Letter from George Ripley to Phineas Eastman

Brook Farm, Nov 24. 1843 Dear Sir I was about writing you in reference to your daughter when I received your favor of the 20th inst. We have thought for a long time that she was not adequate to the work of this place, which for the present, is quite severe, & should have proposed her return if we had not understood that she was making arrangements to that effect, & were unwilling to seem to hurry her departure. Neither is she sufficiently advanced in the common branches of education, to enable her to pursue our course, to advantage, without devoting the whole or nearly the whole of her time to her studies. In truth, although a very deserving girl, she is not the kind of person contemplated in our plan of admitting a few pupils to defray their expenses by their service. We are obliged to restrict this arrangement to a very few; to those who are capable of going forward in all sorts of labor: & who are old enough to make a good use of the portion of the time which is left at their disposal. When Mr Wellington requested admission for your daughter, we had several applications on hand of the same kind; we told him what we wanted; that the duties were very laborious, the work of the heaviest kind; & that none but a very efficient & experienced person could answer the purpose; but from his description, we decided upon her in preference to four others. We supposed her to be a strong, hearty Granite-State girl, skilled in all sorts of domestic labor, & capable of taking the lead in the most fatiguing duties. We soon found that

this was not the case; & that her labors were more burdensome to her than advantageous to us. She has not performed any labors, however, which are not shared by the most delicate ladies of the Association with with cheerfulness & alacrity. We do not find any fault with your daughter when we say that she is better adapted for some other situation than any which we can offer at present; & when she leaves us, it will be with our cordial good wishes. I shall be happy to do any thing in my power to aid her in procuring a situation. I know nothing of the school in Charlestown, to which you allude, & should probably have little influence in that quarter. It seems to me her wisest course would be to return to her friends at home, who could arrange a plan for her better than she can for herself; & I shall advise her to that effect. Yours, with esteem, Geo Ripley Phineas Eastman Franklin