Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-05
J est observer and dlxiner Of character. I eyer

| practical aims a student aud philosopher,
wh, found his daily enjoyment MT with the
elders or his exact contemporaries 50 much
us with the fine boys who were skating and
playing ball or Enchanting forming the
closest friendships with such, and fin ding
his delglii III the petulaut hcroisms of boys;
| yet was lie the chosen counselor to whom the
guardians would repair on any hitch or
difficulty that occurred. and drew
from him wise counsel-a fine, subtle, in.
ward genius, puny in body and habit us n
| girl, yet with an dpl0mJ like general, never
dsconcerted He lived and thought Ia 1912,
such worlds of life; all Ringing on the
thought of being or reality as opposed to con-
scionsness hating intellect with the fcrocty
of Swcdenborg. He was the able or spir-
iiual father, from his religious bias. Ills
deron, SHAKESPEARE, and In modern novels aud
romances of merit. There too was Ilaw-
thorne, with his cold yet gentle genius, I he
failed to do justice to this temporary home,
There was the accomplished Doctor of Mu-
sic, who has presided over its literature ever
since in our metropolis. Rev. William Hen
ry Charming, now of London, was from the
first u student of Socialism in France and
England, and 10 perfect sympathy with this
experiment. An English baronct Sir John
| Caldwell was a frequent visitor, and more
or less directly interested in the leaders and
the success.
Hawthorne drew some sketches, not hap
| PLY, ms Think should rather say, quite
unworthy of his genius. No friend who
knew Margaret Fuller could recognize her
rich and brilliant genius under the dismal
mask which the public fincitd was mean,
for he in that dsagrceablc st ny.
The founders of Brook Farm should have
| la al hat "A. IA
| try TO makc-an agreeable place to live in.
All corners, even the most fastidious, found
it the plcasantcst of residences. II is certain
that freedom from household routine, varic.
ty OF character and talent, variety of work,
variety OF means, OF thought and instruction,
art music, p,seify, reading, masquerade, did
not permit sluggishncss " hespupdency-
broke up routine. There is aercemeni in the
testimony that 1t was to most of the assG-
ciatcs, education ; to many, the most imp 1T
| Gnt OF their lives, the birth OF valued fneni
| ships, their i,rst acquaintance with the riches
Of conversation, their tanning in behavior
The art of letter writing, it is said, wGo I'M
mcnsoly cultivated. Letters were always
| flying not only from house to house, bu!
from room TO room. il was o perpetual pie
mic, FRI ncE revolution in small, an aye o,
reason in patty-pan.
In the American social communities, the
gpssii found such vent and sway as to be-
cone desrotic. The institutions were whisp-
cring galleries, In which the adored Saxon
privacy was lost Married women, believe,
uniformly decided against the community
1t was to them like the brassy and lucquered
| life in hotels. The common school was well
enough, but TO the common nursery they had
grave objections. Eggs might be hatcled in
ovens. but the hen On her own account much
n ,lusF nI Il a.
| chickens was but half a hen.
| 1t was curious experience of the patrons
and leaders of this noted commuMty--iu
which the agreement with many parties was
| that they should give 50 many hours of in
slructlon in mathematics, in music, in moral
| and intellectual philosophy, and SO forth
| that in every Instance the rev corners show
ed themselves keenly alive to the advantages
of the society," and were sure to avail them
| selves of every means of instruction; their
knowledge was increased, their manners re-
fined, but "lhey became in that proportion
| aversc 10 labor, and were charged by the
heads of the departments with certain irdo-
lence and sclfishness
In practice it Is always found that virtue Isl
occasional, spotiy, and not linear or cubic.
Good people are as bad as rogues, if steady
performance is claimed the conscience Of
| the conscientious runs in veins, and the most
puncillous in some particulars are latitudin-
| aran in Others. 1t was very gently said that
people on whom beforehand all persons
would put tie utmost reliance were not res
ponsible. They saw the necessity that the
| work must be done, and did it not, and it of
| course fell TO be done by the few religious
| workers. No doubt there was l.. many
certain strength drawn from Che f,Uy o. dis,
sent. Thus Mr.. Ripley told Theodore Par
ker, 'There is your accomplished friend he
would hoe corn all Sunday, il | would let
him, but all Massachusetts could not make
him do il on Monday"
OF course every visitor found that there
was comic side to this Paradise of shep-
herds aud shephcrdesscs. There was stove
| in every chamber, and every one might burn
as much wood as he or she would saw. The
ladies took cold on washing day so it was
ordained that the gentlemen shepherds should
| wiring and hang out clothes, which they pune
| tually did. And II would sometimes occur
that when they danced in the evening clothes
| Fms dropped plentifully from their pockets.
| Tie country members naturally were sur.
prised TO ce3e-ve that one man ploughed all
day, and one looked out OF the window all
| day, and perhaps drew his picture, and both
| received at night the Save wages. One
would meet also some modes. pride in their
advanced condition, signiied by frequent
plrase: before We came out of ciyiliza-
| ton The question which occurs to YOU
had occurred much earlier to Fourier: "How.
| in this charming Elysium, is the dirty work
| to be doue?" And long ago Fourier had ex-
| claimed "Ah, l have it! and jumped
with joy. Don't you sec" he cried, 'tha,
| nothing SO delights the young Caucasian
| child as dirt? See the mud pies that all
children will make, il you will let them. See
- ., "a
pudding on the tablecloth than into their
Beautiful mouths. The children, from six to
eigh,, orgL4i;ed into companies, with flags
and uniforms, SLell do this last function of
civilization
In Brook Farm was this ,psepliarity, that
there was no head. In every 'feul.iJ- is the
father; in every factory, a 'fureniau ia: a
shop, master in boat, the skipper hut
in this farm, no authority each was masttx
or mistress OF their own actions happy,
hapless anarchists. They expressed, after
much perilous experience, the conviction
that plain dealing was the best defence of
manners and morals between the sexes.
People cannot live together in any but nee
cessEry ways. The only candidates who will
preseiA Lkcplselves will be those who have
tried the Experiment OF independence and
ambition, and have &Ie5 and none others
| will barter for the most GEM srtahle equality
the chances of superiority. Yea Al. COM
munitics have quarreled. Few people can
livn together on their merits. There must be
kindred, or mutual economy, or a common
interest in their business or other external tic.
The society at Brook Farm existed,
thin, about six or seven years, and then
\ broke up the farm was sold, aud | believe
| all the partl9rs came out with pecuniary
loss. Some d lLen had spent on it the ac-
| cuinulaiion OF years. 4 oppose they all, at
the moment, regarded It % l. icilure. do
not think they can so regard i now, but
probably as an important chapter In their,
experience which has been of lifelong value.
WHAT i4powledge Of themselves and of each
other, whas Sarious practical wisdom, what