The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-27
I I J..


century. and. indeed. for forty years later. for
educated young men from New England to
begin life by teaching school or serving as
private tutors in the Southern States Even II
their education had been gained only at q
common school they thought themselves
competent and generally were so. to teach
the local schools in the South. When. there
fore. in October. 1918. Bronson Alcott left
home on his way to Virginia his hope and con-
fldent expectation were to ind school not far
from Norfolk whore he might teach children
through the wntAr. earn his own living. and
contribute something to the family expenses.
The result OF his first experiment 10 recounted
In his autobiography: Oct 10. 1818-sailed
from Now Haven for Virginia. hoping to teach
n common school In that State. Finding this
difficult, II not quite ridiculous. commenced
hawking small articles. as almanacs and tin
ware. about the city Of Norfolk: and In tho
spring. travelled In the surrounding counties
with sundry small articles OF housewifery.
Returned by way Of New York. with a iaunt
into New Jersey. staying there for o month or
six weeks. and reached Walcott In May. 1919
Besides a suit Of clothes l brought homo
eighty odd dollars for my father. who was then
building a house on tho site OF the old ono
In the following November again sailed from
New Haven with my brother. Chatfeld Alcox.
to engage In peddling as before-desiring to
aid my father to pay for tho house he was
building. and. more especially to improve my
knowledge Of the world by such intercourse
with the cultivated classes OF the South as
was permitted to travelling chapman and
youth such as l then was"
The general result Of Acott's peddltng VEN
lures. which were prosecuted for five years In
Virginia and the Caronas. was disastrous
from n pecuniary point OF view. Instead OF
assisting his father. these journeys imposed
upon the latter net loss Of four hundred and
twenty dollars. somewhat less than the same
time spent In tho college and professional
school at New Haven would have cost His
intercourse. however. with the Virginians Is
deemed by the biogrspher to have been OF
great service to Alcott 1t is true that he
entered the planters houses only as peddler.
but he must havo struck every one from the
outset as remarkable peddler. from the cir
cumstances that he always ask ed permission to
examine tho household library The fact that
he obviously cared more about reading than
selling his wares would naturally commend
him to sympathy and hospitality. Mr.. Henry
Adams. in his Life OF John Randolph"
has pointed out that nowhere could be found
school OF more genial and simpler courtesy
than that which produced the great mon and
women OF Virginia To youth bred as Alcott
had been in the narrow ways OF a country
town In Connecticut tho comparatively ele-
giant and courtly life OF the plantation houses
In tldewater. Virginia, was an impressive reve-
lation. 1t was the first school OF fine man
ners with which no came In contact Thomas
Cholmondeley. who was Judge OF good breed
Ing. meeting Mr. Alcott In 1854. and hearing
from the present biographer the story OF his
youthful years. could scarcely believe 1t true
Why" said Cholmondeley. your friend has
the most distinguished manners-the man
ners OF very great peer." which. OF course.
was the highest compliment an Englishman
could pay. To much the same effect wrote
Emerson in 1851, Our Acott has only Just
missed being II seraph. A little English finish
and articulation to his potencies and he
would have compared with tho greatest"