RALPH WALDO EMERSON (1803-1882)

Emerson's essays, the most famous of which is "Self-Reliance," are unique not only in American literature but also in the English language. No series of essays ever exerted so much influence or enjoyed such long popularity as Emerson's moral discussions of ideals and human conduct. The quality of each essay are timeless and universal, but contain the New England spirit that was so much a part of Emerson's character.

A second series of essays, published in 1844, forms a continuation of the first series. The copy exhibited is the first edition of the first series of essays, bound in brown cloth.