Self-Reliance (1841): This essay focuses on his discussion on the individual’s relation’s with his culture—culture in the broadest definition,thus exploring the implications of the fierce individualism at the heart of his Transcendental faith: the dignity, the ultimate sanctity[holiness] of each human being.
The American Scholar (1837): In this essay, Emerson calls for a distinctive American style, dealing with American subjects. Thus, regarded as “America’s Declaration of Intellectual Independence” 被视为美国的知识独立宣言 Americans should write about here and now instead of imitating and importing from other lands…Our long apprenticeship to the learning of other lands draws to a close
挽歌
“南风带来了/ 生命、阳光和希望，/ 对死亡它却无能为力；失去的不能复得，/ 它不能使死去的重生；/ 看着山丘，我哀悼/ 我那永远不再回来的宝贝。”
In reading Emerson said: I must provide three practical criterion is: the first, never read any less than a year to write the book. Second, not classics do not read. Third, read only any book you like.
If they are making a journey by bus they will do their best to find an empty seat; if by train, an empty compartment. If they have to share the compartment with a stranger, they may travel many miles without starting a conversation. If a conversation does start, personal questions like “How old are you?” or even “What is your name?” are not easily asked.
社交与独处
神学院献词
文学与社会目的
If the stars appear once in 1000 years, imagine how exciting it will be a sight! However, as the stars in the sky every night and we had a rare peek假如星星一千年才出现一次,设想一下
那将是多么令人激动的景象啊! 然而由论自然》集超验主义思想之大成，全书由《前言》 和《自然》的八章组成。在《前言》部分，爱默生 提出“我 们为什么不可以也跟宇宙建立一种直接的关系呢? 为 什么不能有一种凭直觉而不是依靠传统的诗歌与哲 学?为什么不能有一种不是依据他们的历史传统而 是 直接启示我们的宗教呢?” <自然》一章阐述大自然的丰富意蕴。爱默生眼中 的自然都是人的精神化身，欢乐的自然呈现着欢乐， 哀 愁的自然则又显得哀愁。“为了寻得孤身独处，人 有必 要走出书斋，退出社会，回归自然
在《书籍》一文中，爱默生为读者提供了三点可借鉴的原则：“我必 须提供的三条实用准则是：第一，决不阅读任何写出来不到一年的书； 第二，不是名著不读；第三，只读你喜欢的书。”
有人这样评价他的文字“爱默生似乎只写警句”，他的文字 所透出的气质难以形容：既充满专制式的不容置疑，又具有 开放式的民主精神；既有贵族式的傲慢，更具有平民式的直 接；既清晰易懂，又常常夹杂着某种神秘主义……一个人能 在一篇文章中塞入那么多的警句实在是了不起的，那些值得 在清晨诵读的句子为什么总能够振奋人心，岁月不是为他蒙 上灰尘，而是映衬得他熠熠闪光。
《英国人的特性》初版于 1856年8月，此时作者53 岁，正在进行从新英格兰 到中西部的大范围演讲。 书出版后，立即引起轰动， 同年稍晚即开机再印。次 年稍事修订后，第三次印 刷。1870年并入《散文 集））再版，1876年编 入“小经典”再版。至 1883年，其重印次数之 多，已无法统计。此次再 版，系据初版重新译出。
English Traits
quality of the British, and in particular of the English, is “reserved.” A reserved person is one who does not talk very much to strangers, does not show much emotion, and seldom gets excited. It is difficult to get to know a reserved person: he never tells you anything about himself, and you may work with him for years without ever knowing where he lives, how many children he has, and what his interests are. English people tend to be like that.