A reader has unearthed one of Lenny Bruce’s spiritual ancestors: “Samuel

Larned is best known for his membership in Amos Bronson Alcott’s Fruitlands

community in 1843.

Before coming to Fruitlands at age 20, Larned had worked at a counting-house

in Providence, Rhode Island and was a member of the Brook Farm community.

He rebelled against the status quo by traveling through New England and

swearing at everyone he met. He believed that profane language, uttered in

pure spirit, could be redeemed from vulgarity even while men, women, and

children clearly remained unredeemed in his native state.”

Note the name of that community.

Incidentally, and I somehow forgot to say it in my piece, I trawled through

a good quantity of Lenny Bruce’s material by way of background. None of it

struck me as the least bit funny.