The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-21

ceptable work impossible. In my early
| life ] was not favored with good opportuni'
ties. Limited chances for education and Q
lack Of books always stood in my way,
When l began to write had seen nothing
and virtually knew nothing Of the world.
| or course, things written then could not be
worth much. In my fathers house there
were not q dozen books, and they were Of Q
severe type. The only one that approach.
ed poetry was rhymed history Of King
David, written by q contemporary, Of
George Fox, the Quaker. There was one
poor novel in the family. It belonged to
an aunt This Isecured one day, but when
| l had read It about half through ! was dis.
covered and II was taken away from me-"
Tho poet laughed quite heartily as he
recalled those early days, and bis first at
tempt 10 read something that was more &C
ceptable to his youthful mind than the
Bible or the history OF King David.
"My first glimpse OF poetry was when
nv Old schoolmaster brought copy Of
Burns poems and read from It at our
house." Mr.. Whittier continued. HE saw
l was interested and left 1t with me. |
could not understand one-hali Of the
Scotch dialect, and yet was charmed"
THE FIRST REAL WORK.
"When did you begin to writer
81 hardly know. When / was quite
young, though. My first real work was
commenced when George D. Prentice was
editing the Hartford Review, although had
written considerably before. l wrote and
sent him few things and he encouraged
me. When he left the paper he recon-.
mended me to take his place. The pub.
fishers wrote me and went down. had
then seen practically nothing OF the world,
and for the two years | remained with the
RUietU my greatest effort was to keep PEG.
pie from knowing how little ! really knew.
It was proyidential opening, however,
for 1t gave me start"
The conversation drifted for q little time
through these recollections Of his early life,
during which he portrayed in an interest.
ing way the trials and tribulations Of q
writer's life in the days before newspapers
began 10 be the purveyors OF the best
thought and to pay for the best product.o |
II wrote" said he, continually, but
there was 70 market for the work. Ny
anti.slavery convictions made my name
valueless 10 any Of the magazines; but,
strange as it.may appear, the D.m7crattc
Review ives always anxious for my writ
ings."
"Was there 20 market at all; no price set
upon your work."
"None. Just wrote for any paper that
would publish my matter, and Il Longfel.
low, Emerson, Hawthorne or myself had
been forced to rely for our living on the
products Of our pens We would have wanted
sy,N Iat tat1 sNI arr haa
work was DONE"
To me this Is queer phase Of literary
life. To fad that the greatest genii that
America has ever given to literature should
have toiled without recompense, and been
forced TO wait until they were old before
reaping the fruits Of their labor. Truly, 1t
is hard work for writer to get q foothold,
but when he does, II Is strong one. The
turning upon comparison Of
the work Of American writer's with that oil
foreign, Mr.. Whittier said:
"At no time las Tennyson written any.
thing that surpasses the productions OF the
best American poets"
LoNGfELLow's EvASGELrNR
This reference to Tennyson naturally
turned the conversation upon Longfellow's
poems again, ana " was apparent that MIR.
was very fond, not only Of the
man. but OF his works.
"Evangelne is favorite with me-" said
he. ~ think 1t is one Of the most beauti.
ful Of poems. Longfellow had an easy life
and superior advantages OF association and
and 60 had Emerson. 1t was
widely different with me, and II am very
thankful for the kind esteem that people
have given my writings. B:fore Evange-
line was written had hunted up the
history Of the Punishment oil the Acadians,
and had intended to write upon 1t myself,
but put it of and Hawthorne got hold oil
the story and gave 1t to Longiellow. lam
very glad he did, for he was justine one to
write 1t. II ! had attempted It I would
have spoiled the artistic effect Of the poem
by my indignation at the treatment Of tic
exiles by the Colonial Governor"