The Wisdom of Words--by Laura

"The Wisdom of Words" is largely about religion, and how various authors treated it.

One of my favorite chapters in this book was (surprise) the chapter on Emerson entitled "The Example of Emerson: From Theology to Literature"

The chapter begins by talking about how the transcendentalists were different from the Trinitarians and the Unitarians. The transcendentalists proclaimed that "verbal communication among men was based on more than an arbitrary imposition of meaning upon sound by man himself." It seems that the transcendentalists believed that communication was from God. There was a debate between these groups (Trinitarians, Unitarians, and transcendentalists) about natural language and spiritual language.

Ralph Waldo Emerson comes into this article as "the figure in whom we can best see this merger of concern between scriptural language and the language provided by nature." Emerson became interested in language as a form of vatic (of or pertaining to a prophet) inspiration, not as a way to defend. Emerson became interested in language in its primitive, natural state. In other words, he became interested in the language of nature. And to him, the language of nature was also the language of heaven.

The author also discusses the attempts to discuss the background of Emerson's interest in language, which apparently has not been easy. It is believed that Emerson studied Swedenborgian correspondence, studied Coleridge, and had an interest in Neoplatonic theory.

Emerson said that men "ought to be cautious in taking even the best ascertained opinions and practice of the primitive church for their own." And interestingly, Emerson also believed that in matters of doctrine, we should "form a judgment more in accordance with the spirit of Christianity than was the practice of the early ages." It seems that Emerson did believe in listening closely to the Spirit!

So this only makes me more interested in Emerson. I always appreciated Emerson as a good writer, but I never started reading any of his essays until I was in this class. And now I think I'm becoming an Emerson fanatic.