EMERSON AND MODERN LIFE
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Many of us are rediscovering Emerson, finding that he still interprets the commonplace world correctly. For instance, the following message could with advantage be considered by many nations to-day :
" The way to mend a bad world is to create the right world. Here is a low political economy, plotting to cut the throat of foreign
competition, and establishing its own ; excluding others by force or Making war on them ; or by cunning tariffs, giving preference to worse wares of ours. The way to conquer the foreign artisan is, not to kill him, but to beat him at his work. . . . I look on that man as happy who, when there is a question of success looks into his work for a reply, not into the market, not into opinion, not into patronage." And again. ." Work is victory. Wherever work is done, victory is oLtAined. There is no chance, and no blanks."
It is well to consider how far Emerson can help us in the re- construction which we have to face in the next ten years. In my opinion, he still remains the poet of modern science to a
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