Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nature
爱默生《论自然》
爱默生《论自然》Nature拉尔夫·瓦尔多·爱默生(Ralph Waldo Emerson) T o speak truly, few adult persons can see nature.Most persons do not see the sun. At least they have a very superficial seeing. The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child. The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other; who has retained the spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood.His intercourse with heaven and earth, becomes part of his daily food. In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows.Nature says, he is my creature, and maugre all his impertinent griefs, he shall be glad with me.Not the sun or the summer alone, but every hour and season yields its tribute of delight; for every hour and change corresponds to and authorizes a different state of the mind, from breathless noon to grimmest midnight.Nature is a setting that fits equally well a comic or a mourning piece.In good health, the air is a cordial of incredible virtue. Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special good fortune,I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration. I am glad to the brink of fear.In the woods too, a man casts off his years, as the snake his slough, and at what period soever of life, is always a child, in thewoods, is perpetual youth.Within these plantations of God, a decorum and sanctity reign, a perennial festival is dressed, and the guest sees not how he should tire of them in a thousand years,In the woods, we return to reason and faith.There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, no disgrace, no calamity, (leaving me my eyes) which nature cannot repair. Standing on the bare ground, my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, all mean egotism vanishes.I become a transparent eye ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me;I am part or particle of Gods. In the tranquil landscape, and especially in the distant line of the horizon, man beholds somewhat as beautiful as his own nature.。
爱默生 nature读后感
爱默生 nature读后感英文回答：Nature is a philosophical essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson. In this essay, Emerson explores the concept of nature and its relationship with humanity. He argues that nature is a source of inspiration and spiritual enlightenment.Emerson begins the essay by stating that nature is a reflection of the divine and that it is a source of truth and beauty. He believes that by immersing ourselves in nature, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Nature, according to Emerson, is a teacher that can guide us towards a more fulfilling and meaningful life.One of the main themes in Nature is the idea of self-reliance. Emerson encourages individuals to trust their own instincts and intuition, rather than relying on societalnorms and expectations. He believes that by connecting with nature, we can tap into our own inner wisdom and live authentically.Emerson also emphasizes the importance of solitude and contemplation. He argues that spending time alone in nature allows us to reconnect with our true selves and find inner peace. In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it is easy to lose touch with our own thoughts and emotions. Nature provides a sanctuary where we can escape from the noise and distractions of the world and find solace in silence.Furthermore, Emerson highlights the interconnectedness of all living beings. He believes that every part of nature is connected and that humans are part of a larger web of life. This interconnectedness should inspire us to treat nature with respect and care. Emerson urges us to see ourselves as stewards of the Earth, responsible for preserving its beauty and harmony.In conclusion, Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson is a thought-provoking essay that explores the significance ofnature in our lives. Through his eloquent writing, Emerson urges us to reconnect with nature, trust our own instincts, and live authentically. By immersing ourselves in nature,we can find inspiration, wisdom, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.中文回答：《自然》是拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生所写的一篇哲学性的文章。
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Exercises NhomakorabeaRemember Emerson’s major works and his characteristics. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s theory of Transcendentalism with the analysis of Nature.
firmly believes in the transcendence of the “ oversoul ” regards nature as the purest, and the most sanctifying moral influence on man.
Emerson
Everyone should understand that he makes himself by making his world, and that he makes the world by making himself.
An Excerpt from Nature
Introduction Philosophically considered, the universe is composed of Nature and the Soul. Strictly speaking, therefore, all that is separate from us, all which Philosophy distinguishes as the NOT ME, that is, both nature and art, all other men and my own body, must be ranked under this name, NATURE.
Emerson’s Influence on Literature
NATURE-Ralph Waldo Emerson 1
Ralph Waldo EmersonNatureAn introduction to NatureTo selected criticismA subtle chain of countless ringsThe next unto the farthest brings;The eye reads omens where it goes,And speaks all languages the rose;And, striving to be man, the wormMounts through all the spires of form.IntroductionOur age is retrospective. It builds the sepulchers of the fathers. It writes biographies, histories, and criticism. The foregoing generations beheld God and nature face to face; we, through their eyes . Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe? Why should not we have a poetry and philosophy of insight and not of tradition, and a religion by revelation to us, and not the history of theirs? Embosomed for a season in nature, whose floods of life stream around and through us, and invite us by the powers they supply, to action proportioned to nature, why should we grope among the dry bones of the past, or put the living generation into masquerade out of its faded wardrobe? The sun shines to-day also. There is more wool and flax in the fields. There are new lands, new men, new thoughts. Let us demand our own works and laws and worship. Undoubtedly we have no questions to ask which are unanswerable. We must trust the perfection of the creation so far, as to believe that whatever curiosity the order of things has awakened in our minds, the order of things can satisfy. Every man's condition is a solution in hieroglyphic to those inquiries he would put. He acts it as life, before he apprehends it as truth. In like manner, nature is already, in its forms and tendencies, describing its own design. Let us interrogate the great apparition that shines so peacefully around us. Let us inquire, to what end is nature?All science has one aim, namely, to find a theory of nature. We have theories of races and of functions, but scarcely yet a remote approach to an idea of creation. We are now so far from the road to truth, that religious teachers dispute and hate each other, and speculative men are esteemed unsound and frivolous. But to a sound judgment, the most abstract truth is the most practical. Whenever a true theory appears, it will be its own evidence. Its test is, that it will explain all phenomena. Now many are thought not only unexplained but inexplicable; as language, sleep, madness, dreams, beasts, sex.Philosophically considered, the universe is composed of Nature and the Soul. Strictly speaking, therefore, all that is separate from us, all which Philosophy distinguishes as the NOT ME, that is, both nature and art, all other men and my own body, must be ranked under this name, NATURE. In enumerating the values of nature and casting up their sum, I shall use the word in both senses; -- in its common and in its philosophical import. In inquiries so general as our present one, theinaccuracy is not material; no confusion of thought will occur. Nature, in the common sense, refers to essences unchanged by man; space, the air, the river, the leaf. Art is applied to the mixture of his will with the same things, as in a house, a canal, a statue, a picture. But his operations taken together are so insignificant , a little chipping, baking, patching, and washing, that in an impression so grand as that of the world on the human mind, they do not vary the result.Chapter I NATURETo go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime. Seen in the streets of cities, how great they are! If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence. Nature never wears a mean appearance. Neither does the wisest man extort her secret, and lose his curiosity by finding out all her perfection. Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit. The flowers, the animals, the mountains, reflected the wisdom of his best hour, as much as they had delighted the simplicity of his childhood.When we speak of nature in this manner, we have a distinct but most poetical sense in the mind. We mean the integrity of impression made by manifold natural objects. It is this which distinguishes the stick of timber of the wood-cutter, from the tree of the poet. The charming landscape which I saw this morning, is indubitably made up of some twenty or thirty farms. Miller owns this field, Locke that, and Manning the woodland beyond. But none of them owns the landscape. There is a property in the horizon which no man has but he whose eye can integrate all the parts, that is, the poet. This is the best part of these men's farms, yet to this their warranty-deeds give no title.To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature. Most persons do not see the sun. At least they have a very superficial seeing. The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child. The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other; who has retained the spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood. His intercourse with heaven and earth, becomes part of his daily food. In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows. Nature says, -- he is my creature, and maugre all his impertinent griefs, he shall be glad with me. Not the sun or the summer alone, but every hour and season yields its tribute of delight; for every hour and change corresponds to and authorizes a different state of the mind, from breathless noon to grimmest midnight. Nature is a setting that fits equally well a comic or a mourning piece. In good health, the air is a cordial ofincredible virtue. Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special good fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration.I am glad to the brink of fear. In the woods too, a man casts off his years, as the snake his slough , and at what period soever of life, is always a child. In the woods, is perpetual youth. Within these plantations of God, a decorum and sanctity reign, a perennial festival is dressed, and the guest sees not how he should tire of them in a thousand years. In the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, -- no disgrace, no calamity, (leaving me my eyes,) which nature cannot repair. Standing on the bare ground, -- my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, -- all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God. The name of the nearest friend sounds then foreign and accidental: to be brothers, to be acquaintances, -- master or servant, is then a trifle and a disturbance. I am the lover of uncontained and immortal beauty.In the wilderness; I find something more dear and connate than in streets or villages. In the tranquil landscape, and especially in the distant line of the horizon, man beholds somewhat as beautiful as his own nature.The greatest delight which the fields and woods minister, is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable. I am not alone and unacknowledged. They nod to me, and I to them. The waving of the boughs in the storm, is new to me and old. It takes me by surprise, and yet is not unknown. Its effect is like that of a higher thought or a better emotion coming over me, when I deemed I was thinking justly or doing right.Yet it is certain that the power to produce this delight, does not reside in nature, but in man, or in a harmony of both. It is necessary to use these pleasures with great temperance. For, nature is not always tricked in holiday attire, but the same scene which yesterday breathed perfume and glittered as for the frolic of the nymphs, is overspread with melancholy today. Nature always wears the colors of the spirit . To a man laboring under calamity, the heat of his own fire hath sadness in it. Then, there is a kind of contempt of the landscape felt by him who has just lost by death a dear friend. The sky is less grand as it shuts