FIELD AND STUDY 



Can we make two or three out of the one? Is there 

 an outside to the Cosmos, a beyond? Or an inside 

 that is a world apart? When a man can lift himself 

 into his carriage by his waist-band, or hurl a stone 

 against gravity without the aid of gravity, or the 

 swimmer overcome the resistance of the water 

 without the aid of water, or sail his boat against 

 the wind without the aid of the wind, or walk with- 

 out that which resists his walking, then can man do 

 some act or think some thought without the aid of 

 Nature. These familiar facts or deductions of sci- 

 ence Emerson has put poetically in his poem, 

 "Brahma": 



"If the red slayer think he slays, 



Or if the slain think he is slain, 

 They know not well the subtle ways 

 I keep, and pass* and turn again. 



" Far or forgot to me is near ; 



Shadow and sunlight are the same; 

 The vanished gods to me appear; 

 And one to me are shame and fame. 



"They reckon ill who leave me out; 



When me they fly, I am the wings; 

 I am the doubter and the doubt, 

 And I the hymn the Brahmin sings. 



"The strong gods pine for my abode. 



And pine in vain the sacred Seven; 

 But thou, meek lover of the good! 

 Find me, and turn thy back on heaven." 

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