New-York tribune., 1903-04-17
OLD LOVE LETTERS.
4n Unpublished Romance of Mar
goret Fuller.

bundle Of love letters written more than half
century ego from Horace Greeiey's home. The
fix has faded the paper has grown yellow with
ege and the text Of the closely written pages is
hardly decipherable in places. but the timeworn
packet is steeped with sn aroma OF delicate SEN
tiIrent like the breath OF old fashioned New
England rose garden. Unlike An English
worasn's Love Letters" which, with the ad-
ventitious aid OF advertising, made something
OF stir not long ago. these genuine letters
written by the sibyl Of New-England transcen-
dentalists: and. while there is q mystery con-
nected with the interruption Of g, love afaar 10
piQue curiosity and TO excite conjecture re-
specting the cause Of estrangement there are no
morbid elements IN the correspondence The
letters. moreover. reveal purity OF Thought
beauty Of sentiment sweetness OF nature and
exquisite refinement OF style which render them
incornparabIy finer and more natural than Mr..
Laurence Housrrlan's collection Of cloying arti-
Scial sweets Margaret Fuller woman OF
genius whose conversation and character won
the admiration and friendship OF Emerson
Theodore Parker. Bronson Alcott, William
Henry Claiming. James Freeman Clarke
George Ripley and Harriet Martineau, and
throughout her career in Boston, Brook Farm
Sew-York and Rome until her tragic end by
ehipwreck with her husband and child of Fire
Island she had q supreme gift OF personal mag
setisrn which enabled her TO attract and hold
corseniel minds 70 appeal TO what was noble in
mems natures, and TO induce them 70 reveal
their deepest thought and 10 lay bare the secrets
cf their lives This unique talent Is shown IN
these love letters. written with exquisite natu-
.alness out of a full heart and mind and fairly
pulsating with womanly tenderness and sensl-
siveness
Of these letters cannot write In detail ana
without reserve since an English edition is 70 be
edition by the Appletons; but since have read
them sIn at least free TO explain the circum-
stances in which the correspondence was carried
on and subsequently preserved, and 10 add a
few reflections upon the sidelight which is
thrown not only upon a character OF exceptional
fascination and charm. but also upon the
sranscendentagist flower bursting suddenly into
bloom out Of the stony ground Of New-England
Puritapisrn It is also peculiarly appropriate
that an early account Of this strange love affair
should appear in The Tribune since the letters
were begun and ended during the period Of Mar
garet Fuller's active service a member Of
Mr. Greeley's staff. The earliest among them
we're written soon after her arrival IN New
Tork toward the close Of 1874. under an en-
Eagement as literary assistant. with home In
Mr. Greeley's house and the last a fortnight be-
Gore her departure for Europe, on August l.
1886 Mrs Greeley had met her in Boston. and
New-York after her articles in The DIAL" the
organ Of the Transcendentalists, had attracted
much attention. Mr.. Greeley did not at the out
set have SO high an opinion Of her as he subse-
ouentIy entertained, and left record this early
impression OF her: Personally regarded her
rather as my wife's cherished friend than as my
own. possessing many lofty qualities and some
prominent weaknesses. and a good deal spoiled
by the unrneasured dattery of her little circle OF
tnordinate admirers. For myself, burning no in
cense on any human shrine ! half consciously
resolved TO keep my eye beam clear and escape
the fascination which she seemed to exert over
the eminent and cultivated persons, mainly
women. who came TO our out of the way dwell
srg 10 visit her and who seemed generally to re-
gard her with q strangely Oriental devotion
Among these admirers was a German OF Hebralc
descent MI Nathan. to whom these love letters
were written.
Mr. Nathan was born on February g. ISL, in
Eutin Holstein, and went TO the United States
81 1890 He was il the commission business IN
New-York until 1850. and a frequent visitor
in the Greeley household. Acting under Mr.
Greeley's advice he changed his name in 1850 to
Gotendorf, selecting the Of d place which
had once belonged to his father in Holstein.
From 1850 to 1862 he q banker in Wall
ST. and then retired from business, going TO
Europe and dying in Hamburg on October D.
1888 His son, who has remained the custodian
Of the time stained love letters. now lives in
England and has an old daguerreotype OF him
dating from the time OF his acquaintance with
Margaret Fuller Mr. Nathan first met her late
in the autumn OF 1874 when she living at
M Greeley's house, OF the banks Of the East
River opposite the lower end Of BlackWelIs s
Island It was an old fashioned house. aP-
preached in those days from the Cato Road by a
shaded lane which led beyond brook and
pond TO flower garden and orchard with
woodland beyond and a rivuet and footpath
running toward the rocky bank Of the river
There are frequent glirnpses OF this farm in the
letters and evidences that the two friends were
often together in rambles among the rocks and
woods and that they came TO have many tender
and romantic associations with favorite hooks
and the Iilacs and myrtles. One Of the last let
rers in the packet written while she was re
visiting the Greeley home and was reminded
by rock and Towering shrub at every turn of the
tender rassages and occasional chIs and mis-
understandings Of their romantic attachment.
What was the chief bond which linked to-
sether the hearts and minds Of two companions
60 unlike in race, training. temperament and
occupation II is not easy for the reader Of these
letters to determine. Perhaps at the outset
there was an attraction Of dissimilarity Of race,
for she referred 10 q presentiment that she was
70 meet one of Eebraic lineage who to
show her how the sun shone upon the ancient
temple and her fervid descriptions Of Wash
sngton Allston's paintings Of Miriam IN the ex
eltation Of the song Of deliverance and of the
robust Jeremiah debating in prison TO Baruch
had shown how strongly her imagination and
syrnpathies could be impressed with the genius
Of the chosen people More likely il was ap-
probation Of the masterpieces Of German iitera-
ture that drew them together. as it had also
been the starting point Of her friendship with