New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-08
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
LIFE AND WRITINGS OF SAMUEL LONG
FELLOW.

SAMUEL LONGFELLOW Msp9ir ana ~ Joseph Joseph
Essays and Sermons. So-S:: HN''eu ~ E
May HoughtCn. Mifiin CO.
A r,era succession of pastorates does not furnish
sensational material for the biography Of minis-
fer Nevertheless. the memoir Of the Rev. Sanuel
1.onqfelIow in these volumes is interesting. A
nastorate in West Cambridge. in FAN RIVER
another in Brooklyn and a fourth in Germantown
rover his career as minister but there were pre-
lminary years in which he was making up his
mind as to the choice Of a profession ana ii''''
walls sometimes Of great length, wheh ne was
.o,,,od With NJ CONGREGATION 4 frail constitu-
tion rendered these intervals necessary. Al sue"
times he returned to Cambridge or Jourheyeu III
Europe The affection between him ana MS
brother. the poet, suffered no change lor me-
time II was strengthened by the inteIlecuud
harmony there between them. Al harNd'u
samuel Longferow was considered the best
writer of his class His bent was especially ior
the classics for English literature and FOR MS
tory But he also added French and German 10
his acouirements a sojourn in Fayal as tutor
IN the family Of the American Consul at the
Azores enabled him to study Portuguese. But
tho characteristic note Of his life at that time
and indeed always seems to have been ten
dency to depre cate his own powers. what ne
ouently happens with men of this stamp nap
pened also with him When 1t came 20 a question:
of the moral aspect Of conduct he was quick ana
firm in his decisions. 1t was only doupls ABOUT
his own ability or fitness that VeXed hih' INN"
Of n Young man who was studying all the u"ie
becoming sad and depressed at his want Oh III
telectual development. In fact, He was very
pleasant at Fayal Exercise out OF DOORS mourn
tain climbing and the like, was just the re"euF
for Iongfellow's bodily ailments. But between
,bo overcise and the work as a tutor there was
lofe, MIA
muses which is indispensable to literary achieve
ment. and SO Longfellow wrote that he had done
scarce anything in prose or verse save ie''erS'
Whom he returned TO Cambridge he found his
brother Henry married IN the romantic way
known 10 readers Of Hyperion. ana settled III
the mansion which was his home till death Inc
house was also the home at different unes loF
many years together OF Samuel LongieHow'
There appears to have been nothing Ike erehiuc
ecerbitv in him. He was beloved by the laH'iF
of his brother. Children We're attracted 70 H"l'
+bev hardly knew why. Little girls, however
observed with some anxiety that he was parual
IN bovs One of them taxed him with TINS. Alter
q moments thought he seemed TO CONFESS 'I'e
fault by remarking that II was perhaps because
he never was little girl" He had the telue'-
ness of poet and In default Of the greater Iaiiie
81 his brother might have gained repute for his
WAS on one occasion greatly pleased when
<r,end referred 10 him as the brother Of a poet
Tho HYMNS written by Samuel Longfellow are
,raasured bv many readers. The necessity OF
Giving his whole time for years TO his Drother
.JJfe 8, led him t. resign the charge or the con-
eregation in Germantown. The work was ho'
such as evoked his special characteristics d. d"
original writer. He complained that large
mart of his labor made no appearance III 'i'e
hook. II consisted Of reading sitting chooslns'
deciding. rejecting: and when all was done ne
WAS disappointed because letters do not reau a.
we'll in print in manuscript. MS HIeioHS
habit of self-deprecauon found expression III MS
old aga as he contemplated the most important
of his literary tasks. There VIII be plenty Oh
faults" he wrote to one of his correspondents
woman. But later he looked on the book more
favorably:
think Won will find a singular unity running
through the book in several WAYS. Those WI
knew my brother personally VIII recorill|V .,'e
same qualities Of character in the man that were
An the hoy only that the quick temper was com
Dletelv controlled. Then his early purpose %
distinction in Literature oeslnHlns az eoertV was
in college. and fulfilling itself al seVehtlS: 80
never lost sight OF in the interval Ole i'.s''. -
note the interest in the Indians SHOWN m, III ~" ~
first poor printed poem. coming OUT IN ConeBe !"
~ axbihifion dialogue. then In midlife cuI-
sninating in "Hawatha." You Will observe also
the gentle humor that runs through ms 80 -
sOutre-Mer."
The ESSAYS and sermons selected from the
works OF Samue Longfelow are marked Dy S''"-
nlicity. directness and candor. But they nave
m nrofoundy individual quality. Deep iearhi"s
would be out Of place in spoken discourses anu
hardly less so In papers Of popular ann bu'
.he essay on THE Unity and Universally Of the
Religious IDEAS shows wide reading IaNen
az whole this collection Of Longfelow's writ
DC. leads one 70 think that there must have
So, moro IN his character than in his works &c
charm, the wide circle Of his friends. Mr.. may
calls the letters and sermons and essays th'
scanty relics Of a sanity life" This phrase ap
pears TO be the moral Of the whole story as to''
-, tho editor IongfelIow lived rather thar
labored in the literary sense. The two Voiuihe
now published together. serious as they are u
not lack a sedate attractiveness. Each begins
. with a portrait Of Longfellow one rom "iuu'
life and the other from later years.
o,,p ENGLISH COUSINS BY Richard Hardni
Davis illustrated. Up. X, rs. Harper
rha Eve ESSAYS IN this volume give the result
NJ travel without its details There Is no ntermeHi
o,e tourneving Mr.. Davis puts his companions
that IS those who accept in imaginat on me su'oa
of his book-on the road 10 the Derby INTO IN
midst of an election for member OF the house .
Commons into a college quadrangle ana theh ieau
,horD about 70 the points Of interest. Indeed Tn
tour in Great Britain has now been done by Amen
cans in every conceivable manner. ana II remain
only to take 1t for granted, selecting the detai'
.ha, sbau benceforth be mounted and magnihe'
and photographed and copied for those who traVe
mostly in their minds. Americans are SO much Il
evidence both at home and abroad that one nigh
think those who must let others travel ior theiI
are few.
Mr. Davis found that the Derby now. so IA
q. least as spectators are concerned. In the hand
Of costermongers and Americans. The former ar
still the more numerous bu there is no knowinI
how soon the Americans may Outnumber the Eng
Ishmen on a scene which once CHARACTERISED