, Arnold's view of emeeson and caelylb 157 



the essence^ of heroism, " and this martial note pulses 

 through all his utterances. It is found in others, 

 too, hut it is the leading note in him. In others 

 it is often the inspiration of conduct; in him it is 

 the inspiration of morals. 



The quality I refer to is in this passage from 

 Marcus Aurelius : — 



" Suppose that men kill thee — cut thee in pieces 

 — curse thee. What, then, can these things do to 

 prevent thy mind from remaining pure, wise, sober, 

 just?" 



It is in these lines from Beaumont and ITletoher's 

 " Sea Voyage, " quoted by Emerson himself : — 



"Julietta, Why, slaves, 'tis in our power to hang ye. 

 " Master. Very likely. 'T is in our power, then, to be hanged, 

 and scorn ye." 



It is the salt of this passage of another poet : — 



" How beggarly appear arguments before a defiant deed ! 

 How the fioridness of the materials of cities shrivels before 

 a man's or woman's look! " 



It is in the reply of the Spartan soldier who, 

 when the threatening Persian told him their arrows 

 would darken the sun, answered: "Very well, then; 

 we will fight in the shade. " Emerson sounds the 

 same note throughout his essays, takes the same 

 attitude toward circumstances, toward conventions, 

 toward tradition, toward theological dogma, toward 

 everything that would hamper and limit him. It 

 shines in his famous boast : — 



" Give me health and a day, and I will make the 

 pomp of emperors ridiculous." 



