Evening star., 1932-04-17

uOT biography in its common concept
and acceptance. Rather, the man
N himself living and immediate. This,
100, Q full half century beyond his
recorded death Ralph Waldo EN-
erson died on April q, so years ago.
That is, some of him died, but certainly
the most of him lived waiting, I think, fr
Van Wyck Brooks to move into his spirit by
way Of The Lie Of Emerson" A study whose
pprpase and effect are to identify Emerson
completely with the present in its astounding
advance with an even greater future, 500. one
is sure. And tins, the vital point protected in
s,rch competent sincerity and poetic besEuty as
to provide readers with experience
Man and nature ere one. The measure of
their identification marks the power OF mans
self fnlfllment To learn the lessons set by
nature, therefore, to become part OF It's least
appearance and mood no less than to share
its greatest manifestations, this the way OF
mans advance in Self-knowledge, in knowledge
of the universe, his greater self.
This primer of life for Emerson was the
woods and fields around Concord. At night the
Journal became storehouse Of the great ad-
ventures of the day-a blade of grass, the
scent Of hay. a. bird song-eye- sight by day,
soul-sight in the Journal Out of these bits
Of the natural world, cloSeknit with bits of
himself, theories and interpretations Of life
grew and Ralph Waldo Emerson became the
great American philosopher.
To formulate feelings, thoughts, theories into
a system tends to formulze the whole. It did
with Emerson, moving him into more re-
stricted area of study and following.
Now, here is Van Wyck Brooks who fits
his own shoes into the very footprints of En-
erson around Concord, who sets his heart to
the same personal joy in that homely land
scape which SO illuminated the whole of mans
life and the life Of the. universe as well
Through the Journal he relieves Emerson. day
by day, because he possesses the gift Of the
poet as well as the art of the scholar
In fervor of intellectual sympathy Mr.
Brooks explores the mind of Emerson for its
sources of power, its directive influence. its
methods of discovering, collecting, organizing
and, finally. of projecting a system of philo-
sophie thought that has held attention and
commanded recognition the world over.
survey of the half century since Emerson's
death serves to emphasize the enormous
changes that have taken place within the Pc
rod Science, modern magician, has practi-
cally reconstructed life in its social and eco
Domic aspects, has tremendously changed cur
rents Of thought, has in equal degree stim-
ulafeo intellectual energy. In effect, a new
world has come into being within these so
years And how has Ralph Waldo Emerson
Jared? HIS basic idea of integration, the world
and even the least of its parts one and in
seIarable, has this faded out in the seemingly
grand confusion Of progress? Has the work
ing foundation of that philosophy
ing and tolerance a broadly human temporal
world, with less of consuming fear about anv
other one-have these elements not grown and
in positive measure ripened to a mode of think
ing, 10 program Of behavior, to a finer out
ook upon human relations and upon the whole?
Emerson up for Judgment? Certainly not
Yet at the present rate and direction of life
thousand years from now Ralph Waldo EN-
erSon viii be as contemporaneous as he has
already proved himself to be in the present
nnoer the keenly sympathetic scrutiny of Van
Wyck Brooks
Inc biography Of any man by any author
that gets one up in the night Just to read an
other page or So" and that goes along the
streets with him by day is high and enviable
adventure. And here it is for all to share
LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS Pedro F. Vicuna.
Editorial lie Livre Libre," 141, Boulevard
PeTeire. Paris. 1882. 35e pages Reviewed
py L. s. Rowe, director general of the Pan
American Union.
\h/E have long been in need of a book in
w Spanish which should interpret 10 the
people OF Latin America the social economic
and political development of the United States
Many such works have been published in
French and German, but, up to the present
time, we have had no comprehensive work
available TO readers in Latin America
DR.. PEDRO r. Vicuna, the eminent Chilean
scholar and publcist, has, in publishing the
work entitled Los Estados Unidos," done a
real service TO the people of the United States
With excellent Judgment and broad philosophic
vision, he has selected for discussion the dom
inant influence in the growth Of the United
States and has presented them with such clear
ness that every reader will receive clear idea
OF what the United States is and what It
stands for
1t is exceedingly difficult to bring within the
compass OF a small volume a presentation Of
the major influences that have shaped the
recent development of the United States but
the author of this work has shown a broad
grasp Of these principles and has set them
forth with great clearness. For the first time