Essayist , poet and philosopher , Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) propounded a transcendental idealism emphasizing self-reliance , self-culture and individual expression. the six essays and one address included in this volume, selected from 'Essays, Second Series' (1844), offer a representative sampling of his views outlining that moral idealism as well as a hint of the later scepticism that colored his thought. in addiction to the celebrated title essay, the others included here are 'History,' 'Friendship,' 'The Over Soul,' 'The Poet,' and 'Experience,' plus the well-known and frequently read Harvard Divinity School Address.
