Mary Oliver’s take on Emerson always surprises me. She describes him as “unbelievably sweet.” I don’t find him so. I find him upright, vigorous, rigorous and entirely admirable, but not sweet, an adjective she never gives evidence for, that I can see. She may simply be grateful to his open-mindedness, as he “opens doors and tells us to look at things for ourselves.” He takes us beyond our assumptions and invites us to explore. It’s an act of generosity, providing a steadying