down over less worth in the population.Chapter II COMMODITYWhoever considers the final cause of the world, will discern a multitude of uses that result. They all admit of being thrown into one of the following classes; Commodity; Beauty; Language; and Discipline.Under the general name of Commodity, I rank all those advantages which our senses owe to nature. This, of course, is a benefit which is temporary and mediate, not ultimate, like its service to the soul. Yet although low, it is perfect in its kind, and is the only use of nature which all men apprehend. The misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens. What angels invented these splendid ornaments, these rich conveniences, this ocean of air above, this ocean of water beneath, this firmament of earth between? this zodiac of lights, this tent of dropping clouds, this striped coat of climates, this fourfold year? Beasts, fire,water, stones, and corn serve him. The field is at once his floor, his work-yard, his play-ground, his garden, and his bed."More servants wait on manThan he 'll take notice of." ------Nature, in its ministry to man, is not only the material, but is also the process and the result. All the parts incessantly work into each other's hands for the profit of man. The wind sows the seed; the sun evaporates the sea; the wind blows the vapor to the field; the ice, on the other side of the planet, condenses rain on this; the rain feeds the plant; the plant feeds the animal; and thus the endless circulations of the divine charity nourish man.The useful arts are reproductions or new combinations by the wit of man, of the same natural benefactors. He no longer waits for favoring gales, but by means of steam, he realizes the fable of Aeolus's bag, and carries the two and thirty winds in the boiler of his boat. To diminish friction, he paves the road with iron bars, and, mounting a coach with a ship-load of men, animals, and merchandise behind him, he darts through the country, from town to town, like an eagle or a swallow through the air. By the aggregate of these aids, how is the face of the world changed, from the era of Noah to that of Napoleon! The private poor man hath cities, ships, canals, bridges, built for him. He goes to the post-office, and the human race run on his errands; to the book-shop, and the human race read and write of all that happens, for him; to the court-house, and nations repair his wrongs. He sets his house upon the road, and the human race go forth every morning, and shovel out the snow, and cut a path for him.But there is no need of specifying particulars in this class of uses. The catalogue is endless, and the examples so obvious, that I shall leave them to the reader's reflection, with the general remark, that this mercenary benefit is one which has respect to a farther good. A man is fed, not that he may be fed, but that he may work.Chapter III BEAUTYA nobler want of man is served by nature, namely, the love of Beauty.The ancient Greeks called the world {kosmos}, beauty. Such is the constitution of all things, or such the plastic power of the human eye, that the primary forms, as the sky, the mountain, the tree, the animal, give us a delight in and for themselves; a pleasure arising from outline, color, motion, and grouping. This seems partly owing to the eye itself. The eye is the best of artists. By the mutual action of its structure and of the laws of light, perspective is produced, which integrates every mass of objects, of what character soever, into a well colored and shaded globe, so that where the particular objects are mean and unaffecting, the landscape which they compose, is round and symmetrical. And as the eye is the best composer, so light is the first of painters. There is no object so foul that intense light will not make beautiful. And the stimulus it affords to the sense, and a sort of infinitude which it hath, like space and time, make all matter gay. Even the corpse has its own beauty. But besides this general grace diffused over nature, almost all the individual forms are agreeable to the eye, as is proved by our endless imitations of some of them,as the acorn, the grape, the pine-cone, the wheat-ear, the egg, the wings and forms of most birds, the lion's claw, the serpent, the butterfly, sea-shells, flames, clouds, buds, leaves, and the forms of many trees, as the palm.For better consideration, we may distribute the aspects of Beauty in a threefold manner.1. First, the simple perception of natural forms is a delight. The influence of the forms and actions in nature, is so needful to man, that, in its lowest functions, it seems to lie on the confines of commodity and beauty. To the body and mind which have been cramped by noxious work or company, nature is medicinal and restores their tone. The tradesman, the attorney comes out of the din and craft of the street, and sees the sky and the woods, and is a man again. In their eternal calm, he finds himself. The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough.But in other hours, Nature satisfies by its loveliness, and without any mixture of corporeal benefit.I see the spectacle of morning from the hill-top over against my house, from day-break to sun-rise, with emotions which an angel might share. The long slender bars of cloud float like fishes in the sea of crimson light. From the earth, as a shore, I look out into that silent sea. I seem to partake its rapid transformations: the active enchantment reaches my dust, and I dilate and conspire with the morning wind. How does Nature deify us with a few and cheap elements! Give me health and a day, and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous. The dawn is my Assyria; the sun-set and moon-rise my Paphos, and unimaginable realms of faerie; broad noon shall be my England of the senses and the understanding; the night shall be my Germany of mystic philosophy and dreams.Not less excellent, except for our less susceptibility in the afternoon, was the charm, last evening, of a January sunset. The western clouds divided and subdivided themselves into pink flakes modulated with tints of unspeakable softness; and the air had so much life and sweetness, that it was a pain to come within doors. What was it that nature would say? Was there no meaning in the live repose of the valley behind the mill, and which Homer or Shakespeare could not reform for me in words? The leafless trees become spires of flame in the sunset, with the blue east for their back-ground, and the stars of the dead calices of flowers, and every withered stem and stubble rimed with frost, contribute something to the mute music.The inhabitants of cities suppose that the country landscape is pleasant only half the year. I please myself with the graces of the winter scenery, and believe that we are as much touched by it as by the genial influences of summer. To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again. The heavens change every moment, and reflect their glory or gloom on the plains beneath. The state of the crop in the surrounding farms alters the expression of the earth from week to week. The succession of native plants in the pastures and roadsides, which makes the silent clock by which time tells the summer hours, will make even the divisions of the day sensible to a keen observer. The tribes of birds and insects, like the plants punctual to their time, follow each other, and the year has room for all. By water-courses, the variety is greater. In July,the blue pontederia or pickerel-weed blooms in large beds in the shallow parts of our pleasant river, and swarms with yellow butterflies in continual motion. Art cannot rival this pomp of purple and gold. Indeed the river is a perpetual gala, and boasts each month a new ornament.But this beauty of Nature which is seen and felt as beauty, is the least part. The shows of day, the dewy morning, the rainbow, mountains, orchards in blossom, stars, moonlight, shadows in still water, and the like, if too eagerly hunted, become shows merely, and mock us with their unreality. Go out of the house to see the moon, and 't is mere tinsel; it will not please as when its light shines upon your necessary journey. The beauty that shimmers in the yellow afternoons of October, who ever could clutch it? Go forth to find it, and it is gone: 't is only a mirage as you look from the windows of diligence.2. The presence of a higher, namely, of the spiritual element is essential to its perfection. The high and divine beauty which can be loved without effeminacy, is that which is found in combination with the human will. Beauty is the mark God sets upon virtue. Every natural action is graceful. Every heroic act is also decent, and causes the place and the bystanders to shine. We are taught by great actions that the universe is the property of every individual in it. Every rational creature has all nature for his dowry and estate. It is his, if he will. He may divest himself of it; he may creep into a corner, and abdicate his kingdom , as most men do, but he is entitled to the world by his constitution. In proportion to the energy of his thought and will, he takes up the world into himself. "All those things for which men plough, build, or sail, obey virtue;" said Sallust. "The winds and waves," said Gibbon, "are always on the side of the ablest navigators." So are the sun and moon and all the stars of heaven. When a noble act is done, -- perchance in a scene of great natural beauty; when Leonidas and his three hundred martyrs consume one day in dying, and the sun and moon come each and look at them once in the steep defile of Thermopylae; when Arnold Winkelried, in the high Alps, under the shadow of the avalanche, gathers in his side a sheaf of Austrian spears to break the line for his comrades; are not these heroes entitled to add the beauty of the scene to the beauty of the deed? When the bark of Columbus nears the shore of America; -- before it, the beach lined with savages, fleeing out of all their huts of cane; the sea behind; and the purple mountains of the Indian Archipelago around, can we separate the man from the living picture? Does not the New World clothe his form with her palm-groves and savannahs as fit drapery? Ever does natural beauty steal in like air, and envelope great actions. When Sir Harry Vane was dragged up the Tower-hill, sitting on a sled, to suffer death, as the champion of the English laws, one of the multitude cried out to him, "You never sate on so glorious a seat." Charles II., to intimidate the citizens of London, caused the patriot Lord Russel to be drawn in an open coach, through the principal streets of the city, on his way to the scaffold. "But," his biographer says, "the multitude imagined they saw liberty and virtue sitting by his side." In private places, among sordid objects, an act of truth or heroism seems at once to draw to itself the sky as its temple, the sun as its candle. Nature stretcheth out her arms to embrace man, only let his thoughts be of equal greatness. Willingly does she follow his steps with the rose and the violet, and bend her lines of grandeur and grace to the decoration of her darling child. Only let his thoughts be of equal scope, and the frame will suit the picture. A virtuous man is in unison with her works, and makes the central figure of the visible sphere. Homer, Pindar, Socrates, Phocion, associate themselves fitly in our memory with the geography and climate of Greece. The visible heavensand earth sympathize with Jesus. And in common life, whosoever has seen a person of powerful character and happy genius, will have remarked how easily he took all things along with him, -- the persons, the opinions, and the day, and nature became ancillary to a man3. There is still another aspect under which the beauty of the world may be viewed, namely, as it becomes an object of the intellect. Beside the relation of things to virtue, they have a relation to thought. The intellect searches out the absolute order of things as they stand in the mind of God, and without the colors of affection. The intellectual and the active powers seem to succeed each other, and the exclusive activity of the one, generates the exclusive activity of the other. There is something unfriendly in each to the other, but they are like the alternate periods of feeding and working in animals; each prepares and will be followed by the other. Therefore does beauty, which, in relation to actions, as we have seen, comes unsought, and comes because it is unsought, remain for the apprehension and pursuit of the intellect; and then again, in its turn, of the active power. Nothing divine dies. All good is eternally reproductive. The beauty of nature reforms itself in the mind, and not for barren contemplation, but for new