The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-07

shN sNheh ohu last NOlutI1e the
Journals Of Ralph Waldo Emerson
tHoughton and Miffiin Company was
written, 1t appears, In the last decade,
or duodecade, 1t should be, of the Jour-
nalist's literary or intellectual life. al
though physically he survived it by six
years. II covers the years 1S6l-fS76,
and OF his age from the sixtieth to the
seventy-second.
There is no intellectual falling off to
be discovered In these jottings of his old
age. What he himself complained of in
his own 'lapidary style, every sentence
an Infinitely repelling particle" the
want of consecutiveness and flow. shows
less in the form OF Journal. or common
place book, filled with casual memoranda
on all manner of matters. than in that
of more formal composition. meant
for other eyes than those of the writer,
and in which the reader has a juster
claim to demand continuity. 5 far as
style goes, the journals might have
been kept by a writer far Jess quantity
discontinuous" than the actual author.
AS In the journal of the war time,
which Immediately preceded the present
volume, the aloofness OF the journalist
is noteworthy. Emerson. indeed, felt
SiioHhy abOul lfNOiiNNI uCllbii, Us Ht
had done about the war itse., But his
notions about what was T. be done with
the PROSTATE South are singularly bar
rem in fruitful suggestion. Indeed they
do not rise above the intellectual level of
the Republican legislators OF that time.
That the newly enfranchiscd negroes
should have votes. which were expected
to be weapons OF defence to them: that
tI,A ahA h. ertx. ha,.
ono but that the young among them
should be prepared for the wise and
patriotic use OF them by primary school,
ing-this Is about the substance OF his
political prescription. That after the
futillty of It should have been recog-
nized through few wild orgies of negro
lawmakers II would be thought neces-
sary to withdraw from the freedmen
ballots OF which they could make no
good use, and that the colored vote
would be practically suppressed at the
South in the name and interest OF
civilization. OF all this Emerson
had no moro premoni.ion than
Thad Stevens or Charles Sum-
ner. II Is noteworthy, by the way.
and possibly another proof OF Emer-
sons lnvinclble optimism. that he con-
tinued to cherish Sumner to and after
the end of Summers life when most OF
the former admirers OF the Senator from
Massachusetts, had become weary or re-
sentful of his political course as has
lately been shown in the biographies
OF Edwin l.. Godkin and Charles Eliot
Norton. Contrarwise Emerson writes:
1T characterizes man for me that he
hates Sumner-shows that he cannot
distinguish between n foible and a
vice"
Apart from the ineptitude about re-
construction, which was no more marked
In Emerson than In most OF his party
and is worth marking only because one
holds him to a higher intellectual
standard, such political remarks as are
made here refer largely to the disap-
pointment and indignation which the
journalist. in common with millions Of
other Americans OF the North, felt over
the lack of English sympathy with the
cause of the Union. There Is even
here a rather approving reference to
the revenge which we might take in
future wars in which Great Britain
should be "A belligerent and we a neutral,
in case we should let loose flock Of
Alabamas to prey on her commerce
under the flag of her enemy. But all
this. of course, was before the treaty
OF arbitration, much more before the
Geneva award. 1t was the detection
from the cause OF humanity Of the men
of light and leading in England that
panied and almost angered the amiable
philosopher. I'VE shall prosper" he
writes in 1864 I'VE shall destroy slav-
cry. but by no help Of theirs. They as
sailed us with mean cavlls, they
sneered at our manners at our failures,
at our shifts. at the poverty OF our treas
ury, at our struggles, legal and munich
! pal and irregularities in the presence
! OF mortal dangers. They cherished
our enemies, they exulted In the fac
tons which crippled us at home: when
| ever the allies of the rebels INSTRUCTED
| the great will and action of the Govern
ment, they danced for joy" 1t will be
agreed that this was an unusual strain
/ for Emerson and it shows how deeply
he was moved Carlyle's detection was
worse for him TO bear than any other.
His sorrowful expostulation Is reprinted
here by the editors, having already ap-
peared in the Correspondence" But
all the while he was entertaining and
expressing an admiration for Fred
| eTlCk the 5Ttdt, WHICH WAS SildTeu ny
few of Its readers, ranking It appar-
emily at the top of its authors works
This high estimate of the book he ex-
pressed in the same letter In which he
! scolded the author, and the compliment
outweighed the reproof. contrary to
the dictum of DR.. Johnson: IF l have
said something to hurt n man, ] shall
not get over it by saying many things
to please him." For Carlyle telling OF
the letter with It's mixture of blame and
praise, said that although there were
few words In 1t that did not give him
pain, yet 1t was So much better an APP
probation Of his book than any other
that he had put 1t In his own copy OF
Frederick" to be found there after he
was gone.
But 1t is not for politics that one goes
to Emerson, and the staple of these
journals IL very far from being politi-
cal. They abound in literary juds-
ments. almost always stimulating and
suggestive, Of which one or two may he
worth citing. II have been reading
! some of Lowells new poems. in which