"Among the figures I can recollect as visiting us in our Nithsdale
hermitage,--all like apparitions now, bringing with them airs from
heaven, or else blasts from the other region,--there is perhaps not
one of a more undoubtedly supernal character than yourself,--so
pure and still, with intents so charitable; and then vanishing,
too, so soon into the azure inane, as an apparition should."

Mrs. Carlyle always spoke of this visit of Emerson to them there as a
visitation from an angel.

Mr. Charles Congdon thus writes in the "Reminiscences of a
Journalist:"--

"One day there came into our pulpit the most gracious of mortals,
with a face all benignity, who gave out the first hymn and made the
first prayer as an angel might have read and prayed. Our choir was
a pretty good one, but its best was coarse and discordant after
Emerson's voice."

The ancestors of Emerson were all of clean pure blood. Behind him were
many generations of fine old New England ministers, and he was but the
natural product of his race in character,--though from what source
sprang the consummate flower of his genius it is hard to tell. He was
brought up to all good things, under the immediate eyes of a superior
mother and a gifted aunt. He was a fine scholar during his college days,
and entered the Unitarian ministry when quite young. He also married
young, but early lost his wife, and soon afterward retired from the
ministry to devote himself to literature.

In September, 1835, Emerson was married for the second time, to Miss
Lydia Jackson of Plymouth. The wedding took place in the fine old
mansion known as the Winslow house. After the marriage they went to
reside in Concord, in the house where he passed the rest of his life,
and where his family still live. This is the plain, square, wooden
house, with horse-chestnuts in the front yard and evergreens around it,
which has often been described by visitors to Concord. Near by is the
orchard planted by Emerson, and two miles away his wood-lot, which he
describes to Carlyle as his new plaything, and where he proposed to
build a tower to which to flee from intrusive visitors. Of the planting
of the orchard he thus writes:--

"You are to know that in these days I lay out a patch of orchard
near my house, very much to the improvement, as all the household
affirm, of our homestead. Though I have little skill in these
things, and mu