News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-02-15
The Boyhood and Early Lilo OF
BRYANT.

Tho Boyhood and Early Life of
Bryant.
The pretty little village of Cum
mington, nestled among the hills of
Western Mass, was the early home of
Bryant. This portion of our State
has long been admired for the heaulE.
of its scenery. Artists lnger here,
and amid its country quiet, other is
itors often pass the summer months.
Winter may be dreary in this region,
but the other seasons bring ample
compensation. Spring comes with Il
wealth of beauty. Here blossoms the
lovely artutus. timidly peeping out
! from under It's rough leaves; the
friendly hills kindly shelter it from the
cold sea breeze, so its color is 4 deep
er pink than the pale May-fower we
pick in Gloucester or Plymouth. Here
is found the yellow violet, whose early
coming, Bryant welcomed II verse.
! Here later, IIows the delicate fringed
gentian, another favOritc of Bryant.
Summer clothes the landscape with a
rich verdure, and the Autumn wind
] NdhIlS &ANth AiilNtA-C VI tilC tlaAIN HIdlJlNSa
paints here gorgeous picture. This
is indeed fitting home for poet,
and for one who was 4 passionate
/ lover of nature from his earliest DAYS.
/ In the midst of these rural beauties is
situated the Bryant homestead. From
its windows one can look over q wide
landscape. Nothing obstructs the
view of valley and river, green fields,
pleasant slopes, and clear blue sky.
Around the house are many objects
that have influenced the poets song.
Near by is the grove that inspired the
lines transcription for an Entrance
to a wood,"-
stranger. if thou hast learned a truth
Which needs no school OF long experience,
That the world is full of guilt and misery,
And hast seen enough Of all its sorrows, crimes
and cares,
To tire thee it.,
Enter this wild wood and view the haunts of
nature
Not far off is the village graveyard,
where sleeps the poets father and
mother. Very near the house is the
rivulet, which was the scene of his
boyish plays, and of which lie has
written:
This little rill that fr am the springs,
OF yOnder grove its current brings,
Plays on the slope awhile, and then
Goes prattling into groves again.
OFT to its warbling waters drew,
My little feet when life was new"
Nov. 5, 1894, was the Poets birth
day. The founder of the family was
Stephen Bryant, who came from
England in the ''May-FIower," about
the year 1910. The Poet was happy
in his parentage. His father, DR..
Peter Bryant, (who was a hysician),
was n studious, thoughtful man, of
fine mind and culture, with manners
gentle and reserved; fond parent,
though somewhat silent and stern.
He was physically strong, ard Ge-
lighted to show his muscular power by
various feats. lie had enlarged his
mind by travel, and had many friends
of intelligence and refinement. Bry-
ants mother, who was lineal de-
scendant of Miles Standish's lieuten-
ant, John Alden, is described as hav-
ing blue eyes and light brown hair,
and as being q lady of high character
and dignitied bearing. distinguished
for judgm ent and decision; aloo faith
fulness TO domestic duties. So much
has been said of her irmness, we fear
she was at times trihe set, and no
more moved by arguments than was
| Precilla herself by John Alden, in the
days of which Longtellow sings. The
infant Bryant is said TO have been re-
markabe for very large head; this
was not pleasing in the eyes of his
father, who ordered him to he plung-
ed every morning in the syring near
the house. The little Bryant objected
strongly to this treatment, and resist
Ell III baby fashion, but 10 no pur-
pose; the plunging was continued.
| Whether the undue development OIL
the head was arrested, we are not
told, but the fragile child grew strong
and became a sturdy little lad. lie
| began early to write verses. In his
| 10Th year he composed little poem
10 be spoken at public school. This
was aiterward published in the HamP- !
shire G0zette. A friend who once
lived near Cummington, has kindly |
given me few lines from this poem !: |
| "I strangely altered from our fathers days, |
These modern times, the subject of my lays,
Small the provision then for learning made.
Few the schools established for its aid.
| Thanks to the master whose instruction kind,
by slow gradrtiOn has informed The mind,
Who for our cares WAS often forced to go
Through heaps high piled OF eyer drifting snow"
| About this time he wrote poem
on the ECLIPSE OF the Sum-" another
on the death of a Cousin" His
first poem of which we have any &C
count, was paraphrase on The Grst
chapter of Job. This work his grand
father hired him to do and for it paid
him ninepence. His father, (himself
i good writer), was quick to see his
sons talent, and encouraged him 10
effort. He directed him to what were
then considered good models, taught
him the value Of correct expression,
and condensation of thought, land
pointed out the difference between
true and false eloquence in verse"
In his beautiful "Hymn to Death,
we find this touching reference to his
father:
=
The art of verse, and i'll the bud of life, offered
me TO the muses."
This was not mere poetry hut literal
truth. DR.. Bryant gave personal at
tention to the culture of all his child
rem, and was recompensed in each,
especially in his second son,
The Poet acquired the rudiments Of
his education, first under the care OF
Rev. Mr.. Smell, and then under the
care of Rev. Mr.. IIallock. At the AGE
of eighteen, he entered Williams Col
lege. He is said always greatly TO
have distinguished himself in his
studies, beginning Greek with such
enthusiasm that ut the close of two
months lie had read the New les ia
ment through in the original. lie left
Williams College Mt the end of the
second term, with honorable dismis-
sal, intending TO enter Yale, financial
difficulties preventing, he continued
his studies at home as c0nscientiously
as if under the eye Of the professor.