The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-02-21

sArhfs good man, just now verging upon his
three score years end ten, has made for
himself place in the hearts of his coun-
trymen, and in those of the best of all
English. speaking countries, like that
which Burns has held for a century past
on the banks of Ayr and in bonnie Dun.
dee. His love of Burns, implanted early
and growing with his growth, and his
first acquaintance with his writing, are
pleasantly told in the following account
from his own pen:
Burns is to me the noblest poet OF our
race. He was the first poet | read, and
he will be the last One day one of our
preachers came to stay all night, and
noticing. as we sat by the fire. that was
intent upon a book, he said, i will read
to thee, if thee likes, some poems by
Robert Burns. | have a copy with me
SO he got the book and began to read
1t was the first had heard OF Burns, and
my wonder and delight over what |
heard are as fresh still as il il were yes
terday. | had heard nothing up to that
moment. it seemed to me, that had any
right to be called poetry; and listened
as long as the old man would read /
noticed he left the book on the table; so
l rose at gray dawn next morning, and
read for myself was hanging over the
book when the Friend came down, and
then he told me he was going farther to
visit such and such meetings, would be
back at such time. and, if liked,
would leave the book with me. Thee
may be sure | gratefully accepted lis
offer. l read Burns every moment had
to spare; and this was one great result
to me of my communion with him; |
found that the things out of which poems
came were not, as had always imagined,
somewhere away off in a world and life
lying outside the edge Of our New Hamp-
shire sky; they were right here about
my feet, and among the people / knew.
The common things Of our common life |
found were full of poetry. 1t was a new
and a perfect revelation"
Whitfier's father was of tall, gigantic,
long-lived race, able to cope with bears or
Indians, both Of which were not unfre-
quently encountered on the banks Of the
Merrimac, where our poet was born, and
where most of his life has been spent; a
non.resistant by principle and in practice.
as-except perhaps in the case of wild
beasts-are all Quakers; a good, we'll
meaning, useful man in his day and gen.
Grafton. He. however, could not see in
his boy anything more than he himself
was, or more than were his ancestors be-
fore him, promising ploughman; but
the boys mother, with keener insight
X,
encouraged and ministered to it, until it
broke forth into flame which has burned
with ever-increasing fervor, until the
brow then clustering with raven locks
has been silvered with age.
OF his mother-of French descent, with
the maiden name of Abigail Huxley
Whittier says, in the Friends Review
"All that the sacred word mother means
in its broadest, fullest significance our
dear mother was to u.s. a friend, helper,
counselor, companion, ever-loving, gentle,
and unselfsh. She was spared to US in
the seventy eighth year, and passed away |
after a sickness of about three weeks, in |
vhe full possession of her faculties, in |
exceeding peace, and with an unshaken |
trust in the boundless mercy of our Lord |
IL was a beautiful and holy death bed
Perfect love had cast out all fear" An.
other member of the family writes
Perhaps l may be too partial to the
memory Of mother, though | confess, for
my part, only fear do not sufficiently
revere her memory; she was really and
truly a good mother to us. She had no
moods was ever patient. affectionate, and
firm. She so sympathized with misfor-
tune and distress that she could not wait
to investigate. and consequently some /
times gave to those who were unworthy;
but. il that be a weakness, it is Of the
order that no one will be ashamed of be-
fore the Judge of all. | wish every one
had more OF it.
Whittier himself was very sensitive and
diffident He sent his boyish effusions
in sly way to the nearest village news
paper, and blushed to his fngertips
when William Lloyd Garrison, who edit
ed the paper, after a long and diligent
search, found him out; but.the hour had
come, and then and there in an obscure
farm. house in East Haverhill, Massa.
chusetts, these two men-then in their
teens, now SO famous and beloVed-frst