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PREFACE.

THE rapid sale (within twelve weeks) of the first edition of this work has encouraged its author to prepare a second, augmented to considerably more than double its former size by the addition of matter which cannot fail to be interesting to admirers of Emerson. The "Biographical Sketch" has been increased from fortyseven to one hundred and twenty-nine pages, the "Recollections of his three Visits to England," from twenty-five to forty-one pages,—and the "Miscellaneous Characteristic Records," from thirty-four to ninety-two pages. An important addition has been made in the shape of twenty-eight pages of Tributes to Emerson's life and genius, delivered at a special meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society, in Boston, in May last, by Dr. Ellis, Judge Hoar, and Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, the wellknown author of "The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table," "Elsie Venner," "The Guardian Angel," and other works. For the beautiful memorial volume containing these addresses the author is indebted to the kindness of Dr. Holmes. The volume is unknown in England, no notice of it even having appeared on this side of the Atlantic. Dr. Holmes's éloge, coming as it does from the heart of one of Emerson's most intimate and cherished friends

himself a man of rare genius-possesses a deep interest not only on account of the spirit which pervades it, but also for its consummate literary expression.

The reader of the following pages will find in them many illustrative passages in connection with Emerson, without which any account of his life and work, however brief, would be inadequate. Among them may be named-his friendly relations with Margaret Fuller, perhaps the most remarkable woman of culture of her time; exercising, during her unfortunately brief life, an acknowledged influence on the best thought of New England,— his connection with "The Dial," the most remarkable organ of high thought published in our time,—an account of that singular social experiment, "The Brook Farm Community," idealized by the weird genius of Hawthorne in that saddest of fictions, "The Blithedale Romance,”the resignation of his pastoral charge in 1832, and his sermon and farewell letter in connection therewith,—his addresses on Robert Burns and Walter Scott,--and his notable speech in Manchester in 1847, in which he gave utterance to his confidence in, and admiration of, England. Among the "Miscellaneous Characteristic Records" and "Anecdotes" will be found some impressions and glimpses that enable us, by a side-light, as it were, to see Emerson almost face to face.

In the "Biographical Sketch," the author has endeavoured to bring out in fuller detail some of Emerson's characteristics as a thinker, writer, and public lecturer, as well as his personal bearing in the family and social circle. This has been done by freely using what

has been written about him by others--chiefly those who knew him well, and enjoyed his intimate friendship. Wherever he has found a vivid presentment of Emerson, the author has not hesitated to make use of it, and to incorporate it in his sketch, in order to add to the completeness of the picture. In this respect he has been but "a gatherer and disposer of other men's stuff." His object throughout has been to present a likeness of Emerson as true as he can make it-to the fidelity of which not merely his own opportunities of observation, but also the faithful reports of friends and life-long associates have contributed. In the pages which follow, the reader may see, through many different eyes, something of the personality and surroundings of the most original thinker and highest-reaching ethical teacher his country has produced-who, during a long, serene, and beautiful life- —a life, the end and aim of which was "to make truth lovely, and manhood valorous "—has exercised on some of the most thoughtful minds of his age an influence probably not exceeded by that of any other writer of the century.

INGLEWOOD,

BOWDON, CHESHIRE,

October 21, 1882.

[Of the three portraits in this volume, the first was taken about 1873, when Emerson was in his 70th year; the second is reduced from a large one which he sent to the author in 1867, taken probably a few years before. The youngest portrait is from a daguerreotype taken while he was in England, in 1847, he being then in his 44th year. His own family regard this likeness as the There was a crayon like

best, at this period of his life. ness of him of rare excellence, taken at an earlier period of his life, by an American artist, Samuel Rowse, of which the writer has a photographic copy, and which he would have wished to include with the others, but it has been found too faded for successful reproduction.]

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