[Footnote 278: Most of Emerson's _Essays_ were first delivered as
lectures, in practically the form in which they afterwards appeared in
print. The form and style, it is true, were always carefully revised
before publication; this Emerson called 'giving his thoughts a Greek
dress.' His essay on _Friendship_, published in the First Series of
_Essays_ in 1841 was not, so far as we know, delivered as a lecture;
parts of it, however, were taken from lectures which Emerson delivered
on _Society_, _The Heart_, and _Private Life_.
In connection with his essay on _Friendship_, the student should read
the two other notable addresses on the same subject, one the speech by
Cicero, the famous Roman orator, and the other the essay by Lord
Bacon, the great English author.]
[Footnote 279: Relume. Is this a common word? Define it.]
[Footnote 280: Pass my gate. The walk opposite Emerson's house on the
'Great Road' to Boston was a favorite winter walk for Concord people.
Along it passed the philosophic Alcott and the imaginative Hawthorne,
as well as famous townsmen, and school children.]
[Footnote 281: My friends have come to me, etc.: Compare with
Emerson's views here expressed the noble passage in his essay on _The
Over-Soul_: "Every friend whom not thy fantastic will but the great
and tender heart in thee craveth, shall lock thee in his embrace. And
this because the heart in thee is the heart of all; not a valve, not a
wall, not an intersection is there anywhere in nature, but one blood
rolls uninterruptedly in endless circulation through all men, as the
water of the globe is all one sea, and, truly seen, its tide is one."]
[Footnote 282: Bard. Poet: originally one who composed and sang to the
music of a harp verses in honor of heroes and heroic deeds.]
[Footnote 283: Hymn, ode, and epic. Define each of these three kinds
of poetry.]
[Footnote 284: Apollo. In classic mythology, the sun god who presided
over music, poetry, and art; he was the guardian and leader of the
Muses.]
[Footnote 285: Muses. In classic mythology, the nine sisters who
presided over music, poetry, art, and science. They were Clio the muse
of history, Euterpe of music, especially the flute, Thalia of comedy,
Melpomene of tragedy, Terpsichore of dancing, Erato of erotic poetry,
mistress of the lyre, Polyhymnia of sacred poetry, Urania of
astronomy, Calliope of eloquence and epic poetry.]
[Footnote 286: Genius. According to an old belief, a spirit that
watched over a person to control, guide and aid him.]
[Footnote 287: "Crush the sweet poison," etc. This is a quotation from
_Comus_, a poem by Milton.]
[Footnote 288: Systole and diastole. (See note 98.)]
[Footnote 289: Friendship, like the immortality, etc. See on what a
high plane Emerson places this relation of friendship. In 1840 he
wrote in a letter: "I am a worshiper of friendship, and cannot find
any other good equal to it. As soon as any man pronounces the words
which approve him fit for that great office, I make no haste; he is
holy; let me be holy also; our relations are eternal; why should we
count days and weeks?"]
[Footnote 290: Elysian temple. Temple of bliss. In Greek mythology,
Elysium was the abode of the blessed after death.]
[Footnote 291: An Egyptian skull. Plutarch says that at an Egyptian
feast a skull was displayed, either as a hint to make the most of the
pleasure which can be enjoyed but for a brief space, or as a warning
not to set one's heart upon transitory things.]
[Footnote 292: Conscious of a universal success, etc. Emerson wrote in
his journal: "My entire success, such as it is, is composed wholly of
particular failures."]
[Footnote 293: Extends the old leaf. Compare Emerson's lines:
"When half-gods go
The gods arrive."
]
[Footnote 294: A texture of wine and dreams. What does Emerson mean by
this phrase? Explain the whole sentence.]
[Footnote 295: "The valiant warrior," etc. The quotation is from
Shakespeare's _Sonnet_, XXV.]
[Footnote 296: Naturlangsamkeit. A German word meaning slowness. The
slowness of natural development.]
[Footnote 297: Olympian. One who took part in the great Greek games
held every four years on the plain of Olympia. The racing, wrestling
and other contests of strength and skill were accompanied by
sacrifices to the gods, processions, and banquets. There was a sense
of dignity and almost of worship about the games. The Olympic games
have been recently revived, and athletes from all countries of the
world contest for the prizes--simple garlands of wild olive.]
[Footnote 298: I knew a man who, etc. The allusion is to Jonas Very, a
mystic and poet, who lived at Salem, Massachusetts.]
[Footnote 299: Paradox. Define this word. Explain its application to a
friend.]
[Footnote 300: My author says, etc. The quotation is from _A
Consideration upon Cicero_, by the French author, Montaigne. Montaigne
was one of Emerson's favorite authors from his boyhood: of the essays
he says, "I felt as if I myself, had written this book in some former
life, so sincerely it spoke my thoughts."]
[Footnote 301: Cherub. What is the difference between a cherub and a
seraph?]
[Footnote 302: Curricle. A two-wheeled carriage, especially popular in
the eighteenth century.]
[Footnote 303: This law of one to one. Emerson felt that this same law
applied to nature. He wrote in his journal: "Nature says to man, 'one
to one, my dear.'"]
[Footnote 304: Crimen quos, etc. The Latin saying is translated in
the preceding sentence.]
[Footnote 305: Nonage. We use more commonly the word, "minority."]
[Footnote 306: Janus-faced. The word here means simply two-faced,
without the idea of deceit usually attached to it. In Roman mythology,
Janus, the doorkeeper of heaven was the protector of doors and
gateways and the patron of the beginning and end of undertakings. He
was the god of the rising and setting of the sun, and was represented
with two faces, one looking to the east and the other to the west. His
temple at Rome was kept open in time of war and closed in time of
peace.]
[Footnote 307: Harbinger. A forerunner; originally an officer who rode
in advance of a royal person to secure proper lodgings and
accommodations.]
[Footnote 308: Empyrean. Highest and purest heaven; according to the
ancients, the region of pure light and fire.]