The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-06-30
HENRY W. LONGFELLOW.
A Condensed Story OF the Poets Life al
sRecord Of His Works.

A Condensed Story Of the Poets Life ant
sRecord Of His Works.
Henry Wadsworth. I.ongfellow hat
been recognized as poet in days tina
are separated from us by almost slxt.
years. He was born in Portland, Me.
on the twenty-seventh of February
1907. Maine then formed part OF thu
&C cmmonwealth of Massachusetts,. HI
was q son of the Hon. Stephen Long
fellow, man of much note in the frs
half of this century, both in law and il
politics, and who was one of the early
members of the United States House O
Representatives from Maine (le235)
He was one of the Massachusetts dele
gates to the Hartford convention; anc
t. is stated that he was the last survivor
of the mem bers of that memorable body
He was descended, paternally, from one
of the Massachusetts, colonists who came
to this country more than two centuries
ago; and on the side of bis mother IRON
John Alden. Mr.. Stephen Longfellow
had q close interest in literature, and al
one time he was president of the Maine
Historical society, body which ha:
done much good and useful work. HI
died in l849, living to great age, sc
that he had the qualification of seeing
his most distinguished son in all the
endowment that estab ablished fame affords
That son was sent ut the age of foul teer
years (ls2l) to Bowdoin college, then as
now ranking with the first of our insti'
tutions for the promotion of learning
In the same class was Nathaniel Haw'
thorne, who was Lis senior by almost
three years. The. early association oi
these two young men was the beginning
of s. close friendship that lasted for more
than forty years, and ended only when
Hawthorne went to his final resting
place, in Sleepy Hollow, at Concord.
In Hawthorne writings can be found
not q little that shows how he appreci-
ated Longfellow's friendship; and Long
fellow was not less loyal than Haw-
thorne. He was the first man in the
world who took the measure Of his
friends mind, and We have heard that
he wrote the admirable article on the
first e,iition of "Twice-Told Tales" "
published in 1887, which article ap-
reared in the North american Review
the same year, if our memory be not at
fault. A third student was at Bowdoin
during most of the time that Longfel-
low and Hawthorne were there. Frank
lin Pierce entered the college q year
earlier than Hawthorne and Longfellow,
and in 1853 he became President OF the
United States. Between the future
President and Hawthorne life in
timacy was established, which had a
great effect on the fortunes OF the au-
thor, though the President cared for
nothing but American politics, and
cared no more for them than
he c5red for those of Liliput.. But it is
m old thing that men OF the most dif-
terent minds often become the most de-
voted friends. Mr.. Longfellow was
graduated in 1925, when he was but
Eighteen years old. As he began his
poetical career while he was in college,
he was young poet in what have be-
come old DAYS. Mr.. kongfellow ap-
pears to have thought of devoting him;
self to the law, which was natural
enough first thought Of youth whose
father was an eminent lurist, but IL
soon was abandoned. When but nine
teen he was made professor of modern
languages and literature in Bowdoin
college, and he passed the next tour
wears in Europe. preparing himself for
his professional duties That time was
anant in Germany and France, Spain
and Italy. H., assumed the chair to
which he had been appointed in 1880,
and held l. till 1885. He found time, or
he made it, for other labors, writing for
he North american RevieW and trans
ating the "Coplas de Manrique," the
most perfect production of the kind ever
known. 1t is not just to speak OF it rs
l translation, for in the English it is al
most as much an original work rs it is
n the Spanish.
His success with the "Coplas de Man.
.ique" placed Mr.. Longfellow at the age
IF twenty eight (the work was pub.
ished in 1889, in the front rank OF great
living poets, and there were poetical
,iants in those days. "Outre-Mer: A
Pilgrim beyond the Sea-" came out two
7ears later and was received with de-
light, though the reading public of 1885
would sustain but poor comparison
With that of 1890. Two years after its
publication lie was appointed to the
of modern languages and
Belles.Lettres in Harvard college,
which had been made vacant through
he resisnation of his eminent friend,
Professor George Ticknor. He again
Visited Europe, where he remained
wo years, travelling in Germany and
switzerland, in Holland and Belgium,
md in Sweden and Denmark. He be-
run his official duties at Cambridge IN
1897, and held the professorship till
1854, when he resi- gned. Meantime, his
career as an author went steadily on.
Hyperion" was published in 1889, and
became Immediately pop pular, and it has
'etained its popularity through forty
,ears. The same year appeared " "Volces
If the Night" Ballads and other
Poems" date from ls4l. 1t was in 1912
that he gave his Poems on Slavery.
% his countrymen. A long series OF
works followed, showing that the poet
,ould labor steadily, besides discharg-
ng his professional obligations. 1.-The
Spanish Student" was published in
I843, and in ls45 be prepared Poets
md Poetry of Europe" q CRITICAL
compilation. Then came "The Belfrry
If Bruges and other Poems," in
1916, and "Evangeline" in ls47,
which is commonly held to be
lis greatest production: His novel.
KaVanagh," appeared in lS49, ana
Seaside and Fire-side in 1850
The Golden Legend" has the date
1851. Four years passed, and in 1855 he
published 1.-The Song OF Hiawatha,'
,aid to have had the largest sale OF any
If his poems. Three years later, in 1858,
The Courtship of Miles Standish met
With the applause it. deserved: Tales
If a Wayside Inn" appeared in 1863,
i. Flower de Luce" in 1866, and New
England Tragedies in 1866. 1t was
Known that he was engaged on trans,
alton of Dante, which was expected
with much interest: The pnbllca
;ior took place in 1876, with.
;he title The Divine Comedy OF
Dante Alighieri," and filled three superb
massive volumes. including Notes
ind Illustrations" "-Boston Transcript.
How the Tiger Hides.
George was after fine male tiger. lie
was followed up fast, but coming to =
broad nullah, full of water, he suddenly
lost sight of his game. He looked up
md down the bank and on the opposite
bank, but could see no traces Of the
tiger. Looking down, he saw in the
water what he first took to be 4 large
bullfrog. There was not q .ipple on
the placid, stagnant surface Of the pool.
He marveled much, and just then his
mahout pointed to the supposed bull,
frog, and in an excited whisper implored
George to fire. A keen look convinced
George that it really was the tiger. 1t
was totally immersed, all but the fucc,
and lying so still that not the faintest
motion or ripple was perccpttible. He