1803 -1882. New York : Literary Classics of the United States
Why read it? Emerson’s unit of thought is the epigrammatic sentence. Emerson writes a poetic prose. Emerson’s beliefs—that each man shares in the Over-Soul, or God, that man possesses, within himself, the means to all knowledge—expressed in his memorable sentences, are of central importance in the history of American culture. The only trouble is most of his ideas are half-truths.
Ideas:
“Such a boy [Swedenborg] .. goes grubbing into mines and mountains, prying into chemistry and optics, physiology, mathematics, and astronomy to find images….” P. 664. ………. “Swedenborg was born into an atmosphere of great ideas.” P. 667. ………. “…one would swear that the physical world was purely symbolical of the spiritual world….” P. 673. ………. Swedenborg: “…in heaven the angels are advancing continually to the spring-time of their youth, so that the oldest angel appears the youngest.” P. 678. ………. “It is hard to carry a full cup….” P. 681. ………. “These books should be used with caution.” P. 682. ………. “It [reading Swedenborg’s books]requires for his just apprehension [comprehension] almost a genius equal to his own.” P. 682. ………. “He builds his fortune, maintains the laws, cherishes his children, but he asks himself, why? And whereto?” p. 690. ………. “The genius…beholds the design….” P. 691. ………. :In England, the richest country that ever existed property stands for more, compared with personal ability, than in any other.” P. 691. ………. “ ‘Ah,’ said my languid gentleman of Oxford, ‘There’s nothing new or true—and no matter.’ ” P. 692. ………. “With a little more bitterness, the cynic moans: our life is like an ass led to market by a bundle of hay being carried before him: he sees nothing but the bundle of hay.” P. 692. ………. “ ‘There is so much trouble coming into the world,’ said Lord Bolingbroke, ‘and so much more, as well as meanness, in going out of it, that ‘tis hardly worthwhile to be here at all.’” P. 693.
To be continued.
No comments:
Post a Comment