The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-06
SOME NEW BOOKS.
bronson AIcOtt's Trauscendcntal
Eden.

for disguise Of names, for some minor
lapscs of memory and perhaps a little
literary trimming, Ii corresponded
almost exactly to the story compiled
from various authentic records by
CLARA ENDrcoTT SEARS in Bronson Al
cotts Fruitlnnds CHoughton Mifiin).
We know Of no "curiosities' OF lit
erature more curious than those COM
munity settlements in which New
England transcendentalism endeav-
ored some sixty-five or seventy years
ago to AXE the edge off the ridicule to
which II was subjected by demon
strating its ability to he practical"
The demonstration failed to demon
strate. but 1t was a failure worth
while.
Miss Sears dips her compiler's pen
into a ocean OF sympathy:
The old house seemed a ghost Of the
past. IL had been the sheltering home
of British yeomen. Its heavy chestnut
he's re bore record of the virgin forests
~ the Colonies. The sound OF drum and
ffe. leading eager volunteers to Concord
and Lexington. must have reached the
quiet hillside and stirred the hearts OF
those listening In the doorway. These
were the brave and vital days OF It's
youth.
Then came a period Of aule, years.
when the meadows and pastures grew
rich and fertile. the upturned soil yielded
abundant harvests and the branches of
the apple trees hung heavy with fruit.
But IL was when the old house had begun
to settle and look decrepit, and Its floors
had become shaky and uneven. that Its
door opened wide to its supreme expe-
rlence. Then Fruitlands was exalted into
the New Eden. The two names came 70
!. simultaneously. II was 10 pulsate with
lofty Ideals and altruisiic aspirations.
within It's walls great questions were dis
cussed. great hopes for the betterment
and enlightenment OF mankind were gem
Grated.
Alcott. the ~peripatetic. belated Attic,
left the rooms echoing with high
phrases, in the exchange OF which
Emerson. Hawthorne. Claiming and
Thoreau had Joined with him. Charles
Lane. the Englishman: Joseph Palmer.
who wore n beard when none did but
old Jews: Samuel Bower. who chewed
beans and perambulated in a single
airy garment of unbleached cotton
and hated that for intervening be-
tween him and nature; these. with
Mrs. Alcott and her little daughters.
constituted the "Consociate Family"
F'ruitlands. There were occasional
transients. like Miss Anna Page. the
Jane Gage of Miss Alcott's story. Her
stay was short; a neighbor tempted
her and she did eat. Of fish. one OF
the children reported this sad lapse
from virtue, and poor lane was pub
iicly reprimanded by Timon tLanel.
"'I only took a little bit OF the
tail sobbed the penitent poetess.
eyes. but the whole fish had to be
tortured and slain that got might
tempt your carnal appetite with that
one taste OF the tail. Know We not.
consumers Of flesh meat, that We are
nourishing the wolf and tiger in your
bOsoms?"
In 1897 Miss Martineau. returning
to England after "A visit to America.
told James Pierrepont Greaves. an
English disciple OF PestaloZzi and
president of "A circle Of "mystics,"
about Alcott's Temple School in Bos-
ton. Greaves correspondent with AL
colt. and in lS42. with Emerson pay
ing his way. Alcott went to England.
Greaves had just died, but his friends
gave the American a hearty reception
and named the school which they
were establishing Alcott House. This
enterprise gave the New England
PestalozZian inspiration for his New
Eden n in Charles Lane he found
q hacker. Lane put up the cash
with which the farm at Harvard.
Mass. near Concord, was bought.
The owner asked 50 700 for his ninety
acres of field. woodland and pasture,
with buildings; but finally agreed to
sell the land for 81 800 and lend" the
buildings for a year. Lane said in a
letter: This. I think you Will admit,
looks like an attempt at something
which will entitle transcendentalism
10 some respect for its practically.
Let the narrative OF Miss Sears love-
tail with the story as Miss Alcott
told II:
This matter Of getting the right
kind of persons to join the community
required a keen insight into human
nature says the present author.
"and on this point Mr.. Alcott was
not very strong" And the e.der au-
thor: "a little difficult OF access
observed his practical wife as she en-
deavored to keep her various house,
hold gods from going overheard with
every lurch of the laden ark. Like
all good things" her philosophic hus-
band is made to reply; "'but those
who earnestly desire and patiently
seek will soon And us" Philosophy
is business travelling hind end fore
most.
Transcendentalism was In its hey
DAY: some called il the Newness.'
Miss Sears says. The expression
Apostles of the Newness' was heard
on all sides. They could he recognized
by their long hair, Byronic collars,
flowing ties and eccentric habits and
manners. Nothing seemed too ex-
cessive To prove their emancipation
from the shackles of Conventionality."
Readers of Miss Alcott's stories will
recall the visits OF these plaguey pill
erims to the shrlnes OF their silly
faith. Miss Sears tells OF three OF
them visiting Emerson n giving
evidence of their af'liation with "the
Newness" by preceding every remark,
however trivial, with ~'resounding"
oaths. The sage. unable to shake"
them had to invite them to the rear
Of the house where their eXpletlves
might explode harmlessly over the
meadow instead Of bombarding gentle
cars across the street And in Trans
ccndental wild Oats Miss Alcott
says; Rapidly rumors OF the new