Waldo Emerson, Ralph. Nature. September 9, 1836. Oregon State. http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/emerson/nature-emerson-a.html#Chapter I. 1/11/15.
"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 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."
Emerson was one of the most prominent transcendentalists. He really believed in nature and the power that it could bring someone. He was always enjoying and connecting to Nature and making his observations using metaphors that painted a vivid picture in your head. The purpose of him writing this document was to write about his observations, but also to share his opinion on certain aspects of nature. This source is very trustworthy because Emerson is a revered author and his writing is admired by many. During this time period, many people believed in the upcoming industry of America, but Emerson was just the opposite. He wanted to keep the simple aspects of life, and wanted others to incorporate transcendentalism into their lives. The document teaches you that Emerson was not just someone was against the way the world was becoming; he wholeheartedly believed that connecting with God and nature was the best way to live your life. What Emerson is saying in his writing is not all true; some of it come from his imagination. He will explain what he sees, and then writes about how it makes him feel and what it means to him. Emerson's opinion on Nature is that it is a peaceful place where you can connect with yourself and God. He appreciates the serenity of nature and all aspects of it. Emerson is trying to convince the reader that normal life is ok, but taking a step back and appreciating the little details can make you happier and a better person.
