The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-03-03
The Popular American Poet.

scholarly people, there can be no question
that Longtellow Is the most popular Of
American poets, not only at home but in
the United Kingdom and the British colonies
as we'll. A man of books, Mr.. Longfellow
has lived, nevertheless, outside of the rigid
barrier of exclusiveness within which many
literary people enclose themselves. His
poetry makes him known to everybody, not
as member of a cultured class, but
as gentle, sympathetic, refined, tender
hearted and generous-thinking man. The
man and the poet are one in the popular
estimation and they love both him and his
verses, these because they are a revela-
tion of such sweet, gentle, wise and loving
manhood as everybody enjoys to find. Mr..
Longfellow's life has been a widespread
blessing. Hehas moved the great heart of ma
tions to sympathy with the wronged, to gen.
tie and refined delight, and seldom to indig-
nation at the oppressor, indignation being
more than outweighed in feeling for the vic
tim. The veteran writer is approaching the
seventy-sixth year of well-spent an indus
trious, refined and gentle life. He was sew
enty-five years of age on the 9th of Febru-
ary, and the time is opportune for the pub
lication of the main facts of his life and of
recent portrait showing how the poet looks
in his "frosty but kindly" old age.
Henry Wardsworth Longfellow was born
at Portland, Me-, on the 9th of February,
1908. His father was an attorney y-at-law.
In 1921 he entered Bowdoin College, and
was graduated therein four years later. He
then read law few months In his fathers
office, pursuit which, happily, he did not
continue, friends who knew his genius, by
acquaintance with his college life, affording
him the opportunity of an occupation more
congenial. They offered him the position of
Professor of Modern Languages at Bowdoin,
one entirely proper to his bent. To qualify
himself iiaa better for its duties. Mr.. Long
fellow spent the three years and half i'm
me diately succeeding the acceptance af this
efIer in Europe, visiting France, Spain, Italy,
Germany, Holland and England for this pur-
pose. lie came home In 1920, and began his
professorship at Bowdon. which continued
until 1885, when the death of Mr.. George
Ticknor, who held the corresponding posi-
ton In Harvard University, resulted in his
acceptance of the vacant professorship in
that eminent seat of learning. Before act
ually entering upon its duties he again went
to Europe, this time visiting the scandinav-
ian countries, Germany and Switzerland,
mainly with the view of promoting his ac-
quaintance with the literature of Northern
Europe. In the autumn of 1886 he began
to teach in Harvard, and continued there
eighteen years, when he was succeeded In
his position by James Russell Lowell.l
Mr.. Longfellow's career as an author dates
from his undergraduate days, during which
he contributed poetry to the columns of the
United States Literary Gazette. While at
Bowdoin some able pieces of literary critic
ism, the products of his fertile pen, were
printed in the North American Rerie,c. His
first volume of poems saw the light in 1888,
since which, at not infrequent intervals, o
new volume has appeared, always welcomed
with pleasure by large constituency of ad-
miring, loving readers. There Is no occa.
sion whatever to detail the numerous pro-
ductions of his pen. Perhaps "Evangeline'
and SMILES Standish" are the best known Of
, his longer pieces. In the writer's opinion
his most effective work is seen in some Of hi,
lyrics, which are perfect in their construc
tion, and pervaded with sweetness, pensis,
tenderness and humanity. They are carriet
! In the memory of thousands on both sides o
the Atlantic, aud are gems which perma
nently enrich the literature of nations
= ..Hyperion," romance, is not so well know
t as Mr.. Longfellow's poetry. His translation
: of Dante, published in 1868, cannot be SAT-
to have superseded that of Cary. As wa
. before suggested, Mr.. Longfellow's poetry
/ not characterized by strength or greatness
. but by gentleness, sweetness and refinement
. the product Of vast labor, but free from pc
! dantry and affectation. He has given elo
: quent and simple voice to the conviction
J. and emotions Of good, everyday kind Q
n people. The proceedings at Portland com
memorative Of the day on which Longfello'
n was born, will be regarded with symps
\ thetic interest wherever their occurrence
= known.
. Since 1885 Mr.. Longfellow has made tw
: trips to Europe-one In 1s42 and the oths
, in 1868 and 1869. On the last occasion b
y was made Doctor of Laws by the Univel
sity OF Cambridge, England, and Doctc
of Civil Law by that Of Oxford, In the sam
country. In 1878 he was elected membt
of the Russian Academy of Science, and |
1877 of the Spanish Academy. His work
have been translated into the continents
languages Of Europe. Mr.. Longfellow is :
American whose illustrious fame dsgnihe
% his native land, and whose productions ador
Is and invariably benefit human nature.
A Twenty-ons-Inch Hawser.