Page images
PDF
EPUB

6

“The Reform Club was the only one of those splendid establishments that I visited. Certainly the force of comfort can no further go, nor can anything be better contrived to make dressing, eating, news-getting, and even sleeping (for there are bed-rooms as well as dressing-rooms for those who will), be got through with as glibly as possible. Yet to me this palace of so many single gentlemen rolled into one,' seemed stupidly comfortable in the absence of that elegant arrangement and vivacious atmosphere which only Women can inspire. In the kitchen, indeed, I met them, and on that account it seemed the pleasantest part of the building-though, even there they are but the servants of servants. There reigned supreme a genius in his way, who has published a work on Cookery, and around him his pupils-young men who pay a handsome yearly fee for novitiate under his instruction. I am not sorry, however, to see men predominant in the cooking department, as I hope to see that and washing transferred to their care in the progress of things, since they are the stronger sex.'

"The arrangements of this kitchen were very fine, combining great convenience with neatness, and even elegance. Fourier himself might have taken pleasure in them. Thence we passed into the private apartments of the artist, and found them full of pictures by his wife, an artist in another walk. One or two of them had been engraved. She was an Englishwoman.

"We also get a glimpse, returning from a John Gilpin pilgrimage to Edmonton, of the residence of the German poet Freiligrath.

66 6

Returning, we passed the house where Freiligrath finds a temporary home, earning the bread of himself and his family in a commercial house. England houses the exile, but not without house-tax, window-tax, and head-tax. Where is the Arcadia that dares invite all genius to her arms, and change her golden wheat for their green laurels and immortal flowers? Arcadia-would the name were America!" "

Whenever a man of genius speaks to the public, in proportion as he is true to his own nature he must offend theirs. It is not possible to serve God and mammon: equally impossible is it to preach against the prevalence of error, and not to rouse the priests of Baal, and their crowds of believers. This has been the history of the human mind. As the poet says:

"The truth for which some great-souled martyr died

In the past age, burned and crucified,

Becomes in time the bigot's sacred creed,

And bids in turn the future doubter bleed !"

Any book that rouses no discussion is needless; it is in fact an impertinence. Why stop the public in Broadway to tell them what they know, or echo some old opinion?

It is evidently the wish of Miss Fuller to join issue with the common-place, and to speak out her own nature firmly, though with a becoming deference to the old worn-out creeds of humanity. It is a striking proof of the blindness of the world, that, although it owes every blessing to those men who boldly in bygone times spoke out new opinions, it nevertheless precisely imitates the conduct of those persecutors, whom they are in the constant habit of branding as bigoted and sanguinary fiends. Do these shortsighted human bats never reflect that in a few years their own children will be compelled to regard them in the same odious light? Let the public reflect ere they draw down the anathema of posterity.

These remarks have been forced from us by the charge we have heard brought against our gifted authoress of being a socialist and a sceptic! Of all egotisms that which denies to an

other the right of forming and holding an opinion either in morals, politics, religion, or taste, is the most ignorant and diabolical. Were it not for the fatal effects of such arrogance, it would be too ludicrous for anything save contempt; but it unfortunately happens that the innate love of cruelty which so marks man from the rest of the brute creation, is enabled, by appealing to this egotism, to select some of the noblest of God's creatures for victims. Man is cruel by nature; it is reflection that modifies him into humanity. A modern poet, in some verses, has made a parallel between a cruel boy and the grown-up world. Alluding to the favorite pastime of youth to impale an insect on a pin, and then enjoy its flutterings, he says:

“I hardly know, dear reader, which is safer,
To be a genius or a cockchafer!”

The slightest reflection must convince the most bigoted person that it is the height of profanity and danger to deny to any man his birthright of thought. In the first place, who gave the bigot a patent to act the Omniscient on earth? He is as likely to be wrong as his fellow-man! For every one is equally certain that he is right! It is dangerous, for the bigot becomes responsible for the faith of the man he coerces! It is profane, because the bigot usurps the throne of God, to whom we are alone responsible for our conscience! We shall not dwell on this point, for those who refuse assent to the first arti cle of freedom, will not be persuaded though "one rise from the dead!" We cannot, however, help one closing remark that of all nations the American ought to be the most tolerant

since it owes its existence to those noble-minded men who fled from persecution to find freedom and toleration in the New World; and who, in after years, when tyranny followed them to their new home, went forth to battle, and with the pebble of Truth in the sling of Freedom laid low at their feet the giant Goliah of the world.

We conclude our notice of Miss Fuller by confessing that she is one of those few authors who have written too little. We hope to read more of her prose, so thoughtful and vigorous; and of her poetry, at once so graceful, yet so strong and simple.

We regret that the scope of this volume will not allow us to consider her as a politician. In this character, however, she is familiar to all those who read the "Tribune"-a journal which has of late sullied its high reputation for dignity and forbearance by indulging in personal attacks, and suffering itself to be converted from a great organ of truth to a vehicle of individual malignity.

MRS. C. M. KIRKLAND.

AMERICA has produced few women superior to the authoress of "Western Clearings," "A New Home, Who'll Follow?" "Forest Life," and "Holidays Abroad." There is a clear, bright intellect displayed in her writings generally, which inevitably compels us to respect her conclusions, however much we may differ from them.

a great extent.

This we do in many points, and in some to

We shall commence with her last work, "Holidays Abroad," and present to our readers those parts which seem to illustrate most pointedly those peculiarities which constitute the individuality of Mrs. Kirkland.

Nature seems to possess the faculty of the kaleidoscope in never producing the same aspect twice. However much men and women may appear to resemble each other, the difference is as distinct as though they belonged to separate races. This is a conclusive reason why a man of intellect never despises the lowest of his fellow creatures. Every one is an undiscovered world, infinitely more wonderful than a new planet. When we remember into how few elements human nature is resolved, the imagination is not capable of realizing the countless variety of

« PreviousContinue »