creation.All men are in some degree impressed by the face of the world; some men even to delight. This love of beauty is Taste. Others have the same love in such excess, that, not content with admiring, they seek to embody it in new forms. The creation of beauty is Art.The production of a work of art throws a light upon the mystery of humanity. A work of art is an abstract or epitome of the world. It is the result or expression of nature, in miniature. For, although the works of nature are innumerable and all different, the result or the expression of them all is similar and single. Nature is a sea of forms radically alike and even unique. A leaf, a sun-beam, a landscape, the ocean, make an analogous impression on the mind. What is common to them all, -- that perfectness and harmony, is beauty. The standard of beauty is the entire circuit of natural forms, -- the totality of nature; which the Italians expressed by defining beauty "il piu nell' uno." Nothing is quite beautiful alone: nothing but is beautiful in the whole. A single object is only so far beautiful as it suggests this universal grace. The poet, the painter, the sculptor, the musician, the architect, seek each to concentrate this radiance of the world on one point, and each in his several work to satisfy the love of beauty which stimulates him to produce. Thus is Art, a nature passed through the alembic of man. Thus in art, does nature work through the will of a man filled with the beauty of her first works.The world thus exists to the soul to satisfy the desire of beauty . This element I call an ultimate end. No reason can be asked or given why the soul seeks beauty. Beauty, in its largest and profoundest sense, is one expression for the universe. God is the all-fair. Truth, and goodness, and beauty, are but different faces of the same All. But beauty in nature is not ultimate. It is the herald of inward and eternal beauty, and is not alone a solid and satisfactory good. It must stand as a part, and not as yet the last or highest expression of the final cause of Nature.Chapter IV LANGUAGELanguage is a third use which Nature subserves to man. Nature is the vehicle, and threefold degree.1. Words are signs of natural facts.2. Particular natural facts are symbols of particular spiritual facts.3. Nature is the symbol of spirit.1. Words are signs of natural facts.The use of natural history is to give us aid in supernatural history: the use of the outer creation, to give us language for the beings and changes of the inward creation. Every word which is used to express a moral or intellectual fact, if traced to its root, is found to be borrowed from some material appearance. Right means straight; wrong means twisted. Spirit primarily means wind;transgression, the crossing of a line; supercilious, the raising of the eyebrow. We say the heart to express emotion, the head to denote thought; and thought and emotion are words borrowed from sensible things, and now appropriated to spiritual nature. Most of the process by which this transformation is made, is hidden from us in the remote time when language was framed; but the same tendency may be daily observed in children. Children and savages use only nouns or names of things, which they convert into verbs, and apply to analogous mental acts.2. But this origin of all words that convey a spiritual import, -- so conspicuous a fact in the history of language, -- is our least debt to nature. It is not words only that are emblematic; it is things which are emblematic. Every natural fact is a symbol of some spiritual fact. Every appearance in nature corresponds to some state of the mind, and that state of the mind can only be described by presenting that natural appearance as its picture. An enraged man is a lion, a cunning man is a fox, a firm man is a rock, a learned man is a torch. A lamb is innocence; a snake is subtle spite; flowers express to us the delicate affections. Light and darkness are our familiar expression for knowledge and ignorance; and heat for love. Visible distance behind and before us, is respectively our image of memory and hope.Who looks upon a river in a meditative hour, and is not reminded of the flux of all things? Throw a stone into the stream, and the circles that propagate themselves are the beautiful type of all influence. Man is conscious of a universal soul within or behind his individual life, wherein, as in a firmament, the natures of Justice, Truth, Love, Freedom, arise and shine. This universal soul, he calls Reason: it is not mine, or thine, or his, but we are its; we are its property and men. And the blue sky in which the private earth is buried, the sky with its eternal calm, and full of everlasting orbs, is the type of Reason. That which, intellectually considered, we call Reason, considered in relation to nature, we call Spirit . Spirit is the Creator. Spirit hath life in itself. And man in all ages and countries, embodies it in his language, as the FATHER.It is easily seen that there is nothing lucky or capricious in these analogies, but that they are constant, and pervade nature. These are not the dreams of a few poets, here and there, but man is an analogist, and studies relations in all objects. He is placed in the centre of beings, and a ray ofrelation passes from every other being to him. And neither can man be understood without these objects, nor these objects without man. All the facts in natural history taken by themselves, have no value, but are barren, like a single sex. But marry it to human history, and it is full of life. Whole Floras, all Linnaeus' and Buffon's volumes, are dry catalogues of facts; but the most trivial of these facts, the habit of a plant, the organs, or work, or noise of an insect, applied to the illustration of a fact in intellectual philosophy, or, in any way associated to human nature, affects us in the most lively and agreeable manner. The seed of a plant, -- to what affecting analogies in the nature of man, is that little fruit made use of, in all discourse, up to the voice of Paul, who calls the human corpse a seed, -- "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body." The motion of the earth round its axis, and round the sun, makes the day, and the year. These are certain amounts of brute light and heat. But is there no intent of an analogy between man's life and the seasons? And do the seasons gain no grandeur or pathos from that analogy? The instincts of the ant are very unimportant, considered as the ant's; but the moment a ray of relation is seen to extend from it to man, and the little drudge is seen to be a monitor, a little body with a mighty heart, then all its habits, even that said to be recently observed, that it never sleeps, become sublime.Because of this radical correspondence between visible things and human thoughts, savages, who have only what is necessary, converse in figures. As we go back in history, language becomes more picturesque, until its infancy, when it is all poetry; or all spiritual facts are represented by natural symbols. The same symbols are found to make the original elements of all languages. It has moreover been observed, that the idioms of all languages approach each other in passages of the greatest eloquence and power. And as this is the first language, so is it the last. This immediate dependence of language upon nature, this conversion of an outward phenomenon into a type of somewhat in human life, never loses its power to affect us. It is this which gives that piquancy to the conversation of a strong-natured farmer or back-woodsman, which all men relish.Thus is nature an interpreter, by whose means man converses with his fellow men. A man's power to connect his thought with its proper symbol, and so to utter it, depends on the simplicity of his character, that is, upon his love of truth, and his desire to communicate it without loss. The corruption of man is followed by the corruption of language. When simplicity of character and the sovereignty of ideas is broken up by the prevalence of secondary desires, the desire of riches, of pleasure, of power, and of praise, -- and duplicity and falsehood take place of simplicity and truth, the power over nature as an interpreter of the will, is in a degree lost; new imagery ceases to be created, and old words are perverted to stand for things which are not; a paper currency is employed, when there is no bullion in the vaults. In due time, the fraud is manifest, and words lose all power to stimulate the understanding or the affections. Hundreds of writers may be found in every long-civilized nation, who for a short time believe, and make others believe, that they see and utter truths, who do not of themselves clothe one thought in its natural garment, but who feed unconsciously on the language created by the primary writers of the country, those, namely, who hold primarily on nature.But wise men pierce this rotten diction and fasten words again to visible things; so that picturesque language is at once a commanding certificate that he who employs it, is a man in alliance with truth and God. The moment our discourse rises above the ground line of familiar。
爱默生作品nature英文简介
爱默生作品nature英文简介Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Nature" was published in 1836 and is regarded as one of the foundational texts of the transcendentalist movement in American literature. In this essay, Emerson explores the relationship between humans and nature, advocating for a closer connection to the natural world.Emerson argues that nature is a source of inspiration and spiritual renewal for humans. He suggests that by immersing oneself in nature, individuals can experience a sense ofunity with the universe and tap into their own inherent divinity. According to Emerson, nature can provide solace and bring harmony to one's soul.Emerson also emphasizes the importance of individuality and self-reliance, cautioning against conformity and blind adherence to societal norms. He urges his readers to followtheir own intuition and embrace their unique thoughts and ideas. Nature, for Emerson, serves as a direct incentive for cultivating individuality and pursuing personal growth.Furthermore, Emerson discusses the concept of "oversoul" in this essay, which refers to a universal spirit or divine essence that transcends individual existence. He suggeststhat by seeking harmony with nature, humans can tap into this higher consciousness and gain a deeper understanding oflife's purpose.Overall, "Nature" is an essay that encourages readers to embrace the beauty of the natural world, explore their own individuality, and strive for a deeper spiritual connection with the universe. It laid the groundwork for the transcendentalist movement and continues to inspire readers to this day.。
解读nature
Nature (essay)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchNature is an essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, published anonymously in 1836. It is in this essay that the foundation of transcendentalism is put forth, a belief system that espouses a non-traditional appreciation of nature. Recent advances in zoology, botany, and geology confirmed Emerson's intuitions about the intricate relationships of Nature at large.A visit to the Muséum National d'Hi stoire Naturelle in Paris inspired a set of lectures delivered in Boston and subsequently the ideas leading to the publication of Nature.Emerson defines nature as a paradise rather than being ruled by a superior being[edit] OverviewEmerson by Johnson, 1846Many scholars identify Emerson as one of the first writers (with others, notably Walt Whitman) to develop a literary style and vision that is uniquely American, rather than following in the footsteps of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and others who were strongly influenced by their British cultural heritage. "Nature" is the first significant work to establish this new way of looking at The Americas and its raw, natural environment. In England, all natural things are a reference to layers ofhistorical events, a reflection of human beings. However, in America, all of nature was relatively new to Western Civilization with no man-made meaning. With this clean slate, as it were, Emerson was enabled to see nature through new eyes and rebuild nature's role in the world.Henry David Thoreau had read "Nature" as a senior at Harvard College and took it to heart. It eventually became an essential influence for Thoreau's later writings, including his seminal Walden.Emerson followed the success of this essay with a famous speech entitled "The American Scholar". These two works laid the foundation for both his new philosophy and his literary career.Commentary onRalph Waldo Emerson's NatureProf. Eric Steinhart (C) 1998[ Steinhart | PHIL 218 Home | Readings | Schedule | Philosophy Home ]Chapter by chapter commentary:0. Introduction1. Nature2. Commodity3. Beauty4. Language5. Discipline6. Idealism7. Spirit8. ProspectsIntroduction0.1 Our age is spiritually dead. Previous generations interacted with God directly; but our age interacts with God only indirectly, by studying the past, that is, the Bible. But we can also experience God directly. To do so, we have to turn away from the past, that is, away from church doctrine, and toward nature. So Emerson starts with an explicit attack on the Christian fundamentalism of his day.0.2 Nature is self-describing; it has no secrets. Since God has made nature according to a plan, any question we put to nature is one that nature will answer. Nature is a great system of appearances. While scientists investigate the order in nature, we have to wonder why this order exists at all: "to what end is nature?". Why does nature exist? What is the purpose of nature?0.3 Science tries "to find a theory of nature"; that is, science tries to find a theory of God's plan or design for creation. The key to finding this plan is abstract thought: "the most abstract truth is the most practical." The true scientific theory is supported by experimental evidence: "Whenever a true theory appears, it will be its own evidence. Its test is, that it will explain all phenomena." Emerson now gives a list of phenomena that need explanations; the list is interesting, since they are all phenomena that combine spirit with matter: "language, sleep, madness, dreams, beasts, sex."0.4 Philosophers divide reality into "Nature and the Soul"; this is the Cartesian dualism of mind and body, spirit and matter, thought and extension. Nature is "all that is separate from us"; it is "the NOT ME, that is, both nature and art, all other men and my own body." The distinction between natural and artificial, between nature and technology, is superficial. Emerson will argue that the division or duality of nature and the soul is illusory. Nature and the soul really exist in harmony, but this harmony is an analogy. The system of relations in nature has the same structure as the system of relations in the soul. Soul and nature are not the same; they are not even similar; but they are analogous. Both have the same structure.Chapter I: NATURE1.1 To have a direct relation with nature, with God's divine creation, simply go out and look at the stars.1.2 The mind must be open to the appearances of nature in order to achieve true wisdom.1.3 The mind that is truly open to nature's own truth is poetic. There is a difference between the poet and the engineer. The purpose or end of nature for the engineer or practical business person is that nature is a source of raw materials for human use; the purpose or end of nature for the poet is that nature is a beautiful order. The engineer sees the part; the poet sees the whole.1.4 Because most of us look at nature only with our own desires in mind, we do not really see nature. We need to look at nature as if we were little children, without adult cares and needs. Adults are morally corrupt; children are innocent and able to have a direct relation with God's design. But an adult can be childlike if he or she is virtuous: "The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other." Nature arouses all the emotions in us, because there is something emotional in nature. The infinity of nature absorbs the finiteness of the human self. The finite self ascends to the divine perspective of God, it rises to the God's-Eye view of the world: "I become a transparent eye-ball;I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God." In the wilderness there is something that is as beautiful as humanity. Emerson's idea of the self in wilderness as an all-seeing spectator is very different than Thoreau's idea. For Thoreau, the self in wilderness is active.1.5 There is a relation of correspondence or analogy between human being and all natural beings: for instance, there is a spiritual (occult) relation between people and plants. Nature and spirit mirror one another. This is an old Neoplatonic idea, which also flourished in the Rennaisance (Paracelsus), and which around Emerson's time was talked about by Emanuel Swedenborg. Swedenborg founded a new semi-Christian religious sect. It was sort of "New Age".1.6 What is essential is to be in harmony with nature. But to be in harmony with nature is to be in harmony with God's design; it is to be morally virtuous. Our relation with nature is emotional and spiritual: "Nature always wears the colors of the spirit." We project our emotions into nature, and nature reflects them back to us. Nature is a mirror of the moral state of the soul.Chapter II: COMMODITY2.1 God made nature for a purpose; this purpose is to be useful to humanity. There are several classes of usefulness: "Commodity; Beauty; Language; and Discipline."2.2 Nature exists to serve human needs. Emerson's view of nature is Biblical. Nature remains something like the Garden of Eden, which God made as the perfect home for Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve were morally virtuous (before the original sin), they existed in a perfect harmony with nature -- nature was not alien or hostile, it was a kind of perfect technology that satisfied all human needs. But after the Fall of Humanity(original sin), humanity is morally corrupt and is no longer able to be in harmony with nature. This is the Biblical Curse: Adam and Eve are thrown out of the Garden of Eden and now have to work to be satisfied by nature. God's punishment is both just and merciful: despite our moral wickedness, nature still serves us if we work. Nature does not hate us: all the miseries we suffer at the hands of nature (earthquakes, tornadoes, disease, death) are just indications of our own moral corruption. But if we work on our Salvation, we can restore ourselves and the earth to that original state. We can become like Adam and Eve before the Fall, and we can restore the Earth to a perfect Garden of Eden.2.3 Nature exists to serve human needs: "Nature, in its ministry to man, is not only the material, but is also the process and the result. All the parts incessantly work into each other's hands for the profit of man. . . . the endless circulations of the divine charity nourish man." Human values are built into nature; what is good for us is naturally good. Science reveals a theoretical correspondence (truth) with nature; religion reveals a moral correspondence (goodness).2.4 Technology is the arrangement of natural forces and causes for the benefit of humanity, to serve human needs: "The useful arts are reproductions or new combinations by the wit of man, of the same natural benefactors." Technology is human work. Nature responds to this work. Technology is magical, but it is a kind of magic that requires effort. If we were morally virtuous, we would not have to work, but our wishes would become realities. Emerson thinks that the true relation of humanity with nature is magical.2.5 There is no need to list all the benefits humanity gains from its technological or practical work. But these benefits are not ends in themselves: "A man is fed, not that he may be fed, but that he may work." The work Emerson has in mind is moral work on the soul.Chapter III: BEAUTY3.1 People have animal needs, but these are morally low: "A nobler want of man is served by nature, namely, the love of Beauty."3.2 Nature is a totality of appearances; but these appearances are ordered aesthetically. The fact that we find beauty in nature shows that nature is organized according to the same principles of the human soul. Beauty is a spiritual value.3.3 For better consideration, we may distribute the aspects of Beauty ina threefold manner.3.4. Nature refreshes humanity; it restores the human spirit.3.5 Philosophical thought (abstract conceptual reasoning) is mirrored in the appearances of nature: "broad noon shall be my England of the senses and the understanding; the night shall be my Germany of mystic philosophy and dreams." Natural appearances organize themselves according to the principles of thought.3.6 Nature speaks to humanity: "What was it that nature would say? Was there no meaning in the live repose of the valley behind the mill, and which Homer or Shakspeare could not reform for me in words?" For Emerson, the metaphor that "nature speaks to man" is a profound spiritual truth, as the chapter on "Language" will argue. There is a structure of concepts in or behind the play of appearances; this is the Platonic world of forms. Nature in process is like music; there is a correspondence between human culture and nature. Nature and humanity once spoke the same language (the Adamic language, that Adam and Eve spoke in the Garden of Eden), a language with which we could command nature; but now we have forgotten that original Adamic language.3.7 That we are out of tune with nature is shown by the fact that we do not appreciate nature always; we prefer summer to winter, but both are equally beautiful and have equal spiritual value.3.8 It's easy to be seduced by the superficial show of appearances; but mere entertainment is not the ultimate point of natural beauty.3.9 2. The ultimate purpose of natural beauty is spiritual and moral; it is to raise us to harmony with nature's true organization, which is a divine moral order: natural law is divine law. Virtuous acts, like those of heroes, are spiritually and morally beautiful. Heroic acts illustrate our true relation with nature. We can all be heroes: "We are taught by great actions that the universe is the property of every individual in it. Every rational creature has all nature for his dowry and estate. It is his, if he will. . . . he is entitled to the world by his constitution. In proportion to the energy of his thought and will, he takes up the world into himself." The idea that we are all truly heroes is one Emerson takes up again in "Self-Reliance". Nature is in fact morally organized, so that causes and effects are morally linked. If you are good, nature rewards you directly; if you are evil, nature itself punishes you directly. The probability that you will achieve your goal is directly proportional to the goodness of your goal and the goodness of your character: "A virtuousman is in unison with [nature's] works . . . The visible heavens and earth sympathize with Jesus." Nature cooperates with human moral virtue. This has got to be the most outrageous thing I ever heard.3.10 Nature is sensually beautiful, it is beautiful morally, and it is beautiful intellectually: "Beside the relation of things to virtue, they have a relation to thought." Science maps the mind of God: "The intellect searches out the absolute order of things as they stand in the mind of God." Reason and emotion are not enemies; the logos (the cyclical alternation of opposites) binds them together. Reason deciphers the word of God in nature; the word of God is not just in a dead book (the Bible), but is written in the book of nature. Nature is also scripture, and science studies this other book.3.11 Emerson now turns to human art, not merely technological art that serves human needs ("Commodity"), but art for the sake of beauty. This is a higher spiritual art.3.12 Human art imitates nature. While the particular partial details of nature are unique and seem to be isolated, they all work together and are harmonious; nature is entirely consistent with itself. Beauty at its highest spiritual intensity is the order of the whole of nature. Ugliness and evil are partial and limited; the whole is beautiful and good. Art is the power of divine creation working through humanity: "Thus is Art, a nature passed through the alembic of man. Thus in art, does nature work through the will of a man filled with the beauty of her first works." Human artifice, such as technology, ought to be a second nature totally harmonious with the first. We can see how far we have fallen morally because our technology destroys or degrades the natural environment. A truly morally virtuous humanity would make technology in harmony with nature.3.13 The ultimate purpose of nature is to satisfy the human soul; beauty is one way that nature satisfies the soul. Although beauty is an end in itself, it is not the highest ultimate end of nature. Natural beauty symbolizes spiritual beauty, the order of ideas in the mind of God. Nature is the mirror of God's mind, in which we can see God's mind and converse with God, if only we remember the language.Chapter IV: LANGUAGE4.1 Language also shows how nature is designed for humanity. Here Emerson makes 3 radical statements: "1. Words are signs of natural facts. 2.Particular natural facts are symbols of particular spiritual facts. 