"Make your own Bible. Select & Collect all those words & sentences that in all your reading have been to you like the blast of a trumpet out of Shakespear [sic], Seneca, Moses, John, & Paul."
Not often do I use the word "awesome" ... so "thank you" isn't sufficient for this essay. Starred, bookmarked, copied, and points taken!
"Emerson continues to muse that we write differently when just for ourselves, without the expectation of an outside audience. Indeed, the pleasure of reading Emerson’s notebooks is in watching a young man mature into one of the most popular lecturers of his day—to see him turn over ideas that he would immortalize under titles like 'Self-Reliance' or 'The American Scholar.' "
Here's to going back to my "common book" journals with new ideas, especially naming each one. AND not shredding them when they are full, which has been my habit for fifty years. I will not do that anymore.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “the modernness of all good books seems to give me an existence as wide as man” and therefore,“I read for the lustres,” those luminous moments of insight that strike deep enough to remain perpetually new.
I love Emerson! I’m a collector of quotes that inspire me, and many of them are his. His reverence for humanity as inseparable from nature—and his understanding that all nature flows from the Divine—aligns deeply with my own way of seeing the world.
It’s not occurred to me even if the idea is straightforward and easy. Mist notebooks have a dedicated theme or job. I haven’t given them a name. New endeavour from now on.
3 days ago I literally became aware of the trumpet comment from Emerson whilst listening to a podcast about CPB. I about feel of my chair when I started reading your post. Amazing.
I have always kept journals and find myself alternating between Collecting quotes and original writing and drawings. Love the notion of naming these books. Will have to think long and hard about how to frame them other than by year. Thank you
Always great to learn more about Emerson—thank you for this informative post! I read Emerson in my Poli Sci and English classes. It’s interesting that he was meditating on the ideal of America, yet his notebook title is Wide World, which makes me think that there is a global/transnational orientation in mind when thinking about America? Like what can the concept of America mean for the world and how does the world inform it? Have you done a noted post on Democracy in America? I would love for you to get a hold of De Toquevilles notebooks!
Not often do I use the word "awesome" ... so "thank you" isn't sufficient for this essay. Starred, bookmarked, copied, and points taken!
"Emerson continues to muse that we write differently when just for ourselves, without the expectation of an outside audience. Indeed, the pleasure of reading Emerson’s notebooks is in watching a young man mature into one of the most popular lecturers of his day—to see him turn over ideas that he would immortalize under titles like 'Self-Reliance' or 'The American Scholar.' "
Here's to going back to my "common book" journals with new ideas, especially naming each one. AND not shredding them when they are full, which has been my habit for fifty years. I will not do that anymore.
Oh, thank you!
I completely understand the impulse to shred old notebooks, even as the historian in me cringes at the idea.
I too shred some old notebooks. There’s not enough space. Besides some stuff need not be documented! Sorry Jillian…
You inspired me today more than you can imagine. Thank you for inviting me back to my own wild world 🩷🩷
That means a lot to me, Janet. Thank you!
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “the modernness of all good books seems to give me an existence as wide as man” and therefore,“I read for the lustres,” those luminous moments of insight that strike deep enough to remain perpetually new.
Funny to think I've been doing this for a long while, filling mini moleskins.
I love Emerson! I’m a collector of quotes that inspire me, and many of them are his. His reverence for humanity as inseparable from nature—and his understanding that all nature flows from the Divine—aligns deeply with my own way of seeing the world.
It’s not occurred to me even if the idea is straightforward and easy. Mist notebooks have a dedicated theme or job. I haven’t given them a name. New endeavour from now on.
Dedicating notes to an ideal seems like such a powerful thing to do.
3 days ago I literally became aware of the trumpet comment from Emerson whilst listening to a podcast about CPB. I about feel of my chair when I started reading your post. Amazing.
I have always kept journals and find myself alternating between Collecting quotes and original writing and drawings. Love the notion of naming these books. Will have to think long and hard about how to frame them other than by year. Thank you
Always great to learn more about Emerson—thank you for this informative post! I read Emerson in my Poli Sci and English classes. It’s interesting that he was meditating on the ideal of America, yet his notebook title is Wide World, which makes me think that there is a global/transnational orientation in mind when thinking about America? Like what can the concept of America mean for the world and how does the world inform it? Have you done a noted post on Democracy in America? I would love for you to get a hold of De Toquevilles notebooks!
I know I will return to this particular newsletter more than once. I like this Emerson fellow. :-)
One day, I hope to be able to fill an entire bookcase with my notebooks!