Revolt against materialism

Listen to the sound of education in early New England.

Listen to the sound of religion in early New England.

The New England run of song.

The National Association of educational broadcasters resigned the New

England Runnels song.

This is Donald Bowen professor of humanities a Boston University on less than

once in our series of programs about the New England renaissance. We're going to undertake a

rather difficult assignment on previous broadcast we've described many of the

transcendentalists their lives their individual philosophies their friends.

Now I'd like to attempt an explanation of the overall transcendental philosophy

just what were these people trying to prove anyway and to assist in setting the

scene. Here is Rod Wright who has been studying the period.

If we are to point out the various factors in the transcendental philosophy we must first

return to some of the sounds used previously in telling our story the sound of

agriculture for example.

For we must remember that the New England of the early 1900s was built around an agricultural

economy. Material prosperity was everywhere. Life on the farms was simple

and uncomplicated. The stern Puritan influence of New England's ancestors

still permeated the atmosphere. Calvinism with its rigid dogma imposed

many mores on man's existence. Then a number of things gradually happened.

There was a depression which left many people destitute. Questioning the wisdom of the economy under which they

live.

The industrial revolution where the resulting emphasis upon the material things of life moved

into the eastern United States the so-called Great Awakening in New England stimulated an

interest in religion.

It was a period of questioning questioning the merits of a man based religion

Unitarianism against the God based religion Calvinism. There was a gradual focusing on

the greatness of humanity rather than the sovereignty of God.

Unitarianism were shaking off the formal restrictions on religion and

belief.

And before anybody quite realized what was happening as an investigation

began to probe into the New England school system which up to that time had been

guilty in its own way of outmoded tradition and dogma it began to

occur to some but there were other ways of teaching besides having the students memorize

everything.

All this naturally caused a considerable amount of controversy and as though those worn enough to

argue about another issue was brewing on the horizon a way for you to

slay free the slaves.

Yes the slavery issue was building there was a growing awareness of the human

qualities of the individual that was sweeping through New England. A

desire for change change change and an urge to

examine examine examine. Growing out of a sympathetic climate

where the transcendentalists providing the leadership. They brought into the cultural

landscape some new intellectual concepts philosophical saw from

Germany and France sometimes directly from the philosophers sometimes

indirectly through English letters.

Can he go gaga. Condi Yeah. Is your flaw choleric Carlyle.

Where other's philosophies ideas and many others were discussed and

disseminated this together with the economic factors we mentioned earlier led

to a new social and philosophical consciousness movement toward

liberalism and social transformation.

Now crowed the New England renaissance with a New England Renaissance came

its leaders already known to you men and women like Ralph Waldo Emerson Frederick

hedge George Ripley Bronson aka Margaret Fuller Henry David

thorough Theodore Parker. They held conversations. They published the dial

they sponsored commun little experiments like Brook Farm and fruit lands. They urged

constant evaluation and thought in all things. They kept the intellectual bra

boiling for nearly three quarters of a century. Each transcendentalist had his own

ideas his own little part in the movement for individuality of thought and action

was the keynote throughout. There was no formal organization no formal effort

yet each contributed to the movement going his own way.

Some of them like thorough and Emerson produced literature which carried far an influence stretching even

into our today.

Others ended with enthusiastic devotion to the important reform agitations of the

time particularly the abolition of slavery.

Still others love the battle for new approaches to education.

They ology public welfare for each in his own way. I wanted philosophical

prosperity prosperity of the human soul to triumph over the

materialistic philosophy which was dominating American life. Human nature

they believed possessed infinite possibilities for development. Man could do

something else with his mind and figure out new ways to make money. His Mara

being demanded as much attention as his physical comforts and conveniences.

Simply stated theirs was a rowboat against materialism. It was a

rowboat carried on a number of ways in appealing to a man's moral nature through the

church property. The schools the written word in ill fated

demonstrations like book ROM of the idea of a cooperative type of

life with terrorism or transcend dental ism was really the

issue. Especially articulate about the issues involved was Theodore Parker

of Massachusetts Scala preacher and social reformer. Here are some quotations

from his interpretive essay on transcendentalism published in

1876.

The will is father to the deed but the thought and sentiment of father and mother of the will.

Nothing seems more important than a thought and as neither hands nor feet but nothing

proves as powerful the thought turns out a thing. If the price of virtue becomes

manners habits laws institutions the abstraction becomes concrete. The

most universal proposition is the most particular and in the end it is the abstract thinker

who is the most practical man and sets mills are running in ships to sail the change of

ideas made all that there.

In other words part of the transcendental philosophy was based on the power of ideas.

Perhaps said Parker in effect perhaps the direct influence of the

transcendentalists on the world was slight but the seeds once thrown onto

fertile ground will grow one day into help the dominant plants. What these

things said Parker could not be done in a nation governed by love of the material things of

life. A young country like America its culture yet in adolescence would do

well to examine where it stood. Examined deeply its conscience its love of the

material the nation looks to a future a future to be made.