3. Nature is the symbol of spirit."4.2 It's obviously true that "Words are signs of natural facts", but the use of metaphors like "crooked" for corrupt shows how natural signs are symbols of spiritual facts too. Language reveals an analogy between nature and spirit, it shows that nature mirrors spirit. Spirit and nature have the same structure.4.3 Analogies are correspondences. Every pattern in natural reality corresponds to some pattern in spiritual reality: "Every appearance in nature corresponds to some state of the mind, and that state of the mind can only be described by presenting that natural appearance as its picture." This would be obviously true if Emerson were talking about sensual perception and imagination; but Emerson is talking about moral-spiritual perception and imagination. Nature is a kind of mirror in which we see moral-spiritual qualities: we see human innocence in the lamb. There are two levels of perception: sensual and moral-spiritual. When you percieve something (the lamb), you see both its sensual features (white, fluffy) and its moral-spiritual features (innocence). Metaphors like "the angry sky" show that human moral values exist in the structure of natural appearances. The appearance of the stormy sky corresponds to the mental turbulence of an angry person. But is this true or is it delusional?4.4 If you look deep enough into nature, you see that there is both a universal soul in nature and yourself; this universal soul is Reason. Later Emerson will call this universal soul "the oversoul". Reason has no particular human identity, but it is nevertheless personal (God is a person). Reason in nature is Spirit. Spirit is a divine creative power in nature. Spirit is self-moving (Hegel); it is a vital life-force.4.5 The moral-spiritual structure in nature really does correspond to the moral-spiritual structure of humanity. The moral-spiritual analogies and correspondences between humanity and nature are not accidental myths, but constant and universal. Emerson wants to claim that the analogies are objective, not subjective. Of course, this is exactly where Emerson is open to radical criticism. While the analogies may not be accidental, they may just be conventional. It is certainly true that there is a correspondence between human anger and the storm, but this correspondence might be so superficial that it is false to say "the sky is angry" and wrong to think that there is any analogy between human emotions and the weather. I do not think there is the slightest validity to Emerson's reasoning; but he is raising an extremely important moral problem: what is the relation between human morality and nature?4.6 Anthropologically, it's somewhat true that "The same symbols are found to make the original elements of all languages"; Emerson wants this universality to serve as evidence for the objectivity of the analogy between spirit and nature, but all this universality might reveal is a fact about humanity: people personify nature, people project their own values and emotions into nature. The fact that everybody does it does not make it true or real. Everybody might think they can fly, but then everybody would be delusional. Universal irrationality is still irrationality. Suppose Emerson is wrong, so that no analogies or trivially true analogies hold between humanity and nature; is it then true that nature and humanity have nothing in common morally? If this is true, then one is led to the conclusion that nature is valueless and meaningless, and our values are absurd. Consider the proposition "It is morally wrong for one person to murder another person" -- is this proposition a natural fact like e = mc2 or like 1+1=2, or is it just a fact about human cultural conventions? Is there a scientific basis for human morality and values?I think Emerson's arguments are weak; but that does not mean his claim that nature and humanity are morally analogous is wrong.4.7 Emerson has argued that there is a moral-spiritual analogy between humanity and nature. Other theologians have claimed that this analogy exists, so Emerson isn't very original so far. But now he makes two radically original claims. Now he gets extreme. First, he claims that people are able to intellectually understand the moral-spiritual analogy only in proportion to the goodness or virtue of their character: "The corruption of man is followed by the corruption of language." Second, he claims that people are able to practically utilize the moral-spiritual analogy only in proportion to the goodness or virtue of their character, so that insofar as we are morally corrupt "the power over nature as an interpreter of the will, is in a degree lost." Of course, initially he is just talking about speech in a vague way; but Emerson will claim in the end that true speech directly commands nature, that true speech has magical power over nature. Emerson has in mind poetic speech, emotional speech. If our desires were truly good, all we would have to do to satisfy them would be to say what they are. Wishes and dreams that are truly spoken would be true in reality just because of the truth of the speech. This is the power of poetical truth.4.8 A person who uses the moral-spiritual analogy correctly "is a man in alliance with truth and God." Pure poetic speech "is proper creation. It is the working of the Original Cause", and hence pure poetic speech is able to command and master nature. Think about it: if your character were truly morally good, your speech would be pure poetry that would make yourwishes come true, because your speech would have the divine power of the word of God.4.9 Pure poetic speech (the speech of the perfectly good person) is likea magical spell: "And with these [poetic] forms, the spells of persuasion, the keys of power are put into his hands." Just say the magic words, and your desires will be satisfied. You will be able to work miracles just by talking.4.10 Because we are morally corrupt, we do not comprehend the true power of language and we use it only to express the corrupted facts of our corrupted desires. But the poetic speech of the morally good person has the power to command nature: "Parts of speech are metaphors, because the whole of nature is a metaphor of the human mind. The laws of moral nature answer to those of matter as face to face in a glass. . . . The axioms of physics translate the laws of ethics." Emerson knows that science has found that true speech is the mathematical formulation of the laws of nature, and that if we talk to nature by acting on it using mathematical laws, we are able to master nature; but such action is work, and is not yet pure poetical speech. It is useful speech, but not yet magical speech.4.11 In proverbs, natural facts illustrate spiritual facts.4.12 The moral-spiritual analogy "between the mind and matter is not fancied by some poet, but stands in the will of God, and so is free to be known by all men." You can become a divine magician if you totally subordinate your will to the will of God. The physical world is just the concrete manifestation of the spiritual world; physical laws are imitations of higher spiritual laws. The material world imitates the spiritual world; physical things "preexist in necessary Ideas in the mind of God, and are what they are by virtue of preceding affections, in the world of spirit." Material things are actually just the concrete thoughts of God, uttered in a kind of physical speech. When God speaks a word, a thing is created. God says: "Let there be light," and there is light. Light is just a word of God. Our words can have this same power if we are truly morally good.4.13 When we want to permanently preserve our thoughts, we write them down in a book; when God wants to permanently preserve his thoughts, he writes them down in matter. The world is a book that is written by God; we can learn to read that book: "A life in harmony with nature, the love of truth and of virtue, will purge the eyes to understand her [nature's] text. By degrees we may come to know the primitive sense of the permanent objects of nature, so that the world shall be to us an open book, and every form significant of its hidden life and final cause." Of course, this is whatscientists do when they formulate theories of nature in mathematical language; Emerson said that already in the Introduction. But mathematical language is just a degraded form of the true poetic language, which is magical.4.14 True speech becomes true power.Chapter V: DISCIPLINE5.1 Scientific reasoning is a kind of moral-spiritual discipline; this discipline purifies the soul and so lets us master nature.5.2 Reason studies God's will and thought by reading the book of nature scientifically.5.3 1. Science is sensual-intellectual discipline because it forces our minds to submit to the morally pure order in nature: "Nature is a discipline of the understanding in intellectual truths. Our dealing with sensible objects is a constant exercise in the necessary lessons of difference, of likeness, of order, of being and seeming, of progressive arrangement; of ascent from particular to general; of combination to one end of manifold forces." But this sensual-intellectual discipline is not absolute, like pure poetry.5.4 Obedience to human laws and social conventions, the order of society, is also an intellectual discipline, though not perfect.5.5 Scientific discipline leads to technological mastery; practical wisdom leads to technical improvement of social relations.5.6 Nature is strict truth without ambiguity.5.7 The utility of reason even in primitive technology proves that nature is ordered rationally.5.8 The study of physics for its own sake is morally edifying; it raises the human mind to the level of God's divine mind.5.9 The mind of God is infinitely complex, and scientific progress is the steady harmonization of human will with God's will.5.10 Examples follow.5.11 Scientific reasoning leads to technological power: man is able to "reduce under his will, not only particular events, but great classes, nay the whole series of events, and so conform all facts to his character." Applied science transforms the world into an image of the human mind: "One after another, his victorious thought comes up with and reduces all things, until the world becomes, at last, only a realized will, -- the double of the man."; but the human mind is only an image of God's divine mind.5.12 2. The rational scientific order of nature is also a rational moral and spiritual order. It is clear that we gain great practical power by studying the rational scientific order of nature; when we master the rational moral-spiritual order of nature, we will have godlike power.5.13 The true meaning of physics is moral: "every natural process is a version of a moral sentence. The moral law lies at the centre of nature and radiates to the circumference. It is the pith and marrow of every substance, every relation, and every process."5.14 Nature is One; it is a unified whole; that is, it is ultimately God. But every part perfectly imitates the whole in its own way: "Each particle is a microcosm, and faithfully renders the likeness of the world." This is part of the key to magical speech: each part of nature is a thought in the mind of God, and so can be spoken to in the pure divine poetical language.5.15 Everything in nature resembles everything else, everything is thus magically interconnected: "A rule of one art, or a law of one organization, holds true throughout nature. So intimate is this Unity, that, it is easily seen, it lies under the undermost garment of nature, and betrays its source in Universal Spirit. For, it pervades Thought also. Every universal truth which we express in words, implies or supposes every other truth."5.16 Human rational speech, the kind of rational speech that orders nature in engineering and technology, is a lousy imitation of the poetical magical speech that directly commands nature.5.17 Although we can speak technically and scientifically to nature, and it will listen and obey our speech, we can also speak poetically or spiritually to nature -- we can hear God's words in nature, and we can learn to respond to them: to converse with God is true magic.5.18 Friendship among humans is just a symbol of the ideal relation between humanity and nature. Two friends see that they think alike; if we were friends with nature, we would see that humanity and nature think alike, since both are thoughts of God.。
nature
• In Britain, Samuel Johnson’s Letter to Lord Chesterfield is called the Declaration of Intellectual Independence
His Influence
In terms of American literature, Emerson’s transcendentalism not only enriched the content and theme in American writing but also made a breakthrough in expression forms.
