Poems - Household Edition | Page 3

best gifts to his
scholars. Years later, when, in his age, his old scholars assembled to greet him, he
regretted that no hint had been brought into the school of what at that very time "I was
writing every night in my chamber, my first thoughts on morals and the beautiful laws of
compensation, and of individual genius, which to observe and illustrate have given
sweetness to many years of my life." Yet many scholars remembered his presence and
teaching with pleasure and gratitude, not only in Boston, but in Chelmsford and Roxbury,
for while his younger brothers were in college it was necessary that he should help. In
these years, as through all his youth, he was loved, spurred on in his intellectual life, and
keenly criticised by his aunt, Mary Moody Emerson, an eager and wide reader, inspired
by religious zeal, high-minded, but eccentric.

The health of the young teacher suffered from too ascetic a life, and unmistakable
danger-signals began to appear, fortunately heeded in time, but disappointment and delay
resulted, borne, however, with sense and courage. His course at the Divinity School in
Cambridge was much broken; nevertheless, in October, 1826, he was "approbated to
preach" by the Middlesex Association of Ministers. A winter at the North at this time
threatened to prove fatal, so he was sent South by his helpful kinsman, Rev. Samuel
Ripley, and passed the winter in Florida with benefit, working northward in the spring,
preaching in the cities, and resumed his studies at Cambridge.
In 1829, Emerson was called by the Second or Old North Church in Boston to become
the associate pastor with Rev. Henry Ware, and soon after, because of his senior's
delicate health, was called on to assume the full duty. Theological dogmas, such as the
Unitarian Church of Channing's day accepted, did not appeal to Emerson, nor did the
supernatural in religion in its ordinary acceptation interest him. The omnipresence of
spirit, the dignity of man, the daily miracle of the universe, were what he taught, and
while the older members of the congregation may have been disquieted that he did not
dwell on revealed religion, his words reached the young people, stirred thought, and
awakened aspiration. At this time he lived with his mother and his young wife (Ellen
Tucker) in Chardon Street. For three years he ministered to his people in Boston. Then
having felt the shock of being obliged to conform to church usage, as stated prayer when
the spirit did not move, and especially the administration of the Communion, he honestly
laid his troubles before his people, and proposed to them some modification of this rite.
While they considered his proposition, Emerson went into the White Mountains to weigh
his conflicting duties to his church and conscience. He came down, bravely to meet the
refusal of the church to change the rite, and in a sermon preached in September, 1832,
explained his objections to it, and, because he could not honestly administer it, resigned.
He parted from his people in all kindness, but the wrench was felt. His wife had recently
died, he was ill himself, his life seemed to others broken up. But meantime voices from
far away had reached him. He sailed for Europe, landed in Italy, saw cities, and art, and
men, but would not stay long. Of the dead, Michael Angelo appealed chiefly to him there;
Landor among the living. He soon passed northward, making little stay in Paris, but
sought out Carlyle, then hardly recognized, and living in the lonely hills of the Scottish
Border. There began a friendship which had great influence on the lives of both men, and
lasted through life. He also visited Wordsworth. But the new life before him called him
home.
He landed at Boston within the year in good health and hope, and joined his mother and
youngest brother Charles in Newton. Frequent invitations to preach still came, and were
accepted, and he even was sounded as to succeeding Dr. Dewey in the church at New
Bedford; but, as he stipulated for freedom from ceremonial, this came to nothing.
In the autumn of 1834 he moved to Concord, living with his kinsman, Dr. Ripley, at the
Manse, but soon bought house and land on the Boston Road, on the edge of the village
towards Walden woods. Thither, in the autumn, he brought his wife. Miss Lidian Jackson,
of Plymouth, and this was their home during the rest of their lives.

The new life to which he had been called opened pleasantly and increased in happiness
and opportunity, except for the sadness of bereavements, for, in the first few years, his
brilliant brothers Edward and Charles died, and soon afterward Waldo, his firstborn son,
and later his mother. Emerson had left traditional religion, the city, the