A church whose creed is true whose worship of love. A society full of industry and

abundance full of wisdom virtue in the poetry of life a stage with unity among

all with freedom for each a church without tyranny a society without

ignorance want a crime a state without oppression. Yes a world with no war

among the nations that consume the works of their hands no restrictive policy to hinder the

welfare of mankind. That is the human dream of the transcendental philosophy

never become a fact.

History says no human nature says yes.

Theodore Parker personified the optimism of the transcendentalists when the day

comes. They believed in a fact when the day comes that man would discard his

whole hearted love for materialism and concentrate on the innate virtues of life

that day would bring a utopia for all.

We have mentioned the influence of the German philosophical thought on the Transcendentalists.

There were get his ideas on the development of the whole man for example permeating the

transcendental atmosphere. There was another influence too on that sort of

Oriental mysticism. Ralph Waldo Emerson was among the first to take Oriental

mysticism out of the realm of considered foolishness individualistic

tolerant. Imus and led his followers including sorow aka

Parker Francis Clarke into the mysteries and idealism of the

Asiatic. How much I rebelled against 18th century rationalism

he enthusiastically eliminated the psychology of rock and Hume. He questioned the

Baidu of Calvinism. He rejected Unitarianism. He probed

Christianity itself. Now my son was interested in the inner spiritual

resources of man. His studies resulted in what is known today as the

Concord Oriental as he filled his writings with references to Hindu

religion and leaders and ideas like this.

True Doctrine of omnipresence is that God reappears with all his pots

in every mosque and cobweb God said Emerson is all

around us and in us each of us.

He developed what he called the oversold. It was based on the fact that Emerson believed

that physical nature and the mind of man both revealed

divine laws that they are both revelations of God. Divinity

said Emerson is ingrained into the individual man which

contradicted the revelations of God's will long ago to vanity

is ingrained into the individual man. This is the thread

sort of running through emissions works. It's one of the seams of his nature

series he applies the same thing in different writings to

politics. Well the church to the world around him.

So Emerson believed in the oversold the universal soul of which everything living was a

part in contrast with the materialist who reasoned from facts history and the

animal rights of man. The idealist felt Emerson believed also in the power of thought

and of will in inspiration in Miracles in individual culture

applying this concept to everyday life. It meant that anything could be accomplished.

Why not then ask the Transcendentalist Why not just throw up the systems of thought and

methods of reasoning which this philosophy proved were not adequate. Emphasize

not what has been done they pleaded but what can be done from all

directions there came inspiration to the Transcendentalist from the flowers the

clouds the sun the birds the idiosyncrasy of the New England weather

even the beauty of the morning in the night the coarse smells and work of the farm. The push of

industry contributed fuel to the renewed fire of further study and meditation

Emerson's system based on the belief in the over soul went something like this.

There is one soul. It is related to the mood. It

is the Action Man on science finds its method and

intertie its record. Religion is the emotion of reverence that it

inspires. Ethics is the sole illustrated in human life.

Society is the finding of this soul by individuals in each other

trades and then another soul like in nature.

Politics is the activity of the soul that going to straighten empower man

and I sign and I mediate expressions of soul to

change the word mood to bring the world into the perspective of these ideas.

Now most of them Zorro and old Captain Ripley took them our approach. They weren't

interested in participating in politics. Some of their friends both transcendental a

sonata undertook to change the scheme of things by getting involved in politics. Men

like loss on power as man which took the right approach.

Your guess is as good as ours and adding his bit to the transcendentalism basic

philosophy of the end of that you ality of men was Henry David thorough who

walked but not always in the footsteps of his master.

Unless our philosophy here is the cock crow in every farmyard within our rights and

it is belated that song commonly reminds us that we are

growing rusty and antique in our employment habits of thought.

There is something suggested by it that is a newer test of the gospel

according to this moment. It is an expression of the help and soundness of

nature. I brag for all the world to help in its as of a

spring burst for the merit of this bird strain is its freedom from all

plaintiveness the singer can easily move us to tears or to laughter

but where is he who can excite in us are pure morning Joy.

And so it comes back once again to a manual count original source of the transcendental thought in

Europe. To Stuart's influence those of us and whose thoughts influence

those of his followers whose thoughts Intan influence ours now

man himself is the secret to a medium of power. Many of us thrown

back upon themselves as a repository of a divine and inexhaustible

spiritual energy to all around them. The transcendental list

screamed nonconformity make no concessions to society.

Start again with an entirely new base for therapy and action and

actions writings or echoed this theme. Self reliance.

Who thought would be a man must be a nonconformist he who would gather immortal

palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness. But must explore and be

goodness. Nothing in that life. Thank god but the integrity of your own

mind absolve you do your thought and you shall have the suffrage of the world.

