Ralph Waldo Emerson’s diary, 1862

Correctness very rare. It is difficult to get a new shirt made on the measures of the pattern. The value of a carpenter is that he is trained to measure exactly.…

War, the searcher of character, the test of men, has tried already so many reputations, has pricked so many bladders. 'Tis like the finan- cial crises, which, once…

Whiggery. Its doctrine is, — Better endure tyranny according to law a thousand years than irregular and unconstitutional happiness for a day. Of course, he had…

The snow still lies even with the tops of the walls across the Walden road, and, this after- noon, I waded through the woods to my grove. A chickadee came out to…

Sam Staples ' yesterday had been to see Henry Thoreau. "Never spent an hour with more satis- faction. Never saw a man dying with so much pleasure and peace." Thinks…

Of the most romantic fact, the memory is more romantic. See Cowper's Ice Palace of Moscow.

Romance. Harriet Prescott has the courage of genius, as Elizabeth Sheppard had, whom she celebrates. It is an easy list to count off, our romantic writers ; Bettine…

I know a lady who has that sovereign sweet- ness of temper that she receives the simplest details of any statement of any business from woman or child with such…

Henry Thoreau " remains erect, calm, self- subsistent, before me, and I read him not only truly in his Journal, but he is not long out of mind when I walk, and, as…

Romance. If we could tell accurately the evanescing effects of an imaginative book on us as we read! Thus Milman's translation of Nala and Damayanti is nearer to my…

I suppose the war does not recommend Slav- ery to anybody. If it cost ten years of war, and ten to recover the general prosperity, the de- struction of Slavery is…

Yesterday in town talked with George Sen- nott, Esq., who hoped the rumour true that Sigel had shot McDowell, for he liked that any man should shoot any other, as…

Several urgent motives point to the Emanci- pation.

The country seems to be ruined not so much by the malignity as by the levity of people. A vast force of voters allow themselves, by mere compliments and…

Great harvest this year of apples and pears. I suppose I have sold a hundred barrels of apples, when I add the August and September sales to the winter apples.…

This in answer to the query. Is any person master of the American question at this mo- ment ? No, none can accost such question with advantage, unless he is born…