The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-02-28

Moxs DryERcrEE gives in French jour
nal experiences in the United States lie
writes thus of the greatest of the American
poets:
was Yesterday at Longfellow's house. He
lives at Cambridge, one OF the suburbs. IN
plain, large, wooden mansion. which has.
don't know what-soemnity and antiquity
with its large mansard roof, its ornamental
lightning rods, It's heavy pilasters in the Ia
cade, with its remnants of ancient trees and
the variegated plots about them, lis stiff style
Of parterre a Ia Frdncaise, which all give IL,
as they say in architecture, an epoch. The
house is. indeed. sort of historical memorial
for it was one the headquarters Of Wash
ington Two months ago was ed thither
by Mr.. Sumner. On that visit we did not
stop to strike the iron knocker of his oaken
door, but entering at once, wandered through
the vacant apartments, and then left the prem
ises like thieves. without having seen either
servant, dog or master. Nevertheless the
books. the pictures, and other objects
of art--the calm and bookish air OF the
library, fragrant with flowers as II was,
and evinclng taste that seemed to have dl
rected every arrangement so happily-the ap-
parent tranquility of this domestic center, the
open and hospitable door, through which
family sanctuary-all this impressed me ia
vorably with the unknown dwellers of that
house. | returned to it yesterday in compa
ny with near relative of the poet.
In consequence of great, irreparable
grief, which has saddenned his life, Longfe
low has emerged but seldom from his house
hold circle, and has not wished to see in 1t
but a small number Of his old friends. They
had said to me. You will see how good,
loveable and graciouss.h is. Some even add
ed, He is an angel And certainly, If ever
goodness and moral beauty were painted in
visible traces on human countenanee, there
they were in the sweet, noble face and frank
and gracious address of the man who arose
to extend me his hand. He is no longer the
elegant looking poet Of whom have seen the
print in the shops. He has grown terribly
DID, and changed much in the last three years
His long gray hair and his grand full grizzly
beard give him the air of an old Homer. His
smile has an indescribable sadness, but a
kind of womanly sweetness still controls his
grave aud manly face. What difference
between the father of tranquil family. oe.
cupied with the education OF his children and
the ordering of his household, and our Hec-
like poets, who are always putting them
selves on the pretentious pedestal of their
own conceit What saw here struck me as
much in his favor as the theatric charlatanism
and base pride of the others have disgusted
me.
have not yet become much acquainted
with his works. Among some things, which
seem to me little iukewarm and short OF
breath, in turning over the leaves, | have
found others quite charming, always marked
by discreetness and exquisite dehcacy,
which has become part of his manner. lie
excels in the choice of words and images in
freshness and morning purity of coloring.
His form is always rich and ornate, but ne
has nevertheless such q disingenuous way
about him, as is, SO to speak, Homeric, and
the sign of true poet. He finds at every
step such delicious comparisons, which
though sometimes almost childish, are yet
full of simple and serene grandeur. In his
ssEvangeline' he risked perhaps too much on
| the unfortunate meter, but it is nevertheless
| quite comparable to the Hermann and Doro
! thea of Goethe In 'sHiawatha." his inspi
ration, ordinarily tender and melancholy
raised itself without an effort to an epic
grandeur. In ssThe Golden Legend he was
inspired by the philosophic symbolism of the
poetry of Germany. His verses fly from
mouth to mouth, and dispute even in England
with the pathetic Tennyson for supremacy
over its readers. | have seen Americans
who think he has too much of sentimenta
revery, and prefer to the tender LongfeIlow
the ardent lyrics of Bryant. 4 myself think
him q genius of the second rank, q demgo6
certainly of the fowery regions ofthe poetica
Olympus, inferior to the great gods, perhaps
Who are throned on the summit above ths
clouds and storms; but withal most excel
lent being, full Of charming, simple converse
! quiet, unaffected, prone to bookishness, bu
| sympathizing in all. He questioned me nor,
than he Instructed me, aad appeared TO tax.
atpesil5s1 Md psfsiosate interest In tn ietsl
lectnal moyemsns sofs sEazOpsy and ahev9 III
! ii tJnoSSMP6ris.