110 
published a geological chart of the United States. He told me 
that he was in Germany in the year 1802, and also at Weimar, 
where he had become acquainted with the literati residing there. 
I was introduced by him to a native of Alsace, of the name of 
Neef, a rather aged man, who had the superintendence of the 
boys. Mr. Owen’s two eldest sons were also here shown to me, 
pupils of Fellenberg, who is greatly respected. Afterwards Mr. 
Owen made me acquainted with Mr. Lewis, secretary of the 
society, from Virginia, and a relation of the great Washington. 
He was already pretty far advanced in years, and appeared to 
have united himself to the society from liberal principles, as far 
as I could judge from our short conversation. Another acquaint¬ 
ance that I made, was with a Mr. Jennings, from Philadelphia, a 
young man, who was educated as a clergyman, but had quitted 
that profession to follow this course of life, and had united him¬ 
self to Mr. Owen. He intended, nevertheless, to leave this 
place again, and return back to Philadelphia. Many other mem¬ 
bers have the same design, and I can hardly believe that this 
society will have a long duration.* Enthusiasm, which aban¬ 
dons its subjects but too soon, as well as the itch for novelty, 
had contributed much to the formation of this society. In spite 
of the principles of equality which they recognise, it shocks the 
feelings of people of education, to live on the same footing with 
every one indiscriminately, and eat with them at the same table. 
The society consisted, as I was informed, of about one thou¬ 
sand members; at a distance of two miles are founded two new 
communities. Till a general table shall be instituted, according 
to the fundamental constitution of the society, the members are 
placed in four boarding-houses, where they must live very fru¬ 
gally. Several of the most turbulent, with an Irishman who 
wore a long beard, at their head, wished to leave the society im¬ 
mediately to go to Mexico, there to settle themselves, but where 
their subsistence will be procured with as much difficulty. 
In the evening Mr. Owen conducted me to a concert in the 
non-descript building. Most of the members of the society were 
present. The orchestra was not numerous, it consisted at first 
only of one violin, one violoncello, one clarionet and two flutes. 
Nevertheless the concert was surprisingly good, especially as 
the musicians have not been together a year. The clarionet 
player porformed particularly well, and afterwards let us hear him 
on the bugle. Several good male and female vocalists then took 
a part, they sang among other things a trio accompanied by the 
clarionet only. Declamation was interspersed among the musical 
* By late newspapers It appears,, that the society actually dissolved itself, ip 
the beginning of the year 1827. 
