The record-union., 1891-08-13
LOWELL.

The death Of James Russell Lowell re-
moves from life's activity to loftier
plane one of the brightest and best of
American intellects. No literary man
produced by the United States has been
more many-sided. He was at once a
lawyer, graceful orator, a diplomat, a
poet, critic, a distinguished teacher, an
editor, politician-in the better sense
a philosopher and a jealous promoter of
peace and the obligations of kinship be-
tween the great English-speaking ma
tions. 1t is not necessary to enlarge
upon Lowell's place in literature; it is too
bold and well taken, too indisputably in
the front rank to admit of moments
parley.
His services to the nation were of the
best order. AS cur representative at
Madrid, and next at the first court of the
world, by his manliness, frmness,
justice and Incompatible address, he won
the esteem and respect of all England
and Europe, and honored his country in
every action. In fact it has been only
exactly said of him, when it was written
by his eulogist that "No man in our gen
Grafton has done more than Lowell to
raise American institutions and American
character in the estimation of our Eng
lish kim" His unfortunate recall will
continue to be regret in history. On
his return to England little later in
private capacity he was accorded the
highest honors possible to be bestowed
upon private citizen, in which fact the
people of the United States rejoiced and
took exceeding pride.
We would place Lowell with Long
fellow, first among American poets and
superior in depth and originality and in
patriotic feryor TO any other the Nation
has produced, not excepting Whittier or
any contemporaries. For poetic humor
and satire we can consort no American
name with his as equal. His handling of
the New England dialect in his poems of
humor made his satire in political ques-
tions and his philosophy in social ones
flashing two-edged swords before which
all attempts at reply or imitation went
down. "The Courtin'" (in the Biglow
Papers,, for depth of feeling and true
touches Of nature in humor, has no
parallel in American literature. His dia-
lect poem on Peace" a few lines of
which we quote (NIr. Hosea Biglow to
the editor of the atlantic Monthly in the
days Of the Rebellion), for patriotic spirit
and lofty sentiment is incompatible and
above any other production of the order,
though half score of brilliant American
poets have driven their barks in the same
waters:
Come Peace! not Ike mourncr bowed
For honor lost an dear ones wasted
But proud to meet a people proud.
With eyes that tell o. triumph tasted!
Come, with han grIppin' on the hilt
An step thet proves We FictOry's daughter'
Longin for you, our sperits wilt
Like shlpwrecked mems on RATS for water
Come while our country feels the lift
DI a great instinct Shouttn1 forwards
An knows thet freedom amt a gift
met tarrles long in hans o towards!
Come, sech ez mothers prayed tor when
They kissed their cross with Inns ther
quivercd.
An bring fair wages for brave men,
4 nation saved, a race delivered.
Of his literary criticisms probably his
analysis of the style of Shakespeare
stands foremost, though we find it diff
cult to accord to any of the papers of the
Conversations on the Poets" a second
place or to crowd below the level of the
highest plane Of his genius any of the
exquisitely attuned criticisms in his
Among My Books" and in MY Study
Windows" Stedman and Hutchinson
place his son Certain Condescension in
Foreigners" as first among his essays,
but the wisdom of the selection may be
doubted when his mastery paper on
Coleridge delivered as an grafton, but
really a critical essay, is recalled.
OF his labors and successes as an editor.
the record of his work upon the 41tIantic
Monthly, North american Rcvie5O and
The Pioneer brilliant but short lived
best speak. His eminence in art criti-
cism and bellies letres is evidenced by his
papers on Italian art, by his interpreta-
ton of Dante, the manner in which he
filled chair at Harvard and the library
of poetical, critical, satirical, and other
works issued by him from 1910 to 1885.
His political papers were marked by a
fervid earnestness that ran along the
plane of radicalism, so intense was his
abhorrence of slavery and every manner
of apology for its continuance, and so
deep his love for the republic and It's
substructural principles. He was an
American in the fullest sense, imbued
with the spirit of genuine democracy, and
so valiant champion for human rights
and human freedom that he fairly bore
f:,4-selr all his life with his lancn IN lis