boston, on
Michel Angelo, Martin Luther, Milton,
George Fox and Emund Burke. Tht
same year he settled down in Concord
where he lived up to the time of his
death.
In 1886 ne married again. In the
winter he lectured ten times in Boston
on English literature. In the following
year he delivered a series of lectures OF
the philosophy of history, in 1887 OF
human culture, in 1888 on human life
in 1889 on the present age and in 1S41
on the times.
OF his printed works a small volum,
entitled Mature" an grafton on thu
American Scholar'' and the "MethoC
of Nature" contained the most promi
nent features of his scheme of ideal
ism. BY their depth and freshness o
thought and compact beauty OF dictiol
many disciples we're attracted. TIL,
transcendental school began the publica
ton of their organ, the Dial, in 1910
Margaret Fuller was editor, A. B. Al
colt, VIM. II. Charming, Emerson
Theodore Parker and George Ripley
assistants. 1t lasted for four years. Ii
1S4l the first series OF Essays" wer
published. Many Of them are in dir
ect conflict with received theological
views and unfortunately many of til
assertions rest merely on the allegatiol
of the author. In 1947 he went to En-
gland to lecture. Other essays followe
that date, at intervals, the principe
being Representative Men, and "En
glish Traits"
AS a writer Emerson presented a sir
gular combination of %poetical imagine
ton and practical acuteuess. Will
sweeping widely in the idealistic field
he shows himself a shrewd and clos
observer of the homely phases of life
He was not ar argumentative writel
He appealed directly to the imagina
ton, without bOlstering up his STATE
ments with argument. His expression
Of sentiment, which are few, seem t
come from the brain rather than tn
heart. His style Is concise even to al
ruptness, and sometimes lacks cleal
ness through undue brevity, but 1t
vivifed and illumined by a powerf,
creative faculty. His metaphysics
ideas we're vacillating, as his mood {
surroundings generally influence
them.
Some Of his works were translate
into French, and as might be supposed