a double structure. The simple alternation of his emphasis of dual truth might have been shown by the interpolation of the items of the second group in the first. Compensation then would have found a social or mediate application in History, Experience in Politics, Character in Behavior, Self-Reliance in Manners, and Heroism in Friendship. But for the student of Emerson's mind and process of expression, there can be no doubt that the less obvious and direct order is more useful because more characteristic. Finally, it seems hardly possible that Emerson himself would have been able to find the question of the order of his essays "interesting." It would have seemed to him as superfluous as "an order" for the winds or the waves or the soughing of the pines. And so ultimately it will prove to the student. If he attains to any of his master's spirit, he will see that the order of presentation is as insignificant as time to the soul; the moment of the acceptance of truth, the discovery of spiritual kinship, these are the important things, and their advent makes a centre in any surroundings, but only for the time being. All the rest must in their turn be centres, subordinating in calm loyalty to the whole truth the most venerable institutions and processes from the centres that they had been to outstanding dependencies that they must take their turn in being. The mind conducting a process of this sort must be active and provided with endurance. The eternal rearrangement of events was what Emerson meant by History of the ultimate sort; the ordinary lineal or superficial or artificial adjustment by dates and prejudices he had a constitutional and really religious aversion to. Experience to him was central and intimate, not superficial nor spectacular. Yet he could not ignore the popular inter est in the tale of happenings that made men court travel and so-called advantages. Politics to him were at once more and less than the ward heeler found them or left them. Character could easily swing from a share of the Oversoul to the poor dignity of a whim, and Behavior might express either aspect of reality. SelfReliance was a misnomer ultimately for anything but trust in the constitution of the universe, and Manners were good or bad as they were expressive of the underlying truth or lie. Heroism stood for the moments, frequent or rare, when the soul, conscious of its high prerogative, lived itself and its claims into the assertion of crisis. Friendship was a social relation where the clash between individuals was inevitable; and heroism, active or latent, a requisite. Associated with these essays are the mottoes in verse which serve, in the judgment of some of Emerson's critics, to keep alive the minister within him. Such does not seem to me to be their office. They are rather isomeric forms of the elemental stuff he offers in the essays. Emerson's message is even more valuable for the manner than the matter. He leaves with his disciple the constructive influence of earnest protest. In the small class of "unsystematic" writers he stands alone. The Bacon of the Essays, the Pascal of the Pensées, the Montaigne of the Essays are said to have been great writers. Was Emerson? It is immaterial. He was a great man writing. COMPENSATION THE wings of Time are black and white, Or compensatory spark, Shoots across the neutral Dark. MAN's the elm, and Wealth the vine, And power to him who power exerts; |