He made the acquaintance with Henry David Thoreau(梭罗)who was also an active Transcendentalist. Thoreau helped Emerson to edit the Transcendentalist journal, the Dial and was susceptible to Oriental influences such as Hinduism and Confucianism.
• Nature (1836), a major contribution to American Romanticism and Transcendentalism, was favorably received among his friends.
Emerson’s transcendentalism:
• The individual, not the crowd, is the most important of all. If a man depends on himself, cultivates himself and brings out the divine himself, he can hope to become better and even perfect.
爱默生英文简介_英文简历模板
爱默生英文简介拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生，美国思想家、文学家，诗人。
爱默生是确立美国文化精神的代表人物。
下面是小编为你整理的爱默生英文简介，希望对你有用!拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生简介Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 - April 27, 1882) was born in Boston. American thinker, writer, poet. Emerson is the representative of the American culture. Former US President Lincoln called him "American Confucius" and "Father of American Civilization". Published in 1836 debut "on nature". His contribution to literature is mainly in prose and poetry. 18 April 1882 died in Boston.拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生文学生涯In September 1835, Emerson and other like-minded intellectuals founded the Transcendental Club. Until July 1840, Emerson published his first essay in September 1836, Nature ". When the work becomes the basic principle of transcendence, many people immediately think that this is the Italian works.In 1837 Emerson published a famous speech on the theme of "American Scholar", proclaiming that American literature had been independent from British literature and warned American scholars not to let the study learn to spread, do not blindly follow tradition, imitate. In addition, this speech also criticized the American society of money worship, emphasizing the value of people. Known as the United States in the field of ideological and cultural "Declaration of Independence".One year later, Emerson criticized the only deity of Christianity in the Dean of the Theological Seminary, striving for the supreme human being, and advocating the intuition of thetruth. "Believe in your own thoughts, and believe that what is right in your heart that is right for you is applicable to all ... ..." literary critics Lawrence Bull in the "Emerson Biography" said, Emerson and his doctrine, Is the most important secular religion in the United States.In 1838 he was invited to return to Harvard University Theological Seminary for the graduation ceremony. His comments immediately shocked the entire Protestant community, because he explained that when Jesus was a man, he was not God (at that time people would rather not hear such a speech). Thus, he was condemned as an atheist and poisoned the young man's mind, and faced with these criticisms he did not make any response or defense. In the following 40 years, he was no longer invited to the Harvard University speech, but in the mid-1880s, his position became a doctrine of the doctrine.ProceedingsIn 1840 Emerson was the editor of the "sundial" of the transcendentalist publication, further promoting transcendentalism. Later, he compiled his own speech into a book, which is the famous "Proceedings". The first episode of the Proceedings was published in 1841, including 12 papers such as "On Self-help", "On Spirit", "On Compensation", "On Love", "On Friendship". Three years later, the second episode of the Proceedings was also published. This book as Emerson won a great reputation, his mind is called the core of transcendentalism, he himself was known as the "American Renaissance leader" reputation.In early 1842, Emerson's eldest son of China because of suffering from scarlet fever and died. Emerson presented his grief in his two masterpieces: an elegy and his essay "Experience"(Experience). In the same year William James was born, Emerson agreed to be his godfather.Emerson became a famous speaker in New England and other countries outside the United States. When he can not attend some speeches as scheduled, Frederick Douglas will replace him. Emerson's speech has many different themes, many of his works are extracted from his speech.Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau are friends and often walk with them at Concord. Emerson inspired Thoreau's talent. Thoreau has also built a house in Walden, of Jackson County, Colorado. When Thoreau lives in Walden, Emerson offers food and hires Thoreau to finish some work. When Thoreau left Walden two years later, Emerson left because he wanted to travel, and Thoreau lived at Emerson's home.Their friendly relationship was broken by Thomson's first book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, when Ruth gave rude advice. This book is not very extensive design, and Emerson took him to see their agents, which allows Thoreau to bear the cost of publishing this book and the risk. Readers of this book is not much, this thoreau began to bear the debt. Finally, the two of them reconcile some of the differences, but Thoreau in private still condemned Emerson gradually deviated from his initial outlook on life, and Emerson began to Thoreau as a weary person. Emerson gave a negative evaluation of Thoreau's rhetoric in the 19th century.Emerson is an abstract and esoteric writer, but his speech still has a lot of people to listen. Emerson's work is based on his diary's observation of things, and when he was still at Harvard, he had written diary habits, and those diaries were carefullyindexed by Emerson. He writes his own experiences and ideas in his diary and brings out some meaningful messages and combines with his intensive and condensed lecture essence. Later, he revised and relented the content of the speech, so that his essay and some other works.He was a man who was regarded as one of the great performers at the time, and fascinated the audience with a low voice. He was very enthusiastic and treated with an equal attitude and valued the audience. His straightforward and uncompromising stance on the abolition of niggerism led him to object to and mock after talking about the subject. He continues to publish a radical abolition of the slaves but does not consider whether people like it. He tried to refrain from joining any open political movement or group, and was often eager to be independent, which reflected his individualist position. He often insisted not to advocate, to become a person alone on their own. In his later years, people wanted him to count the number of his writings, and he still said that his faith was "infinite individual".Emerson's early reading of the French essayist Montaigne's works, and by its great influence. He understood the personal style from these works and began to lower his trust in God. He never read Kant's work, but he read Coleridge's explanation of the German transcendentalist. This makes Emerson do not believe in the soul and God.influencesAfter Emerson died, he was buried in the Slippe Valley Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts. In May 20xx, Emerson published the "Theological Seminary" after 168 years, Harvard University Theological Seminary announced the creation of UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association).Emerson's collection of many of the prose of "Collected Essays: First (1841) and Second (1844) Series" is considered one of the 100 masterpieces.Emerson's Proceedings praised the idea that people would trust themselves, and those who believed in themselves were representatives of all, because he perceived the universal truth. Emerson with a transcendentalist's tone, quietly narrated his view of the world, transcendentalism combined and penetrated the neo-Platonism and similar Calvin sectarian a serious moral and that can be in all natural In the discovery of God's love romantic optimism.Emerson likes to speak, face the crowd to make him excited, he said he felt a great emotion in the call, his main reputation and achievements established here. He became the leader of American transcendentalism through his own essays and speeches, and became the most important of the informal philosophers. His philosophical spirit is manifested in the remarkable view of logic and empiricism. He despises the exploration of pure theory and believes in nature, which embodies the laws of God and God.In addition to the Proceedings, Emerson's works include "Representatives", "British Characteristics", "Poems", "May Festival and Other Poems".Emerson 's prose writer, thinker, poet in one. His poetry, prose unique, pay attention to the ideological content and not too much emphasis on rhetoric gorgeous, writing like aphorism, philosophical easy to understand, persuasive, and a typical "Emerson style." Some people commented on his words: "Emerson seems to only write a sentence," his text reveals the temperament is difficult to describe: both full of autocratic andno doubt, but also has an open spirit of democracy; both aristocratic arrogance , More civilians of the direct; both clear and easy to understand, and often mixed with some kind of mysticism ... ... a person can be inserted in an article so many alarm is really amazing, those worth it in the morning Why do you read the words always inspiring, the years are not for him to cover the dust, but against the background he was sparkling.Emerson's greatest achievement in the history of American culture and literature is that he insists on the establishment of an independent national culture and literature. He is against the sudden attack, follow the footsteps. He preached the spiritual independence of the New World. Emerson's thought in its famous "American philosopher" in the further development. Emerson asked the American thinkers to "know themselves", "observe the natural", search by others long, create a new culture of the new continent, write their own books, in order to achieve their own perfection at the same time, for human progress contribution. He asked the American philosopher to be an independent thinker, not someone else's thought.He pointed out that the book contains the wisdom of the past era, but can not step by step in the past, can not regulate the moment step. He asked scholars to become a universe, rather than being pulled out of their own orbit. Some of the ideas are creative, some of the behavior is creative, some of the rhetoric is creative, these are from the mind itself feel good and the United States naturally gush out. He warned that the genius of the past could be the enemy of today's genius, and that Shakespeare could "modernize" the original style of modernity. American scholars should look forward, the eyes long in front of the head, full of hope to write their own books, each era should write theirown books.。
RalphWaldoEmerson爱默生作品赏析
拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生 （1803-1882 ）
1
Ralph Waldo Emerson
2
Life Story
? Born in Boston, Massachusetts (the same street as the birth home of Benjamin Franklin) in May 25, 1803.
charm his readers, but encourage them to cultivate 'self -trust‘, to become what they ought to be, and to be open to the intuitive （直觉的，直观的） world
of experience.
? In 1829 Emerson married the seventeen-year-old Ellen Louisa Tucker, who died in 1831 from tuberculosis （肺结 核）. （ legacy/ traveling, lecturing, and writing ）
? Much of his spiritual insight comes from his readings
in Eastern religion, especConfucianism （儒家思想，儒教）, and Islamic Sufism
（伊斯兰教的苏菲派）(即Islamic mysticism 神秘主义 ).
