courageous struggle to satisfy, as Thoreau says, "Hunger rather
than the palate"--the hunger of a lifetime sometimes by one meal.
His essay on the Pre-Soul (which he did not write) treats of that
part of the over-soul's influence on unborn ages, and attempts
the impossible only when it stops attempting it.

Like all courageous souls, the higher Emerson soars, the more
lowly he becomes. "Do you think the porter and the cook have no
experiences, no wonders for you? Everyone knows as much as the
Savant." To some, the way to be humble is to admonish the humble,
not learn from them. Carlyle would have Emerson teach by more
definite signs, rather than interpret his revelations, or shall
we say preach? Admitting all the inspiration and help that Sartor
Resartus has given in spite of its vaudeville and tragic stages,
to many young men getting under way in the life of tailor or
king, we believe it can be said (but very broadly said) that
Emerson, either in the first or second series of essays, taken as
a whole, gives, it seems to us, greater inspiration, partly
because his manner is less didactic, less personally suggestive,
perhaps less clearly or obviously human than Carlyle's. How
direct this inspiration is is a matter of personal viewpoint,
temperament, perhaps inheritance. Augustine Birrell says he does
not feel it--and he seems not to even indirectly. Apparently "a
non-sequacious author" can't inspire him, for Emerson seems to
him a "little thin and vague." Is Emerson or the English climate
to blame for this? He, Birrell, says a really great author
dissipates all fears as to his staying power. (Though fears for
our staying-power, not Emerson's, is what we would like
dissipated.) Besides, around a really great author, there are no
fears to dissipate. "A wise author never allows his reader's mind