The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-18
xMERsoN.s QUALITY.


first, with Hawthorne second and Long
fellow third. Mrs. Stowe, DR.. Holmes.
Warrington Irving. Lowell, Whittier, Lew
wsIlsce and Motley follow in the order
namesi. It il complimentary to the dis
crimination of the Critics readers that its
contributors have made 20 good . sclec-
tion.! Hawthorne. measured BY the
power, beauty and originality Of his
work: stands at the top Of American
Iitcrss,ure. and there is no near second;
not even Emerson. Hawthorne's "Scarlet
Lestt;r" Is . book that Is no echo Of
Europe; in literary style. in philosophy.
In i.s whole atmosphere it Il suj genevis,
and !: 10 cast in snch noble literary form
that he leaders o! English literature say
that Hawthorne is the one American who
has written one of the Rrca, books of the
worll. They love and admire Emerson.
but taey do not place Emerson SO high as
striking and original force in literature
as Hawthorne.
Afser Hawthorne, Emerson deserves to
com- next Is poet and a man of moral
eenisls. He can hardly be called philoso-
pher in any exact sense, and yet he vas q
bettSr exponent Of the spiritual philoso-
phytwhich demands that . true civiliza-
tions should be one Of Sweetness and
light" than was Matthew Arnold himself.
or sny other great Englishman of his
tins. Tho philosophy OF Arnold is really
the philosophy Of Emerson, bat Emerson
was,a better exponent Of il than Arneld,
because Emerson was q man Of fine sense
Of hslnor. something Arnold had no more
Of tfan Lambs Scotchman. who never got
a joke through his head by way of the
outar or inner ear but by literally tre-
phiaing the mastoid process behind tho
ear: Lacking Emerson's fine sense of
huraor. Arnold was Emerson turned
Anklomaniac; he was Emerson educated
in IN atmosphere Of insuar egotism, of
snobbish, pedantic culture and, worse
than all, Of pessimistic philosophy that
always wraps like . hospital robe the sick
bo.sy of An old and cynical civilization.
Emerson apprehcnded and enunciated
all of Arnold's philosophy Of an ideal
civilization rs early as 1885, when Arnold
va: but boy of II years of age. Emer-
sons early apostles. Theodore Parker, DR..
Bsstol, james Freeman Clarke and his
later disciples. Edward +. Hale, Thomas
Starr King. Robert Col!yer. David Swing
and Phillips Brooks, all preached from
varsous pulpits this philosophy of the APP
plitation of the shining light Of heaven
bora localities to the sweet conduct of
co;lmon life. There was nothing remark
abba In the discovery and apprehension of
this so-ealIed philosophy. II was appre-
hei,ded and announced by Charming in
mugs feet and his philosophy was but
the irrepressibie evolution of a higher
ana nobler faith than that of his
fathers To use Emerson's own figure,
'',ke worm gradually climbs through
all the spires OF FORM" and Emerson was
nc, so much man Of surprising literary
or philosophical genius rs he was a man
ofsrare moral courage, who boldly uttered
ina fine but keen, penetrating voice what
Claiming spoke in angelic whispers. and
lesser preachers mustered in hesitating
toaes.
The philosophy of both Emerson and
Arnold was the natural. inevitable reaction
from that Puritan aseeticism in the pul-
rij..whose complement 10 always the gross
mStceialism of solemn and Snug respec-
liability in the rews. 1t did not require
high genius 10 spprehend or e1pound Il,
bIt 1t did rcquir, high moral courage TO
a. nornce it. As literary genius or an
OF ginal thinker Emerson did not rise to the
level Of Hawthorne, but he was a man OF far
MORE practical it not "A. purer moral genius
than Hawthorne. and he Was gifted with
Sine command Of poetic expression. Had
h4 been less preacher Of ethics he would
h.ve been . greater poet, but had he been
less poet he weu.d no, have been so
charming :. preacher, The Eaglishman,
Matthew Arnold, who could no. conceal
HIS contempt for America, and sneered a:
U. as 50 entirely unitarian that We were
i,fltatingly interesting. was, like Emerson,
aynsn with the moral purpose and aspira-
tssn Of the preacher married to tias
p.e;ie Imagination Born and bred in
New England. with Enersou's early envi.
r:nment and formative influences. la
would have been Emerson's double had
,,e grace of Ged granted him what /,
! giants 20 very few pure blood hnglishinen
"a ere sense OF hGmor. Emerson more
! can p'e;ely embodied in his lie and work
/ srno,d's philosophy Of ,sus civilization
| ss,sa da Arnold himself. because he grex
/ ,Sp in IN atmosphere where there va.
| More elbow room for moral and in.ellec
| ssisl in3ere ndeace. Take aSsy Emerson :.
! s.,nse ofharHor: educate him 5. Oxio-s:
/ ,'sgroand hitn from cary manhood To IN.
/ srsve wttA the insulaF civilization OF cas,s
nad class. q social aat political tradition,
! taA, still wrap Ens sa6 "a q London fog q,
hereditary ssl.-slGlatso;1. and yeG wogIa
I have Aruo'1; vice versa. Arnold. horn
/ ,;rca in the a;naospAe-e II New England
would have n s1r An Emerson.
Probably the majority who read rsss.
s,n rra. hts prose, sAica IS & ne indeed. ha,
tie day viii come when bis prose ~ill not
Nave ~ many Yssds-s IS his poetry
Emerson has written the best poetry TIA,
la. ye. eeca rseaues9 u America, and
s:auae day this apr aFens.y sweeping state.
,slen, will PASS without dlsYase. III. -r~,
,:,s&szt fame les zssh bis poetry ra.he,
sAAa With his so-cai.s1 sEssays" aze