The writings featured here show Emerson as a
protestor against social conformity, a lover of
nature, an activist for the rights of women and
slaves, and a poet of great sensitivity. As
explored in this volume, Emersonian thought
is a unique blend of belief in individual freedom
and in humility before the power of nature. “I
become a transparent eyeball,” Emerson wrote
in Nature, “I am nothing; I see all; the currents
of the Universal Being circulate through me; I
am part or parcel of God.” Written over a
century ago, this passage is a striking example
of the passion and originality of Emerson’s
ideas, which continue to serve as a spiritual
center and an ideological base for modern
thought.

Featured here are the seminal works such as
Nature, “Self-Reliance,” “The Over-Soul,” and
early essays and lectures such as the
“Cherokee Letter” and “Pray Without
Ceasing.”