The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-10
SOME NEW hooks.
L,r. or the Poet whittier.


20 know and cstecm him through his published
writings For that purpose we avail ourselves
OF tho materials collected in n biography of
john GrecniedJ Whittier by W SLOANE KENNEDY
(Boston, s. f. Cassino). Mr.. Kennedy has shown
n great deal OF industry and n truly sympa-
thctic spirit in the preparation OF this book.
and he has given IL conclusive rdison dehe
by reminding us In the poets own words that
Mr.. Whittier would be sorry to be known and
remembered exclusively and even mainly as
n poet In letter written some fifteen
years ago. Mr.. Whittier expressed his satisfac-
lion that he had been saved from tho poor
Ambitions and miserable joalousios OF II selfish
pursuit Of literary reputation" He went on to
aver that up to u mparatively recent period.
my writings have been simply episodical some
thing apart from the real object and aim OF my
life: and whatever favor they have found with
The public has come to me as n grateful sur
prise rather than as an expected reward
On another occasion Mr.. Whittier wrote in
nearly the same tenor: Il am not insensible to
literary reputation; but set higher value on
my name as appended to the AntiS Slavery
Declaration of 1888 than on the title page Of any
book" We see, therefore, that in the poets own
opinion. at all events. there has been some-
thing in his life worth knowing outside the in
eidcnts of II literary career.
John Greeneai Whittier was born Dec. II.
Of what was then the village and is now the city
OF Haverhill. Mass Both his parents were
Quakers. and his ancestors on both sides had
belonged to the Society OF Friends for many
generations. John Whittier. the father Of the
poet. is described by citizens Of Haverhill
being rough but upright. kindhearted farm
er. His ncighbors gave him the nick name OF
Quaker Whycher." He seems to have been n
sturdy. decided person. and deeply religious.
Ill tai ol,,,r tp
Haverhill, yet invariably on First Days" Qua
her Whychers ne-horse chaise could be seen
vending toward the old brown meeting house
In Amesbury. six miles away. According to
the poet. one Of the reasons why his mother re-
moved to Amesbury in 1910 was that she might
be near the little Friends " meeting in that
town.
Other members Of Whittier's family, in the
poets boyhood, were his elder sister Mary.
who died in 1861: his uncle Moses Whittier.
who In 1924 received fatal injuries from the
falling Of tree which he was cutting down;
his younger brother Matthew, who has been
for many years resident OF Boston; his aunt
Mercy Hussey; his younger sister Elizabeth,
and occasionally half welcome" eccentric
guest. Harriet Livermore. Elizabeth Whittier.
the younger sister and intimate companion Of
her brother in his literary work. is said to have
been person of rare attractions and accom-
plishments. Some poems of hers published by
her brother after her death attest remarkable
delicacy and intensity Of feeling. coupled
with unusual skill in artistic expression.
Harriet Lvermore was the religious enthu-
siast and fanatical pilgrim preacher who.
among her other curious experiences. made
three VOYAGES to Jerusalem. and in the course
Of visit to Mount Libanus startled. to use
Whittier's words. Lady Hester Stanhope with
claims more fantastic and imperious than were
her own. 1t seems that one day Lady Hester
pointed out to Harriet Livermore two fine
Arabian horses with peculiar marks and differ
Ing In color. THAT one" said Lady Hester
who was n believer in the speedy advent OF tho
Redeemer. the great King when He comes
shall ride and the other shall ride in COM
pany with Him." Thereupon Miss Livermore
uttered most emphatic No" declaring with
nm overpowerng display Of foreknowledge and
aplomb that the great King will ride this
horse and it is rs His bride who will ride
upon the other ut His second coming"
Aproros of tho poets boyhood. we are told
that Whittier. even when q little lad was al
ways writing verses instead OF doing sums on
his slate at school. The reading material that
found its way into his fathers house consisted
OF the almanac and weekly village newspaper
with perhaps a score Of books and pamphlets.
among them Lindley Murray's Reader and
Ewood's Davidnis: or. the Life of David
King Of Israel" To EllwoOds execrable versi-
fcation. which was apparently the first exam
ple Of poetry with which the young Whittier
became acquainted. Mr.. Kennedy ascribes a
noticeable popularity. or we should rather say
defect. in the technical quality Of Mr.. Whittiers
compositions. The biographer has in mind
the extremely small range Of Writers
rhymes and metrcs-a blemish conspicu-
GUS both in the verse Of Ellwood and
In the poetry OF Burns which. more
than any other agency. gave impulse and
direction to the mind Of the Yankee ploughman.
Young Whittier owed his first introduction to
the songs OF Burns to a wandering Scotchman.
who. after eating bread and cheese and drink
ing q mug OF cider at the Quaker farmhouse.
gave his hosts Bonny Doom" Highland
Mary" and Aud Lang Syne." Not long after
ward the boy John was gathering in hay on tho
farm when peddler stopped. and took from
his pack acopy of Burns. which was eagerly
purchased. There is no doubt that Whittier is
right in thinking that his eyes were opened by
Burns to the beauty in homely things but a
too exclusive study OF his master is also
ehargeable with the limitations in respect to
rhyme and rhythm to which we have referred.
Among other books read by Whittier during
the formative period of'boyhood We should.not
omit to mention Bunyan's Pilgrims Prog
fess."
The first poem published by Whittier and
the first which he Is known to have written
was piece Of blank verse entitled The Deity -
which printed in 1926 in q newspaper call
ed the Free Press. then recently started by Will
liam Lloyd Garrison in Newburyport. Elated
by the success Of his first venture. the boy OF
nineteen sent other poems. all anonymous.
however. to the editor whose good
taste had been so signally demonstrated. They
attracted the attention of Garrison so strongly
that he inquired OF the postman who il wns