EMERSON.
[To TEE Eorrog OF THE " SPICTATOR."1 see that your correspondent, Mr. (1 A. Momber (Spectator, March 3rd), objects to my letter (February 17th), and considers that I have made groundless charges against this distinguished writer. I certainly should be very sorry to be guilty of any injustice with regard to so able and charming an author, but on again referring to the essay in question, "English Traits" (not "Tracts "), chap. 13, I really consider that every word of my former letter was justified. Let me quote a little more than Mr. Momber does. Just before the reference to "health and wealth" Emerson writes : "The doctrine of the Old Testament is the religion of England. The first leaf of the New Testament it does not open. It believes in a Providence which does not treat with levity a pound sterling. They are neither transcendentalists nor Christians. They put up no Socratic prayer," &c., &c. So much for his misunderstanding of the word "wealth." Then refer to the Prayer for the King (or Queen) in which the expression occurs, and see how utterly unfounded is the
charge that "they put up no prayer for the queen's mind," &c. But I believe that Emerson somewhere said that "the mud of all the continents had gone to the making of the Englishman " ! I entirely repudiate Mr. Momber's charge of "misreading or quibbling."—I am, Sir, &c.,
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