The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-19
EMERSoN'S RELATIONS WITH THE NOTED WOMEN
 OF HIS TIME

Chicago Unity
 The early acquaintance of Ralph Wal | do Emerson and Margaret Fuller doea not appear to have been altogether sat- isfactory to either party. MT. Emerson was unfavorably impressed with Marga- ret's sharp satirical wit, which found abundant occasion for exercise in the sturdy conservatisms of the time. He has spoken also of habit of shutting and opening her eyes. which struck him as awkward and unbeautiful This habit was probably the result of her close devotion to study. Margaret, on the other hand. found her new acquaintance unresponsive to her friendly overtures. She has re- corded her first impressions of a lofty palm tree. isolated by it's weight and in- viting no contact with plants of lowlier growth.
 Each of these noble persons desired to become better known to the other. Neither of them was of the sort content to rest in superficial estimates of those with whom they were brought into relation. They son came to better mutual under standing, and in process of time we find them united in cordial friendship. Their names, to this day, are mentioned to- gether in the recital of a dialogue sup posed to have taken place in full view of Fanny Elsler's dancing.
 Mir. E.-Margaret, this Is poetry. M. F.-Waldo, this is religion.
 MT. Emerson became a contributor to The Dial, Margaret's we'll known period with her the art collections of the time, and dutifuliy admiring what she pointed out as admirable.
 Margaret was a frequent guest at the Emerson residence in Concord. She be- | came tenderly attached to the beautiful boy whose early death Mir. Emerson has commemorated in his "Threnody."
 MT. Emersons later appreciation of
 Margarets character is made evident by | the mention made of her in his core spondence with Thomas Carlyle. It ap. pears even more in his contribution to the
 valuable biography of her in which his collaborators were James Freeman Clarke
 and William Henry Charming, her early
 and life long friends.
 Mir. Emerson's hearty participation 1T | the anti-slavery movement was probably /, a surprise to those who thought of hin only as an author and student. Having
 myself had some appreciation of thu | transcendental scope of his mind, I wa,
 unprepared for his appearance on thu
 arena of that forceful encounter of feel ing and opinion. Perhaps the culminatior
 of his action of this regard was reached when, at the celebration of MT. Lincoln's
 Emancipation, he read aloud his Bostor hymn.
 | In the agitation of the woman suffrage
 question which followed hard upon the
 emancipation of the colored race, MT
 Emerson took part. I have twice heard
 him speak on this topic, always on the
 side of the new enlargement. He Was ar honorary member of the New England Woman's Club. and occasionally lent to our meetings the charm of his presence remember with especial pleasure his attendance at the clubs commemoratior | of the four hundredth anniversary oi the birth of Michael Angelo. On this oc' casion he spoke at some length.
 | I made MT. Emerson's acquaintance al the commencement of a journey, some sixty years ago. I regarded him at tho time as the originator of an evil philos ophy, but he kindly sought me out, and we entered into conversation. He spoke oi Margaret Fuller and of what she had done l for the young women of Boston. He said among other things: You know the
 French expression: 'Sorienter?' She has helped them to orient themselves.' I was
 a jealous Calvinist in those days, ana had much to say about the power of Sa- tan over the minds of men. Hardly
 said MT. Emerson, "the angel must be stronger than the demon" l did not be- lieve this at the moment, but the time came in which was very glad to believe it, and to recognize in MT. Emerson one of the masters of human thought. In time
 came to know MT. Emerson very well