95

OF EMERSON, THE GIANT

Mrs. Peattie Defends the Literary Memory of the Philospher of Concord.

His Words Are Not Unchristian and His Teaching Are Uplifting to All Mankind

The Earnest Tribute of a Follower- Another Phase of "The Secular in the School."

Never did I more sincerely congratulate myself upon the secular policy of our public schools, that the other day, when in reading an article by the Rev. John Williams, I was [?] to realize, that did out schools sense to be secular, due to the writers whose books would be expunged from the curriculum, was Ralph Waldo Emerson. Mr. Williams, is talking concerning text books, says:

"Given as textbooks, Emerson, Fiske, Huxley, Tyndal, Begel, etc. and teachers more or less in sympathy with them, and the High school is already anti-Christian, and a large proportion of his pupils perverted, at the cost of a Christian-public, taxed to maintain it."

To set about proving that none of these gentlemen would "pervert" the youthful mind would be a task for too large for my knowledge, and too extensive for my space. I remember great words from all the writers. But it may be that some of them have spoken foolishly. I have not read all of their books. Life is very short and books are many with may rad but a few. And it is best I have Emerson's world for is--to read those which will help one quickest to an understanding of the course of thought. Among those of whom I have read something is Emerson. He has made dark days bright for me, he had taught me how to and the beauty in common life, he has preached to me of the greatest commandment of all. He has lifted me up, when I might have sunken. Sweet as rain after drouth have been his words after the idle clamor of the many. In my opinion no greater schools that to have the words of this modern philosopher take away from the students of the High School.

When the term "anti Christian" Is applied in such a community as this, it is meant, I take it, as an opprobrious epithet When it is used by such a scholar as the Rev John Williams, the Christian public- which is not necessarily the well-rend public- takes [alum?] and [?] itself against the new denounced by this title. No man is so great that he cannot be injured. To be impervious to injury to be God. And it seems to me that Emerson is injured when a very influential and much trusted man like John Wiliams deprecates his influence, and wants the people that he is likely to pervert the youth.

One stands perplexed in entering upon the rebuttal of such a statement as this-so utterly beyond fact is it-so egregiously inconsistent with the truth. Those books which we have read with a much tenderness as if they words there written were the emanations of our own hearts-those stalwart words, urging us on to study, to reverence, to unselfishness, to honesty and to peace-those words perverters? It is like saying that truth is hateful, or flowers a pest, or the faces of our children unwell comes to our eyes.

It may be that Mr. Willimas gathered his impression that Emerson was anti-Christian from the stern denunciation of pretense and worldliness in the church, of which Mr. Emerson sometimes delivered himself. But I am bound to say that I have heard Mr. Williams express similar sentiments. It seems particularly unfair that this poet should have been misrepresented by a priest, wise the priest always received so high and estimate from the poet. Concerning this Emerson says:

"It is certain that it is the effect of conversation with the beauty of the soul to beget a desire and need, to impart to others the knowledge and love. If utterance is denied, the thought like a burden on them in. Always the see is a sayer. Somehow his dream is told. Somehow he publishes it with solemn joy. Sometimes with pencil on canvas, sometimes with chisel on stone: sometimes in towers and aisles of granite his soul's is worship is builded; sometimes in anthems of indefinite music; but clearest and most permanent in words

"The man enamored of this excellency becomes its priest or post the office is coeval with the world, but observe the condition, the spiritual limitation fo the office. The spirit only can teach. Not any profane man; not any sensual, not any [?] not any slave can teach, but only he who can give, who has; he only can create who is. The man on whom the soul descends, through whom the soul speaks alone can teach. Courage, piety, love, wisdom can teach; and every man can open his door to these angels, and they shall bring him the gift of tongues. To this holy office you propose to devote yourself. I wish you may feel your call in throbs of desire and hope. The office is the first in the world."

