The Personality of Emerson

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C. E. Goodspeed, 1903 - 133 pages
An incisive study of Emerson's personality by an outstanding figure in American belles-lettres & long-time personal friend of the poet & philosopher. With remarkable psychological & literary insight the author throws new light on one of America's most complex literary personalities. Pithy, witty & full of interesting sidelights of Emerson's personality & career especially as they relate to the transcendental movement in 19th century America, this work is indispensable to all literature collections. Originally published in a limited edition of 500 copies.
 

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Page 8 - Standing on the bare ground - my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space - all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eyeball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or parcel of God.
Page 74 - ... that all he sees and says is like astronomy, lying there real and vast — and every part and fact in eternal connection with the whole...
Page 10 - A Greek head on right Yankee shoulders, whose range Has Olympus for one pole, for t'other the Exchange...
Page 76 - A SUBTLE chain of countless rings The next unto the farthest brings ; The eye reads omens where it goes, And speaks all languages the rose ; And, striving to be man, the worm Mounts through all the spires of form.
Page 73 - My conceit of his person was never increased toward him by his place, or honours, but I have and do reverence him, for the greatness that was only proper to himself, in that he seemed to me ever, by his work, one of the greatest men, and most worthy of admiration, that had been in many ages. In his adversity I ever prayed that God would give him strength ; for greatness he could not want. Neither could I condole in a word or syllable for him, as knowing no accident could do harm to virtue, but rather...
Page 74 - Alcott appeared to great advantage, and I saw again, as often before, his singular superiority. As pure intellect, I have never seen his equal. The people with whom he talks do not even understand him. They interrupt him with clamorous dissent, or what they think verbal endorsement of what they fancy he may have been saying, or with, " Do you know Mr. Alcott, I think thus and so...
Page 9 - Rank you amongst her stern disfavourers ; She all things worthy favour doth maintain. Virtue in all things else at best she betters, Honour she heightens, and gives life in death. She is the ornament and soul of letters, The world's deceit before her vanisheth. Simple she is as doves, like serpents wise, Sharp, grave, and sacred ; nought but things divine. And things divining, fit her faculties, Accepting her as she is genuine.
Page 26 - The latter is a hearty man enough, with whom you can differ very satisfactorily, on account of both his doctrines and his good temper. He utters quasi philanthropic dogmas in a metaphysic dress ; but they are for all practical purposes very crude. He charges society with all the crime committed, and praises the criminal for committing it. But I think that all the remedies he suggests out of his head — for he goes no farther, hearty as he is — would leave us about where we are now.
Page 41 - The people of this town share with their countrymen the admiration of valor and perseverance ; they, like their compatriots, have been hungry to see the man whose extraordinary eloquence is seconded by the splendor and the solidity of his actions. But, as it is the privilege of the people of this town to keep a hallowed mound which has a place in the story of the country — as Concord is one of the...
Page 28 - ... Complaining for the Death of her Fawn,' which he read to me with delight irradiating his expressive features. The lines remained with me, or many of them, from that hour, — Had it lived long, it would have been Lilies without, roses within. "I felt as many have felt after being with his brother, Ralph "Waldo, that I had entertained an angel visitant. The fawn of Marvell's imagination survives in my memory as the fitting image to recall this beautiful youth; a soul glowing like the rose of morning...

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