Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXX, No. 4, April 1847Various
History
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXX, No. 4, April 1847
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Every man will include in his list of worthies those whom he himself
best represents. Carlyle, and our countryman Emerson, whose place and
influence must ere long obtain a more distinct recognition, are, to a
certain extent, the complement of each other. The age could not do with
one of them, it cannot do with both. To make a broad and rude
distinction, to suit our present purpose, the former, as critic, deals
with the men of action—Mahomet, Luther, Cromwell; the latter with the
thinkers—Plato, Shakspeare, Goethe, for though both have written upon
Goethe, they do not meet in him. The one has more sympathy with the
heroes, or practical reformers, the other with the observers, or
philosophers. Put these worthies together, and you will have a pretty
fair representation of mankind; yet with one or more memorable
exceptions. To say nothing of Christ, who yet awaits a just appreciation
from literature, the peacefully practical hero, whom Columbus may
represent, is obviously slighted; but above and after all, the Man of
the Age, come to be called working-man, it is obvious that none yet
speaks to his condition, for the speaker is not yet in his condition.
There is poetry and prophecy to cheer him, and advice of the head and
heart to the hands; but no very memorable coöperation, it must be
confessed, since the Christian era, or rather since Prometheus tried it.
It is even a note-worthy fact, that a man addresses effectually in
another only himself still, and what he himself does and is, alone can
he prompt the other to do and to become. Like speaks to like only; labor
to labor, philosophy to philosophy, criticism to criticism, poetry to
poetry, &c. Literature speaks how much still to the past, how little to
the future, how much to the east, how little to the west—
In the East fames are won,
In the West deeds are done.
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