The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-06-18

A Sketch OF VIM. Cullen Bryant.


Our telegraphic dispatches yesterday
brought the mournful intelligence of the
death Of William Cullen Brya,t.
William Cullen Bryant was born at Cum
mington. Hampshire Co, Mass, Nov. 8,
1874. HIS father. Peter Bryant, was a dis
tinguished local physician, Who had also
travelled considerably, and devoted much
time to the culture Of his mind. He took
unusual interest in the intellectual and
moral development Of his children, and was
rewarded in the case of all OF them. and
particularly in that OF William, with early
evidence Of their proficiency. The poet, in
his beautiful "Hymn to DEATH" alludes
ieelingly to him in the lines beginning:
| For he ~ in his grave. " no taught nv youth
The arr of verse. AMI IN the bud OF life
Y offered me to the muses.,
which was no poetic exaggeratiOn, but
literal truth. There are few instances Of
precocity more remarkable than that of
Bryant. He Communicated lines to the
county gazette before be was ten years Of
age, and in his fourtes nth year his friends
caused to be printed two considerable
poems, THE Embargo" . political satire.
and THE Spanish Revolution" These
passed to . second edition the next year
QS09), and in the preface to that edition it
was found necessary to certify the produc-
ton Of them BY person 80 young, in order
to remove the skepticism of the public. In
qis nineteenth yesr he wrote "Thsnatopsis,"
which still holds its place in general esti-
nation as one Of the most impressive poems
in the language. He had in 1910 entered
Williams college, where he was soon distin-
guished for his attainments in language
and in polite literature. At the end Of two
years he took IN honorable dismission, and
engaged in the study of the Law. Admitted
to the bar in 1915, he commenced practice
in Plainfeld, and afterward removed to
Great Darlington. He speedily rose to .
high rank in the local and state courts but
his tastes inclined him rather to letters
than to Law. In 1917 his poem "Thana-
topsis," was published in the North Ameri-
Gun Reriew, and introduced him to the &C.
quaintance Of Mr.. Richsrd H. Dams, who
was one Of the club which then conducted
the Rsriew. He contributed also several
prose articles toahat periodical. In 1921
he delivered before the Phi Beta KaPou
society at Harvard college didactic poem
on 1.-The Ages" and in that year several OF
his poems were collected in volume ct
Cambridge, and obtained for him immediate
recognition as a writer of high merit. He
removed to New York in 1925, and was en-
gagged a. an editor Of the New York Rerie,r,
soon after:merged in the United States Re
rier, to which he contributed several criti-
cisms and poems. In 1895 he connected
himself with the Erning Post, newspaper.
under the editorial control Of William Cole
man. At that time it was inclined to fed
eralism, and Mr.. Bryant sought to give it
more and more q republican character.
When he acquired an exclusive control Of
its columns, q few years later, he rendered
it decidedly democratic. taking ground in
favor Of freedom OF trade and against all
partial or class legislation. Having asso-
cia,ed William Lessett with himself in the
management Of the Evening Poss. he sailed
with his family to Europe in the sPrins Of
1884. and travelled through France. Italy
and Germany. enlarging his knowledge Of
the Languages and literature Of the leading
nations. His poems bear witness to hia
familiarity with the Spanish, Italian, Ger
man and French languages, which he haa
continued to cultivate. After returning to
his native country, and resuming his pro-
fessional labors for some years, he went
again to Europe in lS45. In l849 he made
q third visit, and extended his journey into
Egypt and Syria. The letters writ ten to
his Journal during these wsnderinss were
published in q book called "Lssten Of .
Traveller" soon after his last return.
Col. Van Horn, in his sketch Of Bryant,
says Of his newspaper life:
GAS an editor, too, he was eminently
fortunate. Since the time that he became
connected with the New York Esssa.g RbsG
lin 1856 up to the day that the accident
happened that resulted in his death, that
paper has maintained . high and we'll de-
served reputation for its excellence, espec-
Tally in matters pertaining 70 the literary
world. Originally Democrat, Mr.. Bryant
was BY his native and increditsble love 81
human freedom converted to Republican
ism, and much and powerful was the sssist-
ance given BY his trenchant pen to the
cause Of liberty. Latterly, while still re.
manning the nominal editor Of the Poi, and
in some respects its Inspiring mind, Mr.
Bryant laid aside the more onerous duties
Of edit0rship. From his home, embowered
in foliage. not far from the pretty village Of
Roslyn, Long Island, Mr.. Bryant would CONS
forth on special occasions to grace By hi'
presence and BY his words Of wisdom some
gathering of import, and 1t such times the
knowledge that he would be present VA
enough draw thronss 70 the neighborhood
Thus it was when he appeared At the dedi
cations Of the Morse, the Shakespeare ant
the Scott statues in Central Park, New York
and thus it Vas but . few days ago when, .
the unwilling Of the statue Of Maszini, tn
, venerable poet overtaxed his strength AM
fell to the ground, receiving the injurie
that eliminated in his death.
|, The almost unequallsd esteem in vhicl
Mr.. Bryant was held By men of letters, o
science, and of general cultivation Of mind
vas twice evinced in . noteworthy manner
1 Once in 1864, the seventeen anniversary q
9 his birthday, when . celebration Va he'll
At the Century club in New York, and DIRE,
forth Extraordinary expressions Of regar