Page:Margaret Fuller by Howe, Julia Ward, Ed. (1883).djvu/81

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is now time for us to speak of the portrait of Margaret drawn by the hand of William Henry Channing. And first give us leave to say that Emerson's very valuable statements concerning her are to be prized rather for their critical and literary appreciation than accepted as showing the insight given by strong personal sympathy.

While bound to each other by mutual esteem and admiration, Margaret and Emerson were opposites in natural tendency, if not in character. While Emerson never appeared to be modified by any change of circumstance, never melted nor took. fire, but was always and everywhere himself, the soul of Margaret was subject to a glowing passion which raised the temperature of the social atmosphere around "her. Was this atmosphere heavy with human dulness Margaret smote the ponderous demon with her fiery wand that he was presently compelled to "caper nimbly"