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Frederic Henry Hedge

January 18, 2024

Frederic Henry Hedge (December 12, 1805 – August 21, 1890) was a New England Unitarian minister and Transcendentalist. He was a founder of the Transcendental Club, originally called Hedge's Club,[1] and active in the development of Transcendentalism, although he distanced himself from the movement as it advanced.

Frederic Henry Hedge
Born(1805-12-12)December 12, 1805
Cambridge, Massachusetts
DiedAugust 21, 1890(1890-08-21) (aged 84)
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Resting placeMount Auburn Cemetery
EducationHarvard Divinity School
Signature

He was also one of the foremost scholars of German literature in the United States.

Biography edit

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Hedge was the son of Harvard University professor of logic and metaphysics Levi Hedge. At the age of 12, he traveled to Germany and studied music for five years under the care of George Bancroft. He then entered Harvard as a junior and graduated in 1825.[2][3] His knowledge of German was to serve him well both in hymnody — he translated Luther's "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" ("A Mighty Fortress Is Our God") into the most popular English version — and in philosophy, where it allowed him a greater familiarity with Kant than most of the Americans of his day.

After graduating as valedictorian, he enrolled in Harvard Divinity School, where he met his intimate friend Ralph Waldo Emerson. After graduating from the Divinity School in 1828, Hedge was ordained as a Unitarian minister in 1829, and became minister at a Unitarian church in West Cambridge. In 1835 he took charge of a church in Bangor, Maine; in 1850, after spending a year in Europe, he became pastor of the Westminster Church in Providence, Rhode Island, and in 1856 of the Unitarian church in Brookline, Massachusetts.[2][3]

He was central to the development of Transcendentalism in the 1830s. On September 8, 1836, Hedge met with Ralph Waldo Emerson, George Putnam (1807-1878), and George Ripley in Cambridge to discuss the formation of a new club.[4] Eleven days later, Ripley hosted their first official meeting at his house on September 18, 1836; the group would eventually be known as the Transcendental Club. Its first official meeting was attended by Amos Bronson Alcott, Orestes Brownson, James Freeman Clarke, and Convers Francis as well as Hedge, Emerson, and Ripley.[5] Future members would include Henry David Thoreau, William Henry Channing, Christopher Pearse Cranch, Sylvester Judd, and Jones Very.[6] The group planned its meetings for times when Hedge was visiting from Bangor, Maine, leading to the early nickname "Hedge's Club".[4] Hedge wrote: "There was no club in the strict sense... only occasional meetings of like-minded men and women", earning the nickname "the brotherhood of the 'Like-Minded'".[7] He became alienated from the group's more extreme positions in the 1840s and did not publish in the Transcendental journal The Dial, despite his friendship with its editor Margaret Fuller, saying he did not want to be associated with the movement in print.[8]

In 1849 he preached a sermon, published as a pamphlet, on Joshua Young's ordination as pastor to his first parish, Boston's New North Church.[9]

He was noted as a public lecturer as well as a pulpit orator. In 1853-1854, he lectured on medieval history before the Lowell Institute.[2]

In 1858, Hedge returned to Harvard Divinity School as a professor of ecclesiastical history; that year, he also became editor of the Christian Examiner, a role he held for three years.[10] The next year, Hedge began a four-year term as president of the American Unitarian Association.[10] In 1872, he resigned his pastorship in Brookline to become professor of German literature at Harvard.[2] He retained this position until 1881.[3] Deeply read in philosophy, ecclesiastical history, and German literature, he ranked as perhaps the foremost German literary scholar in the United States.[11]

He died in Cambridge on August 21, 1890, and was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery.[12]

Works edit

Besides essays on the different schools of philosophy, notably magazine articles on St. Augustine, Leibniz, Schopenhauer, and Coleridge, and other contributions to periodicals in prose and poetry, he published:[2]

  • The Prose Writers of Germany, extracts and biographical sketches (Philadelphia, 1848)
  • A Christian Liturgy for the Use of the Church (Boston, 1856)
  • Reason in Religion (Boston, 1865)
  • The Primeval World of Hebrew Tradition (1870)
  • Hours with German Classics (1886)
  • ''Metrical Translations and Poems (with Annis Lee Wister; Boston, 1888)
  • Martin Luther and Other Essays (1888)

He also wrote hymns for the Unitarian church, and assisted in the compilation of a hymn-book (1853), and published numerous translations from the German poets, including Martin Luther's Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott ("A Mighty Fortress is Our God").

