The reader has the opportunity to familiarize himself with a unique publication - a book by R. W. Emerson (1803–1882), representative and head of the American philosophical and literary movement of transcendentalism, associate of G. Thoreau. The main ideas that Emerson developed and which were reflected in the first parts are the ideas of social equality of “equal before God” people, self-improvement, closeness to nature, cleansing a person from “vulgar material” interests. The second part gives a brilliant description of the “spiritual fathers” of humanity, which is also of interest to the modern reader.