Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-12-14
abe ()crmunt 1bGnis.
BRATTLEBORO;
FRIDAY, DECEMBER II. 1888.
MARTINEAU, FULLER, MOTT,
l. h / FL n rs
From the Lives of Three Great Hu-
mnuitnrious,

From the Lives Of Three Great Hu-
ninnitnrians.
1t has been said that Mature is a sower
of men, and, putting her hand constantly
in the same sack, distributes nearly the
same quantity, the same quality, the same
proportion Of seed but in these handfuls
of seed which she scatters over time and
space, not all terminate" Amongst a pro
fusion of seeds thrown over the plains, three
delicate ovules sank deep into the ground,
and, taking vigorous root, sprang up and
broke into marvellous blossoms. whose rich
perfume waited over land and sea, uniting
in one earnest breath sent forth diverse
benedictions to suffering humanity.
Nurtured in the Unitarian belief, bright
exotic of rare growth Harriet Martineau's
early religious life was one of tranquil hap
| piness Taught from babyhood TO trust in
the unchanging tenderness Of a humane
| Father, her soul life was one Of constant
| progression towards the highest spiritual
| development. If in later years her rapidly
expanding mind was dyed with material
ism, and she dwelt upon death as a dream
less sleep, it was not in desparful bitter
ness, but in fervent longings after painless
rest, for a long period denied her, owing TO
| great bodily infirmities Miss Martineau's
emotional nature was intense, and when.
after girlhood Of stern repression, her
heartstrings we're sounded and vibrated to
the touch Of a beloved hand, her strong
womanly nature rose in pWan of melody,
/ "a lipb tbpuuh 1ppfnaI q, br,kau ,,o1an,aa
never quite died away, but fingered still in
the soul Of the gray haired sufferer. Sway
ed, perhaps unconsciously, by this ardent
affection, the dormant power within her be-
ing awoke, and she sought relief for over
charged feelings in writing, thus at the age
Of twenty beginning that marvellous litera
ry career which has made her name one Of
the most celebrated among Englands auth
ors
In 1876 family reverses forced Miss Mar
tineau to seek revenue from her writings
Labor heretofore prompted by the hutter-
ings Of genius now became necessity and
formed the nucleus Of her professional life
From essays, poems reviews and fiction,
she hastened To- biographical sketches, trav-
els, politics aud philosophy, deyotng her
closing year, almost entirely to journalism
A woman Of wonderful sagacity and execu-
tive ability. "A counsellor To statesmen, thor
oughly conscientious in all her work, many
times writing what she knew would be re
ceived with contumely and execration, re
sulting possibly in the utter defeat Of her
chosen profession she pursued her stead
fast way unmludfu Of friend or foe, speak
ing the truth for truths sake. then calmly
laying aside her pen to wait without fear
or hope or ignorant prejudice for the expi
ration Of life frankly satisfied to
have done whit: prophesying that when
our race is trained in the morality which
belongs to ascertained truth. all fear and
trembling will he left to children, and men
will have risen to a capacity for higher work
than saving themselves to that of working
out the welfare OF their race, not in feai
and trembling but with serene hope anC
joyful assurance continuing with fainter
breath, The world as it is is growing some
what dim before nay eyes, but the world a,
it is to Ice looks brighter every day" 1t
this comprehensive mind We find the care
full measurements Of great ethical teach
er, who is not carried away by enthusiasm
TO overrate striking characteristics in her
delineation Of life, but gives to her numer
Gus readers calm, unbiased judgments Of
mankind. most popular author. withou
creative genius, she continues TO hold tn,
public 10y her clearneSs uf thought, probity
and charming narrative style Lacking
the enuoblmg relationships Of wifehood anC
motherhood natures pruning hooks fol
Topping off excrescences-her life was nat
urally incomplete aud one sided, whenc,
arose those acerhities Of temper over which
with regresslve steps, We tenderly throw
the Shemitir garment Of old
Compared with Harriet Martineau, Mar
garet Fuller's writings are Of minor impor
lance. OF an ardent, impulsive highly
imaginative temperament and endowed will
extraordinary precocty, Miss Fuler's con
versational abilities were phenomenal hel
glowing utterances sprang Spontaneously
from the soul and tinged the faces of he
listeners with her own ecstatic hue. No
did she always write with leaden pen. TO
many times it takes unto itself wings an,
scars away into regions of enticing beauty
leaving us below gazing with rapturou
breath at the leeting vision. Hear the KEY
tone of this melodious singer, Every earl,
| knew that the only thing in life was t,
grow and we may add, in order to draw
all minds TO her, "A rich, wise nature, pull
sating with feeling, filled with the poetry o
existence, like her own loved passion howe
picturing to the world its lessons Of suffer
ing and strength While Harriet Martineal
possessed a logical mind, Margaret's, excel
ling in criticism, inclined to analysis Tn,
one of far greater influence in the worlC
was sometimes prone to lean upon others
but the pronounced individuality of Marga
ret frequently reached too great an orig
nality of speech and action. Her outburst
of humility are hardly in keeping with he
. eccentricites of self esteem. One marvel
at her saying with such superlntive com
placency, IL have met all the finest mind
in America, and find none comparable t,
mine" Concerning the obscurity of som,
of Miss Fullers writings friendly biogra
pher is pleased to say, They are ambigui
ties complimentary to the reader" 1t is L
be regretted that any divergence Of opinion
caused an alienation between the two wht
at one time seemed TO have so much il
common, and that Miss Martineau in hel
so-called Acrid Autobiography SHOULD
publicly censure her friends mind anC
manners, principally because the latter
made bold to condemn Harriet's account o.
"Socety in America branding it as al
anti slavery book and mildly insinuatinl
that the writer might have done better
Perhaps the high-sprited Massachusetts
woman also objected to hearing Boston
spoken of as the headquarters of cant,
and American women as chiefly noted foi
their "vacuity of mind But we feel as
sured that Miss Martineau's fine sense OF
honor impelled her in the end to do full jus
tice to Miss Fuller's wonderful intellect, anC
that carping critics have paid too much at
tention to the irritable utterances of worn
out invalid Unlike her friend, Margaret
believed in eternal progression, Her Greco
was short and simple Il believe in a God
beauty and perfection to which l am t
strive all my life for assimilation. From
these two articles draw the rules by which
| strive to regulate my life. Tn,
most important rule is in all relations with
our fellow creatures never forget that il
they are imperfect persons they are immor-
tai souls, and treat them as you would wish
to be treated by the light of that thought
How the artistic nature, struggling with
its manaces of flesh cries out, IL am such
a shabby plant of coarse tissue hate
not 10 ha baau. 'f,l ,gba,, al oro,,nd Il an ~