a long sentence

Re: a long sentence


It confuses me too. It's crap writing.

Ranging over time and space with astonishing rapidity

Evidently a very active intellect (presumably this is a mental exercise)

and binding names and things together that no ordinary vision could connect,

from a superior brain

Emerson calls the Past also to witness

Meaningless. What's this, science fiction? Need more context

the need of self-reliance

self-explanatory

and a steadfast obedience to intuition

if it feels good, do it.

I wonder if you have copies it corrrecty (Calls upon the Past??)

I think this is saying that Emerson - after a wise and speedy look at the complexities of life - looks to the past to see the wisdom of the need for self-reliance and following intuition.

I'll be interested in seeing what others think. In the meantime, please re-check the accuracy of your copy of the quote.

Got it:

http://www.bartelby.org/60/145.html

According to Emerson, Nature, The Past and Society - are the three major influential influences on Man.

Now the quote makes sense!

It was copied correctly.

Sorry - instructive influences

Ah, that Emerson. Well I was right about the brain.

Pity the good Professor (the author, I mean) does not write so well as his subject.

thank you for all your kindly help. For better reference, I copy more sentences following the one in question:""Nature, which he says "is loved by what is best in us," is all about us, inviting our perception of its remotest and most cosmic principles by surrounding us with its simpler manifestations. "A man does not tie his shoe without recognizing laws which bind the farthest regions of nature." Thus man "carries the world in his head." Whether he be a great scientist, proving by his discovery of a sweeping physical law that he has some such constructive sense as that which guides the universe, or whether he be a poet beholding trees as" imperfect men," who "seem to bemoan their imprisonment, rooted in the ground," he is being brought into his own by perceiving "the virtue and pungency of the influence on the mind of material objects, whether inorganic or organized."
Ranging over time and space with astonishing rapidity and binding names and things together that no ordinary vision could connect, Emerson calls the Past also to witness the need of self-reliance and a steadfast obedience to intuition. The need of such independence, he thought, was particularly great for the student, who so easily becomes overawed by the great names of the Past and reads "to believe and take for granted." This should not be, nor can it be if we remember what we are. When we sincerely find, therefore, that we cannot agree with the Past, then, says Emerson, we must break with it, no matter how great the prestige of its messengers. Thank you a lot!