Memoirs of Margaret Fuller Ossoli, Vol. II

Memoirs of Margaret Fuller Ossoli, Vol. II

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Title: Memoirs of Margaret Fuller Ossoli, Vol. II
Author: Margaret Fuller Ossoli
Release Date: August 3, 2004 [EBook #13106]
Language: English
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MEMOIRS
OF
MARGARET FULLER OSSOLI.
VOL. II.
* * * * *
Only a learned and a manly soul I purposed her, that should with even powers The rock, the spindle, and the shears control Of Destiny, and spin her own free hours.
BEN JONSON
Per�� che ogni diletto nostro e doglia Sta in s�� e n�� saper, voler, potere; Adunque quel sol pu��, che col dovere Ne trae la ragion fuor di sua soglia.
Adunque tu, lettor di queste note, S'a t�� vuoi esser buono, e agli altri caro, Vogli sempre poter quel che tu debbi.
LEONARDO DA VINCI.
BOSTON: PHILLIPS, SAMPSON AND COMPANY. MDCCCLVII.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851,
BY R.F. FULLER, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts
Stereotyped by HOBART & ROBBINS; NEW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY; BOSTON.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOR
VOLUME SECOND.
VI. JAMAICA PLAIN, _By W.H. Channing_ FIRST IMPRESSIONS A CLUE TRANSCENDENTALISM GENIUS THE DIAL THE WOMAN THE FRIEND SOCIALISM CREDO SELF-SOVEREIGNTY
VII. NEW YORK. JOURNALS, LETTERS, &c. LEAVING HOME THE HIGHLANDS WOMAN THE TRIBUNE AND HORACE GREELEY SOCIETY
VIII. EUROPE. LETTERS LONDON EDINBURGH.--DE QUINCEY CHALMERS A NIGHT ON BEN LOMOND JOANNA BAILLIE.--HOWITTS.--SMITH CARLYLE PARIS RACHEL FOURIER,--ROUSSEAU ROME AMERICANS IN ITALY THE WIFE AND MOTHER THE PRIVATE MARRIAGE AQUILA AND RIETI CALM AFTER STORM MARGARET AND HER PEERS FLORENCE
IX. HOMEWARD _By W.H. Channing_ SPRING-TIME OMENS THE VOYAGE THE WRECK

JAMAICA PLAIN
BY W.H. CHANNING.
* * * * *
"Quando Lo raggio della grazia, onde s'accende Verace amore, e che poi cresce amando, Multiplicato in t�� tanto risplende, Che ti conduce su per quella scala, U' senza risalir nessun discende, Qual ti negasse 'l vin della sua fi��la Por la tua sete, in libert�� non f?ra, Se non com' acqua oh' al mar non si cala."
DANTE.
"Weite Welt und breites Leben, Langer Jahre redlich Streben, Stets geforscht und stets gegr��ndet, Nie geschlossen, oft ger��ndet, Aeltestes bewahrt mit Treue, Freundlich aufgefasstes Neue, Heitern Sinn und reine Zwecke: Nun! man kommt wohl eine Strecke."
GOETHE.
"My purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths Of all the western stars, until I die. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down; It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles."
TENNYSON.
"Remember how august the heart is. It contains the temple not only of Love but of Conscience; and a whisper is heard from the extremity of one to the extremity of the other."
LANDOR
"If all the gentlest-hearted friends I knew Concentred in one heart their gentleness, That still grew gentler till its pulse was less For life than pity,--I should yet be slow To bring my own heart nakedly below The palm of such a friend, that he should press My false, ideal joy and fickle woe Out to full light and knowledge."
ELIZABETH BARRETT.

VI.
JAMAICA PLAIN
* * * * *
I.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
It was while Margaret was residing at Jamaica Plain, in the summer of 1839, that we first really met as friends, though for several years previous we had been upon terms of kindest mutual regard. And, as the best way of showing how her wonderful character opened upon me, the growth of our acquaintance shall be briefly traced.
The earliest recollection of Margaret is as a schoolmate of my sisters, in Boston. At that period she was considered a prodigy of talent and accomplishment; but a sad feeling prevailed, that she had been overtasked by her father, who wished to train her like a boy, and that she was paying the penalty for undue application, in nearsightedness, awkward manners, extravagant tendencies of thought, and a pedantic style of talk, that made her a butt for the ridicule of frivolous companions. Some seasons later, I call to mind seeing, at the "Commencements" and "Exhibitions" of Harvard University, a girl, plain in appearance, but of dashing air, who was invariably the centre of a listening group, and kept their merry interest alive by sparkles of wit and incessant small-talk. The bystanders called her familiarly, "Margaret," "Margaret Fuller;" for, though young, she was already noted for conversational gifts, and had the rare skill of attracting to her society, not spirited collegians only, but men mature in culture and of established reputation. It was impossible not to admire her fluency and fun; yet, though curiosity was piqued as to this