nature.docx

nature.docx

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nature

Nature

byRalphWaldoEmerson

AsubtlechainofcountlessringsThenextuntothefarthestbrings;Theeyereadsomenswhereitgoes,Andspeaksalllanguagestherose;And,strivingtobeman,thewormMountsthroughallthespiresofform.

Introduction

Ourageisretrospective.Itbuildsthesepulchresofthefathers.Itwritesbiographies,histories,andcriticism.TheforegoinggenerationsbeheldGodandnaturefacetoface;we,throughtheireyes.Whyshouldnotwealsoenjoyanoriginalrelationtotheuniverse?

Whyshouldnotwehaveapoetryandphilosophyofinsightandnotoftradition,andareligionbyrevelationtous,andnotthehistoryoftheirs?

Embosomedforaseasoninnature,whosefloodsoflifestreamaroundandthroughus,andinviteusbythepowerstheysupply,toactionproportionedtonature,whyshouldwegropeamongthedrybonesofthepast,orputthelivinggenerationintomasqueradeoutofitsfadedwardrobe?

Thesunshinesto-dayalso.Thereismorewoolandflaxinthefields.Therearenewlands,newmen,newthoughts.Letusdemandourownworksandlawsandworship.

Undoubtedlywehavenoquestionstoaskwhichareunanswerable.Wemusttrusttheperfectionofthecreationsofar,astobelievethatwhatevercuriositytheorderofthingshasawakenedinourminds,theorderofthingscansatisfy.Everyman'sconditionisasolutioninhieroglyphictothoseinquirieshewouldput.Heactsitaslife,beforeheapprehendsitastruth.Inlikemanner,natureisalready,initsformsandtendencies,describingitsowndesign.Letusinterrogatethegreatapparition,thatshinessopeacefullyaroundus.Letusinquire,towhatendisnature?

Allsciencehasoneaim,namely,tofindatheoryofnature.Wehavetheoriesofracesandoffunctions,butscarcelyyetaremoteapproachtoanideaofcreation.Wearenowsofarfromtheroadtotruth,thatreligiousteachersdisputeandhateeachother,andspeculativemenareesteemedunsoundandfrivolous.Buttoasoundjudgment,themostabstracttruthisthemostpractical.Wheneveratruetheoryappears,itwillbeitsownevidence.Itstestis,thatitwillexplainallphenomena.Nowmanyarethoughtnotonlyunexplainedbutinexplicable;aslanguage,sleep,madness,dreams,beasts,sex.

Philosophicallyconsidered,theuniverseiscomposedofNatureandtheSoul.Strictlyspeaking,therefore,allthatisseparatefromus,allwhichPhilosophydistinguishesastheNOTME,thatis,bothnatureandart,allothermenandmyownbody,mustberankedunderthisname,NATURE.Inenumeratingthevaluesofnatureandcastinguptheirsum,Ishallusethewordinbothsenses;--initscommonandinitsphilosophicalimport.Ininquiriessogeneralasourpresentone,theinaccuracyisnotmaterial;noconfusionofthoughtwilloccur.Nature,inthecommonsense,referstoessencesunchangedbyman;space,theair,theriver,theleaf.Artisappliedtothemixtureofhiswillwiththesamethings,asinahouse,acanal,astatue,apicture.Buthisoperationstakentogetheraresoinsignificant,alittlechipping,baking,patching,andwashing,thatinanimpressionsograndasthatoftheworldonthehumanmind,theydonotvarytheresult.

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ChapterINATURE

Togointosolitude,amanneedstoretireasmuchfromhischamberasfromsociety.IamnotsolitarywhilstIreadandwrite,thoughnobodyiswithme.Butifamanwouldbealone,lethimlookatthestars.Theraysthatcomefromthoseheavenlyworlds,willseparatebetweenhimandwhathetouches.Onemightthinktheatmospherewasmadetransparentwiththisdesign,togiveman,intheheavenlybodies,theperpetualpresenceofthesublime.Seeninthestreetsofcities,howgreattheyare!

Ifthestarsshouldappearonenightinathousandyears,howwouldmenbelieveandadore;andpreserveformanygenerationstheremembranceofthecityofGodwhichhadbeenshown!

Buteverynightcomeouttheseenvoysofbeauty,andlighttheuniversewiththeiradmonishingsmile.

Thestarsawakenacertainreverence,becausethoughalwayspresent,theyareinaccessible;butallnaturalobjectsmakeakindredimpression,whenthemindisopentotheirinfluence.Natureneverwearsameanappearance.Neitherdoesthewisestmanextorthersecret,andlosehiscuriositybyfindingoutallherperfection.Natureneverbecameatoytoawisespirit.Theflowers,theanimals,themountains,reflectedthewisdomofhisbesthour,asmuchastheyhaddelightedthesimplicityofhischildhood.

Whenwespeakofnatureinthismanner,wehaveadistinctbutmostpoeticalsenseinthemind.Wemeantheintegrityofimpressionmadebymanifoldnaturalobjects.Itisthiswhichdistinguishesthestickoftimberofthewood-cutter,fromthetreeofthepoet.ThecharminglandscapewhichIsawthismorning,isindubitablymadeupofsometwentyorthirtyfarms.Millerownsthisfield,Lockethat,andManningthewoodlandbeyond.Butnoneofthemownsthelandscape.Thereisapropertyinthehorizonwhichnomanhasbuthewhoseeyecanintegratealltheparts,thatis,thepoet.Thisisthebestpartofthesemen'sfarms,yettothistheirwarranty-deedsgivenotitle.

