Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-05
BROOK FARM.
The Movement to Attain a Higher NO
cinl Lire-Who Participated In 1t
Occupations of the Members and
What Came OF IL.

clhl Llte-WhO fartlclphteu III 1t
Occupations of the Members and
What Came OF IL.
The atlantic Monthly for October has an
interesting posthumous article, written by
Ralph Waldo Emerson, entitled "Historic
Notes Of Life anddIsst4sjn Massachusetts. "
1t gives the following sketot. q the Brook
Farm experiment ia Massachusetts,.
The West Roxbury association was io....-
ed in lS4l, by a society OF members, men
and women. who bought isrm 10 Yves,
Roxbury, of about 200 acres, and took pos
session of the place in April. Mr.. George
Ripley was the president, and l think Mr..
Charles Dana afterwards well known as one
the editors of the New York Tribune waa
the secretary. Many members took shares
by paying money; others held shares by
their labor. An old house on the place was
enlarged and three new houses built. Viii
liam Allen was at first and for some time the
head farmer, and the work was distributed
in orderly committees to men and women.
There were many employments, more or less
lucrative, found fai. or brought hither by,
these mbers-shoemakers, toners, seam
stresses. They had good sdbelass among
them, and so received pupils for their eiuca-
ton. The parents Of the children in some
instances wished TO live there, and were re-
ceved as boarders. Many.persons. attracted
by the beauty of the place and the culture
aud ambition OF the community. Joined
them rs boarders, and lived there for years.
think tue numbers OF this mixed COM
munity soon zeached 80 or 90 souls.
1t was noble apd generous movement in
the projectors to try &c experiment of better
living. They had the feasing that our ways
of living were too conventional and expen-
sjve, not allowing each 10 do vha. he had q
talent for, and not permitting men e com.
bine cultivation of mind and heart with q
reasonable amount of daily labor. At the
same time it was an attempt to lift others
with themselves, and to share the advantages
they should attain xith others now deprived
of them.
There was, no douls, guest variety of char
acter and purpose 10 the members OF the
| community. 1t consisted in the main OF
young people; few of middle age, arl none
old. Those who inspired and Organizea Il
were persons impatient OF the routine, ahe
uniformity, perhaps they would say the
squalid contentment, OF society around
| them, which was 81 tiMd and skeptical of
any progress. One wohld say then that i'm
pulse was the rule in the sa2lety, without
centiipetal balance perhaps il woxN not be
severe to say, intellectual ssnsculottism, m
impotence of the formal, routinary character
OF our educational religious, social and
| econ nical life in Massachusetts. Yet there
was inaense hope in these young people.
There was nobleness there were self-sacri-
iicing victims who compensated for the levty
and rashness ef their companions. The
young people lived q great deal in a short
time, and came forth. sosss OF them, perhaps
with shattered constitutions. And a few
grave sanitary influences OF character were
happily there. which, was assured, we're
always felt
|. George w. Curtis, Of New York, and his
brother, Of English Oxford, were members
of the family from the first. Theodore Par
ker the near neighbor OF the farm and the
most intimate friend OF Mr.. Ripley, was a
frequent visitor. Mr.. lchabod Morton, OF
Plymouth, PLAIN man, formerly engaged
rough many years in the fisheries with sue
cess-eccentric. with persevering interest
in education, aud OF very democratic re-
iigion came and biilt house on the farm,
aud he, or members Of his family, continued
there TO the end. Margaret Fuller, with her
Joyful conversation and large sympathy, was
ofl,n guest, and always In correspondence
with our friends Many ladies. whom to
name were to praise, gave character and
varied attraction to the place.
In ami and s,1pnd Braok Farm, whether
NJ Incmbcrs, b,ariera. or visitors, were many
remarkable persons, for character, intellect
N accomplishment. l recall one youth of the
..ubtlest mind believe ] must ssy the spbt-