New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-14
FURTHER TRIBUTES TO MR. RIPLEY.
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS on HIS OLD ASSOCIATE.
From HdTDer's WeekiH

GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS on HIS OLD ASSOCIATE.
From Harper's Weekly
The life of George Ripley was divided lrtO
three distinct epoehs. Ho was n Clergyman from 1926
To 1871 pTact cal social refOrmer from 1S41 10 lS17
his death. But lie wa'aways aremarkHbc scholar. OF
great range OF singular accuracy and 'horoughness and
oSteutaon OF every KIND reIieent about himself ont
with cosmopolitan sympathy ana gay n4mOr
in Greenfield, Massachusetts, on the 81 OF Oc-
lober 1902, when Jefferson was President.
mOcracy, but pley's Democracy was OF a Kind of
which Jefferson did not dream. and II absolutely
tree personal amb ton. IL founded upon faith
m man, and contemplated ideal society. He an
apostle OF freedom. moral mental andp7Iitica and his
M Inity" He graduated ut Harvard College IN 1928,
aud was from 1925 To 1926 when he Gradu-
1898 he WIS settled over the Unitarian church Pur-
cnast-sf in Boston The great Unitarian division from
TIE older Congregational form aud dogma had taken
place years before, and Dr. Claiming was In the
flush his fame and Influence. Ho was preaching IN
Federas in the same quarter OF the city IN which Mr..
Ripley settled, ami not far from Mr. Rpey's
cnnrcn. The younger man, with the artor OF sch0ai.
MS vigorous mind forecasing the contest IN which be
was take CHIEF part. went TO Europe and returned
deeply grounded III German aud French philosophy and
Theology. He of tire first among thorongh Ger
scholars In this country lie knew the views ana
differences of the great masters and leaders OF contem
pOrary thought. and his requirements, already very
large and unusual were thoroughly dIgested and SER
yceable. There tog IN his MUD, and upon
ms tongue, and evasion In hi, heart. Urbaue and
gentle and friendly he yet full OF energy and yig0r
and be was an amply equipped champion OF the liberal
lzing movement before Ills power ana skllI were sus
Pected.
szThe Transcendenta agitation in New gland forty
years ago WAS spiritual revival. It's leaders
had students Of C0lerdge and, Dlints mitandts
tney disturbed that scholarly and elegant repose o
UmtaraBism, OF which perhaps Mr.. Everett may be
Cited a representative very much as the OXFORD
Mcthodsts disturbed the decent calm-whch they
CALEB sagnntionoi the Engli-n Church Of the las
century. The Transcendcnta sDrit Questioned every
existing OF thought and Hociey. ana o0nseryasm
upcOmfotably felt Itself to be driven to IT'S dc ence. Til,
younger Of the schOol had sat nj the feet
Chnnning ana his study still their and iae
acrirny In which the muster heard sometimes doubt
less surprise, but with tho
OF the minds that he had ira Among the conspicu
figures Of that time Mr. Emerson Is the chiof, bat
was a remarkable group that gathered around HIM
| There Margaret Fuller, aud A. BrUn.on Acott
and Theodore Parker, aud William Henry Charming
| Frederic Henry Hedge and Elizabeth l. Peabody. an,
John Dwight, and Henry d. TDorcau, and many more
while the outer circle OF intellectual sympathzcrs
cluded George Bancroft and Orestes Augustus
| sou Hawthorne, a friend OF Bancroft and O
Peabody family curious rather than Interested
while OF the more scholarly Uaitaran clergy, hk
DR. rockingham DIR. fraucis, and Dr. LamsOu. wthou
leaving their puiplts msintaned friendly literary ant
personal relation with the Transee LEADERS, Tn
religious or theological form OF the controversy beoam
more Aegressvely marked after the delivery Of MI
Emer sons address tho Divinity School In 1888 While
vas construed ~ an insdious attack uDon receive