The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-19
Brook Farm.

The prGcucal tendencies OF transcenuen-
talism in New England eliminated in that
unique and supernal experiment in CON-
munism known as the "Brook Farm ex-
pertinent" Here WAS an attempt TO har-
moni2e most Intellectual and spiritual
ideal of lie with the every day necessities
of the farm, the shop, the kitchen and the
nursery. Life was 10 be ''gerene, pacific,
beniGcent." Culture OF the mind and
communion Of lofty and copgenial souls
were 10 be shown compatible with actual
cultivation of the soil, and with the care
of kline and swine These transcondental-
lists admitted that their philosophy were
vain II it could not bear contact with the
actual needs OF human lie. And 30 these
leaders IN aesthetics, poetry, art criticism,
and philosophy, with company
numbering on an average about seventy,
settled at Brook Farm to foster culture.
and, at the same time to gain livelihood.
No minute history of this movement has
eve. been written; ard Mr.. rockingham
tells us shat the public will never learn the
details of the experiment. But with all
its sincerity, its pastoral simplicity and its
comparative long contiauance-it survived
five years-the incongruity of the ideal and
the practical must have rendered transit
ions from the sublime to the ridiculous very
frequent. Imagine the practical workings
of farm association of which Hawthorne
was trustee, and of whose finance com.
mittee he was chairman. Hawthorne was
the only member of the community who
kept note book and his somewhat discon-
ISOLATE comments-quoted by the author
seem to have been written when the pin
ions of the ideal were made imperative
from physical fatigue or Il too protracted
contemplation Of the grosser features of
field and farm yard. In the early spring
Hawthorne seems TO have been imbued
with uIquenchabe enthusiasm. Scarcely
misgiving troubled him as he determined
to perform any drudgcry for the sake of
the ideal. But the time approached when
this creator of fares and fairy castles in
oloudland must look after the needs of the
Brook farm dairy. Here are entries for
April;
Brook Farm, April 13, 1S4l.--I have
not taken my first lesson in agriculture, eX-
cept that went to see our COWS foddered
Yesterday afternoon We have eight of our
own, and the number is now increased, by
Il transcendental heifer belonging to Mrs.
Margaret Fuller. She is fractions, | be-
lieve and apt to kick over the milk pail.
intend to convert myself
into milkmaid this evening, but l pray
heaven that MIR. Ripley may be moved to
assign me the kindliest COW in the herd,
otherwise | shall perform my duties with
fear and trembling
April 16.-I have MIXED q coW!!! The
herd had rebelled against the usurpation of
Miss Fullers heiter and whenever they are
turned out of the barn she is compelled to
take refuge under our protection. So
much did she impede my labors by keep
4 a
give her two or three gentle pats with the
shovel. She is not an amiable cow, but
she has very intelligent face and seems TO
be of u reflective cast of character.
April 22.-What an abominable hand do
| scribble; but have been chopping wood
and turning O grindstore all the forenoon
and such occupations are apt to disturb the
equilibrium of the muscles ard sinews."
Nothing could have been nicer IN Mr..
Ripley than to assign to Hawthorne q COW
"with an intelligent face aud a reflective
cast of character" The latter quality
alone would atone for Il multitude of ten
denotes to kick or and other uDgentlc act.
Hawthorne calmly pattipg Margaret Full
lor's fractions heller with shovel was q
scene which should not have escaped can
vas. But the heats of carly summer wore
upon him and he writes
"May ll.-IhlS morning ! lose at milk
ing time, in good trim for work and We
nave been employed partly in an Augear
labor of clearing out wood shed and part
lY in carting loads of oak. This afternoon
hope to have something to do in the field
for these jobs about the house are not al
all suited to my taste.
June IL think this present life Of mine
gives me IN antpathy to pen and ink, ever
more than my custom house experiences
did. In the midst OF toll or after hart
days work my soul obstinGtely refuses Il
be poured out on paper. 1t is my opinion
that n mans soul may be buried and pcrisl
under dung heap just as we'll as under {
pile Of money.
The subsequent entries evince growing
distaate for farm labor. The aching back
the scaufying sun, the soiled skin and dress
the wesriness, were too much for Haw
thorne's transcendentalsm, and he bemoan
his fate thus
August l5.--Eyen my custom house ex
pefience was rot such thraldom and wear
mess as this. O, labor is the curse of tht
world, and nobody can NEEDLE with i
without becoming propotionately brutifed
is 1t praiseworihy matter that | have
spent five golden months providing fol
cows and horses? Is ii not so?-FJ0m III,
Utica HeraM'S reoiet0 Of characterization
in Mem En9land By Octactas BanhS Froth
in0LU,n