Select Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Philosophically, the universe consists of nature and the Soul. Everything separate from us, which Philosophy identifies as the "not me"—including nature, art, other people, and our own bodies—falls under the category of nature. In assessing the values of nature, I will use the term in both its common and philosophical senses, as the distinction is not crucial for our broad inquiry. Commonly, nature refers to essences unchanged by human influence, such as space, air, rivers, and leaves. In contrast, art represents the human will's interaction with these elements, evident in structures like houses, canals, statues, and paintings. However, the impact of human operations is minimal; they involve simple actions like chipping, baking, patching, and washing, which do not significantly alter the grand impression of the world on the human mind. This work is a reproduction of a significant historical text, digitally reconstructed by Forgotten Books to preserve its original format while addressing imperfections in the aged copy. While some flaws may remain, they are intentionally retained to maintain the authenticity of historical works.