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American Men of Letters
EDITED BY
CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER.
"Thou wert the morning star among the living, Ere thy fair light had fled: Now, having died, thou art as Hesperus, giving New splendor to the dead."
American Men of Letters
* * * * *
RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
BY
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
1891
NOTE.
My thanks are due to the members of Mr. Emerson's family, and the otherfriends who kindly assisted me by lending interesting letters andfurnishing valuable information.
The Index, carefully made by Mr. J.H. Wiggin, was revised and somewhatabridged by myself.
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
BOSTON, November 25, 1884.
CONTENTS.
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INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I.
1803-1823. To AET. 20.
Birthplace.—Boyhood.—College Life.
CHAPTER II.
1823-1828. AET. 20-25.
Extract from a Letter to a Classmate.—School-Teaching.—Study of Divinity.—"Approbated" to Preach.—Visit to the South.—Preaching in Various Places.
CHAPTER III.
1828-1833. AET. 25-30.
Settled as Colleague of Rev. Henry Ware.—Married to Ellen Louisa Tucker.—Sermon at the Ordination of Rev. H.B. Goodwin.—His Pastoral and Other Labors.—Emerson and Father Taylor.—Death of Mrs. Emerson.—Difference of Opinion with some of his Parishioners.—Sermon Explaining his Views.—Resignation of his Pastorate.
CHAPTER IV.
1833-1838. AET. 30-35.
Section I. Visit to Europe.—On his Return preaches in DifferentPlaces.—Emerson in the Pulpit.—At Newton.—Fixes his Residence atConcord.—The Old Manse.—Lectures in Boston.—Lectures onMichael Angelo and on Milton published in the "North AmericanReview."—Beginning of the Correspondence with Carlyle.—Letters to theRev. James Freeman Clarke.—Republication of "Sartor Resartus."
Section 2. Emerson's Second Marriage.—His New Residence inConcord.—Historical Address.—Course of Ten Lectures on EnglishLiterature delivered in Boston.—The Concord Battle Hymn.—Preachingin Concord and East Lexington.—Accounts of his Preaching bySeveral Hearers.—A Course of Lectures on the Nature and Ends ofHistory.—Address on War.—Death of Edward Bliss Emerson.—Death ofCharles Chauncy Emerson.
Section 3. Publication of "Nature."—Outline of this Essay.—ItsReception.—Address before the Phi Beta Kappa Society
CHAPTER V.
1838-1843. AET. 35-40.
Section 1. Divinity School Address.—Correspondence.—Lectures on HumanLife.—Letters to James Freeman Clarke.—Dartmouth College Address:Literary Ethics.—Waterville College Address: The Method ofNature.—Other Addresses: Man the Reformer.—Lecture on the Times.—TheConservative.—The Transcendentalist.—Boston "Transcendentalism."—"TheDial."—Brook Farm.