The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-02
THE BRooK FIRM PERIOD IN NEW
ENGEIND.


Inc upNIll Vi 1tllpn NuluO EsIlPTNDn
calls to public attention that extraordinary pc
Rod of scethng rAdiculism which prevailed in
Now England and to some extent beyond il.
unlike tho present that it seems ccnta los
away. Tho cighty-two ,pestilent hrrcsics that
before 1888, or the generation of odd names
and natures which , The Earl Earl Of STAFFORD
hardly surpass those Of winch Boston WINS The
ccntre and Horace ,Greeley's ,TiiJunc to some
the g poa ute Sent If s
The best, single picture of the. time il 10 TO
found in Ene5s2ns LECTURE on N9w England
works had stimulat' d youthful minds in Eng,
impression in France. and German tcrattir,
played an important part in the movement;
The mental agitation ranged from the most
cultivated to the most Ignorant persons; Ger
* YE@ ana
Advent movement fired another. The Anti
Slavery agitation was feeder. to the whole
were ready to forsake all and follow con-
science. The Hutchinson family were lis min
six long-haired and black eyed striplings.
grouped around one rosebud OF sister. Ed:
ward Palmer illuminated against the use Of
ranked together, Contributed 10 the specu-
lative enthusiasm; Alcott PREACHED what Car
S boed oSP water F1 eHa % Ss
coming into favor; the body must he fed
sanity principles, The Widest ' speeH E "a
and practices not only prevailed but must b.
eonvcti9hs but general attitude; you tV wer re,
expected to accept the whole sistcrhood OF
hen in wen tie i@s Tn2 o "ra
in manufacturing town IN Mnssach usetts.
whore the operatives were still chiefly Amcri-
quaintances was quito amazed that l. who
pasSsed for reIorm 1f was yet nnac9uanted
Th mills Eks know hs K MSGsed II G 81
said, :, You ought to know themi Interested
IN al the r9forms-temperance. anti-slavery..
battle in cold water every morning and one Of
ems Grahamte" l afterwards became ac-
auainted with these young ladies' and found
them exceedingly sensible and well-informed
women.
Mr.. Emerson, in paper in the Dial for July.
verSal Reform :" in in Boston, says truly 9f hat
gathering. " If the assembly was disordcrly. it
wnS picturesque; MadmGn mad women, men
cutters. Groaners. Agrarinns. Seventh Day
BBaptists, Quak,rs 3, Abo!itionists, Caynists.
cessive i TO- the u top" The phrase men Win
boards " is of itself characteristic of the period:
for then almost every reputable man went
shaven and boards were regarded as indicat-
ing the worst forms of social heresy. Charles
IN HE WAS pSGs raenr "i ur
beard and hair which gave him an undOubted
resembl , to the early pictures OF Christ;
radicaism wore his beard also. and it was
considered an artists whim in both poet and
stairway at Emwood. Thus, between tic
seemed to be. and the things that were half
crazy but seemed to their projectors to he sane,
i is plain that good sense had a hard time Of it.
and reared; what infinite hope, what bound-
less hospitality to what was called the new
the "like-mindedI' always thought that lis
chief benefit came to those. who, like myself.
appeared upon the scene just too late TO be ac-
tive PARTICIPANTS III any eNcpSSeS, Dut III time 10
share the impulse and the glow. ,-,
vailed under all vngarics. when We consider
that in all these circles Mr.. Emerson was re-
yered. and that his calm nature shrinking
from extremes. held its own way undistuTbed
through everything Through what ,aduIa-
ton. what, Difference did thai man livel | re-
lures in Boston he used to hold ScceptIo ns at
the rooms Of II cultivated young bachelor. Of
terested in all the reforms This youth was
especially interested ter Ieaous in behalf #
l9s sb @h usds II ms ys d29r
this motto in the centre: Universal Unity
Beneath it was another inSeription in neat
feetN Into this domain thus cmblazoncl
and thus guarded the philosopher and
mune after a, lecture, and the group ,of
admitting youths and maidens around tho
which their teacher could give, i remember
for instance. that Mr., Emerson had been telI-
ing me, one evening in the winter OF loio-9. Of
published, which at first bore tho name Of 'Ihs
Bottle Of TOPPER na-Fuosich." Being ba'llrd bv
pencil and card to write 1t down for me; rs |
Withdrew, maiden stepped modcStiy forward
promised it to me too Mr.. Emerson To her
succeeded second maiden And to me. Mr..
Emerson;" and when yet u third appeared, tho
sage SAID his wOnted smile broadening Il litttr.
oyou also wish the name Of the book Oh,
ANYTHING. anything, responded the confused
girl, eager only for the autograph. and careless
| whether itcame In the shan o: i Gaelic name
| or one in Choctaw.
! l was never a resident Of Brook Farm even
| for u day. but used to ma Ike brief calls thels
| Witn COUSIN OF mine who, as niece 81 Mr..
n,pey; naa access !. TO inc charmed circle, .
one round OF Gypsy parties and picnIcs, Win
only so much OF hard work rs might make any
| out to me on my first visit. remember, was
| George William Curtis. who, IN shirt sleeves
| and high boots as became IA picturesque young
| amateur RrcuturIs, was eecortng some la
| dos about tho grounds In general tne COM
n"hborRo""d we 7 "ynGd ' to E''" STYLE VIZ II
blouse, then ,rerenty imported from Eng
land mot Fr'nceL and a cross be-
farmers smnck frQck. These were also worn ~
Harvard stu i2nts in thoSn days: but the youu:
men at Brook Farm superaudod little rictur-
"sque vlor'"ss caps-a costume IN which BUR-
rill Curtis, brother Of George William was ~
! heautt as II young Raphael IremembrrItaS
,try chatacior,stIr thai Charles A. Dana, nov
"'itor Of The sun, who WIS the most miucn-
lal among tho younger leaders Of the "Cum-
munity.' Kept himself strtklngy free from AL
these innocent tnrperins. and always looked
Ike y wtll."uuIatr'l and manly young farmer.
On the other hand. lie had The reputation
think. Of THROWN rather less Of generous id,'h-
ism into the affair than was contributed 10y tho
3thcrst and people missed in him-ns Mr..
Ellen Hooper wrote that they missed in ruur-
son the heat that OlttimnS breeds excess.
Brook Farm. which had always Il certain
mayor ol lnrriEnn'SS. retains II ~ to the r'.-
cnt day. When lust visited IL the chief hunIJ.
Ings wer" occupied as an ulmshousr fOl Orr
man pauncrs, and they had laid out uua..L
ltto burial ground, fun ol DAD .wud nauD{
ana pipus Lutheran phrases. which seemed aS
remote from our modern American liI,, rs WOO
the studies and the talk Of those who first u;ltn
the place famous, Elsewhere the change uu4
been more complete. All that periud of sect =
ing eNcltement has passed away. thu head ~
are gone, the followers aru RAPIDLY guiug. a.I
nothing brings it so vydly back TO my minds
eye ~ the Occa6iOnHl sight Of some suryINIus
brother Of the Hutchinson family IN Il concert
room, still exhibiting, the long hair no"
"hitned, and tho broad collar that no., Yea 40
whitening, and IN" vague, benign snin th't
yet speaks uniHltcrinGly Of - IL good time cuu-
ing with no date fixed,
Taos. WENTWORTH UlGGiSsoN,