I remember.

You to the that a great a thumper alliance must work a revolution in all the

offices and relations of man in their religion in their education in their

pursuits their modes of living then I think the ation in their property in a speculative

view by way of summary then

transcendentalism wasn't ASMS are up against a rationalism and materialism of the 18th

century it tended to emphasize those parts of man's individual nature which was set

to transcend or be somewhat independent of experience.

It was intended to be a spiritual and practical idealism that never appealed

philosophically to the masses. Yet it left its mark on the sinking of the world

as described by professional military of the University of Wisconsin. Transcendentalism

involved the exhortation of man or man the doctrine

that all power all wisdom comes from nature or was which man must establish an

original and first time relationship.

The relegation of books to a secondary place in the hierarchy of values. The

insistence that instinct is good and must be obeyed rather than good

in accordance with conventions and authority. All these ideas were closely related to

the democratic impulse. Let man stand erect. Go alone

and possess the universe that endless endless

glorification of the individual the revolt against materialism. These were the

keys to the transcendental ism sort in the New England renaissance.

This is Rod Wright Meyer again the New England Renaissance series was planned in two

units. The first unit was that of the period a recreation of the transcendentalism

period based on thorough study and research utilizing a cast of actors from the

George Gershwin theatre at Boston University. We have tried in the first nine programs

to present an adequate background of the entire New England renaissance. Its leaders its

philosophy now to complete the series. We turn to the second unit of our series

not the past but the present. We shall visit many of the places mentioned in previous

broadcasts books. Farm conquered we shall describe them as they are today.

We shall interview several descendants of the transcendentalists in their homes completing this

series with a discussion by experts of the transcendental influence on our lives

today. Thus we turn from the past to the present. As Professor Donald

Bourne takes you know from our radio studio to the center of the city of Boston the

sound you will now hear are the sounds outside one of the favorite gathering places of

Emerson borrow all that and the other transcendentalists the sounds of the

old Corner Bookstore which celebrated in 1953. Its one hundred

twenty fifth anniversary.

We're standing in front of the old Corner Bookstore located on his dock Bromfield Street

just a stone's throw from us is King's Chapel and there the old state

house and a number of other famous buildings not far away as the cradle of

liberty finally hook. The Old Corner Bookstore. A literary landmark

in a stark Washington is still in good company. Actually the present

story isn't in the same building as the one to which came Amazon lower

Longfellow homes and a host of the other famous writers. But the flavor of the old

store has been preserved and it mingles well with a modern talking at

the plate glass windows before a window. The colorful display of the latest

publication. Well let's leave the noise of the traffic outside here

and go into the old Corner Bookstore.

Inside here now we'll talk with Irving Jones vice president of the old Corner

Bookstore. Mr. Jones is 75 years old and has been with the old corner

for about half a century. He started his career as assistant Shepard

is slightly built. Whitehead Mr. John was by his every movement

conveys good humor and happiness in his work.

What are some of the famous people that you remember coming to New York on a

ram. I had a talk with him on the band and

he well knows the lab Belarc Of course

I was that excellent customer of mine. And.

The kid hiding Davis I sold that many books. I think that by

him Soledad practically every governor of the states and tried to

walk.

Mr. Jones goes on talking about his memories of the old Corner Bookstore. His

salary in the beginning was $5 a week. Once he went to the proprietor and asked

for a dollar a week raise the owner a shrewd Yankee told him he couldn't afford

to pay more. But if Mr. Jones want to bail and sell a scrap paper about

he could do that and keep what he made very shortly the enterprising

assistantship was making more than as hoped for a raise by selling the paper at

this point the owner a Yankee in every sense of the wood was doing the paper selling

privilege and gave him his dollar a week raise he continues his

recollections.

I remember years ago doing that was all of course for

some very good points he has sound about doing that why he wanted to

stand all five and 10 copies of the I-75

that tightens and pointing to the driverless rod cams. Why haven't and

knows much about World War One less than the birds probably wouldn't read them but

anyway he got on the telephone here very rapid talky and I want to

ask him to repeat what I was just looking to talk about.

Anyway I will be getting a better run title out of 5. The

lamb and I went home that night and didn't

write about in Holland my going to get these typos. Well I happen to

know his secretary name was Miss Moran so Ican this memorandum from the

mining and he said Don't say a word I know jest what you want I send that list until

nothing more before your output or if you know why Africa is in the know

the old crone a book store organized an eight hundred twenty eight celebrated its one

hundred twenty fifth anniversary in 1953 to the bookstore knows really

came the geniuses of the New England renaissance.

