The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1883-12-14
CHAT WITH WHITTIER.
Some Opinions and "reminiscences
The Quaker Poet Talks About Aaw-

poet Whittier, at the latter's home III
| Amesburv, where he found his host in
good health, and more vigorous than he
would expect from a man Of seventy
six years. The writer describes the
| home and personal appearance Of Mr..
Whittier, who greeted the Wis tor cor.
| daily. His fondness for Longtellow
was everywhere apparent, and when
this was remarked upon, be said:
eyes, we we're warm friends. He was
| a delightful mar and q great poet. The
| last time he was here in my house he
came with Senator Summer and Mr..
| Charles Lanman, of Washington. All
saw little of each other during the last
few years of his lie. Ny health did not
permit me to go about much. Not long
| before he died, he wrote for me to
come and see him. I was not able to go
! at once; but, as soon as | could, | went
to him. ! was too late, however, fer
| when I reached his house he was then
able to see ANY one, but soon after passed
away.
Hawthorne, Emerson, Longfellow
and myself were always friends. There
were no jealousy between us, and each
took q pride in the work and success Of
| the other. We would exchange notes
upon our productions, and If che saw a
kindly notice Of the other X was always
cut out and seht him.
Hawthorne regarded as the greatest
master of the English language. He was
the superior of AddisOn. never knew
nor read of q man who could build such
| hnorSff,f oinriaC IN wnr1S thot Tho hmm
| blest could understand.
Emerson was not only a great writer,
bat a philosopher. Our relations were
very close, He often visited me here,
and l him. We saw more of one anoth-
er than did LongielloW and |. Emerson
has written some things that will live
| forever. They are the "The Problem,
Each and All, and perhaps twenty 9TH
er pieces that ] could name. He had a
simple, easy way Of writing that gave his
work great power. My sister used to
say that's liked him better than any
man who came here, because he never
talked over her head. That was really
his strength"
The conversation then drifted into the
methods Of these great writer's at work.
Mr.. Whittier said:
81 was unlike any of the rest, I think,
for I never had any methods. When I
felt like it | wrote: and / neither had
| the health nor the patience to work over
it afterward. II usually went as it was
originally completed. Emerson wrote
with great care, and would not only re-
wise his manuscript carefully, but have
often heard him say that he would fire.
quently rewrite the article upon the
proof sheets. Longtellow, too, was q
very careful writer. He wrote and re-
wrote, and would lay his work by and
then revise it. He often would consult
with his friends about lis productions
before they were given to the world.
He therefore sent his work out as per-
feet as great care and a brilliant intel
lect could make it. / was not so fortu.
nate. l have lived mostly a secluded
life with little patience to draw upon,
and only a few friends for associates.
What writing / have done has been for
| the love of it. / have ever been timid
of what l have penned. It is really a
marvel to me that ] have gathered
any literary reputation from my pro-
duction.
Much that I h We written I wish vas
as deep in the Red sea as Pharaoh's
chariot wheels. Much of the bread cast
on the waters / wish had never been re-
turned. 1t is not fair to revive writings
cast in the shadow of conditions that
make even acceptable work impossible.
In my early life I was not favored with
good opportunities. Limited chances
for education and lack Of books always
stood in my way. When | began TO
write l lad seen nothing, and virtually
knew nothing of the world. OF course,
things written then could not have been
worth much,
SIN my fathers house there we're not
a dozen books, aud they were of a Sc
we're type, The only n that approach
ed poetry was a rhymed history of King
David, written by a conte mporary of
George Fox, the Quaker. There was
one poor novel in the family. 1t be-
longed to an aunt. This l secured one
day, but when / had read it halfthrough
| was discovered, and it was taken away
from me-"
The poet laughed quite heartily as he
recalled those early days and his first
attempts to read something that was
more suited to his youthful mind than
the Bible or the history of King David.
My first glimpse of poetry was when
my old schoolmaster brought a copy of
Burns poems and read from it at our
house. My first real work was done
when George ID. Prentice was editing
The Hartford Review, although / had
written considerable before. / wrote
and sent him q few things and he en-
couraged me, When he recommended
me to take his place publishers wrote
me and [ went down. I had then seen
practically nothing Of the world and for
the two years / remained with The Re-
view, my greatest effort was to keep
i nnnnin frnrn Rnnuinoa hAxx lfkk1n n ~-~tl-
knew. 1t was a providential opening,
however, for it gave me a start.
II wrote continually; but there was
no market for the work. NV Anti
Slavery convictions made my meme val
ueless to any of the uooazine~- III.