[Footnote 456: This essay was first printed in the periodical called
_The Dial_.
It was a part of Emerson's philosophic faith that there is no such
thing as giving,--everything that belongs to a man or that he ought to
have, will come to him. But in the ordinarily accepted sense of the
word, Emerson was a gracious giver and receiver. In his family the old
New England custom of New Year's presents was kept up to his last
days. His presents were accompanied with verses to be read before the
gift was opened.]
[Footnote 457: Into chancery. The phrase "in chancery," means in
litigation, as an estate, in a court of equity.]
[Footnote 458: Cocker. Spoil, indulge,--a word now little used.]
[Footnote 459: Fruits are acceptable gifts. Emerson took especial
pleasure in the beauty of fruits and the thought of how they had been
evolved from useless, insipid seed cases.]
[Footnote 460: To let the petitioner, etc. We can hardly imagine
Emerson's asking a gift or favor. He often quoted the words of Landor,
an English writer: "The highest price you can pay for a thing is to
ask for it."]
[Footnote 461: Furies. In Roman mythology, three goddesses who sought
out and punished evil-doers.]
[Footnote 462: A man's biography, etc. Emerson wrote in his journal:
"Long ago I wrote of _gifts_ and neglected a capital example. John
Thoreau, Jr. [who, like his brother Henry, was a lover of nature] one
day put a bluebird's box on my barn,--fifteen years ago it must
be,--and there it still is, with every summer a melodious family in it
adorning the place and singing its praises. There's a gift for you
which cost the giver no money, but nothing which he bought could have
been as good."]
[Footnote 463: Sin offering. Under the Hebrew law, a sacrifice or
offering for sin. See Leviticus xxiii. 19. Explain what Emerson means
here by the word.]
[Footnote 464: Blackmail. What is "blackmail"? How may Christmas
gifts, for instance, become a species of blackmail?]
[Footnote 465: Brother, if Jove, etc. In the Greek legend, Epimetheus
gives this advice to his brother Prometheus. The lines are taken from
a translation of _Works and Days_, by the Greek poet, Hesiod.]
[Footnote 466: Timons. Here used in the sense of wealthy givers.
Timon, the hero of Shakespeare's play, _Timon of Athens_, wasted his
fortune in lavish gifts and entertainments, and in his poverty was
exposed to the ingratitude of those whom he had served. He became
morose and died in miserable retirement.]
[Footnote 467: It is a very onerous business, etc. One of Emerson's
favorite passages in the essays of Montaigne, a French writer, was
this: "Oh, how am I obliged to Almighty God, who has been pleased that
I should immediately receive all I have from his bounty, and
particularly reserved all my obligation to himself! How instantly do I
beg of his holy compassion that I may never owe a real thanks to
anyone. O happy liberty in which I have thus far lived! May it
continue with me to the last. I endeavor to have no need of any one."
When Emerson, in his old age, had his house injured by fire, his
friends contributed funds to repair it and to send him to England. The
gift was proffered graciously and accepted gratefully.]
[Footnote 468: Buddhist. A follower of Buddha, a Hindoo religious
teacher of the fifth century before Christ.]