The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-01
before his death no EXPRESSED an earnest con.

victlon Of tho truth OF the primary ideas an
nounced by Fourier. and belief that some OF
the predictions mado by the social reformer
would be fulfilled.
After tho breaking up OF tho Brook Farm
Community-a catastrophe mainly duo to
want Of sufficient capital. Mr.. Ripley was
thrown altogether on his literary resources.
He moved to Flatbush, on Long Island, whore
Mrs. Ripley earned something by teaching
while he rndcavorcl to obtain literary employ
mont in New York. His connection with the
Nibune which began Immediately. was not Tor
q long time lucrative for tho paper itself was
young and poor. and rs yet, moreover, there
was very little OF systematic criticism OF
current literature in daily journals. Even in
the first half " lSio when ho had removed to
New York from Fabush, and spent u few hours
daily in the Office Of the Trib'r,c as literary as
sistanl he received only five dollars week.
and there were some weeks when there was
nothing for him t. do. and accordingly he
earned nothing. In July Of the year named
II weekly stipend of ten dollars was given him
and continued at that figure until April. 1850.
when II wa. raised to fifteen dollars. In Scptem-
Der 1851. Mr. Ripley was placed upon the pay
roll AT u regular weekly salary VI twenty-five
dollars. and this he continued to receive during
the next thirteen years. For the two years be-
tween January. 1854. and January 1866. he was
last mentioned date. fifty dollars up to Janu-
airy. 1871, when his weekly compcnsa-
ton was made scvcnty-five dollars Mt
which point it remained until his death in
1880. In connection with the final increase of
tho stipend paid to Mr.. Ripley. who 1t must be
remembered had beer IL stakeholder in tho
Tribune Association since lSl9 Mr.. Frothing-
ham cites an interesting extract from tho
Minutes Book OF the Tribune. In cxplana-
ton OF the proposed increase Mr. Greeley said
that his general opposition to raising the
salaries OF stockholders was we'll known.
Raising one salary" he said. always incites
n claim that half dozen others should bo
raised to equalize payment for equal service
He had always opposed and always would
oppose demands Of additional pay based on
the needs Of the claimant" He did mot know
whether DR.. Ripley had moro or lass children
than John Rogers he did not care" He moved
! that the increase be made on two grounds only.
first. that DR.. Ripley had long served the
| Tribune industriously and faithfully. and had
| won n high reputation for its liternryIlepart-
ment, and secondly. that he Mr.. Greeley de-
sired more work of DR.. Ripley than he had
hitherto done. and would undertake if the reso-
luton prevailed to get the value of the increase
out OF the Doctor in good honest service"
It must not be supposed that Mr. Ripley do
pended for support exclusively on the stipend
paid him by the Tribune. One OF his account
! books contains tho names of numerous period
| icals. and even gives the titles Of his contr5u-
| tions. which range from grave discussions OF
/ philosophy to compcnda OF current gossip.
such as furnish the stock in trade OF the pen
ny-a-lincr. Among the journals for which he
! wrote. either regularly or occasionally. were
| the CLIQUE. the Literary Messenger the Ner o.
! leans PcdVae. the PHsblu'0h Commercial. the
| Ci,,r
and H,a,W anil Home. In the earlier part of
| his literary career all this work was done under
severe pressure Of care; tho writer had none OF
the uxuries and very few of the comforts
which men OF letters. like other men desire.
| He was poor: he could afford but one room in
boarding house his labor was all directed to-
ward the earning Of daily bread, and even his
| recreation took the form OF change of toll.
He possessed an extraordinary capacity for
work. and although fatigue would sometimes
/ plunge him into fits of depression an excellent
constitution and buoyant disposition enabled
| him to throw them of. He was powerfully sus-
tanned. moreover by the devotion OF his wife
| who under the stress OF rrivntion, preserved
| for him constant affection and an undimmcd
cheerfulncss.
Mr. Riplcy's connection with Ualpc's NdJo-
zine began with the issue OF the first number in
1850. He was at first writer Of literary no.
| tees for il, but soon obtained more lucrative
work upon il. ana WAS finally regularly ON
ployed by the Messrs. Harper AS one of the
renders of the works offered 10 tho house for
publication or reissue. We think /, n ritr tina,
Mr. rockingham did not supplement- the in
teresting and instructive details rotating TO
Mr. Ripley's earnings in the T',b,g,o Office with
an account Of the sums which he received for
outside work. and especially in the capacity Of
reader" The biography Of man Of letters
who really depended on his pen for support, is
incomplete without an exhaustive statement
of his income. Az regards. indeed the editorial
work done tor Applcton's Cycloprdia some facts
of the kind desired are furnished Mr. Ripley
was one Of two associate editors charged with
the supervision of the work He was not as
Mr.. rockingham seems to think editor in
chief" for although there was no question Of
prominence between men who we're on the
frendiest terms. yet when difference Of
opinion happened to occur, il was not Mr..
Ripley's judgment which was final and de-
cisive. To return from this uDimportant gues-
ton to the profits derived by Mr. Ripley from
his share in the joint labors, we find that by