Master Simon's Garden by Cornelia Meigs
"Master Simon's Garden" by Cornelia Meigs is a historical novel that chronicles the lives of the Radpath family over seven generations in colonial Massachusetts. Central to the story is Master Simon Radpath, who, despite facing criticism from the stern Puritan community in Hopewell for his extravagant garden, cultivates it as a source of sustenance and a connection to their homeland. The garden not only provides nourishment during difficult times but also serves as a backdrop for significant events, including Alisoun's courageous testimony against witchcraft accusations in a climate of intolerance. As the narrative unfolds through the American Revolution, the characters navigate personal and communal challenges, illustrating themes of resilience and unity. The relationships between the Radpath family and other characters, such as Clotilde Lamotte, an Acadian refugee, further enrich the story, culminating in a celebration of diversity and an enduring legacy. Meigs's novel highlights the importance of perseverance and the interconnectedness of history, family, and community, making it an engaging read for those interested in American historical fiction.
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Subject Terms
Master Simon's Garden by Cornelia Meigs
First published: 1916; illustrated
Type of work: Historical fiction
Themes: Nature, family, social issues, war, and politics and law
Time of work: The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
Recommended Ages: 13-15
Locale: Hopewell, Massachusetts
Principal Characters:
Master Simon Radpath , the tolerant and wise patriarch, who plants the original gardenMargeret , his brave and compassionate daughterAlisoun , Margeret’s daughter, who carries on the tradition of the gardenStephen Sheffield , Alisoun’s son, who is a leader in the American Revolution and a respected adviser and statesmanClotilde Lamotte , the brave and loyal Acadian girl, who becomes like a daughter to StephenGerald Radpath , Stephen’s English cousin, who is a British officer, and who marries Clotilde after the warSamuel Skerry , the evil shoemaker, who tries to destroy the garden and the Radpath familyMiles Atherton , the modest village lad, who helps the Radpath family and who distinguishes himself as an officer in the war
The Story
Master Simon’s Garden spans seven generations of one family in colonial Massachusetts. The patriarch of the family, Master Simon Radpath, lives with his wife and young daughter Margeret in the Puritan village of Hopewell, Massachusetts. The stern and intolerant inhabitants of the town criticize the impracticality and vanity of Radpath’s lush garden, but the garden proves to be their salvation and a link to their homeland. A whiff of hawthorn, a field of golden daffodils help ease their homesickness, and Master Simon’s bountiful harvests sustain neighbors through illness and times of hunger.
Threats to the garden and the family continue, as Master Simon condemns the intolerance of his fellow Puritans. The garden prospers, however, as do Master Simon’s descendants. Margeret’s daughter, Alisoun, maintains the tradition of the garden and preserves the family stories. Added to the old tales is her own experience of the time that she and Amos Bardwell, her nephew, both testified in defense of an old woman in their village who had been arrested as a witch. Even in the presence of Cotton Mather, the famous Puritan authority on witchcraft, Alisoun was able to convince the town that the accusations were false.
Stephen Sheffield, Alisoun’s son, becomes a highly respected lawyer and statesman in the colonies. He is instrumental in negotiating agreements with France and England, and promotes colonial unity. Into Stephen’s busy life comes Clotilde Lamotte, an Acadian refugee. Clotilde becomes like a daughter to Stephen: She cares for him, loves him, and carries on the traditions of garden and family.
War comes constantly closer, and Stephen works tirelessly, sacrificing self and fortune. The war continues, and word arrives that British troops are coming to capture Stephen. He, Clotilde, and their household escape, but when they return home, they find that the house is in flames and the garden is destroyed. The war goes badly, but in response to a plea from General Washington, Stephen travels throughout the colonies, recruiting troops and raising both money and spirits.
While Stephen is away, Clotilde is surprised by British troops. She refuses to divulge the information they seek and the captain locks her in the cottage. Her fire and candles go out, and Clotilde shivers in the darkness. To her amazement, the British captain returns the next morning to help her. American troops surround and wound him, but Clotilde protects him. The captain is discovered to be Gerald Radpath, the grandson of Stephen’s cousin, Amos Bardwell.
Stephen lives barely long enough to see the end of the war, and Clotilde and the rest of Hopewell concentrate on the task of rebuilding. Neighbors come to Clotilde with plants and bulbs that are descended from Master Simon’s original garden. The garden is replanted, a tribute to the unity of the community and to the generosity of Master Simon.
Gerald Radpath and Clotilde marry, thus returning the ancestral name to a house and garden that will prosper for future generations and build upon the legacy of Master Simon.
Context
American author Cornelia Meigs, who also wrote under the pseudonym Adair Aldon, is probably best known for her historical fiction. Meigs’s most honored book is the biography of Louisa May Alcott, entitled Invincible Louisa (1933), which won the Newbery Medal.
Master Simon’s Garden takes a largely negative view of Puritan society, which is evident in the characters of Jeremiah Macrae and Cotton Mather. The Puritan stereotype of a stern figure in the black coat is mitigated somewhat by the less rigorous figures of the Governor and of the townspeople. The prophecy of the Scottish minister that dooms the garden is fulfilled during the war, yet the garden remains a powerful source of good, and even Skerry is reformed by the charity of Master Simon.
Of interest is the relationship of England to the characters in the story. The early Puritans are still Englishmen and women, and the Elizabethan influence is important in the formation of Master Simon’s nature, as witnessed by his meeting with Queen Elizabeth I, the tending of her royal garden, and the impact on him of seeing a forbidden Shakespearean play. Those English characters given some degree of development (notably Sergeant Branderby, Amos Bardwell, and Gerald Radpath) are quite sympathetic.
The historical events serve as a backdrop for the family story. Even though the village is touched by battle on two occasions, it serves as a retreat and a refuge from the war. A community that would not tolerate Quakers, flower gardens, charms, and certainly not a Catholic priest, gives us the British officer Gerald Radpath marrying the French girl Clotilde and Miles Atherton marrying a Quaker. The American Revolution brings into full flower the garden of tolerance and freedom that Master Simon had envisioned.
Master Simon’s Garden provides the young reader with a coherent overview of nearly two hundred years of American history, beginning with the first colonial settlements in Massachusetts and concluding with the years following the American Revolution. Meigs brings history to life in the novel and also conveys the message that freedoms come from hard-won victories that require the perseverance and strength of generations of individuals, including the contributions of children and adolescents.