The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-01
Written for the Sunday Sentinel.
LON6FELLOw.
BY GERTRUDE MAHoRsEY.

LONGFELLOw.
BY GERTRUDE MAHoRNEY
Henry Wadswerth Lonfellow, whose birth
day is being celebrated in SO many schools
aud colleges to-day. passed. five years before
his death, the allot' ed age OF man, three
score and ten, having been born February
%, 1907 jost seventy eight years ago 10 day.
How much he did in that time for the pleas
ure and profit o. his fellow men HE works
are read with pleasure In almost every cum
try, and America may we'll be proud that
she is able to call him her own. At the age
OF fourteen, when the generality of children
are not yet through the common sc 1ools he
entered Bowdoin College Among his pro-
ducuons ct this period may be mentioned.
Hymn of the Moravian Nuns" The Spirit
of Poetry" Woods in Winter" and Sun
rise on the Hills" After graduating he
read law for q short time with his father.
but being offered the chair of Modern Lam
gusge in Bowdoin College, he accepted with
pleasure, this being much more congenial
to him than the dry musty pages
OF Blackstone. Before entering on
his duties. he spent three years in travelling
through France, Spain, Italy, Germany. Hol-
land aud England, and on his return he pub.
lished his 0utre Mer. q pilgrimage beyond
the sea. which gives so interesting descrip.
ton OF the national literature and character
of Europe at that time. In 1885 he Vas APP
pointed Professor OF Modern Languages and
Belles.lettres in Harvard College, and after
passing two years in a tour through D-n-
mark, Heland, Sweden, GermsLy aud
Switzerland, he performed his duties Is oro.
lessor sstisfact orily Tor seventeen year,, re-
signing In 1854.
The works of Mr. Lopgfsllow are charac-
terized more by sweetness. gentleness and
refinement than by greatness or strength.
Although he possessed great talents, he be-
lieved that hard work was needful In order
to attain excellence In any punuit IL we
may judge from one OF his poems:
1.-THE heights by great men reached and kept
We're not attained by sudden fight.
But they, while their companions slept
We're toiiing upward In the night"
And also:
mot enjoyment and not sorrow
Is our destined end or way.
But TO act. that each TO morrow
Find us farther than to-day"
A person who had the pleasure OF visiting
the home OF Lonefellow writes thus OF his
vited me into his study. large room with q
large table in the centre, an old-iasbioned
hearth with and irons, and t~o windows
opening on the lawn. On either side OF the
fireplace WAS a large, comfortable char,
one being that presented TO him by the chill.
dren, made from the spreading chestnut
tree" alluded 20 In ais poem. The Village
Blacksmith" There were books 20 the right,
TO the left, In frcnt and behind me, and the
walls were covered with pictures. A thous-
and objects. each with It's own interesting
history, crowded the corners OF the room.
Near the door wac an excellent crayon draw.
ing OF Mr. lowell and q painting OF q scene
on the coast OF Maine, illustrating the poets
beautiful lines;
"a wind came mp out OF the sea.
Aud said, % misis. make room for me-
II hailed the ships and cried.
Ye mariners the night IL gone"
On the table was Coleridees inkttsnd and
a volume OF his poems owned and used by
himself Everywhere the eve was pleased
and the attention arrested by some curiosity
or work oil art the srmless VEINS OF Milo, n
bust of Emerson, n ststuette of Sumner. who
was q warm friend Of the poet fine bust OF
his wife and an oil painting OF hs three
daughters
Quaint and yet beautiful /. the creed which
he profsssed
"My work Ia nnlshedi I am strong
In faith and hope aud charity
For 1 have written the things soc.
CONSCIOUS OF right, nor feafinE wrong
Because atm IN love with Love,
Aud the sole ihins hate Il Hate.
For Hate IA DEATH aud Love IA Lille,
peace, splendof from above
Aud Hate, n never ending strife
smoke, blackuess, from the abym,
Where the unolean tefpenis coil aud hlss
Love Il the Holy ehost within,
Hate IL the objectionable sin
Who breaches otherwise than ihIf.
Betfaye his Master with n kiss
On his numerous writings feaneellns IL
perhaps pre- eminent but the most musical
10 the song of iiawsths Even the Indian
names, generally most unpfononhossb.s, &C.
qure = certain beauty under HE magic psn
indianapolis, Feb ~, 1850