e in
Dorchester when we received an invitation from Mrs. Farrar, of
hospitable memory, to pass the day at her house, with other guests,
among whom Margaret Fuller was mentioned. It was arranged that I should
go with Margaret to the church in which the morning meeting would be
held. I had never even heard of Dr. Hedge, but I listened to him with
close attention, and can still recall the steely ring of his voice, and
the effect of his clear-cut sentences. The poem was given by Charles
Sprague; and of this I only remember that in one couplet, speaking of
the wonderful talents which parents are apt to recognize in their
children, he asked whence could have come those ordinary men and women
whom we all know. This question provoked some laughter on the part of
the audience. As we left the church, I asked Margaret whether she had
not found Dr. Hedge's discourse very good. She replied, "Yes; it was
high ground for middle ground." Many years after this time, I asked Dr.
Hedge what Margaret could have meant by this saying. His answer was that
she had hoped to see him take a more pronounced position with regard to
the vexed questions of the time.

From the church we returned to dine with Mrs. Farrar, on whose pleasant
piazza I enjoyed a long walk and talk with Margaret. By and by a
carriage stopped before the door. She said, "It is Mr. Ripley; he has
come for me. I have promised to visit his wife." In a few words she told
me about this remarkable woman, who was long spoken of as "the wonderful
Mrs. Ripley."

It must have been, I think, some twelve years later that I met Dr. Hedge
for the first time at a friend's house in Providence, R. I. He was at
this time pastor of the first and only Unitarian church in that city. In
the course of the evening which I passed in his company, I was
repeatedly invited to sing, and did so, remarking at last that when I
began to sing I was like the minister when he began to pray, I never
knew when to leave off.

Years after this time, I met him walking in Washington Street, Boston,
with a mutual acquaintance. This person, whose name I cannot now recall,
stopped me and said, "Here is our friend, Dr. Hedge, who is henceforth
to be in our neighborhood." I replied that I was glad to hear it, and
was somewhat taken aback when Dr. Hedge, addressing me, said, "No, you
are not glad at all. You don't care anything about ministers."

"Why do you say so?" I rejoined. "I belong to James Freeman Clarke's
con