The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-01-11
some Brook Farm Visitors.

We quote as follows from a pos
thumous article by Mr.. George P.
Bradford, in the Century, giving an
account of the real life of the members
of this famous socialistic experiment.:
@I have some pleasant recollections of
the large parlor in the Eyrie, which
was designed with special reference to
our evening gatherings of various
kinds for amusement or Improvement.
We had many visitors from the outside
world of civilization, among them
some persons of interest and distinc-
tion.
Miss Margaret Fuller (afterward
Countess Ossoli) was one of these, and
was often there as friend of the Rip
leys and of others of the company, as
well as from interest in the enterprise
and sympathy with it's objects. She
was to us an interesting and instruct
i've visitor, and would sometimes hold
conversations, favorite mode of
our visitors was Orestes A. Brownson,
whose active brain led him to the vari-
Gus new movements of which the air
was full at that time, and finally to a
very old institution. He was also a
friend of George Ripley-whether then
Romanist cannot say. One of the
visitors best known to the world was
Robert Owen of Scotland. He was nat
surally interested in our experiment, as
he had been engaged in something of a
cooperative or communistic character
at New Lanark, Scotland. I recollect
that received an agreeable impression
of his great simplicity and trans
parency of character, as well as his
earnestness and warm humanity.
Then Miss Frances Ostinelli, afterward
well known in opera as Madame Bis
caceiarti, spent some time with US.
Her fine voice in its youthful purity
and freshness was a great delight to
US, as her youthful beauty and charm
were very fascinating to some of the
younger members of our company.
Then there were the Hutchinsons,
family well known at that time, and a
marvel for their sweet singing, and
this especially in the interests of
antislavery and temperance. The ac-
cord of their voices were very pleas
ing. A sreat charm of their singing
was sort of wild freshness, as if
brought from their native woods and
mountains, and their earnest interest
in the objects that formed SO much of
the theme of their songs.
"We had in our vicinity some agree
able neighbors; among these Theodore
Parker, who was personal friend of
Mr.. Ripley and others of US, whose
church some of US attended, and who
often came to see us; for though he
did not enter fully into the idea and
plans of the Association, he of course
looked with generous interest on all
that promised benefit to humanity.
There were also near US other families
to whose broad and liberal sympathy,
generous assistance and genial society
we were much indebted. Besides,
there came from time to time to
see US reformers of a humber or
milder stamp, with various schemes
and dogmas for reforming society
vegetarians, come-outers from Church
and State, to some of whom no doubt
the former was, in the rather strong
language current at the time, the
Mother of fAbominations.' A Then there
were long-bearded reformers dressed
all in white, which was in itself pro-
test against ,'omething, l hardly know
what; for very liberal hospitality
was exercised from the beginning, for
which I think great credit is due to
Mr.. Ripley.