New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-07
omists to poets, We fnd an admirable statement OF
the intellectual position Of
IOyGTIILOW.


LOyGFELLow.
TIE same general characteristics run through al
Mr.. Longfellows productions. They are the WORK OF
scholar, of man Of taste, If fertile fancy, ana OF
loving heart. He j. "a picked man OF DOCKS, ana
,ees the world and life by their hight 10 interest hs
Imagination the facts around hun must be invested
with this charm Of association. IL - al once ~: aiu
and bis merit that he can reproduce the choicest
pictures Of the past and OF other minnS WIN nc"
accessories Of Bis own; % that the quaint old poets o
GERMANY the singers Of the past centuries, the poet
zeal visions and teachings of Goethe ami the
everyday humors of Jean Paul, as II WERE come 10
live among ~ in American homes ana ahuscaPe
Thr Interpretation in its highest forms u one OF me
rarest benefits which the scholar bestow upon his
country. The genius of Longfell0w has given rs an
American idyl based a touching episode oi ante,
revolutionary history parallel with the Hermann and
DCiotLea Of Goethe, the exquisite story OF Evan
peliue; has shown IL how Richter might have
surveyed the higher and inferior conditions, the
scho0master the clergyman the lovers ana he rus,cs
of New England village in his tale OF kaVanaghi
has reproduced the simple elegance OF the ghter span
h drama his play OF the student; and IN his Golden
Legend has carried US in his ingenious verse, to the
heart Of the Middle Ages, showing Us the most poetic
aspects Of the lives Of scholars, churchmen ana VIZ
lagers-how they sang, travelled pracced logic, med
cine and divinity aud with ~hat miracle plays jest
and gIim literature they entertained his orgl-
nality and peculiar merit consist IN these iehcitous
transformations. II he were simply scholar, ne
would be but an annaist or annotator; but being
poet of taste and imagination with an ardent synpa-
thy for all good and refined traits in the world, ana Tor
ali folms OF the objective life of others, his writing
being the very emanations of kind generous nature
he has succeeded in reaching the heart OF the puohc
All men relish art and literature when thy are Tree
from pedautry We are all pleased with pictures, and
ike TO be charmed into thinking nobly and acting well
by the delights of fancy.
In bis personal appearance, frank, graceful manner
fortune, and mode Of life, Mr. Longfeow reflects OF
anticipates the elegance of his writings. In home
surrounded by every refinement of art and cultivated
intercourse in the midst of his family and friends, the
Genial humorst enjoys retired leisure, from which
many ripe fruits of literature may yet be looked tor
The closing portions of the volume, devoted to VIII
tiers whose fame is yet of recent growth, and whose
performances derive much of their interest from the
promises they contain are of course less complete
in their details, and in some instances present little
more than meager catalogue of dates. In other
cases. however, we have interesting accounts of our
Younger authors furnishing information which has
not before been given to the public. Many names
have been rescued from comparative obscurlty by
the diligence OF the editors, and we notice but few
omissions of authors who would naturally find adj
mission into such a collection. The only writer OF
eminent significance, of whom We find no notice In
this work, is Hcnry James, whose contributions to
metaphysical and theological science entitle him to
conspicuous place in every record OF American
literature.