It is quite true that he quarrels with the set terms, historical and [eccestaical?] by such vulgarity and Philistinism designates Christianity and Christ. He wearies to the sound of the form which means nothing to those who observe it. He is full of disgust at those who mumble words, and lead lives which give the lie to then professions. He says boldly what he thinks, not afraid of misinterpretation-too full of truth to care for policy. Here is the sort of think upon which some people ones their misconception of his religious ideas.

"In thus contemplating Jesus, we become very sensible of the [?] defect of historical Christianity. Historical Christianity has fallen into the error that corrupts all attempts to communicate religion. As it appears to us, and as it appeared for ages, it is not the doctrine of the soul, but an exaggeration of the personal, the positive, the ritual. It has dwelt, it dwells, with noxious exaggeration about the person of Jesus. The soul knows no persons, it invites every man to expand to the full circle of the universe, and will have no preferences but those of spontaneous love. But by this easter monarchy of a Christianity, which [?] who fear have built, the friend of man is made of the injured of man. The manner in which his name is surrounded with expressions which were once the [?], of admiration and love, but are now petrified, into official titles, kills all generous sympathy and liking. All who [?] me feel that the language which describes Christ to Europe and America is not the style of friendship and enthusiasm to a good and noble heart, but is appropriated and formal---paints a demi god as the oriental or Greeks would describe Osiris or Apollo. Accept the injurious impositions of our early catechetics instruction, and even honest and self-denial were but splendid sins, if they did not wear the Christian name. One would rather be.

A pagan suckled in a creed outworn--than to be defrauded of his manly right in coming into nature, and finding not names and places, not land and professions, but even virtue and truth foreclosed and monopolized. You shall not be a man even. You shall not own the world; you shall not dare, and live after the infinite law that is in you, and in company with the infinite beauty which heaven and earth reflect to you in all lovely forms, but you must subordinate your nature to Christ's nature; you must accept our interpretations; and take his portrait as the vulgar paint it.

"That is always best which gives me to myself. The sublime is excited in me by the great social doctrine, Obey thyself. That which shows God in me fortifies me. That which shows God out me, makes me a wait and women. There is no longer a necessary reason for my being. Already the long shadows of oblivion creep over, and I shall decease forever." These are, I think, the utterances most treasonable to the church which Emerson ever uttered. And "if that be treason, make the most of it." It looks to me like honesty. Out of conviction such as that character is builder, citizenship is maintained. It does not [?] its responsibility, nor aim at selfish salvation. It is the language of honor and of truth.

In matters not theological, but simply religious. Emerson is a guide whom on would place above most moderns. The dignity which he infuses into life gives it almost a heroic cast, and the young man or woman who reads him understandingly must needs be filled with reverence for the worlds of God. He perceives why he must do the best to develop his brain, and beautify his body, and refine his soul. He perceives, about all other things, how he can never escape from his relation to his neighbor. Anyone with a prehensile mind, who would follow the directions he gives in his famous essay on book, would find himself [?] to meet with serenity any sorrow which the world might bring him. Vulgarity and he would be an ocean apart. Gentleness and courage could not fail to be his attributes. He celebrates the education of man. He says:

"Let us make our education brave and preventive. Politics is an afterwork, a poor patchling. We are always a little late. The evil is done, the law is passed, and we begin the uphill agitation for repeal of that which we ought to have prevented the enacting. We shall one day learn to supersede politics by education. What we call root-and-branch reforms of slavery, war, gambling, intemperance, is only mediating the symptoms. We must begin higher up, namely, in education.

He gives lessons in fine manners. He educates his readers in what well-mannerd men do.

"I wish cities could teach their best lesson-of quiet manners. It is the [?] especially of American youth--pretension. The mark of the man of the world is absence of pretension. He does not make a speech; he takes a low business tone, avoids all brag, is nobody, dresses plainly, promises not at all, performs much, speaks in monosyllables, [?] his fact. He calls his employment by its lowest name, and so takes from evil tongues their sharpest weapon."

Emerson talks of nobility in youth, and seems always to be writing to some strong young man or woman who will hitch his wagon to a star.

