Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-11-04
LOngfellOw New England Tragedies.

LOngfellOw's New England Tragedies.
To pass criticism at this late day upon any
production Of Longfellow or Whittier or
Br yant, or upon any other writer OF their
reputation, seems to US almost as absurd as
10 remark upon the flavor Of Champagne or
Burgundy. The renown of the one is as well
established as that of the other, and is in
dependent OF the comments of the critic
Tie seal Of genuineness is all that an appre-
ciative public look for.
We presume to say, however, sub rosa,
that this is not such a book as we have been
patiently waiting and hoping for. from the
poets pen so long silent. 1t disappoints US,
and makes US wonder if the shadow which
has fallen upon the life of the writer has not
shut every cheerful and pleasant thought
from his brain.
1t repaints incidents that we would like
best TO forget, and deals with characters
whose acquaintance we should avoid in our
daily life
While there is much TO admire in the stern.
uncompromising principles of the Puritan.
we must withdraw entirely or else qualify that
admiration when we find that they lead them
to whip young and innocent girl through
the streets Of three cities, in fact makes any
persecution Of the innocent an agreeable pas
time. II mas always been said of them that
bear Iaiting was forbidden, not because Of the
suffering it caused the beasts. but because of
the pleasure it afforded the spectators and
Longlellow has verified this tradition in the
poem before Us.
The second tragedy brings terribly fresh
TO our minds what we have heard of the
power Of witchcraft in Massachusetts in the
latter part Of the seventeenth century. and
which according to the poet made
New England become
Of an un-avorv and sulphurous odor
In the opinion Of the world abroad.
Giles Corey. the principal actor IN the
scenes. while avowing the truest loyalty To
his beloved and excellent wife Martha l. con
WINGED that she is bewitched and causes her
death. He is assisted to and encouraged in
this belief by his spiritual adyiser-the Rev
Cotton Mather, who, had he lived IN these
days would. we cannot help thinking be an
ardent champion Of the PLANCHErTE.
Corey afterwards dies an ignomnious
death, convicted Of murder by the ghost of
the slaughtered man, one Robert Gooden
The book closes with a spasm of peni-
tence by the same Mather His humility is /
commendabe
o sight most horrible In 4 land like this,
span ged with churches evangelical,
Inwrapped IN our lvatIons. must we seek
IN noulder1ng statute books OF English Courts
some old forgotten law 10 do such deeds2
Those who lie buried IN the Peters Field
VIII rise again, surely IS ourselves
That sleep iu honored graves with epitaphs;
And this poor man whom We have made victim, (
Hereafter VIII be counted as 4 martyr
And with this quotation, we commend it to (
all lovers Of the horrible in art.
We have received from Hurd < Houghton (
. volume entitled - Life Below and en-
bracing series Of seven poems an by an
anonymous writer, and one entirely unknown
to us,-thouEh some Of his poems have been
published in the English papers.
1t processes to be the personal history of
an old relormer, dictated TO variety of
amanuenses.
Upon careful examina tion Of the work
we confess ourselves unable to discover very
much Of a narrative, and that little, some
what vague and rambling, yet VIC find much
that l. worthy of praise in the book. The
yeraihcation in many places Is fine, and very
many valuable ideas expressed in the
choice phraseoIogy Of the true poet. Still
the poem as . whole is Of most unequal
merit, and bears too many marks Of an IN
experienced pen. In certain portions it rises
10 the sublimity of Shelly, or reminds u. of
parts IL Is weak and obscure.
Any writer. however, who makes his high
est powers subservient TO an unsparing con-
demnation of wrong and oppression, and the
promotion OF justice and truth, enlists the
sympathies Of mis- readers in advance, and re- ,
veals % them much that is noble and even
sublime, although his work may be indie
pendent Of the highest degree of literary
excellence At the risk of being regarded as
a most cynical critic. and to make amends if {
that be indeed the case, We copy the follow {
ing lines from the close Of the work
WATCHING. r
Life is one, whate' er the portion; ease
play, toll to plan,
JOy or sorrow, haste caution, all must :
blend to make the man
Youth to fail age to prosper; both to sink
beneath blow
God is greater than disaster; life is one, not
all below.
1t is one tho lives be many; good or bad {
may rise fall;
Honor drop, or treason flourish Love that 2
righteth, rlghteth all.
Trust no greatness with a greater man is
strong, but God is strength
And the breath Of the Creator wakes the dead
to win at length.
Howsoever lone the contest, do not dream
Good moves apart:
Mkt and hostile seem the summons one has {
only known the start:
There blast whose sound is louder than
earthly trumpet-call: I
In the end beyond each other, God alone is
all IN all. I
Life for stars spirits from the
oceans 10 the fires; {
From re rig 15eous blaze of Heaven to the !
gloom where Wrong expires. I
Trust the grandeur of disorder and grander {
Will 10 blend. {
God the Alpha and Omega, the Beginnin G
and the End '
Happy he whose steps can wander Ger the
smoke of present strife, ;
And, above distraction, ponder all the far
results OF lie :
Be he soldier, sage, or poet, it is ne whose :
views sublime
From the hight of central wisdom guide the +;
circling shifts OF Time.