can illustrate his philosophy from the world which philosophers despise: 'from mares and puppies, from pitchers and soup-ladles; from cooks and criers; the shops of potters, horse-doctors, butchers, and fishmongers.' It is this synthesis or equal poise between two opposite poles of thought which stamps his genius as unique. Yet Emerson can be equally impressed by men who represent only one side of the antithesis. He makes, perhaps, more references to Napoleon than to any one except Swedenborg. Napoleon is 'the man of the world'; 'the idol of common men, because he had the common qualities in a transcendent degree. He hated sentiment and despised 'ideologists'; he had no moral scruples and no magnanimity. But his supreme practical ability, his 'enormous self-trust,' his power of seeing to the heart of things, his readiness to meet every emergency and 'two o'clock in the morning courage' command our respect. 'I find it easy,' says Emerson, 'to translate all his technics into all of mine.' There is more philosophy in his despatches than in the sermons of the Academy. 'We like everything to do its office, whether it be a milch-cow or a rattlesnake'; and Napoleon at least represents a stupendous natural force.
