Carlyle tried to persuade him to study German.
He did not believe in study, but in the inspiration of nature. This did
well enough for him, but he made a mistake in applying the same
principle to others.
He was wont to excuse Alcott's rambling rhapsodical conversations on the
ground that it was the only talent the man had, that he must do that or
nothing; but many people considered that Emerson was more to blame in
the matter than Alcott himself. A person who makes a profession of
philosophy, as Alcott certainly did, ought to be well acquainted with
the writings of other philosophers of his own time; and it surely would
have done no harm for Emerson to have suggested this to him. When the
Boston Radical Club was formed Emerson thought it would be a good
opportunity for Alcott to place his ideas before the public, but Alcott
found himself at a disadvantage among the scholarly minds he encountered
there.
At the close of his essay on Plato Emerson says, "I am sorry to see him
after so many fine thoughts throwing a little mathematical dust in our
eyes." Does he partially expose here a peculiarity in his literary
procedure? Other people do not read Plato for his fine thoughts, though
there are many such, but for the charm of his discourse and his
beautiful exposition of Greek Philosophy. From this and from hints let
fall in conversation we may suspect that he read books not so much for
what was in them as for ideas which they suggested to him, and which he
might make use of in his essays and lectures.
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