, 1878-06-28
WILLIaM CULLEN 6RYANT.
From the :. +. "Cmonicuc orhc l5'h.

Prom the :, I, "iOlphINt gu '"' l''''
After a long and cvcntf,l life thar
pIs~ed far beyond the three score ana ten
allotted to man, William Cullen Bryant
Yesterday PASSED from earth iull OF years
and holiors. An accepted poet, Iltterh-
lem i'm the broader sense. journalist WITH
the highest honOrS Of the gnild. the lessons
of mi, career are too numerous Tor tlls
,imaand place. l'hcy are for the platform
and the ,ltf>c tongue of the enioglSt
rather than the daily paper and the con-
ris, men of the editorial writer. Bryant
WAS in truth one o those who came down
10 MS from a former generation. lie con-
ncrlrd Us with Il dead century. lie saw
and talked with men famous IN the OF the
American Revolution. Its guns almost
echoed in the ears OF his childhood. lie
drank his early Democracy from the
fountains ut which the politicians OF Jei-
iarson's period Slaketl their thirst.
lie was an author of recognized gems
uhen the ltst war with Great Britain took
place. He saw the country pass almost
from helpless nothingncSs TO superb
position among :he nations. From Il
,lespise,i people, who had nothing which
other peoples desired. and little whi,h
they respected, he saw us become not only
selt-sllstaiuing, but able to supply our
ewn Injuries, to export our Superllultlcs'
and to stand in the front OF the commerce
ei the world. lie witnessed the grown
ei American science. He observed the
development OF our literature to It's pres
ent high degree of richness and finish; ne
not OnIy saw, but he was a great part Of
it. We are wont to look upon I.onyiel-
low, Holmes, Whittier, and Lowell, as
old men. The first three of these have
passed three score and ten, but Bryant
was famous before they were born. The
last is approaching three score; but before
he saw the light Bryant had reached and
paSset the znith OF his powers. he had
then written those poems which have
made him immortal, and which he never
Afterwards equaed. Ii belittles ordinary
lives to think of that which he experienced
and the great men whom he knew. Have
ing seen tile Statesmen of one era disap-
pear from the places that knew them, he
saw Others come up, become influential,
sway councils, rule the nation and follow
their predecessors to the silent bourne.
The Cays and Websters went into the
darkness where the HamiItons and Pinck-
neys had led the way. And he saw it all.
The literary companions of his boy
hood, Cooper aud Irving, became famous
during his lifetime. died and were hall for
gotten before death ask him for its final
tribute. The establishment of the first
daily newspaper ill the United States, an
tedated his birth by only ten years. Who
will venture today 10 estimate the extent
and Influence Of the daily press? He had
been born more than a quarter Of a cen-
tury when the ist monthly magazine
came into eXistence--the monthly maga-
zine Which has now become feature of
our current literature. These are only
obvious reflections on life that was al
usost coeval with our history. Bryant
took life philosophicIlly, or he would not
have lived so long. For once he makes
true the words Of the poet:
~" Gently comes the world to those
That are east ia gentle mold.''
He did not fret his life out, like the poets
Of halfa century or more ago. in vain
and useless struggles with the hardships
OfexlsieIne. II Is probable that his early
slicresa diminished the greatness OF his
permanent fame. Tasso. Chattertoh.
liop, t,owley. were precocious boys. who
did wonders ut 10 and II years Bryant
riiyined almost IN bis cradle. At 10 he
wrote creditlLle Latin transati0ns, and
at IL pennetl 1.-The Embargo" q rhyme,l
satire oR letlarsons Administration. This
boyish effort during his later years brought
on him the accusation of political ihcOn-
Sistency from those who did not reflect oil
itsnecessary imnatirty.
de was born amid the most rural
scenes, whose quiet AMI solemnity colored
all his lift. He saw the light at Cum
mlngton. in Western Massachusetts, No.
Nem6er 3. l794. His father was cult
waited physician. who stimulated his intel
lect ami imagination in many ways. He
acquired learning of all kinds easily. At
i6 nc entered Williams College, where he
became distinguished for superior scholar
ship. He was honOrably discharged In
1872 that he might enter upon the study
Ofllw. III 1915 when just arrived at his
majority he WAS admitted to the bar at
Great Darlington. His poem "Thana-
topsis. which abonnds In splendid
thoughts nobly and maiestically expressed
was written while he was a law-student.
and when he was but Is. 1t was pul,-
ished IN the "North American Review
In l7l6, and at once won the admiration
OF the country, which had never yet possess
scd true poet. IL was milestone in
~ the progress OF our native literature
His Lines TO Waterfowl, (which, next
to the Thanatorsis" most strongly as
sert his claims to Immortality. was writ
ten during the interval of his law practice
at Great Darlington, with some other OF
his best verses.
In 1921 he delivered poem before the
Phi Beta Kappa Society at Harvard Col
leg characterized by great finish and
thonghtiulness. In 1925 he abandonetl
The profession OF law and went To New
York. where he devoted himself to Journal
ism and general literature. In 1926 he
became associated with William Coleman
III the publication OF the Evening Post. :,
with which journal he remained. rs editor
or owner until the time OF his death. He
established the New York Review and
- A thpuanuna - n ,,ithlinatio,, -.