New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-03-14
LONGFELLOW.
AN.N OF LETTERS AND A WORKER.


their preference had been asked. just such simple
record of his beautiful life as the care of brother
has here given us. Almost the whole story is tod
nv tbe noet's own pen in correspondence with his
family and friends and in transcripts from the IN
terestinc Journal which he kept from the time OF
his first visit TO Europe at the of twenty almost
until the close of his life at the age OF seVehty-uVe
No portrait of sweet and noble character cou'o Nc
moro hfe-likc than that which he has uucohselous1
drawn of himself in these diaros and letters Inc
likeness is perfect the narrative is nearly complete
and the biographer has shown admirable tact
and sympathy by making no attempt 70 improve
them. Only where few paragraphs OF notes are
necessary 70 fiji gaps or explain allusions does the
Rev. Samuel Longfellow allow himself to appear
upon the scene and then his remarks are always
ant and iudicious He gives a charming sketch of
Henry's boyhood and early home associations. HIS
father stephen LOnCfcow, an eminent lawyer,
somewhat distinguished also in politics was high-
bred gentleman of the old school, who brought mp
his children in habits of respect and obedience,
of unsefshness the dread of debt and the faithful
performance of duty Ills mother was a cheerful
gentle devout loving soul fond of poetry ana music
sensitive to the aspects of nature, friend to al inc
moor and the cOnhdaut of her children. Ihere were
books and music in the home ut Portland "here
Mr. Ioucfeuow's library contained Shakespeare
Snectator and Rambler RaSselas. the Lives oil the
poots uun,o Gibbon Robertson and other stand
ord hooks of that time as we'll the writings OF
Mrs Hannah More for Sundays, when protane III
eraturc was fo1 hidden. Henry made an early ac-
ouaintance also with Don QuiXotc, and, Ike many
other BOYS he used at one time to 90 abont oecIa-
ING the windy rhetoric of Ossan. but what he
afterward called his first book that is the one
which above all Others first fascinated his magma
ton and satisfcdh mind, was The Sketch BOOK
of Washington Irving. On Sundays there were TWO
services at the old First Parish meetnG-houSe
U'nitaranl from which none OF the family were eN-
cused except in case of sickness. In winter henry
uust have often carried for his mother the little
foot stove winch warmed, or tried to warm the
Longfellow pew in summer he carried bunch OF
fovers On Sunday afternoons !he four sons and
four daughters gathered around the mother to read
IN tprn from tine big Bible and to look at It's rude
mixtures: and in the evenings the family sang ~.
Martins" and "Dundce" aud Bratte street,
or other hymns from the " Brdgewater Collection.
Fnr weekdays there was piano in the parlor'
where - The Battle of Prague "Washlngtohs
March," and other famous music OF the PERIOD
might often be heard. and Henry joined with the
rest IN such songs as Brirnars Banks y and Bon
ME Doom Dancing was not thought amSs al
home. 10 Ike tunes of Money Musk and " Fisher )
uorrninev In the evening the children studied
then lessons together around the sitting room
table. then there were games till bedtime, or per
hans excursions into the kitchen, where the crane
hung over the glowing emDcrS in The hI"ad Ola
freplace Sometimes there were holiday eNcur-
sions to the farm of Grandfather Longfeilow at
Gorham. few miles from Portland, with famous
fun AT hayIng. Deriving and corn-huskins times
The grandfather Was judge OF the CONT oil Com
mon Pleas a fnc-looKing portly gentleman IN the
L.; I,1 x,ai-t ttIl L.
clothes. and whitetopped boots, his hair tied be-
hind in a club. with black ribbon
Henry was lively handsome boy, with brown
or chestnut hair blue eyes, delicate complexion,
and rosy cheeks: sensitive, active, nnpetuons.
a1octionate frank. high-mindcd, remarkably con-
scentious. orderly, industrious and parseYer.ng.
lie was the life of the house. and ALWAYS stood well
at school Although his Gispos ton was active and
Joyous he had an uncOnquerablo dislike to loud
noises and rude company. Once, having been
temDted to 90 ont shooting. he nearly broke his
heart BY killing a TObin-a tragedy which so
affected him that he never tried to shoot again. At
the Portland Academy boys and girls were educated
together and Longfellow has LETT poetcal me
mento Of raInLles IN behring's Woods with some
OF the gentler companions OF his studies.
Ana the friendships old and the early loves
Come back w!tl sabbath sound, as o. doves
In quiet neghhorho"d@
He entered BowdOin College at the age OF fifteen,
in the same class with his brother stephen and with
Nathaniel Hawthorne. Strangely enough, al
though Hawthorne became a very good friend OF
Stephen Longfeow's at this time, be formed no
intimacy with Henry until many years afterward.
Henry is described IS genial and winsomc young
man. with a clear eye, profusion of waving brown
hair. Sigh: fgue. che manners cf thorough
gentleman, and character absolutely above re-
proach lie WAS an excellent student with a
marked preference for the bellies lettreS Core
eDondence with his mother contains some ingenious
critical remarks upOn the poetry OF Gray, with
which he seems to have then made acquaintance.
md he warmly defends the author of the Elegy
from the partial and uucandid' criticisms of DR..
Johnson To many readers indeed the earnest and
copous letters written by the young cOleglan 10 his
father and mother as to his best friends, who ap-
preciaed all his tastes and shared in his aspirations
will be among the most attractive portions OF the
book Henry began to write verses early but Inc
first attempts were not remarkable and although a
few of the best of lis college pieces were atcrWaTd
included in collections he made no mark as a poet
until the appearance of The Psalm of Lille when
he was thirty-one years old. His poetlcal genius
matured very slowly, bursting firth at last into
full bloom with hardly premonitlon. lie had
fixed his heart however upon literary career even
before boyhood was over and he wrote freely on
this su hect to his father who in view of the scanty
rewards OF literary labor half a century ago, was
naturally anxious that his son should have some
thing more substantial TO depend upon The way
was cleared by proposition from BowdoIn College
toappoint hin Professor of Modern Languages after
he should have spent some time in Europe fitting
himself for tho postion-an offer which might have
been rash il he had not been endowed with special
taste and aptitude for acquiring languages.
The facts of his public course after this arc soon
told Three delightful years of wandering and
study in France, Spain, Italy, and Germauy-years
which bore rich fruit later although they saw little
immediate work from his pen-wele followed by
FIVE busy years at BowdOin, during which he pub
lished Gutre Mcr" and wrote great deal OF serious