New-York tribune., 1909-03-21
RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
London, March 6.

cover the freshness of his mental powers-but
that was not TO be. In London, he and his
daughter Ellen, who gave to her father a low
ing devotion without limits, lived IN apartments
in Down street Piccadiry. It was only too evil
dent that. even after ten months Of rest and
travel, he an invalid in mind. He could
not reoollect names,-a failing common in ad-
vanced age, Of course, but Emerson was only
in his SEVENTEEN year and was to live ten years
more. He resorted 20 all kinds Of paraphrases
and circumlocutions. "One Of the men who
seemed TO me the most sincere and clear minded
I have met was-you know who I mean, met
him at your house. the biologist. the champion
OF Darwin;-with what lucid energy he talked
TO US When I mentioned Huxley's name,
Emerson said, Yes; how could I forget him?"
But presently the name had to be given to him
again. The power Of association between peo-
PIE or things and the names Of them had been
lost He always. said the critics, little
decorsU; sentences, they insisted, succeeded
each other without much obvious connection.
without the copula which would have brought
them into their true relation.
The truth is. he gave his reader credit for a
little ina ginative power. He took him into
partnership. He mindful OF Voltares pun
gent episrarn: Il art detre ennuyeur cest Fart
DC tout dire" He had his own theory Of style
and Of diction. His temperament left him
choice. II his quickness of transition from one
subject 10 another. or from one thought to
other left some OF his readers toiling after him
in vain. they were not the readers for whom he
wrote Why should they read him Il he wrote
language TO them unknown?
The interview between Huxley and himself TO
which Emerson referred at breakfast: for
breakfasts were then given almost often as
luncheons are nov. There were dozen or SO
people 10 meet him: men and women. Intro
duCed each Of them they arrived. In each
case they had been asked TO make Emerson's
acquaintance. but to some Of them Emerson
vas an unknown name: or. IL not wholly un-
known, called up IN their minds no clear image
Of the man or knowledge Of his lfe's work.
Tell me who he is Tell me what he has
done" is he English or American But I
suppose there never has been time when
knowledge Of literature or OF great spiritual
Influences. has been Indispensable passport
70 social position. Nor was il because Emerson
was an American that he was unfamiliar TO
these delightful and in many ways, accom-
plished women.
Years afterward. in 1883, was engaged to
lunch on the day when news OF Matthew Ar
nold's death had come. Arnold had been so
good q friend. 70 me that I did like going
Oh this first moment 10 such entertainment,
but I thought the talk would turn on Arnold,
and went My hostess was woman renowned
in the world or in her world, for great quail
ties. known to everybody. and I should have
thought knowing everybody who had, Arnold
had, 4 place both in letters and in society.
referred 10 his sudden death "Ah, yes" she
answered, AN American. was he not?' That
may be set off against the unacquaintance Of
these other ladies with Emerson.
What Emerson cared for was 70 meet the
men and women who stood in some spiritual or
l-;-
ciples Mr.. Alexander Ireland. in his bio
graphical sketch OF Emerson quotes illus
trative story. It vas in Edinburgh this same
year and Dr.. William Smith, President Of the
Edinburgh Philosophical Association. was drfv-
ing him about that wonderful city DR.. Smith
had told him Of "a worthy tradesman in Nicho-
las street who is his enthusiastic adnirer-"
When Emerson heard of it. he proposed to call
on him They stopped at the worthy trades
mans" and Dr.. Smith went into the shop and
said: Mr. - MI Emerson is at the door and
will be glad 70 see you for a few minutes"
The five minutes were well spent adds DR..
Smith: and the disciple happy for the rest
Of his life 1t was characteristic Of Emerson,
and OF Emerson as an American. Very likely
he did not quite understand how immense is the
gulf which in this country separates the man
who stands behind counter from the man who
glands IN front OF the counter. II he had under
stood. he would not have cared. What he cared
for was the point Of contact, and Of discipleship
twas the master who sought his pupil. because
he his pupil.
During Ernersons too brief stay in London L
called often in Down street. Miss Ellen was
anxious TO protect her father against the press
from many quarters for public addresses.
and 70 decline many private invitations as
possible At oxford It was the same. but
neither in Oxford nor London did Emerson lect-
ure except briefly at Mr.. Thomas Hughess
workingmen's College. Between him and Tom
Hughes-he was never called anything else
sterling qualities OF character. Hughes
good and emable Phihstine, English to the tips
Of his fingers who wrote one book. Tom
Browns Schooldays," which is immortal, and
half a dozen others that are dead or were never
really alive. But Hughes Of our friends
IN the black days when we had few in England,
workingmen excepted; and Emerson too
good patriot 10 forget that; and too much a
lover OF manness IN men not 10 like one who
had that supreme trait in a high degree. as
Hughes had. So he made the exception in his
favor for the workingnen's College was an in
stitution Of high usefulness. In which Hughes s
heart was bound up. As for society. Emerson
was an invalid. and able that ground to de-
cline invitations without offence. He had
studied English society, one form of English
life, when here IN 1S4S; and was content with
that experience. "I do not care for classes" "
he said.
The nineteenth century produced two supreme
y good books on American and on English CIV
nzation: Tocquevile's de ia Democratic en-
Amerque" and Emerson's English Traits. :"
published in 1856 Tocqueville's book. published