The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-03

In a comparison Of Emerson and Newman
by Catholic thinker We naturally expect to
see place Of precedence awarded to the great
convert from Apglicanism to the Church OF
Rome When the point OF view. however. is
kept In mind. it Is surprising with what
breadth ofcomprehension. with what keennesp
Of insight. and with what Cenuineness Of SYM
patty the merits OF Emerson are depicted The
powers and resources OF Emerson have not
been moro thoroughly appreciated Ly DIR.
Holmes himself. and we may add that the
limitations noted by Brother Azarias have
been pointed out by more than one descend
ant OF tho Puritans. Compared with Matthew
Arnold. tho author OF these essays might
almost be ranked among the devotees Of the
Emersonian cult. Thus Brother Azaras COM
pares Emerson's mind to an Eolian harp.
awake to the ost delicate impressions and ut
every breath OF thought giving out m usic nll
its own. erecognizes also the comprehensive
ness OF Emerson's reading: how from the east
and from the west he gathered the sweets OF
PHILOSOPHERS and litoratures. and in the labora-
tory Of his brain wrought them into his own
peculiar honoycomb Of thought and express
sion. 1t is acknowledged that Emerson pos
sessed the power OF assimilating tho best
thoughts OF the best writer's and OF max
ing them fructfy In his own mind. Neither
would our author deny that however narrow
may have been Emerson's lines ofthought. yet
within them he thinks intensey-so intensely
that frequently his language only half ex-
presses what his intellect labors to utter.
Hence the cryptic character Of some OF his as
scrtions. I'VE use semblances OF logic" he
declared. until experience puts us in possess
sion ofreai logic" Believing himself to possess
real as distinguished from technical logic.
Emerson disdains argument. never obtrudes
I l., All
suggestion. to DO taken or left. Yet he was
accepted as h prophet by his disciples. lie
was the oracle OF transcedentalism.
SO much for our authors concessions:
now let us look at tho limitations which he
deems equally unmistakabe. He thinks
that Emerson overlooked the deeper realities
OF lilo: that he ignored tho senmy sides Of
human nature and the s1ualid aspects of OK
istenco which Tolstoi and Ibsen have placed
before u.s. 1t Is suggested that Emerson in
tellectual vision WAS too near sighted to per-
ccive what lay far outside OF his personal ex-
perlence. Then. again. Emerson was apt
to regard the existence OF an institution.
custom. or habit as warranty OF its
being good and useful and beautiful in
its own way OF goodness. indeed. as dis
tinguished from beauty. he had. in the
judgment Of Brother Azarias. no distinct
conception. He WAS passionate lover OF the
beautiful. and tho tendency OF his philosophio
system. SO far as he may be said to have any,
Is to reduce all morality to code OF aesthetics
Beauty OF thought. beauty OF expression.
beauty OF action. and beauty Of manners
these arc the true aims OF endeavor. and to
tho mind Of Emerson supreme culture consti-
tuted human perfection.
Brother Azarlas is himself n scholar. AMI
he does not fail to see that Emerson's
study OF books. like his study OF life.
had limits. Ho made no effort to discover
what truth might lie In tho teachings OF the
Catholic Church Outside. indeed. OF Catholic
dogma he attempted to embrace all systems.
but 1t Ia by no means certain that he thor
oughly comprehended any. In vain is he
searched Tor consistent moral code or a
complete philosophical creed. Cropping
through his books one not infrcquently finds
shadow taken for substance and dreams for
realities. Still. 1t is frankly admitted that his
side views or half utterances are suggestive;
that to read Emerson is a mental tonic. brac-
ing for the cultured intellect. as Is tho ALPINE
air for the mountaineer. Could one. In nne. &C.
quire his sympathy for nature without becom-
ing imbued with his pantheism. and acquire
his culture without tho dilettanteism that ac-
companies 1t. ono might learn valuable los
son from Emerson's intellectual life
In John Henry Newman on the other hand.
Brother Azarias would have US see a man
whose mind never rested till II found the
basis OF an opinion. or struck the central idea
OF o system. Nor Was he content until he had