Life of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1888)

Emerson dealt severely with his biographer. With full knowledge that his history must be written, he thought fit to lead a life devoid of incident, of nearly untroubled happiness, and of absolute conformity to the moral law. His correspondence is seldom very interesting, and his diary is out of reach. The injured biographer must rely on whatever charm may attach to the not frequent figure of one who lived as he wrote.