Legacy edit

His chief significance to American thought was his introduction of German scholarship and literature.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Cheever, Susan. American Bloomsbury: Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau; Their Lives, Their Loves, Their Work (2006). Detroit: Thorndike Press. Large print edition. ISBN 0-7862-9521-X. p. 33
  2. ^ a b c d e Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1892). "Hedge, Levi" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.
  3. ^ a b c d Gilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "Hedge, Frederic Henry" . New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
  4. ^ a b Packer, Barbara L. The Transcendentalists. Athens, Georgia: The University of Georgia Press, 2007: 47. ISBN 978-0-8203-2958-1
  5. ^ Hankins, Barry. The Second Great Awakening and the Transcendentalists. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2004: 23. ISBN 0-313-31848-4
  6. ^ Gura, Philip F. American Transcendentalism: A History. New York: Hill and Wang, 2007: 7–8. ISBN 0-8090-3477-8
  7. ^ Gura, Philip F. American Transcendentalism: A History. New York: Hill and Wang, 2007: 5. ISBN 0-8090-3477-8
  8. ^ Packer, Barbara L. The Transcendentalists. Athens, Georgia: The University of Georgia Press, 2007: 115. ISBN 978-0-8203-2958-1
  9. ^ Hedge, Frederic Henry. (1849). Leaven of the Word. A Sermon Preached at the Ordination of Rev. Joshua Young, as Pastor of the New North Church in Boston, Thursday, Feb. 1, 1849. Boston. from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Packer, Barbara L. The Transcendentalists. Athens, Georgia: The University of Georgia Press, 2007: 168. ISBN 978-0-8203-2958-1
  11. ^ Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Hedge, Frederic Henry" . Encyclopedia Americana.
  12. ^ "Deaths". Boston Evening Transcript. August 23, 1890. p. 4. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

External links edit

  •   Works by or about Frederic Henry Hedge at Wikisource
  • Biography in the Dictionary of Unitarian & Universalist Biography (uudb.org)
  • Letters to Ralph Waldo Emerson and Papers of Frederic Henry Hedge at the Harvard Divinity School Library, Harvard Divinity School
  • Reason in Religion (incomplete text)] at American Unitarian Conference
  • Works by Frederic Henry Hedge at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)  
  • Frederic Henry Hedge at Library of Congress, with 47 library catalogue records

