The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-13

In the death of James Russell Lowell
our country has lost its greatest poet,
tested by the broad sweep and versatility
of his poetic genius. Holmes is easily
next, and very near Lowell, but in sus-
tanned strength of lofty fight Lowell, on
the whole, surpasses Holmes as a poet,
even as Holmes as a charming essayist
surpasses Lowell both in strength, sub
tlety and originality of philosophic
thought and felicity of expression. Long
fellow is the sweet and melodious poet that
Is especially dear to women and children;
Whittier's fine genius never had full play
In his prime; had he been less of re-
former and agitator ne would rank higher
rs a poet, and yet there is nothing in
Whittier's best work that lifts him to the
level of Lowell's poetic power, unless it be
his "Ichabod," poem of Miltonic quality.
The one figure in American literature that
leads Lowell Is Nathaniel Hawthorne, who
II perh APPS the only man in American
letters, save Lowell, that is not an echo,
faint or strong, of Europe's best work.
Iowell's "Biglow Papers" has the genuine
smack and flavor of American soil in its
wit. its humor. its sentiment and speech.
OF how few American authors can this be
( said. Hawthorne, as a writer of poetic,
metaphysical fiction, is even more a
unique and original figure than Lowell;
he is sui generis, there is not his double"
nor even his antecedent echo in the whole
range of European letters.
Lowell was the youngest survivor of the
golden age of American literature, whose
morning stars that sang together were
I.ongfellow, Whittier, Holmes, Hawthorne
and Emerson. Hawthorne died in his
Goth year in 1864: Longfellow died in 1852,
about rs years of age, and Emerson passed
away at 70 the same year. Holmes will
be So in August next, and Whittier at So,
with his Tyre laid aside. sits calmly and
devoutly listening for the stealthy
but swiftly approaching steps of
death. Ten years younger than
Holmes, twelve years younger than Whit
tier and Iongfellow, Lowell's fame as
an American poet Of the first rank was
firmly established forty-fve years ago,
when he was but q years of age. That
he possessed true poetic genius was proved
by his first little volume, published in
ls4i. when he was but - years old. IL is
safe to say that Lowell's poems published
in 1913 contain his best work, unless we
except the second series of the "Biglow
Papers, and his magnificent Harvard
Recommendation Ode" recited July n,
1865. at the dedication of the Memorial Hall
erected in honor of the 400 sons of Har-
ward that fell in battle during the great
war for the Union.
Lowell. like Wendell Phillips and
Holmes, came from stock famous for in
telleetual quality; the Phillipses and the
I.owells were leaders in the pulpit or the
bar from early colony times. Lowell's
sreat-grandfather was famous Congrega-
tional minister ofNewburyport: his grand
father was the famous John Lowell, u. 8.
District Judge under President Washing
ton, q statesman who by securing the words
call men are born free and equal, in the
Massachusetts Constitution of 1850, ex-
tinguished the legal existence of slavery in
that state. The poets father was Rev.
ca rles Lowell, a famous Unitarian clergy
m and anti-slavery man of the Chan
& MI type. That Lowell should have been,
~ Phillips, of anti-slavery sympathies,
~ IN both parties upheld slavery,
xas not remarkable, for hatred of slav-
or was hereditary in the family,
ani yet he was not an open ann-siav-
err agitator until he fell in love
#x6h his first wife, Maria White, a
4 Be- utifal aud gifted woman, who converted
5 him to the anti-slavery cause, even as
Phillips was first won over to il by Miss
Green. whom he married. and TO whom he
Was first introduced by Charles Summer.
The poetic temperament of Lowell he IN
herited from his mothers family; the Low
ellis were all either able judges or earnest