Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-02-27
q Isl As
NO. 40.

I
poem:
alt is Luc,fer,
The son OF mystery;
And since God suffers him TO be-
He TOO Is Gods minister.
And lsoors for some good
By US rot understood"
Longfellow's other bestknown prose and
poetical works are Karanareh, Tales Of a
Wayside Inn, translation of Dante. after
mafh, The Hanging Of the Crane, J7fima
Thule, and kerames. He is poet of the
people, and in every scrapbook we find care.
| fully preserved some treasure from his pen
The HoMs OF Tns Posr.
In 1887 Longiellow purchased the old
Craigie mansion in Cambridge, built before
the Revolution, and occupied at one time by
Gen. Washington for his headquarters, and
has resided there for almost half a century.
1t is square old mansion, with great yard
in front, in which grows profusion of roses
and honeysuckles. Here. surrounded hy
loving ones who delight 20 minister to his
slightest wish, the poet is passing restfully
the closing years of his beautiful life. 1t is
Just the place for poet TO live and die. The
old house is flooded with memories. In one
of the great rooms, with n roaring wood FIRE
sending out ruddy tongues of fame, Long
fellow has his study. II is most interest
ing place TO visit, and the poet welcomes all
his callers with royal hospitality.
HIS SuCCEss.
Carlyle says, in his fine essay on Burns,
that true poet, like the apostle of a true re-
ligion, seldom receives his reward in his own
day But Loncfellow. we are happy to say,
is a brilliant exception to this dictum. Fifty
years ago, whea he came singing into the
world, his genius won instant recognition.
and his popularity has steadily increased,
until to-day he rides on the foamv crest of the
wave of success. Halt million copies of
his books have been sold in the United States
to date, and probably as may more in other
English-s speaking countries for he is read full
y as much in Canada and England as here.
His poems have been translated into German,
Dutch. Sw wedish, Danish, French, Italian,
Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, and other
languages, and he has enthusiastic admirers
in every country. His Psalm of Lite" rem
dered into classic Chinese ,futtcrs on half the
fans in the Flowery Kingdom; while the
Russian Nihilist, with name half a yard in
length, can read Excelsior" in the maxillary-
bone dislocating language of his native land.
From the royalty which he receives from HE
publishers, Longfelow has accumulated an
ample fortune. A few years ago Robert Bon
nor nf fbp Ma. En.E T.Ip Iail Il,
80 900 for ''The Hanging of the Crane"
which made a column and half in the Led.
ger; and the princely firm of Harper and
Brothers pay one poet $40 90 line for all
his contributions to their publications. AL
uding to his good fortune in transmitting the
golden fancies of his brain into solid golden
eagles, an American journalist wittily says
"Longfellow can take a worthless piece Of
paper, and by writing a few lines of poetry
upon it make ii worth $50 90. That's gem
iusl Vanderbilt can take the same piece Of
paper, and by few pen strokes make il worth
80, 900 900. That's capital" But, Jest
ing aside. the pecuniary success which our
poet has won is attestaton that one sweet
singer has received for his Ruerdon some
thing more tangible than the crown Of laurel
which placed on Petrarchs brow on
Easter day.
CONCLUSION.
In closing we must play the critics part.
and assign Longfellow his place in the realm
of song. Is he a great poet? Those who re-
gard genius as synonym for license and &C.
centricity, will answer no. He sings little of
''arms and men, and touches but lightly
those sterner passions which great tragic
poets delight to paint He is simply brave,
pure. sweet minstrel Of the present Unfor-
tunately for his fame and popularity among
the hyper-poetical apostles Of super. as asthet-
icism, he does not glorify the lily and the
sGnfower; and would consider it unmanly
and unbecominR 10 pose before an audience
Of euichoWed Bostonians, in knee breeches.
There is not morbid line in all his writings.
He isn't even victim Of an uncomfortable
appetite for whiskey or opium. But, labor
ing under all these disadvantages. the verdict
of millions Of loving readers crowns him to-
night as the poet laureate of the heart. He
has the warm sympathy and humanity Of
Burns and Beranger, with the catholicity,
culture and melody of Wordsworth, Keats
and Tennyson. There is not a line in all his
writings which dying he might wish to blot.
But still the burden Of his song
IL love OF right, dsdsb Of wrong;
Ia master chords
Are manhood, freedom, brotherhood"
To Consnmptives.
Golden Medical Discovery" Is concen-