Tospeaktruly,fewadultpersonscanseenature.Mostpersonsdonotseethesun.Atleasttheyhaveaverysuperficialseeing.Thesunilluminatesonlytheeyeoftheman,butshinesintotheeyeandtheheartofthechild.Theloverofnatureishewhoseinwardandoutwardsensesarestilltrulyadjustedtoeachother;whohasretainedthespiritofinfancyevenintotheeraofmanhood.Hisintercoursewithheavenandearth,becomespartofhisdailyfood.Inthepresenceofnature,awilddelightrunsthroughtheman,inspiteofrealsorrows.Naturesays,--heismycreature,andmaugreallhisimpertinentgriefs,heshallbegladwithme.Notthesunorthesummeralone,buteveryhourandseasonyieldsitstributeofdelight;foreveryhourandchangecorrespondstoandauthorizesadifferentstateofthemind,frombreathlessnoontogrimmestmidnight.Natureisasettingthatfitsequallywellacomicoramourningpiece.Ingoodhealth,theairisacordialofincrediblevirtue.Crossingabarecommon,insnowpuddles,attwilight,underacloudedsky,withouthavinginmythoughtsanyoccurrenceofspecialgoodfortune,Ihaveenjoyedaperfectexhilaration.Iamgladtothebrinkoffear.Inthewoodstoo,amancastsoffhisyears,asthesnakehisslough,andatwhatperiodsoeveroflife,isalwaysachild.Inthewoods,isperpetualyouth.WithintheseplantationsofGod,adecorumandsanctityreign,aperennialfestivalisdressed,andtheguestseesnothowheshouldtireoftheminathousandyears.Inthewoods,wereturntoreasonandfaith.ThereIfeelthatnothingcanbefallmeinlife,--nodisgrace,nocalamity,（leavingmemyeyes,）whichnaturecannotrepair.Standingonthebareground,--myheadbathedbytheblitheair,andupliftedintoinfinitespace,--allmeanegotismvanishes.Ibecomeatransparenteye-ball;Iamnothing;Iseeall;thecurrentsoftheUniversalBeingcirculatethroughme;IampartorparticleofGod.Thenameofthenearestfriendsoundsthenforeignandaccidental:

tobebrothers,tobeacquaintances,--masterorservant,isthenatrifleandadisturbance.Iamtheloverofuncontainedandimmortalbeauty.Inthewilderness,Ifindsomethingmoredearandconnatethaninstreetsorvillages.Inthetranquillandscape,andespeciallyinthedistantlineofthehorizon,manbeholdssomewhatasbeautifulashisownnature.

Thegreatestdelightwhichthefieldsandwoodsminister,isthesuggestionofanoccultrelationbetweenmanandthevegetable.Iamnotaloneandunacknowledged.Theynodtome,andItothem.Thewavingoftheboughsinthestorm,isnewtomeandold.Ittakesmebysurprise,andyetisnotunknown.Itseffectislikethatofahigherthoughtorabetteremotioncomingoverme,whenIdeemedIwasthinkingjustlyordoingright.

Yetitiscertainthatthepowertoproducethisdelight,doesnotresideinnature,butinman,orinaharmonyofboth.Itisnecessarytousethesepleasureswithgreattemperance.For,natureisnotalwaystrickedinholidayattire,butthesamescenewhichyesterdaybreathedperfumeandglitteredasforthefrolicofthenymphs,isoverspreadwithmelancholytoday.Naturealwayswearsthecolorsofthespirit.Toamanlaboringundercalamity,theheatofhisownfirehathsadnessinit.Then,thereisakindofcontemptofthelandscapefeltbyhimwhohasjustlostbydeathadearfriend.Theskyislessgrandasitshutsdownoverlessworthinthepopulation.

ChapterIICOMMODITY

Whoeverconsidersthefinalcauseoftheworld,willdiscernamultitudeofusesthatresult.Theyalladmitofbeingthrownintooneofthefollowingclasses;Commodity;Beauty;Language;andDiscipline.

UnderthegeneralnameofCommodity,Irankallthoseadvantageswhichoursensesowetonature.This,ofcourse,isabenefitwhichistemporaryandmediate,notultimate,likeitsservicetothesoul.Yetalthoughlow,itisperfectinitskind,andistheonlyuseofnaturewhichallmenapprehend.Themiseryofmanappearslikechildishpetulance,whenweexplorethesteadyandprodigalprovisionthathasbeenmadeforhissupportanddelightonthisgreenballwhichfloatshimthroughtheheavens.Whatangelsinventedthesesplendidornaments,theserichconveniences,thisoceanofairabove,thisoceanofwaterbeneath,thisfirmamentofearthbetween?

thiszodiacoflights,thistentofdroppingclouds,thisstripedcoatofclimates,thisfourfoldyear?

Beasts,fire,water,stones,andcornservehim.Thefieldisatoncehisfloor,hiswork-yard,hisplay-ground,hisgarden,andhisbed.

"Moreservantswai