"A man in pursuit of greatness feels no little wants. How can you mind diet, bed, dress, or salutes or compliments, or the figure you make in company, or wealth, or even the bringing things to pass, when you think how [?] many are the machinery and the workers.

Not that he depreciates concentration or industry. But he does not believe in recognizing obstacles. He instructs one how to make an art of living.

"A man is a beggar who lives only to be useful, and, however, he may serve as a pin or a rivet in the social machine, cannot be said to have arrive at self possession. I suffer every day from the want of perception of beauty to people. They do not know the charm with which all moments and subjects can be embellished, the charm of manners, self-command, of benevolence. Repose and cheerfulness are the badge of the gentleman--repose in energy. The Greek battle pieces are calm; the heroes in whatever violent actions engaged, retain a serene aspect; as we say of Niagara, that it falls without speed. A cheerful, intelligent face is the end of the culture, and success enough. For it indicates the purpose of nature and wisdom attained."

No one could be a [?] and follow the teaching of this paraclete. Listen to this:

"We wish to learn philosophy by rote, and play at heroism. But the wiser God says, fake the shame, the poverty and the penal solitude that belong to truth speaking. Try the rough water as well as the smooth. Rough water can teach qualities worth knowing. When the state is unquiet, personal qualities are more than ever decisive. Fear not a revolution which will constrain you to live five years in one. Don't be so tender at making an enemy now and then. Be willing to go to Coventry sometimes, and let the populace bestow on you their coldest contempt."

He helps the young to hero worship. He wants them to have ideals. He is not afraid of beautiful illusions--so long as they are not delusions.

"Beauty, [?] and goodness are not obsolete; they spring eternal in the breast of man; they are as indigenous in Massachusetts as in Tuscany or the Isles of Greece. And that eternal spirit whose triple face they are molds from them forever, for his mortal child. Images to remind him of the infinite and fair"

If ever man preached the potency of earnest work, Emerson did. He talks to no idler. He cannot conceive of a man without a message, a business and an obligation. He believes in the expansion of the human. He does not confuse the inadequacy of man with the dispensations of God. He does not encourage a man to think that providence is responsible for his shiftlessness, his treachery or his failure.

"Ah! said a brave painter to me. [?] a man has failed, you will find he has [?] [?] instead of working. There is no way to success in our art, but to take off your coat, grind paint, and work like a digger on the railroad, all day every day."

Emerson touches us all up with a friendly criticism. We never know when we are going to be hit. He says, for example, and this touches many of us:

"Though a man cannot return unto his mother's womb, and be born with new amounts of vivacity, yet there are two economies which are the best succedanes which the case admits. The first is the stopping off decisively our miscellaneous activity, and contracting our force on one of a few points; as the gardener, by severe pruning, forces the sap of the trees into one or two vigorous limbs, instead of suffering it to spindle into a sheaf of twigs.

"Enlarge not thy destiny, and the oracle; endeavor not to do more than is given thee in charge. The one prudence in life is concentration; the one evil is dissipation; and it makes no difference whether our dissipation are coarse or fine; property and its cares, friends and a social habit, or politics, or music, or feasting. Everything is good which takes away one's plaything more, and dives us to add one stroke of faithful work. You "must elect your work; you must take what your brain can, and drop all the rest"

This is the man, then, who is a perverter of youth! The man whose books menace our students!

Do we not take shame, remembering how gross and material our ambitions are; remembering how greedy we are, how oblivious of our own best good or of the good of others; remembering poor language and impoverished thought; remembering poor development of perceptions and sensibilities, that we should look down upon this man, in our stiff Puritanism, or Episcopacy, shutting him away from us, though he comes bearing a torch that might illuminate our dark? How might we grow in grace and beauty if we were to sit at his feet and learn! How might the narrow hearts of us grow! How might the ice in us melt, touched with divine warmth!

Shall Christianity forbid all goodness and knowledge except that embodied in itself? Will it call all wisdom secular except that included in the gospels? "There is nothing secular but sin."

