English Traits
Last updated October 31, 2026
Drawing on his visits to England in 1833 and 1847, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote this portrait of the English people and their institutions, published in 1856. On the first trip he met Thomas Carlyle, who became a lifelong friend. The book discusses English history, wealth, manners, aristocracy, universities, religion and literature, mixing admiration with criticism and comparing the old country with the young United States.
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