The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-13

Death OF MIR. bryant ts
The demise of this venerable poet and
veteran journalist will make deep I'M
preston on the immediate community IN
which he has dwelt so long, and will excite
melancholy interest throughout the coun-
try of which he has long been one OF the
most eminent and honored citizens. With
out any departure from strict truth and
moderation, or venturing into the region OF
unmeaning eulogy, we may say OF Will
lam Cullen Bryant that his death will
be lamented wherever the English
tongue is spoken. He was one OF
the earliest and purest ornaments
of American literature, and through
out his long career he has been ranked by
good judges as one of our two or three most
gifted poets. The fact that his poetry is
rather contemplative than passionate has
prevented the multitude from doing him
full justice; but among cultivated minds
his genius has been universally con-
ceded. In none of Mr.. Bryants produc-
tons, whether in verse or prose, was there
ever the slightest approach to tinsel.
The perfect chastity Of his muse
has made him rather the poet Of
the elite than OF the multitude, and yet he
has never lacked popular appreciation.
His appeals to the grander sentiments Of
the human heart have been most effective,
and whether he INDUCED in pensive reflec-
tons on human mortality, as in his divine
sThanatopsis, or in appeals to the spirit OF
liberty, as in many of his best known poems,
or appeals to the love OF nature, which
suffuse nearly all the efforts Of his genius,
the pervading sense of beauty and loving OBJ
servation of the coyest attractions Of Ameri-
can scenery and the surprising accuracy
of his dolineations, make his poetry as
Characteristic as that of Wordsworth,
whom he resembled in some features Of his
genius. While we had as yet no elegant
literature worthy of the name he rose as
bright morning star. He shone with I'M
fading lustre during the sixty years OF his
poetical activity and has at length set in
full radiance. None of the American poets
who have arisen since the time when Mr..
Bryant held the armament alone has OBJ
secured him, and, although instead OF one
bright star we have now u constellation, Mr..
Bryant is still ranked with the two or three
whose fame is most Respondent.
Nh. Bryant is one Of the most remarkable
examples in literary history of faculties
which bloomed into early effloresence and
did not fade or decline during the course
of long life. He began to write verses at
the early age of ten; at nineteen, when he
produced "Ihanatopsis, the full spirit OF
poetry had descended upon him and there
was no perceptible decay of his faculties
when, few weeks since, he delivered the
beautiful and appreciative address on MAJ
zini. 1t often happens that precocious in
tellectual splendor goes into early decay,
but Mr.. Bryant is q bright exception to the
rule.
Although Mr.. Bryant's enduring fame will
rest chiefly upon his productions in verse,
poetry was only bis recreation an intellec-
tual pastims amid gravercmployments The
chief occupation of his life was that of a
journalist, or rather of publicist. for he
aimed rather to guide the public judgment
than to furnish the community with news.
He was IN editor Of the EreninJ Post
for more than fifty years, and during this
long period his influence was always ac-
lively felt in the politics of the country
Every journalist has reason to be proud Of
profession which so gifted and illustrious
q man did not think unworthy of his abili-
ties.