Oh, dear God! Thou who molest the world and all that in it is, who [?] stars and dust of stars and "the wind that blows between the worlds," let us have humility, nor dem we hold monopoly of truth. In each spark of brightness and of beauty, of reverence and of joy, may we not see a spark of thee? Help us to remember that the souls

OF EMERSON, THE GIANT

Mrs. Peattie Defends the Literary Memory of the Philospher of Concord.

His Words Are Not Unchristian and His Teaching Are Uplifting to All Mankind

The Earnest Tribute of a Follower- Another Phase of "The Secular in the School."

Never did I more sincerely congratulate myself upon the secular policy of our public schools, that the other day, when in reading an article by the Rev. John Williams, I was [?] to realize, that did out schools sense to be secular, due to the writers whose books would be expunged from the curriculum, was Ralph Waldo Emerson. Mr. Williams, is talking concerning text books, says:

"Given as textbooks, Emerson, Fiske, Huxley, Tyndal, Begel, etc. and teachers more or less in sympathy with them, and the High school is already anti-Christian, and a large proportion of his pupils perverted, at the cost of a Christian-public, taxed to maintain it."

To set about proving that none of these gentlemen would "pervert" the youthful mind would be a task for too large for my knowledge, and too extensive for my space. I remember great words from all the writers. But it may be that some of them have spoken foolishly. I have not read all of their books. Life is very short and books are many with may rad but a few. And it is best I have Emerson's world for is--to read those which will help one quickest to an understanding of the course of thought. Among those of whom I have read something is Emerson. He has made dark days bright for me, he had taught me how to and the beauty in common life, he has preached to me of the greatest commandment of all. He has lifted me up, when I might have sunken. Sweet as rain after drouth have been his words after the idle clamor of the many. In my opinion no greater schools that to have the words of this modern philosopher take away from the students of the High School.

When the term "anti Christian" Is applied in such a community as this, it is meant, I take it, as an opprobrious epithet When it is used by such a scholar as the Rev John Williams, the Christian public- which is not necessarily the well-rend public- takes [alum?] and [?] itself against the new denounced by this title. No man is so great that he cannot be injured. To be impervious to injury to be God. And it seems to me that Emerson is injured when a very influential and much trusted man like John Wiliams deprecates his influence, and wants the people that he is likely to pervert the youth.

One stands perplexed in entering upon the rebuttal of such a statement as this-so utterly beyond fact is it-so egregiously inconsistent with the truth. Those books which we have read with a much tenderness as if they words there written were the emanations of our own hearts-those stalwart words, urging us on to study, to reverence, to unselfishness, to honesty and to peace-those words perverters? It is like saying that truth is hateful, or flowers a pest, or the faces of our children unwell comes to our eyes.

It may be that Mr. Willimas gathered his impression that Emerson was anti-Christian from the stern denunciation of pretense and worldliness in the church, of which Mr. Emerson sometimes delivered himself. But I am bound to say that I have heard Mr. Williams express similar sentiments. It seems particularly unfair that this poet should have been misrepresented by a priest, wise the priest always received so high and estimate from the poet. Concerning this Emerson says:

"It is certain that it is the effect of conversation with the beauty of the soul to beget a desire and need, to impart to others the knowledge and love. If utterance is denied, the thought like a burden on them in. Always the see is a sayer. Somehow his dream is told. Somehow he publishes it with solemn joy. Sometimes with pencil on canvas, sometimes with chisel on stone: sometimes in towers and aisles of granite his soul's is worship is builded; sometimes in anthems of indefinite music; but clearest and most permanent in words

"The man enamored of this excellency becomes its priest or post the office is coeval with the world, but observe the condition, the spiritual limitation fo the office. The spirit only can teach. Not any profane man; not any sensual, not any [?] not any slave can teach, but only he who can give, who has; he only can create who is. The man on whom the soul descends, through whom the soul speaks alone can teach. Courage, piety, love, wisdom can teach; and every man can open his door to these angels, and they shall bring him the gift of tongues. To this holy office you propose to devote yourself. I wish you may feel your call in throbs of desire and hope. The office is the first in the world."

