As a poet Emerson had been slightly known to his youthful associates in college and else where, and in 1834 he had been invited to write the customary poem for the Phi Betta Kappa anniversary at Harvard and did so. But he was dissatisfied with it and for some years after did not publish verses. In 1837 he sent to his friend J. F. Clarke at Louisville, Ky., for printing in the Western Messenger of Louis ville and Cincinnati three poems of his earlier composition, and he continued to print others in The Dial. In 1846 he collected these and others in a small volume, printed in Boston and London in 1847, and he issued another volume, largely made up from contributions to the Atlantic Monthly, in 1867. His son has added many poems and fragments in the final edition, so that it is now possible to judge of Emerson as poet by a perusal of all that he wrote in metre. At first his verse attracted little atten tion, except by parodists, who viewed it as something comical and to be satirized; this he had exnected. for it had hannened with his prose also. But even those who admired and quoted his poetical prose were rebuffed by his Irregular and difficult verse, and only some 20 years after the volume of 1847 did tt begin to be recognized that here was a philosopher put ting his thought into oracular verse, some of which was becoming proverbial, as oracles are wont to be. Since 1884, when at the summer session of the Concord School of Philosophy this feature of his poetry was set forth, it has become a fashion to interpret it in readings; and the essence of his deeper philosophy is best given in his verse; a 'key to the whole Emer sonian theory of the universe being found in the oracular (Sphinx) of the first (Poems,' where it stands at the beginning as befits a key. Besides this philosophic. quality there is also much of the high literary character in single poems devoted to love, friendship, patriotism and the cause of liberty.
Had it been predicted in 1847, when Harvard professors were scoffing at Etnerson's verse and declaring his philosophy unintelligible, that 60 years later Harvard would be teaching philoso phy in a spacious hall named for Emerson and btuk in part by the contributions of his followers and fnends, the prophecy would have been classed with almanac presages of the weather. Yet that very thing has happened and happened partly in consequence of the 10 years' continu ance, from 1879 to 1888, of the summer school of philosophy and literature just mentioned. This school carried out an early dream of Emerson and Alcott,.who both took part in it till Emerson's death in April 1882 and Alcott's stroke of paralysis in the following October. It brought together speculative men of different schools, all in their way idealists, and it raised into prominence Emerson's share in quickening and deepening philosophic ideas in America.
Emerson had published his 'English Traits,' a masterly summary of English history and character, in 1856; in 1857 he became a leading writer for the new Atlantic; in 1860 published the (Conduct of Life); in 1864, (Society and Solitude); in 1874 a selection of poems (omit ting his own) called (Parnassus) and in 1876 (Letters and Social Aims,) editeceby his subse quent biographer, Elliot Cabot. During the
Civil War he was a frequent orator for the Union and emancipation, and his political speeches have been posthumously collected in a volume of (Miscellanies,' published in 1883 and enlarged in the Centenary edition. A volume of (Lectures and Biographical Sketches) (1883 and 1904) gives his posthumous lectures and per sonal tributes, and a final volume (1893 and 1904), (Natural History of Intellect,' gives others, and a general index, long needed.
The classification of topics in these later books does not well agree with the titles, and there are still other volumes promised from Emerson's journals and letters, although these have been much drawn upon in notes to the 12 volumes already issued. It remains for some future editor to arrange the writings with a better regard to their chronological sequence, since the estimate of Emerson as a writer de pends somewhat on the observed growth and decline of his powers as in the analogous cases of Plato and Goethe.
It is in the class with these two world renowned authors that Emerson will stand hereafter. Less copious and less imaginative than either Plato or Goethe, he is not less original than they, and his expression of pro found thought and ethical truth was guided by a taste often better titan theirs. Much man nerism and many repetitions are found in his books as in theirs; many apparent inconsisten cies also, as with them. But these last grew out of the development of his thought and his in creasing perception of the complexity of the two worlds, Nature and Man. Of his many biogra phers and critics few have fully comprehended hint — they furnish material for final tudgtnent rather than a statement to satisfy future readers. The best, in this view, are Elliot Cabot and Dr. Emerson, to whom dte world is indebted for much material drawn from the manuscripts and not found in type elsewhere.
Etnerson's health and vigor failed after the partial burning of his house in 1872, and his last tour abroad, in 1872-73, did not restore him. He continued active for years, though with drawing more and more from publicity by reason of his failing memory. His virtuous and serene nature remained unshaken by these accidents of mortality, and his final illness, though pathetic from his anxiety to avoid bur demng others was short and hardly afflictive. His wife and ihree of his four children survived him —Mrs, Emerson, the mother of all, dying in 1892 at the age of 90. His descendants are numerous, by various names; his friends are numberless, for he never had a personal enemy and he inspired affection almost as much as admiration. See EMERSON'S ESSAYS ; TRAN SCENDENTAL PHILOSOPHY.