New-York tribune., 1874-04-27

HOW THE psalm OF LIFE WAS WRITTEN.
1t always interesting to know under what ciicum-
stances poet has framed an immortal poem or sonnet
song As happen to know something of the origin
and birth Of many of Longfeows poems, let me divuge
few secrets regard TO them. The psalm of Life
came into existence on bright Summer morning IN
July 1885, In Cambridge. as the poet sat between Two
windows at the small able of his chamber
1t voice from his inmost heart and he kept II
it. 1t expressed his own feelings at that tme
when no was raying from the depression OF deep
months lie was accused of taking the famous verse,
"Art is long and time is feetng." from Bshops poem
the Thought came to him VITA as much freshness anu
as II p9thng had eeea Written Sfr1re
at once without effort in the poets mind and he wrote
he rSS& cpPOsed SH" IT, WIN 0'rf Light S Of the Stars
composed as the poet looked out upon
calm and an m beautiful h Summer evening s,T exactly
silver just settling behind Mount Auburn, and Mars
of the Hesperus" was written in 1899. violent storm
had occurred the night before and as the poet sat sno
perus sailing his mind He went bed, but
the poem had seized him, and he could not sleep. lie
striking three" he said, when finished the last
stanza II did not come into his mind by lines Dnt by
whole stauzds, hardly causing Llm an ehort but n0wlng
without let or hinderance
THE ORIGIN OF "ExCELsIoR."
One Of the hest known of all Longfellow's shorter
poems is " Excelsior" The word happened to catch
his eye late Autumn evening in lsil torn piece
of newspaper, and sraghtway his imagination took fire
at it, Taking the first piece OF paper at hand, which
happened 70 be the back of letter received that night
from Charles Sumner Longelow crowded with verses
As first written down. Excelsior differs from the per-
fected and published poem; but II shows III It's orig,
inal conception rush and glow worthy the theme and
the author On Summer afternoon III IN lsi9. as he
riding the beach, The Skeleton in ArmOr rose
out OF the deep before him and would not be laid
The story OF "Evangelne " was first suggested TO Haw-
thOrne by friend who wished him to found a romance
upon IT.. Hawthorne did not quite coincide with the
idea, and handed the theme 10 LonGelow, who saw at
all the essential qualities Of deep and tender idy
1t is delightful tribute to Longfeows genus that
all young people delight so III his poetry lhey ma IN
it chdlike simplicity as well as the essential quality
of supreme interest The child detects the imitation
article quite as readily as the parent ana VIII pass inc
spurious Tyre and accept the real one with Judgment
that marvellous. Old and young, the lahorer ana the
IongfellOw which they cannot do without. Every
where he Is IN most perfect ana & densnta
infusing the authors mind INTO the heart Of the reader
his and this endears him TO his readers, and VIII
endear HIM TO generations yet to come.
THE DISTRACTIONS OF CRITICS
one OF the cOmmonest aud most unfounded charges
against Authorship in every age is plagiarism. Now
nine times out of ten what called plagiarism is para
lelism II were an artist and could paint like william
ali times OF Hercules telling his servant to show fault
finding visitor out of the room. II is great fault in
ANYBODY VINO cannot praise easily. Habitual fault
finding s an immoral trait in any character and lesson
see. LoDgfellow has escaped detracton any more
than the rest The vuures OF criticism have hoVered
and pounced his reputation after their usual manner
but 10 great harm has resulted from their attacks
Always master of himself and his theme, the poet
has sailed away out OF his detractors' sight and
quietly let them rave LOnSfaii9w now lives of course
ghove the region where the enviOus critics delight 10
bark and bite but come of us remember what dissat
isfacou was called up when lie published a new volume
OF his Ork The rats of reputation went on gnawlng
at his aures for years though they proved be pow
efless against true genius and artistic ski and the
true son OF tho tiGses nan 90 strongth,
Hesc te9 One h said he really
written some brilliant pieces Sy ndTsF aScIdeRe Se
ter employed Let us vary our railroad casualties
with some accidents Of the LongielloT type" hope
they still show the little room down IN BnWdoln COIege,
for it in that pleasant apartment that the yonng
poet of 10 wrote many of his early poems Inese were
periodical called The United states Liierdy Ga;ee the
sapent editor of which advised him to eye up poetry
and buckle down 10 law. l am very glad that Long
fellow did not take his advice.
THE FRIEND OF HIS RACE
Inestimatng LOnglellow see no reason Tor comparing
him with anybody else He sufficient IN his own depart
ment, and has his own power andnfuence Tennysonls
Tennyson, Wordsworth is Wordsworth, Longfellow is
Longfelow. lie may not be TINS or tlat Dut WrltSr
should not be judged by what he Is not what he should
be the real question Negaons are not answers Dut quar-
ities IN possession are what VIII determine cOtem-
porary Judgment as well as the judgment OI posteIy'
What procession of youth and beauty wander IN per-
eunial foyeliness through Longfelows pages II can
never grow old or fade away; o. ,uoro .,o. 1onc
III / were called upon suddenly 10 prove that Long
fellow is prominently poet IN every sense, IN i'm
agination, in artistic skill in all the equipment OF high
horn singer think should be willing TO select from ms
later pieces the exquisite poem OF SdnGaphon, WINCH
if you wish, will read TO YOU Mr. Fields here read
No English poetscholar has ever made such mastery
transatOns LOngfelow. Dante, As rendered by him,
can be read now the very spirit OF the great Italian
poet. Now, Just what claim for Longfeow is TINS:
high and honorable place IN the poetic and prose era, era
ture of thus century rank with the great spirits that
sill rule us from their uTDs name that can never de
of The annals Of English literature ana songi ior
find those priceless qualities OF excellence wnlch
the world wing witnessed never forgets Longel
low goes in straight line to his readers UNDERSTANDING
The highway TO the human heart IS the one he most
travels His verse gives no translation TO his reader.
He is never satirst, Tlfer, never seOrnef,
but deineator OF fine and tender sympathes, which
makes him the friend Of his race.
n was never truer than that poetry has its own
exceeding great reward. Aud let us never forget my
friends when estimating poetry, what Long
fellow him self teaches OF his beet and nODlest
efforts that
God seut his singers the earth,
With songs Of sa1nets and OF ninth
That they nj gbt teach the heart q men.
Aud bring them back TO heaven aPGl.'