New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-10

msratos oil the objects hc happens to DO LOOKING NJ
IA II they wcro equally suggestive 70 INV
poctical mind, furnishing his reader
largo assortment on which hc may exercise tho iui''
est Freedom of sccctlon"i and French rcausn
"does not stop Ut tho tin pan but must deal Win ho
siop-pail aud tho wash-tub." In tho contcinp,"u'o
study Of Nature Emerson reminds US Oh "oi.'
worth, "nt oast In certain brief paSSagcs' D"t 40
has not tho staying power OF That lons-pfoa,n'u'
not 20 say long wlndcd lover Of landscapes bo'n
arc on tho most Intimate terms win Nnihr' o"'
Emerson contemplated hinscU az belonging 10 ho,
rhiio trordsworh fell az UsFo belonged 10 mn"
Dr. Holmes deals plainly with tho clndonoaa o,
Jucrson's vcraIncatlon. his false rhymes nnd
quantities his trick Of crowdinR In rodnhnhh' V'-
spau-worn linca." tho Doctor calls tho nm
fortunate lines which "lift their bnoks mp In tho
middlo"-and tho lnromp otcncla OF large proper
ton OF his work. but ho cloacs tho chapter With
tho following worthy and beautiful pasaagoi
lhla wa can anv. that ho llvca IN tho highest NJ
uoaphofc NJ thonfht, that he II always In tho proc.
cnco ~ Tho iunntH aud cnnoblce tho hccidcht' ni
human existence 40 thRt they pnrthho or tho ~.
souo aud otrrnnI whilo hn N looking ~ thcmi that
he unitcs royal dignity of manner with Tho SIM,
plioliy OF primitive naluroi that lllf wolas nhu
phrases arrange themselves ~ n by M elective
affinity Of their own, with onr0sr feiicfdE when
cap'lvntca md cuthfaa tho reader VINO comea lnlY
under IT, Influence aud that thronHh al he mnea
~ IN all las aayA for ua we recognize thc sumo
Serene high. pur0 intelligence ana horhl hhtnro
infinitely prccious 10 u.s. not only Ia thcmsoiVca,
lut as promise ~ what tse tthnhp Ana'u LII ,
air aud soil and breeding OF tins western Wor,u lN1
vet euuce from their potcnfihl virtues hhnll.E
Themselves ut length, in n literature rs much i'S
as the Rocky Mountains ana the 9lississIpV|
There are several pungent references to Carlyle
in the volume; and DR.. Holiness WAC very well
understands how much more Emerson gave than he
received In his intercourse with the Timon OF
Craigenputtock, suggests that it may have been OF
Carlyle that Emerson was thinking when he wrote
IN his lecture on Frcn lship": 1t has seemed TO
me lately moro possible than knew to carry
friendship greatly. one side without due CORE
spcndence on the other. Why should / cu1nber my
self with regrets that the receiver is not copacous
II never troubles the that some of his rays fall
wide aud vain into unG-ateful space
and only small past on tho rejecting planet"
This il a conjecture in VIII ch We can hardly con-
cur Emer.on's regard for his friend was 50 strong
and unsclhsh that we do not believe hs ever gave
a thought 10 tho Tecompense IA kind which hc had
q right to expect. Tic contrast between the two
men is well pointed by DR.. Holmes IN Lis comment
upon the published correspondence:
The two writer. rryral thamseyas NJ heiTg In
strong sympathy with each q. ncT, In spite o! q
radical difference OF temperament and entioy OPP
pOsite views If life. bbo hatred ol uura ~ wa
uppcTmOst with Carlyle; the love Of VIVA i Tcl!
AID genuine with Emerson. Ihoseoid morallsl9tn9
weeping ard the laughing philosophers, find thor
counfernarts In every thinking community, Car
lyle lid not weep. hut ne sco.dcd Emcr on did
rot Ian n, but IN hia rayclt moments there was q
smile whiting for the cloud 10 pass tron bus fore
head. The Due tlcy ,haut.d was " .trcIe with
"a Deum fer rs Antiphon; d. Itoimfi u s"eied
by "a tUTyHl CoyGa. " fire ground o. IN, existence
o. bI1cH as death says CARLYLE. Come ana I've
with me a year. SAYS Emerson. " ami ii yoU do not
Ike Ncw-EnglnG W II enough TO GjIy,one %. these
years twlrn thc History mas passed IS ten td--
lions, and been tr1 latc into - many aA-1-seal
Will come and dwell with YOU
Emerson docs not tell us much about the impress
sions made upon him by til distinguished persons
whom he met m England; bat IL Is nnpossib to
believe that he ever passed. such inhuman judi
monte on the least desirable OF his new acqraint-
aucc5 as hs friend hy,eaal lcft o. bitter legacy
behind him. Caryio'3 mcrc;'csB discourse about
Cocuigc and Charles Lamb ond swinbUrrc's
cauivorous limos. which tako bgioarous
vengeance on him FOR his offence. arc on the
ioyc Of political Rhetoric rather chan of scholarly
criticism og cLarac CREATION. Emersol never for
got that he was dealing with human beings. He
could not have long endured tha asDcr ies Of
Carlyle and that " loud shout OF laughter which
Mr. Ireland spea'1s of as ono of his customary *
plosions, woald have bccn DESCENDANT TO Emcrson's
ears, which wclo offended rs such noisy mauiicsta-
TONS
Tho personal traits which complete Tho portrait
Of the beloved philosopher AMI poet ars tolch'd
with the sure hiud Of Al artist. II..o j. % g))1
description of las appearance AMI manner, and ONE
de gh,ful paraqrlphs are deyoicd 81 the iliustra-
ton of his sercle AMI winning lie. but tho bog
raphcr shows his finest skill In making the figure
grow real 10 u-a, thc narrative and criticism lun
on and 50 mngling the exhibition OF his character
with thc analysis OF has wprl, by qicG strokes
which we can hardly sep rate from the body Of
tie text, that II is impo sibe % show the result
10y specimen extracts. 1t is dini,ult. moreover
to do justice by quotation TO tie constant play Of
wit. feeling and fancy which adorns the whole
book. some If the passages We nave already copied
contain example OF the happy surprises which Dr.
Holmes holds IN store tor his reader. and tho cx-
effective VIII ell lac makes of humOr
in the most serious discussions. He has oven made
amusing But nc need not say that he
never descends 10 wntmcly triviniiy in tho treat
meut Of his fascinating and noble subject. lie. too
is a wise man and poet.