The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-13
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL DEAD.
Americas Foremost Scholar, Poet and
ESSayiSt Passes Away.
SKETCH OF HIS BRILLIANT CAREER
Some OF Trrs Best Works and When They
Were froduced-Immediste Cause OF
His Death His Early Life.


BosToN. August 12-Hon. James Russell
Lowell died at his home in Cambridge at 2.1C
this morning from liver complaint.
Mr.. Lowell himself never inquired as TO ths
nature Of his malady. From inquiries il was
ascertaIned that an old enemy o.. his. the gout
has afflicted him almostconstantlyo of late. and
that scntica, hemOrrhage and lately a severe
type OF liver disease have in turn afIected him.
Mr.. LowelPs health has been impaired ever
since nls return TO this country in 1855 after
concluding his diplomatic services of eight
years-three years at Madrid and five At the
Court Of ST. James. The death of his wife in
the midst Of his social and diplomatic success
IN London as the representative of this coun-
try had an untOward effect upon his health,
winch was even then becoming broken.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
James Russell Lowell was born in Cam
bridge, Mass. February o. 1919. He was the
son of the Rev Charles Lowell and was the
hereditary representative Of the he1rt and
brains that founded New England. He was
the youngest Of FIVE children. His birthplace
WAS the old Tory mansion, now called Elm
wood large three-story. square Woo den
house OF the early Colonial style. surrounded
by magnificent elms and pines, with
| an outlook on tho Charles river.
Young Lowell was fitted for college
by William Wells later the publisher of
classics. and entered Harvard in his sixteenth
year, and was graduated IN 1898. His first
published literary production, outside of some
| poems for "Harvardiansn was his notable
class poem. Ia the Harvard law school Lowell
! received the degree Of LIB and was adj
mltted to the bar in 1870 The only record of
! the practice Of his profession Is found ia a
story entitled My First Client" published
N tho Boston Miscellany. Henceforth he
gave himself entirely 10 literature.
In ts1I 81 vplru,a of f,oap,g trriffon ,ndar
the influence Of affection for a woman Of
genius who became his wife, was published
under the title Of A years Life" His mar
riage to the woman who inspired these poems
took place in 1874. She wa an ardent Aboli-
ZIONIST. and doubtless her influence aided in
turning his thoughts to the serious side Of
that cause, 20 which no rendered immortal
service.
Lowell was not only a poet, scholar,
humOrst but p conservative and a critic His
radica.lsm was always conservative, his crit-
cism always constructive.
Lowell and his wife contributed regularly 10
the Liberty Bell" aud in l84s he was corre-
spending editor of the "Anti-SlaYery Stand
ard From lS43 TO 1916 his poems appeared
mostly In the latter publication. The Boston
Courier vas the vehicle of his productions and
inlts columns appeared the 'BlgelOw Papers"
which began IN June, 1876
EVENT OF TIE FIRST IMPORTANCE.
This satire was an event Of tho first import |
ance IN the history of the worlds literature /
In wit scholarship and penetrating knowledge .
OF human nature 1t took the place. which II
has since maintained Of a masterpiece 10 il /,
recognized classic, both IN Eng.nd aud I
Amr Tea. y -o15sted ii . series 0. poems ,
~ the Yankee dialect, Ostensbly BY Mr. /
Hosea BigolOw and,edited by Homer Wilber
A. NJ, pastor of the first church IN JaGlam
and prospective member of many literary
learned and scientific societies." In the main
1t was satire on slavery and the Mexican
war. but there was scarcely any cant. hyprO-
crisy or mesnness in politics the pulpit and
the press that was not hit by it,
Ia lS13 he undertook the editing of the
Pioneer, literary and critical magazine. ID
lont editorshlp with Robert Carter. and Poe,
Hawthorne, Neal Dwight, Jones. Nery ar-
sons Elizabeth Barrett. Whittier and VII
ham w. Story were contributors. Only three
numbers were published the venture being
a financial failure. In 1914 Ae published
volume Of verses. In lS45 appeared The
Vision OF Sir Launfal. one of the most ex-
qulslto productions Of his genius a poem
founded on the legend of the Holy Grail
which IS said to have been composed IN a sort
OF frenzy IN about fdrty-eight hours, during
which he scsrcoly ate or slept
The Conversations on the Poets was
Loweli's first work il literary criticism and
was the basis of his lectures before tho Low
ELL institute, lS5i-5 and Of his lectures before
Harvard University during his prOiessOrshlp
# modern languages and bellies letties.
Up to 1851. when lie made European trip
With his wife. no continued TO publish essays
md poems, Increasing his reputation all the
inc.
SUCCEEDED LONGFFLLOW
In January. 1855 he was appointed Long
ellow's successor in Harvard rs professor If
MODERN languages sud bellies lettros lie
wrote . number OF essays for the Atlantic up
o ls62. and N 1868 became JOINT editor OF
lie North American Review.
Tho volumes OF prose, Among Ay !
'ooLs' and Ny Study Windows" appeared :
p 30, and composed the choicest Of his
terary essays. ,
Mr.. LowelPs first appearance in politics WAS !
s presidential eiector in 1876 ia 1877 he ,
'as appointed TO the Spanish mission and in .
$50 transferred 70 the Court Of st. James. his 1
lplomatic career closing in 1885. in Madrid
e. lived IL an atmosphere cOngenial 10 q
im as "A student and sustained tine honor -
the American name. aud received !
20 confidence and admiration that had been i
,rnerly extended TO Washington Irving. In -
ondon he bore himself with tact and dignity, j
nndlul always that MS mission was T. main a.
l1 cordial anty instead Of king causes OF
lenaton. And no nan IN our generation 81
ID more than Lowell 10 raise American insti- n,
ltions and American character III the estima- .
on or our English kin. l.
Since his return o. private lie Mr. Lowells
lms was with his only child. tle wife of 90
dward Burnett. at Southboro, Mass he re- L
med his lectures al Cambridge aud in the
inter- Oi 1857 getea course GA tho English
amat SIS before tho Lowell Institute. The r.
,gree Of Del. wes conferred on HIM bvtLe
niyersity Of Oxford In 1873 and that OF LID. 4,
r the University OF Cambridge in 1874 =.
lring his residence IN England he -
Is elected rector Of the University
St Andrews Since his return from n
a English mission Lowell put out his
est work '"Democracy and Other Adj o.
esses. q collection Of his more important ~
casional addresses IN England. lie spent
)st Of his declining years with his daughter, /.
-s Burnett, and with his grandchildren. -
lom be adofed Here he made his last IT. &,
.ry work Almost to tho last he WAS hard IT.;
)ugh erratic worker. BE had not been -
IN 30 often IN society of late years a. for
'rly. but up to five years ago he seemed IN
1ust health.