New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-08-28
Margaret EuilcT's Friendship

As the cherished associate and equal
friend OF many of the leading thinkers of her
country and time, Margaret Fullcr'S friend
ships assume more than personal sguii-
canoe. They give Ia the world another
illustration Of that illuStriou, Tag, Of iricnd-
ships between men and women Of the high
est type, which in every age have been
deeper, broader, and purcr than the time ia
which they existed. These friendships also
illustrate still more significant fact in human
history, viz: that despite the deprayity
which has characterized the average dealings
of men toward women, even in the most
dcpravcd and bigotcd ages, the higher order
of men and women met in absolute indiyid-
ual equality; and that the personal power
of the Genuinely grand woman in herselfhR
always been more powerful than tradition
prejudice, or custom. Monica and St. AU-
gustinc, Susannah and John and Charlie,
Wesley friends no less than mother and
sons; Francis de sales and Madame de
Chantal, Fenclou and Madame GuyOn,
Madame Nwctchinc and lac0riaire Eugene
aud Maurice de Gucrn, Madame Roland and
the Girondists, Hannah Moore and her mas
culnc contemporaries illustrate type
Of friendships between men and women
which has done all that a human relation
could do to cNalt human nature and to en-
belli~h human life.
VI iDNt, li' must pow Filul ihISIDn gI
humanity, Is only exalted when it il born OF
friendship. The lower must be first and
always the friend 10 be worthy 10 be the
lover. 70 revere and love the Individual,
the personal essence which in its intrinsic
quality separates the beloved beng from
every other in the universe, - the only love
which survives all time AMI change Il -
the only love which OUtlivc5 BEAUTY aad
youth. II made even Abclard and Hclo.so
friends long after they had ceased 10 be
lovers.
The charm to inspire il IN man I've, OTIy
in the rarcst woman. II made the soul o.
Madame Rrcamicr more beautiful than he.
face, and her face was among the most beau
tiiul in the world. 1t made ali her hOpc!e--
lovers live and die her friends II maxi,
the picture Of herself and ChatcaubrgUi
sitting b. the same csidc in their last DAYS
one Of the most attractive IN the history ~:
human affection. The sp'cud0r Of h.5 pGacr.
thc passion Of his intellect were gone En-.
to-, were the Grace AMI Glory cg her youth
H. wa dcCgcpit, she va. blind. and both
were Old. They had ourl.s-I their ff!euii
outtvcd everything which had once mad.
their live rrsp.-uiant. Tho affection ".
their hearts. the friendship 81 thcir sO.
surviving youth and passion, beauty, aat
power alone remained uu-h1kcu and m
changed.
We p.'y the aatgf. Incapable If nciicy4n-
al this prrl,ct trlruI-h.r c.i-t.u. bctwco.
man and woman. We lind many such tr
PITY. The ma UE.tI Of people taxi g. D.!
there were bat twD extremes o. relation
which woman can sustain % man. '-he mus.
be a pretty, tricky, artiu. creature, bcgu.liuy
h!m OF hi- reason, taking him captive through
h.. sense, the pandcrer 10 his pleasures, IL
once his tyrant and hi slave or she mss,
arm her7e. against him, accuse hun, abuse
hun, a. at once the sole author pg her wrongs
the source Of all her msGrle5. The far,
open land bctwccu-thC -cr-uc and -ag.-i
land Of friendship, wherein men and women
may meet IN human sympathy. q gf.ei
pursuits, IN wide thoughts, and IN h,ucHrru.
acuou we hear constantly .Iykcu o.! Is
a dchalable if not impossible meeting ground.
II dOubt.r-s i-, for the people who c&lsg-s
TN, opinion; bat never La- been and uryr-
VII De - those men and women who reeJy
nlze and revere IN each other the equal Lu-
mau nature which each alike rc-c sc. lrOG.
H'd Nc. Ams- - "O."... aI Ma" s'r