Jones Very
Jones Very
#### A Visionary American Transcendentalist
Full Name and Common Aliases
Jones Very was born on June 28, 1813, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Thomas Very and Abigail Brooks. He was the youngest of seven children, with several siblings who also went on to lead notable lives. Throughout his life, Very would be known by various names, including Jones Very, J.V., and sometimes simply as "the Transcendentalist poet."
Birth and Death Dates
Jones Very was born in 1813 and passed away on July 8, 1880.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Very's nationality is that of the United States. His profession varied throughout his life but primarily included poet, philosopher, artist, and educator.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in Boston, Very was exposed to a wide range of intellectual and cultural influences from an early age. He was particularly drawn to art, philosophy, and poetry, which would later become the focus of his work. In 1831, at the age of eighteen, he met Ralph Waldo Emerson, who became a mentor and close friend.
Major Accomplishments
In his early twenties, Very began writing poetry under the influence of Transcendentalism. During this time, he wrote extensively on spirituality, morality, and individual freedom. He also studied with Emerson, who encouraged him to explore his creativity and develop his own unique voice. In 1840, Very suffered a severe mental breakdown, which led to a period of introspection and spiritual crisis.
Notable Works or Actions
Very's most notable works include "Economy," a collection of essays on poetry, philosophy, and spirituality, as well as several volumes of poetry that showcased his unique style. His writings often reflected his Transcendentalist ideals, emphasizing the importance of individual freedom, spiritual exploration, and self-discovery.
Impact and Legacy
Very's influence can be seen in many areas of American culture. As a poet and philosopher, he helped shape the Transcendentalist movement, alongside other notable figures such as Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. His poetry and essays continue to inspire readers today with their themes of spiritual growth, self-reliance, and individualism.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Jones Very is widely quoted and remembered for his profound insights on spirituality, morality, and the human condition. His unique perspective, shaped by his Transcendentalist ideals and personal experiences, offers readers a glimpse into the complexities of the human experience. As an artist, poet, and philosopher, he left behind a rich legacy that continues to inspire and influence contemporary thinkers and artists.
Very's contributions to American culture extend far beyond his own work. He played an important role in shaping the Transcendentalist movement, which emphasized individual freedom, spiritual exploration, and self-discovery. His influence can be seen in many areas of American life, from literature and philosophy to art and education.
In conclusion, Jones Very's life and work continue to captivate readers with their depth, complexity, and enduring relevance. Through his poetry and essays, he offers a powerful vision of human possibility, one that inspires us to explore the mysteries of the universe and to seek our own path towards spiritual growth and self-discovery.
Quotes by Jones Very
We feel unsatisfied until we know ourselves akin even with that greatness which made the spots on which it rested hallowed; and until, by our own lives, and by converse with the thoughts they have bequeathed us, we feel that union and relationship of the spirit which we seek.
As long as man labors for a physical existence, though an act of necessity almost, he is yet natural; it is life, though that of this world, for which he instinctively works.
From the wrestling of his own soul with the great enemy, comes that depth and mystery which startles us in Hamlet.
Macbeth is contending with the realities of this world, Hamlet with those of the next.
The later rain,--it falls in anxious haste Upon the sun-dried fields and branches bare, Loosening with searching drops the rigid waste, As if it would each root's lost strength repair.
These are matters of external history. They are indeed prominent objects, often changing and giving a new direction to the current; but they tell us not why it flows onward and will ever flow.
The main action of all such minds must evidently be as independent of the will as is the life in a plant or a tree; and, as they are but different results of the same great vital energy in nature, we cannot but feel that the works of genius are as much a growth as are the productions of the material world.
Often and often must he have thought, that, to be or not to be forever, was a question, which must be settled; as it is the foundation, and the only foundation upon which we feel that there can rest one thought, one feeling, or one purpose worthy of a human soul.
The simplest conception of the origin and plan of the Iliad must, we think, prove the most correct. It originated, doubtless, in that desire, which every great poet must especially feel, of revealing to his age forms of nobler beauty and heroism than dwell in the minds of those around him.
The stream of life, - which, in other men, obstructed and at last stationary as the objects that surround it, seems scarcely to deserve the name,- in them rolls ever onward its rich and life-giving waters as if unconscious of the beautiful banks it has overflowed with fertility.