But here comes in another trait; it is found, though his angles are of so generous contents, the lines do not meet; the apex is not quite defined.

We must allow for the refraction of the lens, but it is the best instrument I have ever met with." Alcott visited Concord first in October, 1835, and found that he and Emerson had many things in common, but he entered in his diary, "Mr.Emerson's fine literary taste is sometimes in the way of a clear and hearty acceptance of the spiritual." Again, he naively congratulates himself that he has found a man who could appreciate his theories.

"Emerson sees me, knows me, and, more than all others, helps me,--not by noisy praise, not by low appeals to interest and passion, but by turning the eye of others to my stand in reason and the nature of things.

Only men of like vision can apprehend and counsel each other." With the exception of Hawthorne, there was among the men of Concord a tendency to over-estimate one another.

For the most part, they took themselves and each other very seriously; even Emerson's subtle sense of humor did not save him from yielding to this tendency, which is illustrated in the following page from Hawthorne's journal: "About nine o'clock (Sunday) Hilliard and I set out on a walk to Walden Pond, calling by the way at Mr.Emerson's to obtain his guidance or directions.