Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chronology
- Bibliographical note
- Selections from Nature: Introduction
- Selections from Nature: Language
- Journal entries: 1837
- The American Scholar
- The Divinity School Address
- Uriel
- Concord Hymn
- Letter to Martin Van Buren, President of the United States
- Self-Reliance
- Compensation
- Concerning Brook Farm
- Man the Reformer
- Politics
- Journal entries: 1840 and 1844
- Ode: Inscribed to W. H. Channing
- Address to the Citizens of Concord
- Webster and 1854
- Journal entry: 1851
- Woman. A Lecture Read Before the Woman's Rights Convention, September 20, 1855
- Napoleon; or, the Man of the World from Representative Men
- Speech at a Meeting for the Relief of the Family of John Brown
- John Brown. Speech at Salem
- Fate
- Power
- Journal entry: 1862
- Index
- CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Man the Reformer
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chronology
- Bibliographical note
- Selections from Nature: Introduction
- Selections from Nature: Language
- Journal entries: 1837
- The American Scholar
- The Divinity School Address
- Uriel
- Concord Hymn
- Letter to Martin Van Buren, President of the United States
- Self-Reliance
- Compensation
- Concerning Brook Farm
- Man the Reformer
- Politics
- Journal entries: 1840 and 1844
- Ode: Inscribed to W. H. Channing
- Address to the Citizens of Concord
- Webster and 1854
- Journal entry: 1851
- Woman. A Lecture Read Before the Woman's Rights Convention, September 20, 1855
- Napoleon; or, the Man of the World from Representative Men
- Speech at a Meeting for the Relief of the Family of John Brown
- John Brown. Speech at Salem
- Fate
- Power
- Journal entry: 1862
- Index
- CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Summary
A Lecture read before the Mechanics' Apprentices' Library Association, Boston, January 25, 1841
Mr. President, and Gentlemen,
I wish to offer to your consideration some thoughts on the particular and general relations of man as a reformer. I shall assume that the aim of each young man in this association is the very highest that belongs to a rational mind. Let it be granted, that our life, as we lead it, is common and mean; that some of those offices and functions for which we were mainly created are grown so rare in society, that the memory of them is only kept alive in old books and in dim traditions; that prophets and poets, that beautiful and perfect men, we are not now, no, nor have even seen such; that some sources of human instruction are almost unnamed and unknown among us; that the community in which we live will hardly bear to be told that every man should be open to ecstasy or a divine illumination, and his daily walk elevated by intercourse with the spiritual world. Grant all this, as we must, yet I suppose none of my auditors will deny that we ought to seek to establish ourselves in such disciplines and courses as will deserve that guidance and clearer communication with the spiritual nature.
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- Emerson: Political Writings , pp. 101 - 114Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008