The proprietors of the store starting in 1832 William de techno

and james t FiOS were also in the publishing business. They introduced the works

of such men as LOS on the Quincy and childs read Thackeray and

Dickens were among the great figures entertained by these two partners. Mr. Jones

talks about this about the high o shows which they had to reach by lottos

and about other things in the old days and you're so good really

sucks to be human.

In those days we still got a lot of us had survived say before

Christmas. Jesus died the degree would invariably find out at least five

step that they can and should not have approved and that

poor season when we didn't sell those fives and of course we were having some

heads at that time anyway of course now if anybody asked or said a book you would know they

were talking about you couldn't get them anyway and very few of the

Standard author So how do you get that complete set on the

orders of Mr Jones or well the public are not going to record that they want to get acquainted with an

author going to take one or two of their books in the olden days

now a person felt they had to read a complete set of

bacon. A complete set up Brad had a complete set of hearts and a

complete set of Mach 20.

And right now to get acquainted with the right guy that one can take it can suggest a couple of

lines and there's a very interesting model of the old Kona

bookstore about eight thousand sixty which can be seen there today made

by Louise Stimson. It shows a four story brick building with a

gambrel roof into drama windows. The chaise is drawn up on the brick

street doubt side the store. Entering it as Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes of the

Harvard Medical School in the windows of books of recent publications

thoughts on his mobile phone. The price bear romance and mosses from an old

man's it is a piece of the past projected into the present

in the old Corner Bookstore. Mr. Thomas M. Moroney the present manager of the

store who has been with it more than a quarter of a century shows us this model

talks Federer's.

I notice some changes in the corner bookstore since I've known of for instance who've done

something about books that were really high up you have to use a lot of.

For the answer may be the height of the ceiling on the floor it's

28 feet. We had very long ladders that had to be climbed to

get up to the top up a shelves and let me tell you we didn't enjoy it too

much because. They were fairly regularly and it was a

job to get up there and hang on with one while you searched around in the back rows of

these book rags and that we would double in other

words they had to roll books behind the outside row that was visible so it was

quite a feat of acrobatics to hang on there and bring down the book that was wanted

in the period since 1928. In this

change and the book business. We gradually eliminated many of

these up the shelves so that no all of us dying is

visible and were able to.

Reach it from the floor itself considering I was to make an actual

title and so like that you mention customer where do your customers come from mainly

Broughton of course.

Oh no indeed. In fact we do have a very large mail out of the patent that

functions in our balcony and that's manned by the assistant manager. And we have

customers from Alaska and Switzerland or was

England. One of our best customers in Brazil. Another

excellent one as in I didn't Tina. And there's a number in Central

America and Italy in France and Arabia. To

Indonesia. We don't have especially here in Boston

where we're associated with such mindless institutions such as have been lost due

to the technology. So I will have visitors when these these

people a visiting students when they go back to their countries usually they continue their

book buying through the store that they became acquainted with as a student and we've had

customers that they too would or that have been buying books for 15 20

years.

Mr Moore only tells an anecdote about the wrong fellow.

Of course Hong Kong was an introvert and didn't make friends very easily and eventually he met the

wrong fellow at the corner circle and they loved

remember a guy were ordered at the corner and they became quite friendly. He went

out to dinner one day with a third friend this friend was I believe a friend of horror fans and during

the. Just shortly after the dinner the friends that do

not know why I never use that story that I've told the legend of

the girl up and Claudia was separated from at a level by the

British moved to Louisiana and eventually found a lover's map

on. The deathbed. A young man

on said that he thought that it wasn't particularly suited to him but that

Ragnar picked up again and said Well if you have no objection I think you feel

that you wouldn't care to use it he said I'd like to try my hand and that is the way that the

Vandeman was gone.

We thank Mr. Jones and Mr. Maroney at the old Corner Bookstore and stall

again back onto Bromfield street the Boston traffic and here

and to those ninth program of the England Renaissance series we had a short

postscript many of the books studied by the transcendental as came from the

original Ode on a bookstore. The same organization which is active today

from those books came some of the roots of the transcendental is the loss of the OT

so described earlier in this broadcast.

This is our way of leaving the past and coming back again to the present.

Next time we meet we show take you to book form as it is today our

guide. A fine gentleman who laughingly calls himself the last of the

transcendental lists the Reverend Howard G. Arnold of West

Roxbury. Book from today we're sure you'll agree is an

extremely intriguing landmark. And important landmark of the New

England renaissance.

This is a song written and produced the Boston University

for the National Association of educational broadcasters in cooperation with the fund

for adult education. This was produced and directed by

George W. Sloan assisted by William Bagot and Mel grey

our script was written by Dr Richard C. Carpenter was

research and content consultant professor. Born and

writers our cast included Larry Hanson

as Martin said and Irv which the music for this

program was taken from Charles Ives composition.

The Old Corner Bookstore.

Revisited. It's a tour of the farm as it is today still bearing the

memories of the Socialistic experiment in the Renaissance.

This is the network.