The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-04-17
EMERSON AND CARLYLE.
How the Two Philosophers Viewed III
UurIy md hustle OF the World.

How the Two Phllns0ph ers Viewed the
UuyIy md Hustie OF tho World.
Pat! Nal Budqst.
Eneraon's practical decision, whatever
the tenor Of bis opinions, was clearly in
favor Of the maditStive as opposed TO the
active lie. lilo dwelt pesceably in bis
garden with his family, reading his booka,
chewing the end OF deliberate thought, and
entering tho world at intervals 10 utter the
detached phrases which had taken shspe
during hin solitary musings, and which
eeemed to enlbody the ripes. wisdom at.
,ainsble by him. lla was an impressive
figure, because he stood apart with 40 much
genuine dignity from all the fuss and excite.
ment ofthe dolsr-hunting Yankee, absorb
cd In buainess puraults. And yet he sym.
pathjzed with them In many ways too
heartily to have the repellent air Of the
cynic, or to condemn their earnest energy
with the contemp,uous isolation OF Car.
lyle. The buoyaucy OF spirit characteristic
Of u rapidly developing country, tho in.
domitable hopefulness which is 50 striking
to men immersed in struggles against the
gigantic social evils OF an old civilization,
was corgenial to hin; and though the OBJ.
jeCts upon which his countrymen fixed
their minds might seem intsintically un-
worthy, he shared their temperament, aud
could believe that in working toward ma.
terial eads they were really helping fer.
ward great social development and ad.
vaucing unconsciously toward higher and
yet undreRmt OF ends.
THUS Emerson. while Condsmn;ng with
Carlyle the utili;arianism OF the age, dots
moi, like Carlyle, condemn it roo! ard
branch, but rather considers its leaders as
his natural, though unconscious and unin.
territorial, allies And this, we imagine, is
one OF the secrets Of Emerson's influence.
His serene philosophy allies itself with
common sense. Hs IL in pleasing con.
trast to the bury and meanness OF the PCT.
ty lires which many OF us have 10 lead
and yet ho is thorough bsliever in pro.
gross, and invites ue, no! to condemn an.l
deepise the world, but to zee in 1t the uE.
conscious instrument OF Il higher power.
One often doubts whether to admire OF
10 smile at g quality in americans which
in lls better aspect, appears as open mind
| cubtbS huO IccuOul lIOlli GUlV6ullULRl
prejudice, and ita worse sspect ss al
ignorance OF certain sound estimates Of the
relative valus OF things which have he.
come part OF traditional culture. Wa
admire the Independence with which they
will express their estimates oi any OF tho
objects OF conventional idolatry-a Greel,
statue or Gothic cathedral; but we are
little shocked when We discover that they
really do not perceive the difference be-
tween Phidiss, for example, and the les,
American sculptor. The freshness Of judy
ment ia combined with certain crude.
ness. Emerson, 10 this respect, is true
American. He riveu ilia opinion ofsthe
greatest men, Plato or Goethe, With alb.
so)ute freedom; and his impri Esion Is al
ways valuable for its genuinenesS. But it ia
equally clear it might hsve been mora aa..
isfactory il he bad more thoroughly aesini.
nlated the thoughts Of previous thinkers.
Ills judgments often resemble those OF Il
very promising lad at college, who has still
not become imbusd with tho great cosmo.
politan verdict. So, NJ Mr.. Morley o.
serves, Emerson ia always speaking OF Pia.
10. but evidently does notquito understand
what the real Plato was.