6
Life Story
? 3 years after he became the sole pastor, he had a crisis of faith, finding that he was not interested in the rite of Communion. (teacher/reform)
Ralph Waldo Emerson 拉尔夫 沃尔多 爱默生
◆Father passes away at age 8 and Emerson is left to support his four other brothers. ◆Ralph was asked to share a coat with his brother Edward to save finances. ◆Despite the hardships, all the Emerson boys, except one, graduated from
站长素材
站长素材
Self-Reliance (1841): This essay focuses on his discussion on the individual’s relation’s with his culture—culture in the broadest definition, thus exploring the implications of the fierce individualism at the heart of his Transcendental faith: the dignity, the ultimate sanctity[holiness] of each human being.
The Famous Saying:
Standing on the bare ground,my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space, all mean egotism vanishes. I became a transparent eyeball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God.
爱默生诗歌中英对照
爱默生诗歌中英对照引言爱默生（Ralph Waldo Emerson）是19世纪美国著名的思想家、文学家和诗人。
他的诗歌作品融合了浪漫主义和超验主义的元素，以自然界和人类精神为主题，表达了他对自由、个人主义和人类潜力的信念。
本文将对爱默生的一些代表性诗歌进行中英对照，并对其主题和意义进行全面、详细、完整且深入地探讨。
诗歌一：《自然》（Nature）主题•与自然融为一体•人与自然的关系内容概要1.描述自然的美丽和神秘2.强调人应与自然保持和谐3.呼吁人们从自然中获得灵感和意义主要诗句•“To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society.”•“To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature.”•“In the woods, we return to reason and faith.”诗歌二：《吼狮》（The Sphinx）主题•人的自我探索和自我认知•人生的意义和真理的追求内容概要1.以古埃及神话形象来探索人的内心世界2.推动读者思考关于生命和人类经验的深层问题3.引导人们寻找自我认知和个人成长的路径主要诗句•“The Sphinx is drowsy.”•“She has no discoverable right to existence.”•“Very unwillingly would it be wooed back to its captivity.”诗歌三：《独立宣言》（The Concord Hymn）主题•爱国主义和自由精神•个人的力量和创造力内容概要1.纪念美国独立战争中的列克星敦和康科德战役2.强调自由、勇气和牺牲精神的重要性3.鼓励个人追求和实现自己的理想和价值主要诗句•“By the rude bridge that arched the flood, their flag to April’s breeze unfurled.”•“Spirit, that made those heroes dare to die.”•“Here once the embattled farmers stood and fired the shot heard round the world.”结论通过对爱默生的诗歌进行中英对照分析，我们可以看到他对自然、人类经验、自我认知和自由精神等主题的关注。
拉尔夫沃尔多艾默生nature文章的译文to get to
拉尔夫沃尔多艾默生nature文章的译文to get toMine are the night and morning，我拥有黑夜与清晨，The pits of air， the gulf of space，大气的沟壑，空间的深渊，The sportive sun， the gibbous moon，太阳嬉闹，月华盈盈，The innumerable days.数不清的一天天。
I hid in the solar glory，我躲进阳光的辉煌，I am dumb in the pealing song，在隆隆的歌里沉默，I rest on the pitch of the torrent，停在洪流的波面，In slumber I am strong.我在酣眠中强壮。
No numbers have counted my tallies，没有数字将我计数，No tribes my house can fill，没有部落充满我的房屋，I sit by the shining Fount of Life，坐在波光潋滟的生命泉边，And pour the deluge still；我默默将洪流倾注；And ever by delicate powers曾经倚靠精妙的力Gathering along the centuries沿着诸多的世纪采集From race on race the rarest flowers，一种接一种珍稀的花朵，My wreath shall nothing miss.我的花冠上什么都不会逃过。
And many a thousand summers经过成千上万个夏季My apples ripened well，我的苹果都成熟得健康，And light from meliorating stars 变化着的星星闪烁With firmer glory fell.撒下坚实的光芒。
I wrote the past in characters 我用岩石的质地书写往昔Of rock and fire the scroll.并焚烧那些纸制卷轴。
爱默生 nature读后感
爱默生 nature读后感英文回答：In Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Nature," he explores the concept of nature and its relationship with human beings. The essay is a reflection on the beauty and power of nature and how it can inspire and uplift the human spirit.Emerson begins by asserting that nature is a source of spiritual and intellectual inspiration. He believes that nature is a manifestation of the divine and that by immersing ourselves in it, we can connect with the universal spirit. He argues that nature has a profound effect on our senses and emotions, and that through this connection, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.Emerson also emphasizes the importance of individualism and self-reliance. He encourages readers to trust their owninstincts and intuition rather than conforming to societal expectations. According to Emerson, society often stifles individuality and creativity, and it is only by embracing our unique selves that we can truly experience the beauty and power of nature.Furthermore, Emerson suggests that nature has a transformative effect on our perception of time. He argues that when we are immersed in nature, we lose track of time and experience a sense of eternity. This notion challenges the conventional understanding of time and suggests that our connection with nature can transcend the limitations of the physical world.Emerson's essay also explores the concept of beauty in nature. He contends that beauty is not merely a superficial quality but a reflection of the divine. He suggests that by appreciating the beauty in nature, we can develop a deeper understanding of the world and ourselves. In this sense, nature becomes a teacher and a guide, leading us towards self-discovery and enlightenment.中文回答：在拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生的《自然》一文中，他探讨了自然与人类的关系。
爱默生的自然智慧
爱默生的自然智慧爱默生（Ralph Waldo Emerson）是19世纪美国的一位著名思想家、哲学家和作家，他被公认为是美国文学的重要人物之一。
他的许多作品都强调了与自然相连的重要性，提倡个人独立和自由的思考。
本文将探讨爱默生的自然智慧，解读他对自然界的独特见解以及这些见解对今天的启示。
一、爱默生与自然的关系爱默生深信人类与自然界之间存在一种紧密而和谐的联系。
他认为自然界是充满智慧的，人们可以通过观察和与之亲近来获取智慧。
他称这种智慧为“亲近自然的智慧（Wisdom of Nature）”。
爱默生相信，通过与自然界紧密接触，人们可以感受到自然的力量和美丽，从而更好地理解人类与自然之间的相互依存关系。
他主张个体应该与自然保持直接的联系，并通过亲身经历赋予自己智慧与洞察力。
二、爱默生的自然观在爱默生的作品中，他详细阐述了自己对自然的独特观点。
他认为自然是一种充满智慧和生命力的存在，每一个生命体都有其独特的目的和意义。
他称这种智慧为“自然智慧（Transcendental Wisdom）”。
爱默生相信自然是源源不断地变化和更新的，其中包含着无穷的智慧和启示。
他主张个体应该通过与自然的融合来获取这种智慧。
通过与自然的亲近，人们可以获得内在的平静和灵感，从而提升自己的生活质量和思维方式。
三、爱默生对教育的看法爱默生在自己的作品中强调了教育的重要性，并提出了一种新颖而与众不同的教育理念。
他主张教育应该注重培养个人独立思考和自由表达的能力。
他认为教育不应该仅仅是死记硬背和知识灌输，而应该通过激发学生的创造力和独立思考，培养他们成为自由而有思想的人。
爱默生强调了教育与自然的联系，他认为教育应该让学生更加亲近自然，通过与自然的互动来获取智慧和洞察。
他主张教育应该是一种与自然和谐相处的过程，而不仅仅是在教室里灌输知识。
四、爱默生的影响力爱默生对后世的影响深远。
他的作品激发了人们对自然的热爱和对个人独立思考的重视。
英美文学欣赏最新版教学课件美国文学Unit 1 Ralph Waldo Emerson
（注解：在这里，人与自然已经浑然成为一体。）
英美文学欣赏（第四版）
爱默森作过牧师，所以遣词造 句颇为讲究，并带有一种宗教的虔 诚，很有震撼力。文中充满了象征、 比喻，使读者迅速进入到一种意境， 并能静下心来，展开想象的翅膀， 做一次精神上的旅游与思考，去细 细体味爱默森笔下的沐浴着宇宙光 辉的大自然。
英美文学欣赏（第四版）
爱默生的作品以散文为主，主要著作有：《论自然》 （Nature, 1836）、《散文集：第一集》（Essays: First Series, 1841）、《散文集：第二集》（Essays: Second Series, 1844）、 《代表性人物》（Representative Men, 1850）、《英国人的性格》 （English Traits, 1856）等。
英美文学欣赏（第四版）
作品欣赏
本篇选读选自《自然》的导言和第1章。 在导言中，爱默生提出我们 自己亲眼所见生发出我们自己的诗和哲学，要拥有上天的直接启示的 宗教，在这个过程中，直观自然就能给予我们启发。
在第1章中， 他具体化了人与自然沟通的方式。要真正的独处，就应 该凝视星空。感悟“向我们发出意味深长的微笑的星光”。星星能够 唤起崇高之感，能够令我们油然而生诗意。像孩子一样用眼睛去看， 又用心去看，才能得到这种诗意的感悟。自然教我们 成为永恒之美的 热爱者，人沉于自然的和谐之中，就能感悟到自然的精神。
英美文学欣赏第四版英美文学欣赏第四版爱默生出生在美国波士顿一个世代牧师家庭年轻时做过牧师后辞去牧师职务去欧洲旅行在那里结识了英国浪漫主义大诗人柯勒律治samuleltaylorcoleridge17721834华兹华斯williamwordsworth17701850和史学家卡莱尔thomascarlyle17951881深受英国浪漫主义思想的影响
自然相关的英文名著
自然相关的英文名著
自然相关的英文名著是指那些与自然有关的经典文学作品，这些作品深刻描绘了大自然的美丽和神秘。
以下是一些著名的自然相关的英文名著：
1. 《瓦尔登湖》(Walden) - 亨利·梭罗(Henry David Thoreau)著
2. 《荒野的呼唤》(The Call of the Wild) - 杰克·伦敦(Jack London)著
3. 《群山回唱》(Echoes of the Mountain) - 约翰·穆尔(John Muir)著
4. 《自然》(Nature) - 拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生(Ralph Waldo Emerson)著
5. 《风中之烛》(A Candle in the Wind) - 伊丽莎白·帕柯特(Elizabeth Parrott)著
6. 《大自然的辞书》(The Nature Dictionary) - 弗兰克·斯
图尔特(Frank Stuart)著
这些作品不仅描绘了大自然的美丽，也反映了自然对人类的影响，传递了人与自然和谐共处的重要性。
这些著作对自然环境的保护和生态文明的建设都具有很大的启示意义。
- 1 -。
爱默生《论自然》
The third part(5-6)
• Different environment and mood makes different relationship between people and the nature.