It is quite true that he quarrels with the set terms, historical and [eccestaical?] by such vulgarity and Philistinism designates Christianity and Christ. He wearies to the sound of the form which means nothing to those who observe it. He is full of disgust at those who mumble words, and lead lives which give the lie to then professions. He says boldly what he thinks, not afraid of misinterpretation-too full of truth to care for policy. Here is the sort of think upon which some people ones their misconception of his religious ideas.

"In thus contemplating Jesus, we become very sensible of the [?] defect of historical Christianity. Historical Christianity has fallen into the error that corrupts all attempts to communicate religion. As it appears to us, and as it appeared for ages, it is not the doctrine of the soul, but an exaggeration of the personal, the positive, the ritual. It has dwelt, it dwells, with noxious exaggeration about the person of Jesus. The soul knows no persons, it invites every man to expand to the full circle of the universe, and will have no preferences but those of spontaneous love. But by this easter monarchy of a Christianity, which [?] who fear have built, the friend of man is made of the injured of man. The manner in which his name is surrounded with expressions which were once the [?], of admiration and love, but are now petrified, into official titles, kills all generous sympathy and liking. All who [?] me feel that the language which describes Christ to Europe and America is not the style of friendship and enthusiasm to a good and noble heart, but is appropriated and formal---paints a demi god as the oriental or Greeks would describe Osiris or Apollo. Accept the injurious impositions of our early catechetics instruction, and even honest and self-denial were but splendid sins, if they did not wear the Christian name. One would rather be.

A pagan suckled in a creed outworn--than to be defrauded of his manly right in coming into nature, and finding not names and places, not land and professions, but even virtue and truth foreclosed and monopolized. You shall not be a man even. You shall not own the world; you shall not dare, and live after the infinite law that is in you, and in company with the infinite beauty which heaven and earth reflect to you in all lovely forms, but you must subordinate your nature to Christ's nature; you must accept our interpretations; and take his portrait as the vulgar paint it.

"That is always best which gives me to myself. The sublime is excited in me by the great social doctrine, Obey thyself. That which shows God in me fortifies me. That which shows God out me, makes me a wait and women. There is no longer a necessary reason for my being. Already the long shadows of oblivion creep over, and I shall decease forever." These are, I think, the utterances most treasonable to the church which Emerson ever uttered. And "if that be treason, make the most of it." It looks to me like honesty. Out of conviction such as that character is builder, citizenship is maintained. It does not [?] its responsibility, nor aim at selfish salvation. It is the language of honor and of truth.

In matters not theological, but simply religious. Emerson is a guide whom on would place above most moderns. The dignity which he infuses into life gives it almost a heroic cast, and the young man or woman who reads him understandingly must needs be filled with reverence for the worlds of God. He perceives why he must do the best to develop his brain, and beautify his body, and refine his soul. He perceives, about all other things, how he can never escape from his relation to his neighbor. Anyone with a prehensile mind, who would follow the directions he gives in his famous essay on book, would find himself [?] to meet with serenity any sorrow which the world might bring him. Vulgarity and he would be an ocean apart. Gentleness and courage could not fail to be his attributes. He celebrates the education of man. He says:

"Let us make our education brave and preventive. Politics is an afterwork, a poor patchling. We are always a little late. The evil is done, the law is passed, and we begin the uphill agitation for repeal of that which we ought to have prevented the enacting. We shall one day learn to supersede politics by education. What we call root-and-branch reforms of slavery, war, gambling, intemperance, is only mediating the symptoms. We must begin higher up, namely, in education.

He gives lessons in fine manners. He educates his readers in what well-mannerd men do.

