The Portland daily press., 1882-04-03
Frederick Mellen.
Recollections of Him as Poet and
Painter.

To the Editor of the Press:
When writing yesterday Of Longfellow as
soldier, 1 said that he was not the only poet in
his class, mentioned Frederick Mellen, and
threatened to send you some personal recollec-
tions of him, with some of his productions.
After leaving college, he, with several others
of his class, read law with Stephen Longfellow.
He was admitted to the Cumberland bar, and
opened a law office in Portland, near nay place
of business, and both being members of the Ri
fle CORPS and lovers of pictures, we became
friends Mellen put out the sign OF an attor-
ney to please his father, the Chief Justice, but
he never sought clients His own tastes were
for painting and poetry, and he turned his
rooms into study. He was contented to work
at his easel during the day and to write poetry
in the evening.
On his return from Europe Longfellow was
to occupy a Professors chair at Bowdoin, al
though only 24-this with his natural neatness
of dress caused him to assume personal digni-
ty, which Mellen had no taste for. He painted
in his shirtseeves with bare throat, and sang
his own or others songs, charmingly thewhile
When a friend (of whom he had many went
into his room, his first thought was to get his
opinion of some picture or poem and said 80,
"Look here, what do you think Of this-hon-
est" when perhaps he would produce from his
vest pocket a piece of crumpled paper OH
which he had written lines usually on some
pleasing yet serious subject, that would have
been creditable to Longfellow. But after read
ing them to his friends they were usually
thrown aside and finagig lost. Longfellows
productions got into print, even when boy,
but Mellen never seemed to think OF making
name and fame for himself He had no en-
couragement in his favorite pursuits from his
father, who instead was continually trying to
impress him with the dignity of the law.
The honors of poet to the Rife Corps were
divided between Frederick Mellen and james
f. Otis, an assistant editor of the Advertiser
under James Brooks. The two poets were fast
friends. Mellen finally went to Boston and
died there in art life, in 1884. At the anniver-
sary dinner of the P. r. G. the same year, in
response to the tune "our departed comrades"
Otis who was fine singer, gave one Of Mel
lens songs in the authors serious vein, which
he had sung on similar occasion, and then
supplemented it with one of his own, which he
sung to the air of ga Soldiers Tear" with the
company standing. must give you the sec
ond and third stanzas as sample of its style,
and to show the sentiment of the company for
their departed associate:
Where is the manly voice
That once SO freely gushed,
In songs we all so dearly loved?
Alas! in death It's hushed!
All! never more those notes
Shall charm the ravished ear!
Then, comrades, pause amid your mirtb,
Nor check the rising tear!
Where is the friendly hand
So often clasped in ours
The hand whose cunning art could Gull
Sweet natures fairest flowers!
No more its cordial grasp
Shall ever greet US here!
Then, comrades, pause! and o'cr his grave
Let friendship drop a tear!
Many soldiers tear was shed during the
singing and at its close.
81 wept the while-my heart was tender them
There are several of Melens landscapes in
town of decided merit, the owners of which
would do the lovers of painting a favor by
loaning them TO some art store for exhibition.
His fayorite subjects usually were kindred to
those scenes described in his poem which I
send you.
NV own intercourse with Frederick Mellen
will always remain precious treasure in the
Store house of memory. WIG.
Windham, March 81.