in which he lost his two sons, Emerson exerted himself to raise a fund among his classmates for his relief, and, there being very few possible subscribers, made what I considered a noble contribution, and this you may be sure was not from any Southern sentiment on the part of Emerson.  I send you herewith the two youthful productions of Emerson of which I spoke to you some time since.”

The first of these is a prose Essay of four pages, written for a discussion in which the Professions of Divinity, Medicine, and Law were to be weighed against each other.  Emerson had the Lawyer’s side to advocate.  It is a fair and sensible paper, not of special originality or brilliancy.  His opening paragraph is worth citing, as showing the same instinct for truth which displayed itself in all his after writings and the conduct of his life.

“It is usual in advocating a favorite subject to appropriate all possible excellence, and endeavor to concentrate every doubtful auxiliary, that we may fortify to the utmost the theme of our attention.  Such a design should be utterly disdained, except as far as is consistent with fairness; and the sophistry of weak arguments being abandoned, a bold appeal should be made to the heart, for the tribute of honest conviction, with regard to the merits of the subject.”

From many boys this might sound like well-meaning commonplace, but in the history of Mr. Emerson’s life that “bold appeal to the heart,” that “tribute of honest conviction,” were made eloquent and real.  The boy meant it when he said it.  To carry out his law of sincerity and self-trust the man had to sacrifice much that was dear to him, but he did not flinch from his early principles.

It must not be supposed that the blameless youth was an ascetic in his College days.  The other old manuscript Mr. Gardner sends me is marked “‘Song for Knights of Square Table,’ R.W.E.”

There are twelve verses of this song, with a chorus of two lines.  The Muses and all the deities, not forgetting Bacchus, were duly invited to the festival.

“Let the doors of Olympus be open for all
To descend and make merry in Chivalry’s hall.”
* * * * *

Mr. Sanborn has kindly related to me several circumstances told him by Emerson about his early years.

The parsonage was situated at the corner of Summer and what is now Chauncy streets.  It had a yard, and an orchard which Emerson said was as large as Dr. Ripley’s, which might have been some two or three acres.  Afterwards there was a brick house looking on Summer Street, in which Emerson the father lived.  It was separated, Emerson said, by a brick wall from a garden in which pears grew (a fact a boy is likely to remember).  Master Ralph Waldo used to sit on this wall,—­but we cannot believe he ever got off it on the wrong side, unless politely asked to do so.  On the occasion of some alarm the little boy was carried in his nightgown to a neighboring house.