"I wish cities could teach their best lesson-of quiet manners. It is the [?] especially of American youth--pretension. The mark of the man of the world is absence of pretension. He does not make a speech; he takes a low business tone, avoids all brag, is nobody, dresses plainly, promises not at all, performs much, speaks in monosyllables, [?] his fact. He calls his employment by its lowest name, and so takes from evil tongues their sharpest weapon."

Emerson talks of nobility in youth, and seems always to be writing to some strong young man or woman who will hitch his wagon to a star.

"A man in pursuit of greatness feels no little wants. How can you mind diet, bed, dress, or salutes or compliments, or the figure you make in company, or wealth, or even the bringing things to pass, when you think how [?] many are the machinery and the workers.

Not that he depreciates concentration or industry. But he does not believe in recognizing obstacles. He instructs one how to make an art of living.

"A man is a beggar who lives only to be useful, and, however, he may serve as a pin or a rivet in the social machine, cannot be said to have arrive at self possession. I suffer every day from the want of perception of beauty to people. They do not know the charm with which all moments and subjects can be embellished, the charm of manners, self-command, of benevolence. Repose and cheerfulness are the badge of the gentleman--repose in energy. The Greek battle pieces are calm; the heroes in whatever violent actions engaged, retain a serene aspect; as we say of Niagara, that it falls without speed. A cheerful, intelligent face is the end of the culture, and success enough. For it indicates the purpose of nature and wisdom attained."

No one could be a [?] and follow the teaching of this paraclete. Listen to this:

"We wish to learn philosophy by rote, and play at heroism. But the wiser God says, fake the shame, the poverty and the penal solitude that belong to truth speaking. Try the rough water as well as the smooth. Rough water can teach qualities worth knowing. When the state is unquiet, personal qualities are more than ever decisive. Fear not a revolution which will constrain you to live five years in one. Don't be so tender at making an enemy now and then. Be willing to go to Coventry sometimes, and let the populace bestow on you their coldest contempt."

He helps the young to hero worship. He wants them to have ideals. He is not afraid of beautiful illusions--so long as they are not delusions.

"Beauty, [?] and goodness are not obsolete; they spring eternal in the breast of man; they are as indigenous in Massachusetts as in Tuscany or the Isles of Greece. And that eternal spirit whose triple face they are molds from them forever, for his mortal child. Images to remind him of the infinite and fair"

If ever man preached the potency of earnest work, Emerson did. He talks to no idler. He cannot conceive of a man without a message, a business and an obligation. He believes in the expansion of the human. He does not confuse the inadequacy of man with the dispensations of God. He does not encourage a man to think that providence is responsible for his shiftlessness, his treachery or his failure.

"Ah! said a brave painter to me. [?] a man has failed, you will find he has [?] [?] instead of working. There is no way to success in our art, but to take off your coat, grind paint, and work like a digger on the railroad, all day every day."

Emerson touches us all up with a friendly criticism. We never know when we are going to be hit. He says, for example, and this touches many of us:

"Though a man cannot return unto his mother's womb, and be born with new amounts of vivacity, yet there are two economies which are the best succedanes which the case admits. The first is the stopping off decisively our miscellaneous activity, and contracting our force on one of a few points; as the gardener, by severe pruning, forces the sap of the trees into one or two vigorous limbs, instead of suffering it to spindle into a sheaf of twigs.

"Enlarge not thy destiny, and the oracle; endeavor not to do more than is given thee in charge. The one prudence in life is concentration; the one evil is dissipation; and it makes no difference whether our dissipation are coarse or fine; property and its cares, friends and a social habit, or politics, or music, or feasting. Everything is good which takes away one's plaything more, and dives us to add one stroke of faithful work. You "must elect your work; you must take what your brain can, and drop all the rest"

This is the man, then, who is a perverter of youth! The man whose books menace our students!

Do we not take shame, remembering how gross and material our ambitions are; remembering how greedy we are, how oblivious of our own best good or of the good of others; remembering poor language and impoverished thought; remembering poor development of perceptions and sensibilities, that we should look down upon this man