Evening star., 1901-07-20
MARGARET FULLER HONORED.
A Tablet Unveiled the Long Island



Coast.
Fifty-one years ago. on July 10, 1880,
Margaret Fuller, Marchioness Ossoli, lost
her life off Great South Beach in the wreck
OF the ship Elizabeth. In her memory
there was unveiled Thursday at Point O.
Woods, on that beach. bronze tablet, over
which Is nearly completed pavilion called
the Margaret Fuller Memorial. The me-
mortal and tablet are the creations OF tie
Point O. Woods Improvement Society, COM
posed entirely of women who spend their
summers year after year in the quiet n-t'e
settlement just five miles to the east of The
Fire island light house. The Inscription Oh
the tablet. written by Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe. reads as follows:
Erected to commemorate
MARGARET FULLER,
MarchiOness OssOli.
Author. Editor Orator Poet.
who with her husband.
Marquis Giovanni OSsUli,
and her son Angelo.
Perish-d by shiPwreck off this
shore July 10 1880. In
the fOrty-fTst year of her age
Noble in thought and character. eloquent
Of tongue and pen, she inspiration
Influence abides with US
EREtTED 1901.
An interesting program had been pre-
pared by the arrangements committee that
made ready for the anniversary ceiebra-
ton. Several scores of visitors. most of
Woods on the Old-fashiOued steamboat that
plies thither from Bay Shore, L. l., nd
when the exercises began at 11::U . clock
the little wooden meeting house Of tls set
tlement crowded TO its doors. In the
front row of seats were three relatives of
Margaret Fuller. Mrs Arthur NicaoIs
niece. and Mrs. Richard Fuller and Mrs.
Arthur Fuller. sisters-in-law.
Mrs. Lille d. Blake. president Of the I'M
prOvement Society, took the life of Mar
gtrrt Fuller as the subject of he- introduc-
tory talk. which was in part as follows:
Earliest among the long line L women
whose literary achievements have added
lUster to our nation stands the name of
N drgaret Fuller. During her brief career
h-r productions attracted the attention of
TtIders on both sides of the Atlantic, and
sEe was the first American woman to win
a. International reputation. II must be
remembered that she met her death some
vars before Uncle Toms Cabin was pub
.Shed. and before the long line IF women
kho have since won fame had made heir
mark on the century.
1t was a wonderful career which was
cIt Of in its early prime on thts inhos-
Iitahie shore. As the associate Of Emer-
Bon. L"ngfeIlow, Hawthorne and those re-
4 ole men Of genius who made Boston
the Athens Of America. she edited the Dial
the organ of the 'TranscendentaliS.s.' Her
remarkable Conversations were the first
lectures ever given by a woman which
dealt with the higher criticism Of ethics. of
eiuCa ttOn and of art Her association vii
the New York Tribune as an editorial writer
gave her a wide fame. and when she went
To Europe she was received with TecOCui-
ton by the literary circles of London and
Paris In Italy she was deeply interested
In the struggle for Italian independence
under MaZZiui There She met and married
the Marquis Giovanni Ossoli and tn re her
child was born
1t WIS on the return voyage to this
country that the ship Elizabeth VS. wreck
ti just of this shore July 10. 1SJh Mss
IUller's body was never recovered, but
W know that this beach was the last spot
upon which her eyes rested, and that IL is.
therefore. the most fitting place We could
have selected fOr our memorial"
p-her speeches made during he exercises
wrJe those Of Charles W. Hand, president
Of the Point o. Woods Association. and the
Rev. Dr. c. II. Townsend of Orange, y. J.