Nature
To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds will separate between him and what he touches.
Nature
In his book, we can feel that he regarded nature as the purest, and the most sanctifying moral influence on man, and advocated a direct intuition of a spiritual and immanent God in nature. Philosophically considered, Emerson thought that the universe is composed of Nature and the Soul. In addition, he paid much attention to the status and role of human beings as well.
Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nature
Early Trials
• Father passes away at age 8 and Emerson is left to support his four other brothers. • Ralph was asked to share a coat with his brother Edward to save finances. • Despite the hardships, all the Emerson boys, except one, graduated from Harvard University.
Late Life and Death
• Upset in the 1860s by thved a quiet life with his family. • His house burnt to the ground in 1872. • Died on April 27th, 1882.
• 但是他们都不能占有这片风景。只有诗人的双眼可以拥有这地平 线，这是他们农场中最可贵的，却无人能凭产权而据为己有。 • ④说真话，成年人难得看到自然本身。多数人看不到太阳，至少， 他们所见只是浮光略影。阳光只照亮了成人的双眼所见，却照进 儿童的眼睛和心灵深处。自然的热爱者，内向和外向的感觉尚能 和谐的相应，他尚能在成年时保有婴儿的心灵。与天地的交汇成 为必需，就如每日的食物一样。自然当前时，奔腾的喜悦传便他 全身，尽管可能他正身处现实的苦境。他是我的造物，抿灭他无 关紧要的悲伤，与我同在他应欢悦，自然向他如是说。不仅阳光 和夏天带来欢跃，四季的每一时分都奉献出愉悦；自然变化的每 一时晨无不如是。 从懊热的午后到漆黑的子夜，四季早晚的嬗 变对应并验证着人们不同的精神状态。自然既可是悲剧的，也可 以是喜剧的背景。身体康健时，空气就是让人难以置信的补剂甜 酿。越过空旷的公地，停留深雪潭边，注目晨昏曦微光芒，在满 布乌云的天空下，并非出于特别的当头好运，我享受了完美无缺 的欣喜。我欣喜以至有些胆怯。在树林里也是一样，人们抖落岁 月如蛇脱旧皮，无论身处生命的哪一阶段，都会心如孩童。在森 林中，有永恒的青春。在上帝的庄园里， 气派和圣洁是主宰， 四季的庆典准备就绪，客人们居此千年也不会厌倦。在森林里， 我们回归理性和信仰，在那里，任何不幸不会降临于我的生命， 没有任何屈辱和灾病-请留下我的双眼-是自然无法平复的。
Nature-by-Emerson(Transcendentalism)PPT课件
To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour.
一粒沙子 从一粒沙子看到一个世界， 从一朵野花看到一个天堂， 把握在你手心里的就是无限， 永恒也就消融于一个时辰。
Stars￫ Nature ￫ Poet ￫ Communion ￫ Mystery ￫ Temperance
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Nature
Ralph Waldo Emerson
2021
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Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882)
American essayist, philosopher and poet
2021
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The paragraph is longer and harder.
The communion with nature makes him transcend his superficial life and get to his own nature.
2021
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Hang on! We are almost finished.
Men or Tree???
Michael’s summary:
The occult relation
between man and the
vegetable makes me
experience thly happy<The sublime, unlike beauty, can
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• 站在空旷大地之上，我的头脑沐浴于欢欣大气并升腾于无限空间， 一切卑劣的自高自大和自我中心消失无踪。我变成一个透明的眼 球，我化为乌有，我却遍览一切；宇宙精神的湍流环绕激荡着我。 我成为上帝的一部分，我是他的微粒。密友的名字听起来陌生而 无足轻重，兄弟，朋友，主人或仆从，这一切变得细碎而搅扰。 我是不受拘束永恒不朽自然之美的情人。与街市和村庄相比，在 旷野里，我体味到更亲切更可贵的实在。在静谧的风景里，尤其 是在那遥远的地平线，我们看到自然美丽有如我们美丽自身和本 性。 • ⑤田野和树林带给我们心灵的巨大欢悦，指说着人类和植物的隐 密关连。我并非独在而不受关注，植物向我颔首，我向它们点头。 风雨中树枝摇动对我是既新鲜又熟稔。它令我惊异又让我安然。 它们对于我的影响，就如同我确信自我思维妥贴所为正当时，全 身涌起的超越而高尚的感情。 • ⑥然而，可以肯定地说，这欢悦的力量不仅源于自然本身，它存 在于人，或者说，存在于自然和人的和谐中。要谨慎节制地享有 这种欢悦，这很重要。自然并不总悦人以节日盛装，昨日氤氲芬 芳晶亮悦目一如为林仙嬉乐而设的同一景致，今天就可能蒙上悲 伤的面纱。自然总是折射着观者的精神状态。对于在病痛中挣扎 的人，他自身散发的焦虑挣扎就涵容着悲伤。当爱友逝去时，人 们会对那风景感到些许漠然。当蓝天落幕于社会底层者眼前，它 的壮丽也会减色。
• CHAPTER ONE 《自然》参考翻译： ①走入孤独，远离书斋，如同远离社会一样重要。纵然无人在我 身旁，当我读书或写作时，并非独处一隅。如果一个人渴望独处， 就请他注目于星辰吧。那从天界下行的光芒，使人们得以出离可 触摸的现世。可以这样说，我们假想，大气之所以透明，就是为 了让人们看到天国的灿烂光芒。从普通城市的街道向上看，它们 是如此深邃伟岸。假如星辰千年一现，人类关于上帝之城的记忆， 必将世代相传，为人们长久地信仰着，珍存着，崇拜着。然而， 每一晚，这些美的使者都会降临，以它们无可置疑的微笑，照亮 宇宙。 • ② 星辰唤醒心中的景仰，即使它们常在，也遥远而不可触摸； 而当思想敞开心门，自然景物总会留下熟稔而亲切的印迹。 自 然永无恶意可憎的容颜。如同大智慧者不会因穷尽自然的和谐底 蕴而失去对她的好奇之心。自然之于智慧的心灵绝非玩具。 花 朵，动物，群山，它们折射着智者思维的灵光，如同它们娱乐了 他纯真的童年。 • ③当我们这样谈论自然时，我们的心灵感觉，清晰独特，诗意盎 然。我们在感觉着多面的自然客体和谐完整的映像。正是这映像 区分了伐木工手中的圆木与诗人心中的树木。 今晨我看到那令 人愉悦的风景，它们无疑是由二十到三十个农场组成。 米勒拥 有这片地，洛克有那片，而曼宁是那片树林的主人。
Teacher and Priest
• After graduation, Emerson became a school teacher in suburban Boston. • 1823 graduated from seminary school and became a priest to follow in the footsteps of his father.
Famous Lecturer
• Emerson went on to become a famous lecturer sharing his transcendental philosophy throughout the country. Among his quotable phrases: • “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.” • “To be great is to be misunderstood.”
• “Standing on the bare ground, my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space, all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eyeball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God.”
Introduction toห้องสมุดไป่ตู้Transcendental Thought
• In 1831 makes his first trip to England where he meets poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth who introduce him to Romantic notions of nature and philosophy.
Early Trials
• Father passes away at age 8 and Emerson is left to support his four other brothers. • Ralph was asked to share a coat with his brother Edward to save finances. • Despite the hardships, all the Emerson boys, except one, graduated from Harvard University.
COMMENTS:
• In his book, we can feel that he regarded nature as the purest, and the most sanctifying moral influence on man, and advocated a direct intuition of a spiritual and immanent God in nature. Philosophically considered, Emerson thought that the universe is composed of Nature and the Soul. In addition, he paid much attention to the status and role of human beings as well.
• His poems appeared in 1847.
• He believed in individualism, independence of mind, and selfreliance. • In 1836, his first work, Nature (《论自 然》) was published , which epitomized the main doctrines of his philosophy, his theories and his belief in the progress of man and society.
Major Works
• • • • • • Nature (1836) The American Scholar (1837) Self-Reliance (1841) The Over-Soul (1841) Representative Men (1850) English Traits (1856)
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Ralph Waldo Emerson 拉尔夫· 沃尔多· 爱默生 (1803-1882)
组员：应英083班 李飞燕 李尤银 周 妍 罗健华 费静文
Emerson’s Early Life
• Born on Election Day in 1803 in Boston, MA. • Born on the same street as the birth home of Benjamin Franklin. • Father was a famous minister who encouraged young Ralph to pursue philosophy at a young age.
• In Chapter One, Emerson elaborated the rich meaning of nature. In his eyes, nature was the embodiment of human spirits.
• “To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society”. • He set up a claim to support self-cultivation and thought only when human beings were alone and stayed in solitude that their inherent talents could be brought to full play .
Late Life and Death
• Upset in the 1860s by the coming of the Civil War, lived a quiet life with his family. • His house burnt to the ground in 1872. • Died on April 27th, 1882.
• This was a famous sentence which illustrated the harmony between nature and human beings. This thought was the main part of romanticism and the key point of the book Nature. Nature always wore the colors of the spirit. Moreover, nature was the symbol of spirit.