The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-03-29
DAILY PRESS,
PORTLAN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1871.
Nathaniel Hawthorne.
PORTLAND.

| BY CHARLES II. WILLIAMS.
1t is refreshing to notice amid the activity
ana oustle OF the present day, with its won
oer'ui discoveries in science and mechanical
ih'enelon, that the works of the Great masters
are neither overlooked Dor forgotten. There
seems to be potent charm surrounding the
lives and works of truly great men, that ont
lives the strife's and contentious of practical
life, and preserves their reputation in all its
pristine glory and freshness.
These thoughts have been suggested by the
recent announcement OF forthcoming new
and complete edition of the works of Nathan
iel Hawthorne; and also by the recently ex-
pressed opinion Of the Nation, which if not
the best, Is at least the most severe critical
authority in the country, regarding the ability
and genius of the same writer.
That well known journal asserts that Eve
are at last beginning to arrive at some faint
conception of Hawthorne's genius; immeas-
urably greater than that of any other Ameri-
can who ever wrote"
however this may be, it is certain that
Hawthorne occupies very high and impor
tant position in American literature. Per-
haps no one of our prose writer's is more popu-
'ar with all classes OF the community, and
none more deservedly so. For beauty of
style, keen and graphic delineation Of char
acter, and fervid and devout religious senti-
ment, his writings are TO be especially COM
mended, and in this, we think, consists the
secret of his great and unrivalled popularity.
/ N al III TT
the beauty and grace of his style is displayed
in very pleasing and acceptable manner. In
the Legends of the Old Province House."
which his magic pen has revived and beauti-
ned, the rooms of the old mansion seem
again to be filled with the officers and cour-
tiers, who, like gaudy butterflies, were ever In
attendance upon the footsteps of Sir William
Howe; we seem to see the long and grotesoue
procession of maskers, representing the an.
eient governors and high officials of the colo
| ny, passing before our eyes, while the aston
ished and awe-struck gaze of the British
officers, Is bent anxiously upon the mysteri-
Gus spectacle. In the story of the "Seven
Vagabonds," contained in the same volume,
the delights and pleasures of rowing life and
of the dreamy, voluptuous languor of the
dolce far niente state of existence, are most
deliclously and pleasantly portrayed. But
what shall we say of that great masterpiece
OF fiction, the immortal "Scarlet letter."
Mr.. George William Curtis, in recent lecture
on American Literature, paid the highest pos
| sible compliment to this work, when he said
that OF all the attempts which had been made
to portray the life and manners of the Puri-
tans, the solitary but immortal "Scarlet Let
ter" alone remained.
And the work is eminently worthy of the
praise thus bestowed. In conception and In
execution few works can compare with 1t for
dramatic power, depth of plot, deneation of
character, and in general excellence.
The character OF Hester Prynne, married
in early life against her will, TO a husband
wholly unsnited both by age and tempera-
ment to her youthful and passionate disposi-
tion; leaving her home in England, to seek
| refuge on the barren and inhospitable shores
OF Massachusetts bay, among the stern and
unrelenting Puritans. After years of absence
the husband returns only to find bis wife ex-
posed to public scorn and detestation upon
the scaffold, in the market place, with the
scarlet letter OF infamy blazing upon her
BOSOM Then follows in rapid succession the
remarkable events of the narrative the inter-
view in prison between Roger Chiilingworth
and his dissraced wife, the refusal of Hester
to name her companion in crime, the ineen.
| ious and subtle coil which Roger weaves slow
| ly but surely around the minister, until at
last in the agony of his soul he can no longer
endure the terrible secl ct, land seeks to fly
with Hester to another land, there 10 hide
their mutual guilt aud seek forgiveness in the
| future. Then, at the eleventh hour when all
seemed ready for fight, comes the terrible
denouement, and the death of Arthur Dim.
mesdae. After the eloquent AID wonderful
election sermon, which swayed the multitude
as no words of his had ever swayed them be-
fore, exhausted nature could held out no
longer, and, mounting the scatfold, with Hes
ter and Pearl at his side, he confesses his
long buried secret, and the long wished for
hour of death comes mercifully to his relief.
Thus ends this remarkable legend of colon
ial life, and after its perusal we cannot won
der at its popularity, or that it has so long
maintained its place in the affections OF the
people. As picture of the early Puritaus, of
their peculiar doctrines and manners of life,
it is preemins entity superior to any other work
of the kind which has ever been conceived Tor
attempted.
In the "Marble Faun," the singular ro-
nance of Italian life, is woven into most de-
lightful and charming story. The characte
of Donatello, is unique and originalIcreation
while that of Hilda is singularly beautiful
specimen of true womanhood
| We have mentioned only fe of the we'll
known works of this truly great author; but
his other works are equally as good, and equal
ly as successful. Kind and genial in his man.
ners, Hawthorne made friends with all whom
ne approached and his death caused great
sorrow to the community. MIR. j. T. Fields,
from the rich store house of his knowledge,
has already drawn forth several pleasing and
interesting "reminiscences of personal ac-
quantance with Hawthorne, which have been
universally read and admired in the Atlantic
Monthly and as Mr.. Fields is to take the
platform the coming autumn, we may conf
IDENTIFY expect more good things of the same
sort.
We have no doubt that the forthcomin Q
new edition of Hawthorne's works, will prove
great success both to the publishers and to
the reading community; his old admirers will
eagerly welcome their favorites in a new
dress, while those who have never read his
works, will hasten to make themselves ac.
quanted with such brilliant aud delightful
writer.
April Magazines.
The Atlantic does not display the usual
number of great names in its table OF contents
this month, but the lesser lights in its corps
of contributors do their work so well that
their superiors are not much missed. 1t is a
| strikino commentary on the amount of liter