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l. Definitions Transcendentalism- a system of philosophy, especially that associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson and other New England writers, that emphasizes intuition or the divine Romanticism- in the arts, the style and theories of the romantic movement, or the movement itself Aphorism- a literary, artistic, and philosophical movement originating in the 18th century 11. The transcendentalists A. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) - American essayist and poet, a leader of the philosophical movement of transcendentalism. Influenced by such schools of thought as English romanticism, Neoplatonism, and Hindu philosophy. Emerson is noted for his skill in presenting his ideas eloquently and in poetic language B. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) - American writer, philosopher, and naturalist who believed in the importance of individualism. Thoreau’s best-known work is Walden; or, Life in the Woods (1854), which embodies his philosophy and reflects his independent character. The book records Thoreau’s experiences in a hand-built cabin, where he spent two years in partial seclusion, at Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts. C. Walt Whitman (1819-1892) - American poet, whose work boldly asserts the worth of the individua