The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-02-25

tho whole misery; i say II thou canst nerer
write this thing why. then. never do write II
Gods universe will 20 along better without IT,"
Replying to this letter. Emerson wrote. :" could
cry ut tho disnster that has befallcn you In the
loss Of tho book. My brother Charles says the
only thing the friend could do on such On o.
casion was to shoot himself. and wishes to
know II he have done So" Then follow
some beautiful words Of consolation which
will remind tho reader OF perhaps tho
finest passage In tho writings OF Sir Thomas
Browne: Il trust ere this you have re- collected
the entire creation out of tho secret cells where
under the smiles OF every muse 1t first took
life. Believe. when You are weary. that you.
| who stimulate and rejoice virtuous young men,
| do not write limo in vain. And whatever be-
tide us in the memorable future. what ia better
| than to have awakcd In many men tho sweet
sense Of beauty. and to double tho courage OF
| virtueI so do not rs you will not. let the imps
| from the fens OF wcarincss and apathy have u
minute too much To die Of freezing he fires If
others we'c street. since 1t were not death. but
multiplication"
1t is also interesting to read Emerson's first
| Impressions Of tho French Revolution" DO
fore he had got 1t. as he said ut focal distance.
| and felt able and willing TO muster his oblec-
| tions. think YOU" no writes " u worry good
giant. disporting yourself with an original and
vast ambition OF fun pleasure and peace
| not being strong enough for you. you choose to
| suck pain also. and teach fever and famine to
danes md sing. I think you have written n
| wonderful book. which will last a worry long
time. l sue that You have created n history
which tho world will own TO I've such.
| You have broken away from all books
and written n mind. 1t is u brave expert
| ment and the success Is great. We have men
In your story, and not names merely; always
men. though may doubt sometimes whether
| | have the historic men, We have al-
ways tho co-prescnce of Humanity along with
| tho imperfect, damaged individuals The
souls right " wonder is st,l left to us; and VIZ
have righteous praise and doom awarded. as
surcdly without cant. Yes comfort yourself ON
that particular, Oh. ungodlirst divine man!
| thou cantest never. Finally we have not-a
duh word. Aud SO l thank you for
your labor. and feel that your contemporaries
ought to say. All hail. Brother! live
forever: not only in tho great Soul
which thou dost largely inhabt. but also ms
named person in this thy definite deed"
Emerson insists nevertheless. even amid
the first out.,ush Of admiration. that tho
French Revolution" might he moro simple
less Gothicaly rflorcsccnt. You will say"
he writes. mo rules for tho illumination of
windows can apply to tho aurora borcalis
However. l Had refreshment when every now
and then n special fact slips into the MARIA
tive couchcd In sharp and busincss-,ke terms
This character drawing in the book ia GER
tainly admirable; tho lines are ploughed fur
rows: but there was cake and ale before.
though thou be- virtuous. Clarendon surely
drew sharp outlines for me in Falkland.
Hampden. and tho rest, without defiance
or sky vaulting. There is something conf
cal in this comparison. made when Emcr-
son was young of Clarendon's portrait draw
| inn wi urlv la md In tha nat
ished. indignant sniff with which the latter
would hear Of it'll wish could talk with you
face to face for one day. and know what your
uttermost frankness would say concerning the
book"
In n letter from Carlyle written in May. 1895.
we find the following uiuson to Wordsworth
and Southcy: In literature except II prom
Used or obtained tbut to mo still unknown vol
ume Of Wordsworth, nothing nameworthy do
ing. Did tell you that sa'r Wordsworth this
winter? Twice. at considerable length with
almost no disappointment He is q natural man
(which means whole immensiti los here and now
flows like natural well yielding mere whole
soneness-thouHh. as 1t would not but seem 20
me. in small quantity and astonishingly diluted
Frnnker utterancc OF mere garrulities and even
plntitudcs never heard from any man. am
thankful for Wordsworth; rs in great dark
ness and perpetual sky rockets and corusca-
tons one were for the smallest clear-burning
farthing candle. Southey also 1 saw: II far
cierp,'e1' man in speech. yet considerably
, smaller man. Shovel-hatted; the shovcl-hat is
yiO'rn to him ; one must take him as he is"
OF Walter Savage Landor in whom Emerson
, was much interested fancying that he discern.
ed In him n certain spiritual kinship with
, Carlyle his correspondent had by no means
high opinion. You asked me-" writes Car
lyle, about Lander. From him have not go
much benefit either. His intellectual
, faculty seemed to me to be weak in proportion
to his violence OF temper: the Judgment he
+ gives about anything is more apt to be wrong
r than right. as the inward whrlwind shows hin
this side or the other OF the object; and side
1 of an object are all that he sees. He is not Al
r original man; in most cases one but signs owe
4 the spectacle OF commonplace torn to rags.
I lind him painful as writer like n soul eve
| promising to take wing into the Ether. ye
t never doing 1t. ever splashinG web footed In tn
t terrene mud and only splashng the worse. tn
Z | more no strives Enough OF him! NJ
he likes we'll enough, moro thanks to him; bu
: two hours Of such speech 10 his leaves IN
!! siddy and undonc."
= Emerson could not bear to SEQ one OF hi
n idols shattered by the other rs wo see from hi
!. firm protest. "I.andor can be shorn Of all tina
v Is false and foolish. and yet leave great deu
h for me to admire. Many years ago have rea
# n hundred nnc memorable things in tn
q Imaginary Conversations though l kno'
O we'll the faults OF that book. love tn
rich variety VI his mind. his proud taste, hi
). penetrating 9lances. and the poetic loftiness
II his sentiment, which rises now and then TO tn
II meridian. though with the flight. own. rattle
y Of n rocket than nm orb. and terminated some
d times by sad tumble. / suspect you OF yer
II short and dnshing reading in his books. an
I linl-bOth
= you such glorious haters OF can't"
j. OF Emcuon's own writings and PARTICULAR
r OF the ESSAYS" copy Of which was sent I
is him in 1s4l. Carlyle did not stint his prais
h Yet here. too. he is discriminating or he woul
e not be Carlyle My Friend" lie writes in n le
J. ter OF the year mentioned. " thank you for tn
= Volume OF yours: not for the copy alone whic
}; you send to me. but for writing and printin
Is such Book. Euge! say !. from afar. TIL