Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-06-04
DatIy 1testnebsr 5surnaI.
Marxaret Fuller.

Margaret Fulier's friends have stood BY
her as she would have stood By them. Bat
50 manv have gone to whom her memory
was dear that think it right to let her
speak for herself from very private
letter. Margaret had many friends and
many lovers. knew of her having sew
eral offers of msrriage; but she was afraid
she had seen great love change to dizziness
and indifference in domestic life. and she
did not feel entirely sure OF herself.
In Rome, in 1877, after we had talked
far into the night. she wrote to me letter
of twenty-four pages before we met again
in the morning In this letter (Which has
never been published) she says:
II do not know whether ! have ever
loved at all in the sense of oneness, but
have loved enough to feel the joys OF
presence, the pangs of absence. the sweet
ness of hope, and the chill of disappoint-
ment. More than once my heart has bed
and nv bodily health has suffered from
these things. but mentally have always
found myself the gamer. always younger
and more noble. :. have no wish about
nv future career but that it should be like
the past, only always more full and deep
er. You ask me whether love Mr..
answer, he affected me like music or the
richest landscape my heart beat with joy
that he once felt beauty in me. Still, l
do not know but might love still better
to morrow. have never yet loved any
human being so well as the music OF
Beethoven. yet at present am indifferent
TO it. There has been time when Thought
of nothing but Michael Angelo, yet the
other day | felt hardly inclined to look on
the forms bis living hand had traced on
the roof of the Sistine. But when loved
either OF these great souls | abandoned
myself wholly to it; did not calculate.
shall do so in life if love enough. :.
The inward voice has decided that should
come here, and being here. wish to see
Italy. Perhaps | shall be gradually drawn
from Mr. -; perhaps he will find he
does not need me. Perhaps he will find
some soul more attractive to him; 1t may
be so to me. In any case. God is always
in the world, and some time He will salts
fy all wants. Our duty is simply to
grow. 1t Is not easy for any one to
live with me; it requires faith, but that
faith would ennoble the one who could
feel it. Children always love and trust
i
should have no strength for mental re-
solve, for action. do not wish to waste
it in words, need to be serene, and | try,
but il is not possible to me always to be
sweet The renunciatons of my life have
been many, and ! sometimes suffer from
the opening of an inward wound. do
not want to excuse myself for not being
constantly sweet and noble, but it is not
for want of goodwill on my part. Do
mestic life is trying to every one; it re-
quires great deal of love, faith, and
nerve to dignity it."
Margaret's letter begins: dear Rebec-
CA had last night a terrible dream. |
thought ! was condemned TO death, and
preparing for execution"
She goes on to tell of the calmness with
which she was ready to meet death:
dreams often present things under
truer relations than the reasonings OF our
waking hours. and think my character
would show this kind of courage, and rise
superior. even into an air of serenity and
Joy. For the rest, want no trial am
already weary; | feel much need of re-
pose. Should it be presented under the
auspices my soul approves, it would be
welcome but see no probability of this.
Should there be no fiery crisis in my life,
it still must be one of labor and con-
quest"
know enough OF the greatness of Mar
garet's soul to know that when the trial
came she met it grandly. She comforted
and inspired the others. on that i'll fated
ship; she soothed her baby boy 10 sleep
she was calm and ready for the end,
though life was more to her than ever
before. The greatest agony must have
been when the kind but resolute sailor
took her child from her. for she saw no
chance for him in that terrible sea. No
friendly hand was there to save her; let
her friends stand round her now! From
''the ship Elizabeth, off Gibraltar" came
4 letter. probably the last Margaret ever
wrote, telling us of the terrible calamity
that had befallen them in the death of the
captain from continent smallpox. She
SAYS al was with him great deal-in-
deed. whenever | could relieve his wife
from ministry softened by great love,
and the heroism of womanly courage. but
in the last days truly terrible with dis
gusts and fatigues." Then she helped
nurse the mate through this dreadful dis
ease also her own boy, doing everything
to save his childish beauty for her own
mother to see.
Many years before this she went one
day in New York to see her dress-maker.
The woman exclaimed, Ego away, Miss
Fuller; we have the small -pox!" But
Margaret would not leave until she knew
they had all they needed; and the women
with tears. said, ''you are the only one
who has dared to stop to ask" One
Thanksgiving Day Margaret visited with
VIM. Claiming and Marcus Spring the
prisoners at Sing Sing. and spoke cheer
ing words to them with her sweet voice.
She addressed Mazzini's poor Indian boys
at their yearly festival in London. and af-
terward she worked with him and Ossoli
and noble-hearted princess in the hospi-
tails in Rome. After being with her for
years. we could say, there was beauty
in her daily life." To call others up to
their highest, to live her own true life,
was her best wish. She said to me, ..if
l can not always be sweet. my friends will
always find me true" | am happy to be
able. and to feel worthy, to cali myself
Margaret Fuller's friend.-REBEccA B.
SPRING, IN Harper's Magazine for June.