The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-11
SOME NEW BOOKS.
EnnersOmaaua.

numerous now than they were In the
lifetime Of the prophet, will hail the ap.
pcarancc cf the Journals of Ralph
Waldo Emerson (1s56-1s63), as edited,
with annotatons. by Edward Waldo
Emerson and Waldo Emerson Forbes.
1t is an old saying that E'mcrson's
essays read US IL they had been COM
piled out OF notebooks. They are so apt
to be discontinuous and inconsecutivc
that they are one of the chief despairs
II modern literature of the conscientious
seekers 10 verify quotations His own
criticisms, in his letters to Carlyle,
Of his formidable tendency TO the lapi-
diary style" each sentence an infinitely
repelling particle" are quite justified.
A perusal OF these journals shows that
the conjecture about the books and the
notebooks IL correct. Whole pages
seem to be composed of memoranda
subsequently worked up, or not worked
ZIP, for his published work. with the
fragmentary effect that all his readers
know. And indeed there are whole
pages OF consecutive observations. and
whole stanzas of verse. set down here
with which his readers are already IA
inlliar. not counting the frequent in
stances in which the editors give the
the published works for tho context.
''Brahma" is here complete.
1t is Emerson's own conviction that
this il not the way TO do it. and his re-
greet that lie cannot do II otherwise,
that accounts for the confession given
in these pages: IL am natural reader,
and only writer in the absence of
natural writer's. In n true time I
hoV - hs ~
which he deplores is the basis of
Matthew Arnolds criticism. But be-
sides these notes and hints he sets
down facts, quotations and observa-
tlons which lie wishes to verify or 20
commit to memory, insomuch that the
journals often recall the complaint Of
the reader that he Couldn't get the
hang" OF the dictionary. For many
pages together again you will find here
diary OF travel, of meetings and OF
conversations such us compose the stuff
of ordinary journals which are really
such. and not also notebooks.
Apart from the strict Emersoniana
there are actualities and pieces Of news
in the journals of more or less histori-
cal value. The meeting of Emerson and
Lincoln, for example. is of an historical
interest, and We hear of 1t here at first
hand. 1t seems that Emerson delivered
In washington III January, 1862, the
lecture "Civilization at Pinch" which
he had given In Boston the year before
The gist OF II. as revised for delivery at
the capital. was plea for "Emancipa-
ton. with compensation to loyal own
ers,' disloyal owners being left to stand
the chances OF war with their property
IN slaves, as with all other kinds OF
property. The lecturer had not adj
vanced TO the radicalism Of the poe,
Of the next January. who thrilled an
audience in Boston With the famous
lines:
Pay ransom to the owner.
And MI the bag to the brim.
Who is the owner! The slave is owner.
And ever was. Pay him.
The Emancipation Proclamation tina,
we know was not issued until the
September following Emerson's Wash
ington lecture. But in the following
March the President sent u message
To Congress proposing gradual and
tentative scheme for the abolition Of
slavery In tho border States. with COM
pensation to owners, which was quite
op the lines OF Emerson's lecture The
scheme fell stillborn in Congress. II
heard Emersons address. The weight
Of evidence and probability seems u
he that he did At any rate Emerson
stayed in Washington three days after
his lecture, and on February Sum-
ner took him to call ON tho President.
Of course Emerson's Impressions, re-
corded by himself. arc worth TRANSCRIPT
ing: "The President impressed IN,
more favorably than ] lad hoped. 4
frank sincere, well meaning man, with
u lawyers habit of mind good clea,
statement OF his fact: correct enough
not vulgar. as described but with .
sort of boyish cheerfulness or tina,
kind OF sincerity and jolly good mean.
ing that our class Of meetings on com
nencement days show in telling oul
old stories over. When he has made
his remark he looks up at you witt
great satisfaction, and shows all hi.
white teeth. and laughs.
When I was introduced to him he said
ooh. Mr.. Emerson, l once heard yor
say in a lecture that u Kentuckiar
seems to say, by his air and manners
''Here ] am: II you don't like me al
the worse for you"'" Which seems (
indicate that Abraham still regarded
himself as belonging to the State Of hi.
nativity rather than to that OF hi.
adoption.
Emerson saw everybody whom III
cared to see in Washington ON thi,
trip, lis chief ciceronc being Sumner
of whom he incidentally remarks else
where what pity that he had n,
sense of humor. He went TO churcl
with Seward. called on Chase and chi,
pretty daughter Kate and heard al
the intimate political gossip going, in
GLIDING a curious piece Of historical
gossip which he got from Mrs. Schuy
Ter. tho granddaughter of Alexande
Hamilton. 1t seems that Talleyran,
when in this country had struck VI
an intimacy with Hamilton, and ate
Hamiltons death had borrowed from
the widow a miniature portrait Of he
husband which he refused TO return
but carried off with him to France
When Aaron Burr went to Paris h
wrote to Talleyrand expressing wisl
TO call on him. Talieyrand answere,
that he would see him II he called bu
thought It proper to inform him tina
portrait of Hamilton always hum
in Talleyrand's cabinet. Burr neve
called.
At dinner party in Washington
Emerson met Governor Fish, Cover
nor Andrew. \. =. Willis. Gurowsk
Nj Nicolay, the Presidents privat