New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
GEORGE RIPLEY.

nh. pome Of George Ripley fills but a small space
l., ,ho oto,ooucs of libraries yet thoro are few
american scholars to whom the honorable TUE OIL
9man of letters" more exactly applies III u no'
merely that his long life was spont IN 'hc com,
nonionship of books and authors; but he devo'eu
half a century to literary production. ana during
Tho last thirty years especially he achieved an enor
nous amount of brilliant and solid work. none 'uo
less valuable aud perhaps none the less endurinp'
be,onse il WAS placed before the public through tno
ncrodical press rather than by the agency OF porS
vouIues Mr. Frotbing CHAM with his Keen 81 P''
eiaton of the modern spirit, his sympathy IN many
OF Mr. Rplcy's ideas and desires ana ms i"''"''o
knowledge of some at least OF the conditions """0'
which the labors Of this distinguished 'r''o "e''
accomplished has not failed TO appreciate 'io Ne
character and purpose OF his rhtrhS "o'N'S'
aWitb him" SAYS The biographer literature "as
bioh calling on line with the ministry wnich no
abandoned or the career of rciormer whcn NE
,,nder,ook at Brool, Farm One spirit animated all
his performance from beginning to end Inc iorhls
of his activity changed his hope and purpose con
t,rped uuf,lterinc to the last. Whether preaching
administering. writing, making cyclopedia or
,ovisvinc hooks he had one end III view-the en-
liohtenment and elevation of mankind
Mr Riplcy's earlier years not his most lruit-
f,l Int they were his most eVent1ul' a"u
# is upon them naturally that the oIoh."-
nher II TEMPTED to lingcr longest. Some oil the no.
nestle letters of his college period afford desh'ui
nicture of the nobility and sweetness OF MS nature
and that rare union of fervd feeling ana CAIN Ju-
,.ent for which he afterward became SO REMARK
able lie was graduated at Harvard III $50
talinl the highest honors oil his Glass; anu Io
tYnrbt mathematics and natural philosophy at the
University after his graduation, studying at the
same time in the Divinity School, and being
| nil
r,esslc for him in Boston in 1876 His connection
tb This church lasted fourteen years. There IS an
immersion that it was not altogether satisfactory
IN tl,in although he could trace 70 it many warm
and enduring friendships. The society never gre"
large enough to he prosperous; the nelghoorhoou
foil into decay. and families NOV ed away. Apart
from these accidents ii Is clear that MI Ripley
opiniuas were not always in accord with those OF
his people Mr.. rockingham gives us a brlel ana
rraphc sketch of the quiet. sober rcspectaoie
Initarianism Of that day. "A dl2nlhed form Vi
Christianity" very different from the Llneraiisi
If onr time; and Mr. Ripleys views which would
now be accepted as moderate, were regarded theh
with good deal of alarm. He was no unbelieYer
no sceutic no innovation IN matters of opinion or OBJ
servance. bnt 2 Quiet student, Il scholar, man OF
booxs \ calm bright minded high- sOuled thinker ;
belieyirp hopeful social. sunny, but absorbed IN
nhilosophical pursuits" He was u disciple 0l the
intutivc or tranScendentul philosophy tIen coming
into vogue. which Gained for human nature Il
sprjtual faculty by virtue of which truths OF the
spi,itual order could he clearly dscerned Iran-
scendentalism in it, full foIm was dedication OF
nature But with its earliest teachers ana prophets
Claiming. Emerson, Walker. Ripley. PaIker-lt
sic,ise1 merely 4 new. broad ideal faith. unsecta-
rinu spiritual, earnest" Mr.. Ripley was member
of the first tIanscendental coteric at Cambridge
1be nucleus Of all future organizations and the first
ueetinr of the Transcendental Club was held at his
honse in 1896 Emerson, Hedge, 4. b. Alcott, e.
Francis and J. f. Clarke being present 1t would
be mistake however, to suppose that Ripley anu
Emerson were in accord. MI Ripley opposed
Fmersons ilnpcrsOnal conception of God ana his
divergence from the Concord philosopher is very
clearly indicated in some remarkable critical PAGES
be;oreing TO a later period, from which Mr. froth-
,,ghnu presents a few extracts. The fullest ac-
count of his theology is probably to he found IN his
celebrated Letters" in reply 10 the Address OF
Andrews Norton on The Latest Form Of lnideIty."
Il WAS strange step from the pulpit TO Brook
Farm from the study of German philosophers 10
the study of soil, and crops. But Book Farm was
simply the logical completion OF the pulpit nlhistra
lion final proof of the preachers sluteIltS. MI
Frothncham gives most interesting account Oh
this experiment. which be reminds as, did not look
as chlmerlcal in ISL TO some 1t does now. mat
was time when projects of radical social reform
were il the air." and it was not surprising that
man like Mr.. Ripley. disappointed IN his ministry
should have been carried away By the feelings
which animated many commanding minds
"This is the place to say, once for ALL observes
the biographer with the utmost possible empha-
Ais that Brook Farm was not community IN
the usual sense OF the term There was no element
of socialism in it, There WAS ai.out it no SAVIOR OF
antnomauism, no faint of peSsimism, no aroma
however faint. OF .nihilisD. 1t was wholly unlike
any of the 'Ic sious associations which had been
established in generations hefore, OF any OF the
athristjc or mechanical arrangements which werc
ATTEMPTED simultaneously OF aiteIward.' us IN
0ustlial principle was cooperative, not cOmmunis
TIC 1t recognized individual property as sacred. 1t
preserved the family inviolate. 1t had no theo-
TACTICAL creed for il encouraged thcfullest freedom
OF opinion but its spirit distinctly not scepi-
cal Our Objects wrote Mr. Ripley TO Emerson,
are ito insure moro natural union between Ill
tellectual aid manual labor than nov exists; TO
combine the thinker and the worker, as far as
possible in the same individuals to guarantee The
highest mental freedom by providing all with
labor adapted to their tastes and talents, ana
securing to them the fruits OF their industry TO DO
away the necessity of mental services, by opening
the benefits of education and the profits of labor to
all and thus 10 prepare a society of liberal, intel
lipent and cultivated persons whose relations with
each other would permit simple and whole
some life than can be led amidst the pressure of
our competitive institutions" 1t WAS impossible
TO misundeistauc the thorough unscfsbnes5 Of Mr.
Ripey's motives Personally" he wrote, my
tastes ana habits wculd lead nc IN another dircc-
ton. have passion for being independent of the
world and of every man in it. This could do
easily on the estate which is now offered aud
which | could rent at a rate that with ny other
resources, would place me in a very agreeable con-
dition. as far as my personal interests were IN
voyod. | should have city of God, on a small
scale of my own aad. please God, should hope
III