New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-01
EMERSON AND ALCOTT.
ADAY AT THE CONCORD SCHOOL.

CONCORD MASS, July Zo.--frOm tne 1eVcflSll rush
and roar of the metropolis to the peaceful quiet of
Concord's elms is almost bewildering transition,
Astounding in sharp contrasts like that between the
noisy Stock Exchange and the quiet little hillside
APPEL under the apple trees just down the road. 1t
is huge delight, apparently which the philosophers
take in their dreamy midsummer moralizngs and
yet they very willing that the benefit of their
teachings shall be shared by the outside world.
Concord itself is habituated to the presence of
sages that the placid level of existence is hardly
rippled by the presence of the Summer School Out
side barbarians apparently regard the proceedings
of the wise men with mild, uncomprehending
derment, tinged perhaps with touch of plying
scorn. 1t was amusing to hear this feeling put into
words by an officer of the Fitchburg Railway.
=" This is a great democratic institution" he said,
speaking of his road =" You go up to Concord, and
you hear one kind of philosophy there. You keep
to Lake Pleasant-some seventy-fve miles further
up where great Spiritualist campmeetng is in full
blast-and you find philosophy up there. You pay
your money and you take your choice; but guess
it's all the same" Fancy the righteous Indignation
of Concorils Platonsts at being placed on par with
the seeTs of visions in the Spiritualist camp.
CHAT WITH BRONSON ALCoTT.
On my arrival wandered down the drowsy elm
shaded main street of the village, catching gimpses
through Hospitality opened doors of quaint stair
ways with wide landings and spacious wanscott-d
rooms, to the old-fashoned white house where A.
Bronson Alcott, the Dean of the Summer School
lives. Mr.. Alcot was sitting in his study under an
excellent head of Carlyle, conyersing with II. g.
V. Blake, whose interesting paper on Thoreau was
recently published in THE TRIBUNE. "The school
is in very prosperous condition, and is self-sup-
porting" said Mr.. Alcott. "Year before last the
total attendance 400, last year 600, and this
year 1T may reach 800 1000. The average at
tendance at each lecture is sixty seventy, al
though 1t sometimes reaches 100. and the attend
ance includes visitors from nearly all the States in
the Union.n
"What is the makeup of the attendance?" was
asked. " You have many teachersf"
Perhaps one-third are teachers replied Mr.
Alcott. There college professors and many
members of private families The proportion of
women is quite large"
"And how do you account for thats
well, philosophy is usually considered to be Pc
culiary adapted to the masculine mind but here our
philosophy is infused. We teach the beautiful and
adapt it more than others do to the feminine mind
1t is infused" And while was trying to puzzle out
the meaning of infused" he added: "Women are
quick of keen intuitons and eager to seize upon
the fine things in philosophy. Is it not so ? And
them" he continued, giving perhaps the true ex-
PLANTATION with unconscious humor they have the
attraction of seeing each other"
THE COLLEGES AND THE SCHOOL.
What is the feeling among prominent metaphysi-
asked your correspondent, mentioning a few names
Professor Bowen, of Harvard, has taken no
part" said Mr.. Alcott "and neither has Dr. Nc
Gosh. In fact, am not sure that he responded to
the invitation sent to him. Professor Seelye, of
Amherst, may come to us later and President Hop
kins, of Williams, has assured us of his sympathy
President Porter, of Yale, will lecture on Kant on
August q, at the beginning of the Kant week.
think the colleges are with u.s." Mr. Alcott went on
of no Oif nf frnr
Elizabeth Thompson for the chapel and referred
particularly to the value of the discussions follow
ing the lectures. Then he said, "Come and see my
daughters paintings" and took me into the wide
parlors where hung the works of his daughter MAY
Aicott who died year ago in Paris. She had
achieved an honorable record with her brush and
some of her studies of still life were exhibited In the
Paris Salon.
Then walked on through the centre Of the vii
lage, down a broad country road running between
avenues of elms. On the left spacious country
houses were irregulary scattered along slopnc hill
side, and on the right a broad stretch of level
meadows, with wooded hills blue in the distance
against the horizon.
THE TEMPLE" AND IT'S SURROUNDINGS
Three-quarters of a mile from the village caught
sight of a sharp, implanted wooden gable peeping
out between the apple trees on the hillside to the
lett against q background of pine trees. path led
up to 1T through the yard of od-fashioned house
shaded by two enormous elms. This was the Hillside
Chapel. fanked by apple trees, its front hidden by
luxuriant grapevine, and the drowsy MONDAY air
about it fragrant with the smell of pine boughs The
projecting gable made porch in front through
which steep steps conducted the visitor to the door
fearessly left open although no lecture was i'm
progress. 1t was strange enough to come upon
thus little temple OF philosophy apparently deserted
by the country roadside. Its primitive simplicity
was marked. No change had been made in the bare
pine walls or floor. On side, where the windows
We're filled with the tendrs and tiny green clusters
OF the grapevine, were busts of Socrates and Elmer
son. Above the open fireplace with brass andirons
at one end hung an engraving of the Court of Plus
Sextus the Restorer and Champion of the Liberal
Arts" near which bust of Pestalozzi, while
still higher up next the whtewashed chimney was
bust OF John Brown. medallion of child hung
above the lecture table, which with the platform
was in recess formed by low rear extension A
few books, Hawthornes and Acott's works and
The Journal Of Speculative PhOsopbv were i'm case
at one SIDE About hundred comfortable Camp
chairs were ranged in before the platform with
other chairs about the sides. and huge old-fash-
Toned armchair with padded back and sides in the
corner, the companion of one on the stage few
bits OF evergreen twined about busts and pictures
rev fowers on the table and some vines i'm basket
hanging from the centre of the pointed roof, were
the only attempts at decoration.
Standing behind the table, the speaker has on his
left the falling slope of the green hillside with apple
trees just below and evergreens above and on his
Ilght the steep ascent of the hill clothed with pines
whose boughs brush the very window. There are
paths among the pines on the Hill above the school
anu mere ana there seats have been fitted in among
sap osSStoes and Mners The sages may sit and
Ego to their hearts content. ~
RUSTIC sCEpTIC.
Walking back toward the village. n sunburned
farmer rose from his work in roadside field as an
preached. He answered some remark OF mjne win
ing the perspiration from his brow and then asked
. Won, hn1a H..