Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-15
THE POET KHgrTIRR.
Some Interesting Autobiographical Rem
inIsoennes of the Great Poet9

The poet Whittier says of himself:
was mike any of the rest, think,
for never had any methods When I felt
like 1t wrote, and never had the health
nor the patience to work over il afterwards.
1t usually went IS il was Originally com
pieied Emerson wrote with great care, and
would not only revise his manuscripts care
fully, but I have often heard him say that
he would frequently rewrite the article
upon the proof-sheets. L0ngfelIow, too,
was very careful writer. lie wrote and
rewrote, and would lay his work by and
then revise it. He would often consult
with his friends about his productions be
lore they were gwen 70 the world. He
therefore sent his work as perfect az great
care and brilliant intellect could make IT,
was not 50 fortunate. I have lived almost
a secllde life, with little patience TO draw
upon, and only few friends for associates.
What writing have done has been for the
love Of Il. ! have ever been timid OF what
have penned. Ii IS really marvel to me
that have gathered any literary reputation
from my productions.
Much that | have written | wish yyas as
deep in the Red sea rs Pbaroah's chariot
wheels Much CT the bread cast upon the
waters I wish had never returned. Il ia
not fair 10 revive writings composed in the
shadow Of conditions that make even &C
life was not favored with good opportu-
mites. Limited chances of education and
lack of books always stood in my wav.
When I beg n 10 write had seen nothing
and vIrtI ally knew nothing Of the world.
OF COURSE, things vi item then could not
have been worth much
in my fathers house there was not a
dozen books, and they were Of a severe
type. The only one that approached DO
fa+s fr-st n I'll. \
ten by contemporary of George Fox, the
Quaker There was one poor novel in the
family. i belonged to an aunt. This l
secured ore day When had read il half
through l was discovered, and it was taken
from me.
Ny first glimpse of poetry WAS when
my old sChoolmaster brought q COPY of
Burns poems and read from il at our
house. hy first real work was done when
George ID. Prentice wGS editing the Hart
ford Re.'el0 although had written consid-
erAbIy before. / wrote and sent hir1 few
things, and he encouraged me When he
recommended me 10 take bis place the pub
fishers wrote me and went down had
then seen practically nothing of the world,
and Tor the two years | remained with tho
hss'e'0 my greatest effort was to keep peo-
pie from knowing how little l really
knew.
wrote continually, but there was no
market for the work. Ny anti-slavery con
yicuons made my name yalueless to any Of
the magazines; but strange as it may ap-
pear the Democratic Revie4g was always an =
lous for my writings"
Vas there no market at alp No price
set upon your work ?"
None | just wrote for any paper that
would publish my matter, and if Lon2fel-
low Emerson, Hawthorne On myself had
been forced to RELY upon the products OF
our pens for our living, we would have
wanted bread in those days when most OF
our best work was done. To me this IS q
queer phase OF literary life, TO find that the
greatest geniuses that America has ever
given TO literature should have toiled with
out recompense and been forced to wait
unIl they were old before reaping the fruits
Of their labor. Truly, it is hard work for
writer 10 get 4 footh0ld."