EMERSON'S EARLY JOURNALS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1037, 28 January 1911, Page 9

EMERSON'S EARLY JOURNALS.

The early Journals of Emerson havo beon published to complete, the centenary edition of his. works, and to bring him closer to his admirers by showing his mind and style in' the making. "Such a test would be hard," says the "Spectator," "and in many cases unfair," for tbo greatest intellects and stylists; and it cannot be maintained that Emerson had a mind of tho highest order, or that.ho was a stylist in .the fuller meaning of the word. It must bo confessed that in themselves these Journals aro not very interesting in their matter, and they too seldom riso above tho commonplace in their manner. The average reader In search of instruction, or amusement had better leavo them unread. Nevprtheless, they will have their value for Emerson's disciples and admirers. Beyond this, they may ■be worth exploring by those,who arc interested in tho growth and development of character. Perhaps they are most interesting of all whero they show us the-society and scenery of the United States in thoso comparatively early times. Tho accounts of persons, of inns, of living and travelling, are tho best tilings in these volumes, and wo regret there aro not more of them. In other words, Emerson's eyes havo more to toll ..us in those early days than his undeveloped mind; and whatever riches the "inward eye" of a sage lriay. draw from the stores of his memory and experience, the outward eye of youth is fresher and keener.

' "Perhaps" two things may strike a reader of tbeso volumes who goes to them hoping to increase his knowledge' of a famous man. Ono is that Emerson, even from his earliest youth, looked out oh tho world with clear, frank, :brave, and truthful.eyes. "Tho other is that his intention was always as candid and courageous as his glance, and his'cbndu'ct was always-a loyal expression of bis intentions. These qualities, and they aro high ones, are expressed in tho.most engaging portrait which is chosen ,as a frontispiece- of' the first volume. The eyes are. tbo arresting feature in-this port-rait. Certainly they aro N largo, candid, pleasant eyes. They gazo into tho distance, but if they wero turned on tho beholder they would be alert and penetrating.- Tho brows are strong, and tho forehead is delicate. Thero is a certain weakness in tho lower

part of tho. face; but there- is enough practical shrewdness to take its owner through the world without disaster,though not without; disillusionment and- , pain. This portrait was taken in 18J4, twelve years after tho period of the Journals; hut their self-portraiture, and tho impression convoyed to tho painter and passed on by her to us, agree very well together. Candour is the prevailing notoof both; and candour may bo taken as Emerson's motto, .as the summary of his message to tho world. . ■"''l don't think he ever engaged in boys' plays,' says Emerson's earliest friend; 'not because of any physical inability, but simply because, from his earliest years, he dwelt in a higher sphere. My own deep impression is, that, from his earliest childhood, our friend lived, and moved and had his being in an atmosphere of letters, quite apart by himself.'- This account is' borno out fully by tho Journals. They bring before us a young student, immersed in books, reading voraciously but on tho whole wisely; with a dangerous tasto for oratory; which was curbed fortunately by his candour and his mistrust of verbiage. . Ho was in a still more dangerous atmosphere of theology, but ho was saved again by his innate, candour,.and by certain liberal influences which wero developed farther by, his own tastes and reasonings.' 'It-is-a'pity,' no doubt, that ho was never thoroughly a boy; but, in spito of his earliest friend's testimony, he came of an unsound stock, and had a fragile constitution. Ono of his brothers died young; another was not wholly sane. ■ Emerson himself only escaped by..rest and care. Tno shadow of illness was over him for many years,-and his-first Wife, died of consumption not long after their mar-' riage. ...... . , , "Thcro "are not, perhaps, many youth-

fill diaries which would boar, the light of publicity as Emerson's do. 'A3 .we look back, wo can say, without" any reservations: Whatsoever 'things were lovely and of good report, in theso he never failed. Ho was drawn to them, practised .them, and gave his lifo to spreading them. A great poet ho certainly was not, though ho had a poetic soul, and a fine taste for poetry. A great master of stylo he was not, though ho had stores of reading, and a zeal for good literature; and ho ofton said fine and memorable things, asiwhcu ho speaks of Milton's poetry 'doing good in a golden way.' A great thinker ho was not, cither; hut he bade men think high and aim high. Abovo all, ho advised them to be real and genuine, to bo themselves, especially in spiritual and intellectual matters. Ho was a candid soul. He preached and practised candeur; and that gospel was never more wanted than it is to-day. Yvo may add to it Emerson's fine definition of prayer: 'The contemplation of tho facts of lifo from tho highest point of view.' That view is too generally hidden by our theological and political confusions."