Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-02-11
AN EVENING IN UToFIA
The Notable paper delivered nv he'' d.
d. Merriam tn the college course.

Prof. A. Il. Merriam of Hartford Ihe1-
logical seminary. gave the fourth lecture
in the college course at the Centre chuIeN
last Tuesday evening His suhlecI was
"Some Literary UtOpias. and the lecture
was one of the most thoroughly sluuieo'
brilliantly written. and elO0uentlv delivered
addresses given IN this village of late YEAR.
The speakers wide reading and mastery
ANALYSIS were manifest IN every llue' D
satisfactory abstract OF production. ltseH
compact in-the highest degree. cannoi be
given. The essay began with the DroAo
distinction between the "ldea. as COM
prehensiveiv held TO pertain to all human
lite: and the "UtOpiau." which might IN
cude a parody upon OF travesty OF lueai-
ism and which describes. I'D a word
program of lite where the 'dramaus per
sonaa NAV be those Dv no means arranged
by the great author of life Himself
The works which have pictured the per
feet state were classified. IN their point Of
view. as political OF social IN method and
treatment The difference was pointed
! out between ancient and modern books, IN
/ reference 10 the time when. and the place
/ where the desirable conditions are sup
/ posed to be realized. the more ancient be
/ ing inclined TO look Tar backward Tor their
golden age. ana the more recent TO look
/ forward: ana only Beiiamys books being
/ bold enough TO ind the time comparative
/ iy close al hand. and the place as near as
{ Boston
Along the lines OF the twofold division.
! into a political or a social treatment and
prophecy OF Utopia tine principal works
were passed III review. being considered as
/ 10 their leading IDEAS and their dramatic
and literary presentation. some OF the
most famous OF these works are Plato s
Republic" Clceros de bepubhca Au-
gustine's the Civ of God Dante de
! MouarchIa CamDanela's "Jhe City OF
! the sun. Lord Bacon 6 The New AT
lautis' Sir Thomas More Utopia.
and TWO political treatlses of FeneIOu.
Inc works OF Plato and More were treated
al greatest length. both being regarded as
an approach to the subject from the social
side. Reference was also made TO the French
Iliumlnism. and Its SEQUEL m various re-
cent communlstlc anu anarcnisilc schemes.
10 the Brook Farm experiment. and to
more recent EFFORTS. such as the 'Aitruria
OF Howell. and the books OF Bethany the
latter or whom mas. without precisely Dor
rowing. worked through ana quite liz
cusiveiy reflected the substance OF much
of the literature OF the suu1-C
a striking COMPARISON was maze between
the purely speculative thought. the con
scIOus ana intended numOr. ana guarded
expectations OF the greater JtOplsts. and
the grave and literal antlcipariOns of the
lesser lights ct attention was called 20
the fact that many OF the hardest problems
raised iu the IL tOpas had been met and
solved not however. Toy program. nut by
providence through historical processes
The salient points galuet from the
wLole review. ana substantially common
Go al. were coEeuuy emphasized. ana some
0I them follow one Is that tue greatness
ana emlueuea OF the men. VINO nave cone
si1ere- ). worth while 90 think tnis vein,
revea. the teuacity of faith OBJ AL ages, iu
an idea. and suiu.ua. issue oi history. All
other s the Iacl that All schemes alike re-,
upon tine basis Uf education insist upUI
some form OF reaC]ustmenl OF property
ana maintain tine equality OF men aud
women Finally, 10 is true that tine raa-
cal defect Iu al these programs ls the
tata. omission of due emphasis upon the
ract and disturbing powe, OF Sin. while
vet even this lack seems 10 allow such
works 10 fUrtity the optimistic view of life
more vigorously. and 90 lift into a clearer
light al hope the possibilities Tor good
which art held Ii numaul.F