Nature
Nature, published anonymously in 1836, is the small book with which Ralph Waldo Emerson, a former Unitarian minister, announced the movement that came to be called Transcendentalism. In eight short chapters he considers what the natural world is for, as commodity, as beauty, as language, as discipline, and argues toward the idea that nature is the visible form of spirit and that the person who looks at it rightly becomes, in his famous image, a transparent eyeball through which the currents of universal being circulate. The prose is dense, aphoristic and often exhilarating. Everything Emerson wrote afterward, and much of Thoreau and Whitman, grows out of it. It is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, with the first chapter free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Nature
Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Nature online?
Yes. Nature opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Nature free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Nature is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Nature in the public domain?
Yes. Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Nature?
About 1 h 02 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Nature?
Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson is filed under "Philosophy" in the Vinteuil library.
