The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-08-26
CONCORD PHILOSOPHY.
A DRAUGtlT FROM THE SOURCE
OF THE PIERlAN SPRING.
A Philosophic Tea-Lecturers Who Fight
Shy of Their Subjects-Peculiar Results
of Boston Culture-Old Hobby Riders
Aired-Dante and His Beatrice.


of Boston Culture-Old Hobby Riders
Aired-Dante and His Beatrice.
Especial Correspondence
New YORK, Aug 16.-Not long since l
turned eastward in search of light. l shall
never forget the first night l reached Con.
cord, Mass | arrived about in the even
ing, and was just congratulating myself upon
detecting in the hall of my boarding house the
aroma of delicately cooked viands, when |
was au-lmoned to "tea" My heart nearly
failed me at the ominous word; but so sharp
set was my appetite that it was impossible to
blot out faith that something must come to
anpeaSe my hunger. | descended, crossed the
threshold of the dining room, and there lay
the board before me. Covered with spotless
linen it certainly was, but on the linen stood
only teapot, bread and butter, blueberries
round, dark, hard and defiant-and some
slices of pale cake.
A New England tea is enough to draw
tears from stone. But this was the land of
philosophy; here indeed was simple living
however it might be as to high thinking. My
dropping spirits were not elated by the infor
nation that breakfast was served at $50 IN.
dinner at noon, and tea at $50 p. m. Thirteen
mortal hours to digest those blueberries!
was already disciple for mysticism, and
started Immediately to walk to Hillside
chapel where the School of Philosophy was
held.
1t was pretty path 1 took under grand
elms, past the Emerson home, along one of
the principal streets of Concord. The chapel
is an implanted, rough board building, vine
clad, and nestled on grassy slope in an
orchard adjoining the old Alcott house.
1t is decidedly close little place when the
sun shines with full summer heat, and the
roof has way of letting the rain dribble
down philosophic necks; but we were seekers
after the higher way, so, of course, did not
notice the small Universities of this mundane
sphere.
For those disinclined to make their pilgrim
ages to Mecca on foot, there are huge omni-
buses running to and fro. These vehicles are,
of course, not named omnibuses spade is
not called a spade at Hillside chapel The
conveyance for the mystics is barge" 1t
was in one of these that first saw Miss Pea
body Her hair hung, once upon time, no
doubt, in ringlets either side her face, but
years had made havoc of the curls, and now
straight locks struggled unkempt to the shout
ders. With mantle hanging off this side, ker-
chief off that; with brooch and shawl pin
askew, with well-inked digits, with one black
cotton glove depending good inch beyond
the fingers of the left hand, with bonnet hang
ing by seazy strings from the back of her
head, with mystic utterance sat Elizabeth
Peabody
When one thinks of the noble work she has
done for education one feels, in spite Of her
appearance, certain tenderness and gratitude
for the gentle lady bending under her weight
of fourscore years. She has made our paths
easier, let us not make hers rough.
As Miss Peabody entered the chapel, directly
behind her came little girl of some nine
summers, nursing a big doll. This infant
disciple was accompanied by her mamma.
Then Mrs Cheney, the lecturer of the even
ing, made her appearance. Miss Peabody
rose from her arm chair on the platform adj
vanced to Mrs. Cheney and saluted her with
transcendental kiss and embrace. 1t was
sweet to see the affections flourish on the
platform Before the lecture there was
one last thing necessary. Miss Peabody
must be supplied with a tumbler of water.
discourse on 'Dante and Michael Angelo. "
Soon the infant philosopher, the owner of
the doll, succumbs to sleep. Miss Peabody's
bedtime is also apparently passed; her eyes
are tight shut and head nodding. How hu.
man it is to start up and in manner affirm
that we have been wide awake all the time.
But after acting this mild form of deceit sew
eral times, catastrophe overlook the ancient
philosopher. Miss Peabody gave one big
nod. and head and tumbler went simulta-
neously down into her lap. Anxious, devoted
maidens rushed TO her assistance, and in the
twinkling of an eye the lap was bailed out and
Miss Peabody righted; and again she was
silently protesting that she had only intended
to make deep obeisance to the golden truths
spoken, and to offer up libations of water.
Hamlet would have agreed with me, that all
things in heaven and earth are dreamed of in
this philosophy.
As attended the school from day to day,
it seemed to me that not more than one or two
lecturers were at all deeply versed in their
subject. 1t is possible, perhaps, on founda-
ton of those New England qualities faculty
and general smartness-to build up a passably
good exposition of social questions in our own
times, DuU 10 ulSCuSS all lUdlliu pOSO VI q w
gone century requires scholarship. Most of
the disuuisitions on Dante were mere AGA
demic essays, not worth, to real student, the
time consumed in listening to them. One
feeble effort was merely a chaotic mass of
quotations from various books on the poet.
and most of these from a critic considered
by the scholarly of absolutely no worth.
And such was the public criticism
made by the only Dante authority
present. Professor Thomas Davidson.
Some of the lecturers began with
excuses for lack of preparation, notably one
in which the speaker stated that the ideas
presel ted were based on impressions made by
Youthful study of Dante thirty or forty years
ago. This elTort-if anything so feeble can
he called such-eaded with a sentimental ode
as long as it was weak, written by the lee
turer when about 20 years old. Valuable
contribution this to Dantesque literature
During the week devoted to the great Italian
poet, the ecstasy with which Dante's love for
Beatrice was referred to, sounded very odd to
simple Nineteenth century ears. Mrs. julia
Ward Howe, in her lecture, mentioned
that Beatrice married another than
her lover, but failed in her eulo-
pium of the poets infinite love to tell us
that he. too, married some one else, and had
seven prosaic children. l grew impatient
with the slurs at modern life and exaltation
of chivalry. 90,
No one even specifically acquainted with
| .lo .,,hioct could claim that the knights OF