Charles Lane (transcendentalist)
Charles Lane | |
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Transcendentalist , writer |
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Charles Lane (1800–1870) was an English-American
Early life
Lane was born in
Fruitlands
Lane was an admirer of Bronson Alcott, for whom Alcott House had been named. The two met in 1842, when Alcott had traveled to England to enlist support and people for his experiment in communal living. Lane offered his support and returned to the United States with Alcott on October 21, 1842.[5]: 148 The next May, Lane purchased the 90-acre (360,000 m2) Wyman Farm in Harvard, Massachusetts,[5]: 148 for $1800 (~$40,984 in 2023). They had moved to the farm on June 1 and optimistically gave it the name "Fruitlands", despite there being only ten old apple trees on the property.[5]: 148 A month later, Alcott announced the community in The Dial: "We have made an arrangement with the proprietor of an estate of about a hundred acres, which liberates this tract from human ownership".[5]: 148
In principle, the Fruitlands reformers did not believe in purchasing property; Lane said the following on the subject: "We do not recognize the purchase of land; but its redemption from the debasing state of proprium, or property, to divine uses, we clearly understand; where those whom the world esteems owners are found yielding their individual rights to the Supreme Owner."[6] The commune attracted 14 residents, including the Alcott and Lane families.
"The consociate family", as Fruitlands residents referred to themselves,[5]: 148 wished to achieve complete freedom by separating entirely from the world economy.[1] To accomplish this, they refrained from trade, allowed no personal property, and did not use hired labor. They intended to grow all their own food; they also eliminated animal products from their diets entirely. Referring to their vegan diet, Lane wrote, "Neither coffee, tea, molasses, nor rice tempts us beyond the bounds of indigenous production... No animal substances neither flesh, butter, cheese, eggs, nor milk pollute our tables, nor corrupt our bodies." Diet was usually fruit and water; many vegetables—including carrots, beets, and potatoes—were forbidden because they showed a lower nature by growing downward.[1] Lane and Alcott also asked participants to wear only linen clothes and canvas shoes; cotton fabric was forbidden because it exploited slave labor and wool was banned because it came from sheep.[1] As they believed that animals should not be exploited, Fruitlands would not use animals though, eventually, they allowed an ox and a cow.[1]
The land that Lane purchased for Fruitlands proved to be not sufficiently arable.[7] Fruitlands ultimately failed the winter after it opened, largely due to food shortages and accompanying unrest in the inhabitants. Lane blamed the community's failure on Alcott, who he believed misled him with his optimism.[5]: 149 Alcott and Lane also disagreed on definitions of the consociate family. Lane believed in the renunciation of marriage in exchange for a universal or communal family.[8]
Shakers
In January 1844, Lane left Fruitlands with his son to join a local community of Shakers.[5]: 149 Lane admired the Shaker commitment to celibacy and it was one of the points that drew him there.[8] Lane continued his work and joined the Shaker community; but could not settle there. He attempted another communal venture at Red Bank, New Jersey. He was only there for a short time. In 1846 he returned to England, remarried, and fathered five children.[9]
Voluntaryist leanings
Charles Lane was probably the most consistent
Selected publications
- A Classification of Sciences and Arts, Or, A Map of Human Knowledge, 1826
- A Dictionary, English and Burmese, 1841
- A Voluntary Political Government, 1843
- Life in the Woods, 1844
- Brook Farm, 1844
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-313-31848-4.
- ISBN 978-0-8203-4856-8.
- ISBN 978-0-313-29465-5.
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/11370. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8203-2958-1.
- ^ Gordon, Jessica (20 February 2008). "Transcendental Ideas: Social Reform". Transcendentalism Web.
- ISBN 0-674-01160-0.
- ^ ISBN 0-300-02587-4.
- ^ Alcott, Louisa May (1975). "Introduction". In Harrison, William Henry (ed.). Transcendental wild oats and Excerpts from the Fruitlands diary. p. 17.
- ^ Watner, Carl, ed. (1982), A Voluntary Political Government: Letters from Charles Lane, St. Paul: Michael E. Coughlin, Publisher, p. 52