The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1853-08-20
trOm NcniIcy'. Mi,ccllanv-
4V'TI FITI,ItN NT~trIlaNN.
American Literary Celebrities,

en- mouse may be seen pceping through the
trees; 1t was formerly inhabited BY Wash .
In"ton,who at the time of the war established
his head quarters there; it is doublv inter-
estIng on account of its being occupied bv
Longtellow, one Of the most eminent poets
OF the United States Miss Mittord when
discussing the merits Of LongfcIIow. in her
Notes ct a Literary Life" relates kind of
ghost story concerning this same house.
Zone night she writes, 1.-The poet chanc-
CT to look out Of the window, and saw by the
vague starlight figure riding slowly past the
mansion. The face could not be distinguish
cd; bat the tall, erect person, the cooked
hat, the traditional costume, the often dcS-
crlbed white horse, all were present: slowly
he paced before the house and then returned,
and then again passed by after which nei-
thcr horse nor rider were seen or heard of.
Could it really be Washington" she obscrv-
e>, ''or was it some trolic ma>qucraGle- asSum-
inc his honorcd form :" Miss Milford herself
holds firmly to the ghostly side of the story,
and so did her informant, also a poet and an
American. and as worthy to behold the spec
tire of the iluStrious warrior as Professor
Longftllow himself
Though the Americans were rich in prose
and pocical writer's it was not until the
appearance of Mr. LongtcllOw that anv fthcir
poets attained any great European celebrity.
His poems make their way to every heart.
the tcr>cnesS of diction and force of thought
delight the old the grace, melody and ten
dcrneSS cAchant the voun@; the unaffected
and -pcrvading pctv satisfies the serious;
and certain SLIGHT touch 'ot mysticism car
rics the imaginative fairly off their feet
In country, saws NJ. Ampcrc, "whcrc men
are for the most part completely absorbed in
politics, did not expect to meet with any
body leading 50 calm. noble. and pleasant an
existence rs Mr. Loarfclow ! found Mr.
Ion@trllow established in an elegant house.
with his amiahlc and beautiful wife and sur
rounded by lovely children to me lie is the
ideal of happy poet, and it is said that his
life forms quite romance. He has travelled
all over Europe and understands the Ian
"ua"cS of nearly all its countries lie pos
srS>cS divers literary curioSitics. from the
popular >ongS of Denmark to those of ITarana:
and has saved poetry from grave in almost
every country. Mr. Longttllow is acGua at-
ed with the primitive and ratriarchal man
ncrS of Sweden. Of which he gives a dc>crip-
ton in his preface to his translation of Teg-
ner's beautiful poem, The Children of the
Lords supper" lie visited Italy and France.
and has experienced all the interest which
cannot fail to be felt in the old towns of Ger
many
What American can ever forget the Psalm
Of Life? cxclaimS NJ, Ampcre: it is an an
swer to the words oi E.rlc>aStcS.~ is van
itv." Each of Lougfclow's most celebrated
poems is the expression of a feeling common
to every mind. in moods into which every
mind Is liable TO fall. 'Foot>tcpS of Angels
. "ENcrl>ior;" "Thc Old Clock on the Stairs,
The Ni>ion," "Twili4ht." etc. are the most
: exquisite and delicate interpretations of uni
; vcr>al emotions. In 1912 he passed the sum.
r mcr upon the Rhine, and at Hoprart, where
: he STAYED some time, became acquainted will
. the enthusiastic Young German poet, Frcili
| @rath. pom reaching home. he found tn,
: world perfectly intoxicatcd with the bcwitch
/ ING grace of Fanny EllSlcr. and learned from
{ GOOD authority that her >altatorv movement
t were more than poctcal this suggested (,
n HIM the ''Spani>h STUDENT" which breathe
G 50 completely Of the South it is, however
: rather too Spanish in its character altoscth
/ cr, to suit our English taste In 1913 Long
; fellow bought the house which had once beer
e Washington's head quarters; he (Loncfellow
: had formerly lodged there while the hous,
t was in the possession of Mrs Cragie, and il
h General WaShington'S chamber many of hi
n earlier poems were written
: NJ. Ampere came upon BRYANT at an un
/, lucky moment. 1T is under the open SIX,
: and engaged in rural pursuits that he (Brv
V anti displays to advantage that is. in his tru,
: character, the natural amiability of his dispo
: sltlon, sometimes clouded by the cares of lit;
@ the untoward circumstances of business in
. tcrcourSc, shines forth under the cratefu
: influence OF nature so dear to the heart an,
; tranqullllzing to the spirits of her child
: Here little children cluster about the gray,
: mans steps. tcarinss not to climb his knee
o -And 'SercncSt eyes meet his in fullest conf
: dence. finding there none OF the sternness OF
; which casual observers sometimes complain
: 1t seems almost pity that other walks shoul,
1 ever draw him hence; but perhaps, contrast
e between country walks and city pavement
: is necessary for the perfection and durabilt,
: OF rural pleasures. 1t would be almost i'm
!. possible to find a man who had led so stir
r ring life for fifty years and vet preserve,
r such perfect simplicity Of character and hab
o It's as Mr. Bryant. No one can be less maj
@ OF the world, as far as that word means ;
! worldly man than he is, in spite even of h
5 having travelled great deal and mixed ex
: tensively in society. Mr. Bryant's collection
: OF books ! not large, bat his tastes and pur
{ suits lead him through the entire range of
:, literature. from the Fathers 10 Shelley. anf