Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-20
EMERSON AT HOME
Senator Hoar Reveals Some Interest,"
ing Views of the Philosopher.
HEWAS ALWAYS THOROUGHLY HUMAN
10 His Neighbors He Was lnvaria-
bly, Full of Sympathy.
FRIEND OF DANIEL WEBSTER
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune
copy of an article upon Ralph Waldo
Emerson, clipped from the Journal Of Edu-
cation. a periodical published In Boston
and Chicago, October IA. has been sent to
me-
Mr.. Emerson once said of a sketch of him
by a pretty well-known writer. who at
tempted TO give the detail of his life and
family, that he should think the article
had been written by some cook who had
listened at the keyhole That production,
however. was at least good-natured But
for this recent one IL liz hard to find terms
adequate to describe its ignorance and alb
surdity. The writer says:
From 1871 TO 1882 were the shiftless
years of Emersons life. He drifted and
was out of his element in thought and
action. Lafayette visited the country in
1924 and al the land was ablaze with en-
thusiasm. but Emerson was unmoved by
1t. Adams. Clay and Jackson made heroic
efforts to become President Of the United
States. but he did not care. Webster made
the great speeches OF his life In those years.
but they affected him not. Thomas JEFF
fersoE and John Adams died on the Fourth
OF July, but he mourned not.
He Studied Nature.
Inc writer goes on to say that few
writer's have known so little of nature as
he He never wandered into field OF for
est, never plucked flower or twig, never
worshiped at the shrine OF anything In
nature. The only interest he ever had
In the soil or its products was in mort
cages at good interest on scores of farms.
He farmed by proxy. and took his inter-
est regardless of drouth or insect pests
And SO on.
Emerson is almost as well known to his
countrymen as Washington, and Il would
be as true to say that Washington was un-
patriotic. was a coward. took no interest
In the old war with France and was an
undutiful son and a selfish. grasping cred
itor whose soul was In his money bags,
as to say what this writer has said of
Emerson. D., t-...,....,..-..-. zoo
If this journal is to retain the respect
OF any decent, people. the article will be
disavowed and Its slarders contradicted
Emerson was. L think, as learned. a natur-
alist as We had in Massachusetts in his
time. He took his daily rambes in the
extensive woods about Concord, most Of
them alone. though rarely some special
favorite was admitted to his companion
ship as, for instance. James Russell Lowell
In one walk 10 the cliffs, which he de-
scribes.
Compared with TkOrenu.
He knew the names. habits and haunts
Of all our birds. and was familiar with all
cur plants. not only as an observer of
their growth but with great scientific pre-
cision. / think he was a much better
naturalist SO far scientific knowledge
is concerned. than Thoreau. AS was his
fashion with all his varied knowledge, he
used what he needed for the purposes of
his poetry or his philosophy. and made
no further display.
To say that Webster's speeches affected
him not is specially absurd. They were
| en- terms OF very cordial friendship. Mr.
Webster was guest at his house on one
occasion, which remember very distinctly,
| in my boyhood. Mr.. Webster had a great
| regard for him. I remember that in my
autobiography in his own handwriting
which in turn Mr.. Emerson lent to my
sister, who brought IL and read il aloud to
my fathers household Emerson's brother
Charles studied law with Webster who
was exceedingly fond of him. predicted a
great success for him, and said. when he
| was consulted as to where Charles should
settle. that Il made no difference; If he
| went 10 the backwoods Of Maine the clients
would throng after him.
Admit ra tiOn for Webster
Certainly the writer never read the noble
passage about Webster in Emerson's Phi
Beta poem Of 1884:
One portrait-fact or fancy-we may draw;
A form which Nature cast in the heroic
mold -.. ....-
vi lnefn VINO rescued liberty OF OLD,
He. when the rising storm OF party roared.
Brought his great forehead to the council
board.
There. while hotheads perplexed with fear
Calm as the morn The manly patriot safe:
Seemed. when at last his clarion accents
broke. ,.. 49,
AS if the conscience of the country spoke
Not on its base Mpnsdnoc surer stood.
Than he to common sense and common
eoN- -F
He surely never read the terrible indict-
ment or rather the u terrible judgment,
which Emerson rendered after the 9TH of
March speech. -" '"'FS't ~ "A "a
The writer says that Lafayette's visit
inspired no enthusiasm IN Emerson. Has
he forgotten the exquisite verse in the
hymn entitled "Bcston," = 'T"rr
o bounteous seas that never fail;
o day remembered yet;
o happy port that spied the sail
Which waited Lafayette.
The writer says that twenty-five years
earlier Emerson Uwould have been worse
than a failure. and that he was no greater
| success I'm thee pulpit than. in. the school
room. He was a famous and noble preacher
when he left the pulpit. u. myself remem-
Der. though 1 was but child the stir in
the congregation when he preached. 1 can
almost hear the rich tones Of his voice as
he delivered the impressive ssrraon from
the text, How old art thou?'
No Money to Lend.
Emerson was already becoming one OF
the famous preachers of his time when he
left the pulpit for a wider audience. and
the writing of sermons for a profounder
philosophy and a deeper thought.
The story Of his lending money at inter-
est is as absurd as If 1t had been told about
DIR. Claiming, or Florence Nightingale, or
Clara Barton. He was the most loving.
kind hearted. charitable, and sympathetic
of neighbors and friends. do not believe.
though Of that know nothing, that Emer-
son was ever a lender of money, or that he
had any to lend-eertaiuly not before the
last dozen years of his life. when his lit
erary property began to be valuable. i be-
lieye there was never an election In which
Emerson did not take a deep interest,
became a good citizen. He delivered an
address, I'm 1889. I think-a beautiful ad-
dress on the anniversary of the emancipa-
ton in the West Indies. He made a spirit
ed and eloquent speech at the meeting of
the citizens to express the public feeling I'm
regard to the expulsion of Samuel Hoar
from Charleston. In 1885. just after the
period Of which this writer speaks he de-
nvered his Grafton at the 200th anniversary