January 18, 2024
frederic, henry, hedge, december, 1805, august, 1890, england, unitarian, minister, transcendentalist, founder, transcendental, club, originally, called, hedge, club, active, development, transcendentalism, although, distanced, himself, from, movement, advance. Frederic Henry Hedge December 12 1805 August 21 1890 was a New England Unitarian minister and Transcendentalist He was a founder of the Transcendental Club originally called Hedge s Club 1 and active in the development of Transcendentalism although he distanced himself from the movement as it advanced Frederic Henry HedgeBorn 1805 12 12 December 12 1805Cambridge MassachusettsDiedAugust 21 1890 1890 08 21 aged 84 Cambridge MassachusettsResting placeMount Auburn CemeteryEducationHarvard Divinity SchoolSignatureHe was also one of the foremost scholars of German literature in the United States Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 3 Legacy 4 References 5 External linksBiography editBorn in Cambridge Massachusetts Hedge was the son of Harvard University professor of logic and metaphysics Levi Hedge At the age of 12 he traveled to Germany and studied music for five years under the care of George Bancroft He then entered Harvard as a junior and graduated in 1825 2 3 His knowledge of German was to serve him well both in hymnody he translated Luther s Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott A Mighty Fortress Is Our God into the most popular English version and in philosophy where it allowed him a greater familiarity with Kant than most of the Americans of his day After graduating as valedictorian he enrolled in Harvard Divinity School where he met his intimate friend Ralph Waldo Emerson After graduating from the Divinity School in 1828 Hedge was ordained as a Unitarian minister in 1829 and became minister at a Unitarian church in West Cambridge In 1835 he took charge of a church in Bangor Maine in 1850 after spending a year in Europe he became pastor of the Westminster Church in Providence Rhode Island and in 1856 of the Unitarian church in Brookline Massachusetts 2 3 He was central to the development of Transcendentalism in the 1830s On September 8 1836 Hedge met with Ralph Waldo Emerson George Putnam 1807 1878 and George Ripley in Cambridge to discuss the formation of a new club 4 Eleven days later Ripley hosted their first official meeting at his house on September 18 1836 the group would eventually be known as the Transcendental Club Its first official meeting was attended by Amos Bronson Alcott Orestes Brownson James Freeman Clarke and Convers Francis as well as Hedge Emerson and Ripley 5 Future members would include Henry David Thoreau William Henry Channing Christopher Pearse Cranch Sylvester Judd and Jones Very 6 The group planned its meetings for times when Hedge was visiting from Bangor Maine leading to the early nickname Hedge s Club 4 Hedge wrote There was no club in the strict sense only occasional meetings of like minded men and women earning the nickname the brotherhood of the Like Minded 7 He became alienated from the group s more extreme positions in the 1840s and did not publish in the Transcendental journal The Dial despite his friendship with its editor Margaret Fuller saying he did not want to be associated with the movement in print 8 In 1849 he preached a sermon published as a pamphlet on Joshua Young s ordination as pastor to his first parish Boston s New North Church 9 He was noted as a public lecturer as well as a pulpit orator In 1853 1854 he lectured on medieval history before the Lowell Institute 2 In 1858 Hedge returned to Harvard Divinity School as a professor of ecclesiastical history that year he also became editor of the Christian Examiner a role he held for three years 10 The next year Hedge began a four year term as president of the American Unitarian Association 10 In 1872 he resigned his pastorship in Brookline to become professor of German literature at Harvard 2 He retained this position until 1881 3 Deeply read in philosophy ecclesiastical history and German literature he ranked as perhaps the foremost German literary scholar in the United States 11 He died in Cambridge on August 21 1890 and was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery 12 Works editBesides essays on the different schools of philosophy notably magazine articles on St Augustine Leibniz Schopenhauer and Coleridge and other contributions to periodicals in prose and poetry he published 2 The Prose Writers of Germany extracts and biographical sketches Philadelphia 1848 A Christian Liturgy for the Use of the Church Boston 1856 Reason in Religion Boston 1865 The Primeval World of Hebrew Tradition 1870 Hours with German Classics 1886 Metrical Translations and Poems with Annis Lee Wister Boston 1888 Martin Luther and Other Essays 1888 He also wrote hymns for the Unitarian church and assisted in the compilation of a hymn book 1853 and published numerous translations from the German poets including Martin Luther s Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott A Mighty Fortress is Our God Legacy editHis chief significance to American thought was his introduction of German scholarship and literature 3 References edit Cheever Susan American Bloomsbury Louisa May Alcott Ralph Waldo Emerson Margaret Fuller Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau Their Lives Their Loves Their Work 2006 Detroit Thorndike Press Large print edition ISBN 0 7862 9521 X p 33 a b c d e Wilson J G Fiske J eds 1892 Hedge Levi Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography New York D Appleton a b c d Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 Hedge Frederic Henry New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead a b Packer Barbara L The Transcendentalists Athens Georgia The University of Georgia Press 2007 47 ISBN 978 0 8203 2958 1 Hankins Barry The Second Great Awakening and the Transcendentalists Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press 2004 23 ISBN 0 313 31848 4 Gura Philip F American Transcendentalism A History New York Hill and Wang 2007 7 8 ISBN 0 8090 3477 8 Gura Philip F American Transcendentalism A History New York Hill and Wang 2007 5 ISBN 0 8090 3477 8 Packer Barbara L The Transcendentalists Athens Georgia The University of Georgia Press 2007 115 ISBN 978 0 8203 2958 1 Hedge Frederic Henry 1849 Leaven of the Word A Sermon Preached at the Ordination of Rev Joshua Young as Pastor of the New North Church in Boston Thursday Feb 1 1849 Boston Archived from the original on July 11 2021 Retrieved July 9 2021 a b Packer Barbara L The Transcendentalists Athens Georgia The University of Georgia Press 2007 168 ISBN 978 0 8203 2958 1 Rines George Edwin ed 1920 Hedge Frederic Henry Encyclopedia Americana Deaths Boston Evening Transcript August 23 1890 p 4 Retrieved April 19 2022 via Newspapers com External links edit nbsp Works by or about Frederic Henry Hedge at Wikisource Biography in the Dictionary of Unitarian amp Universalist Biography uudb org Letters to Ralph Waldo Emerson and Papers of Frederic Henry Hedge at the Harvard Divinity School Library Harvard Divinity School Reason in Religion incomplete text at American Unitarian Conference Works by Frederic Henry Hedge at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Frederic Henry Hedge at Library of Congress with 47 library catalogue records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frederic Henry Hedge amp oldid 1195945456, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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