XXXIX. Conversion of Brook Farm to Fourierism

512 AMERICAN SOCIALISMS. CHAPTER XXXIX. CONVERSION OF .BROOK FARM TO FOURIERISM. AT the beginning of our history of the Fourier epoch, we gave an account of the origin of the Brook Farm Association in 1841, and traced its career till the latter part of 1843. So far we found it to be an original American experiment, not affiliated to Fourier, but to Dr. Channing; and we classed it with the Hopedale, Northampton and Skaneateles Communities, as one of the preparations for Fourierism. Now, at the close of our history, we must return to Brook Farm and follow it through its transformation into'a Fourierist Phalanx, and its career as a public teacher and propagandist. In the final number of the Dial, dated April 1844, Miss E. P. Peabody published an article on Fourierism, which commences as follows: "In the last week of December, I 843, and first week of January, 1844, a convention was held in Boston, which may be considered as the first publication of F ourierism in this region.

"The works of Fourier do not seem to have reached us, and this want of text has been ill supplied by various conjectures respecting them; some of which are more remarkable for the morbid imagination they CONVERSION OF BROOK FARM. display than for their sagacity. For ourselves we confess to some remembrances of vague horror con nected with this nalne, as if it were some enormous parasitic plant, sucking the life principles of society, while it spread apparently an equal shade, inviting man to repose under its beautiful but poison-dropping branches. We still have a certain question about F ourierism, considered as a catholicon for evil; but our absurd_ horrors were dissipated, and a feeling of genuine respect for the friends of the movement ensured, as we heard the exposition of the doctrine of Association, by Mr. Channing and others. That name [Channing] already consecrated to hun1anity, seemed to us to have worthily fallen, with the mantle of the philanthropic spirit, upon this eloquent expounder of Socialism; in whose voice and countenance, as well as in his plead ings for humanity, the spirit of his great kinsman still seemed to speak. We cannot sufficiently la ment that there was no reporter of the speech of Mr. Channing."

Afthe close of this article Miss Peabody says: "We understand that Brook Farm has become a Fourierist establishment. We rejoice in this, because . such persons as form that Association, will give it a fair experiment. We wish it Godspeed. May it become a University, where the young American shall learn his duties, and become worthy of this broad land of his in heritance." William H. Channing, in the Present, January 15, 1844, gives an account of this same Boston convention, from which we extract as follows: "This convention marked an era in the history of AMERICAN SOCIALISMS. New England. It was the commencement of a public movement upon the subject of social reform, which will flow on, wider, deeper, stronger, until it has proved in deeds the practicability of societies organized, from their central principle of faith to the minutest detail of indus try and pleasure, according to the order of love. This movement has been long gathering. A hundred rills and rivers of hun1anity have fed it.

"The number of attendants and their interest in creased to the end, as was manifested by the continu ance of the meetings from Wednesday, December 27th, when the convention had expected to adjourn, through Thursday and Friday. The conventiol~ was organized by the choice of William Bassett, of Lynn, as President; of Adin Ballou, of Hopedale, G. W. Benson, of North ampton, George Ripley, of Brook Farm, and James N. Buffum, of Lynn, as Vice-Presidents; and of Eliza J. Kenney, of Salem, and Charles A. Dana, of Brook Farm, as Secretaries. The Associations of Northamp ton, Hopedale and Brook Farm, were each well represen ted. " It was instructive to observe that practical and sci entific men constantly confirmed, and often apparently without being aware of it, the doctrines of social science as announced by Fourier. Indeed, in proportion to the degree of one's intimacy with this profound student of harmony, does respect increase for his admirable intel lectual power, his foresight, sagacity, con1pleteness.

And for one, I am desirous to state, that the chief reason which prevents my most public confession of confidence in him as the one teacher now most needed, is, that honor for such a patient and conscientious inves tigator demands, of all who would justify his views, a CONVERSION OF BROOK FARM. sitnplicity of affection, an extent and accuracy of knowledge, an intensity of thought, to which very few can now lay claim. Quite far am I from saying, that as now enlightened, I adopt all his opinions; on ~he con trary, there are some I reject; but it is a pleasure to express gratitude to Charles Fourier, for having opened a whole new world of study, hope and action. It does seem to me, that he has given us the clue out of our scientific labyrinth, and revealed the means of living the law of love." The Phalanx of February 5, 1844, refers to the rev olution gofng on at Brook Farm, as follows: "The Brook Farm Association, near Boston, is now in process of transformation and extension from its former condition of an educational establishment mainly, to a regularly organized Association, embracing the various departn1ents of industry, art and science. At the head of this moven1ent, are George Ripley, Minot Pratt and Charles A. Dana. We can not speak in too high terms of these men and their enterprise. They are gentlemen of high standing in the community, and unite in an eminent degree, talent, scientific attainments and refinernent, with great practical energy and experience.

This Association has a fine spiritual basis in those already connected with it, and we hope that it will be able to rally to its aid the industrial skill and capital necessary to organize an Association, in which produc tive labor, art, science, and the social and the religious affections, will be so wisely and beautifully blended and combined, that they will lend reciprocal strength, sup port, elevation and refinement to each other, and secure abundance, give health to the body, development and 516 AMERICAN SOCIALISMS. expansion to the mind, and exaltation to the soul. We are convinced that there are abundant means and material in New England now ready to form a fine Association; they have only to be sought out and brought together." From these hints it is evident that the Brook Farmers were fully converted to Fourierism in the winter of 1843-4, and that William H. Channing led the way in this conversion. He had been publishing the Present since September 1843, side by side with the Phalanx (which commenced in October of that year); and though he, like the rest of the Massachusetts Socialists, began with SOlne shyness of Fourierism, he had gradually fallen into the Brisbane and Greeley movement, till at last the Present was hardly dis tinguishable in its general drift from the Plzalanx.

Accordingly in April, 1844, just at the time when the Dial ended its career, as we have seen, with a con fession of quasi-conversion to Fourierism, the Present also concluded its labors with a twenty-five-page ex position of Fourier's system, and the Phalanx assunled its subscription list. The connection of the Channings \vith Fourierism, then, stands thus: Dr. Channing, the first medium of the Unitarian afflatus, was the father (by suggestion) of the Brook Farm Association, which was originally called the West Roxbury Community. William H. Channing, the second medium according to Miss Peabody,. converted this Community to Fourierism and changed it into a Phalanx. The Dial, which Emerson says was also a suggestion of Dr. Channing, and the Present, which was edited by William H.