New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-29
4 LECTURE ON LONGFELLOW.
HIS WORKS AND CHARACTER DISCUSSED
BY WILLIAM WINTER.

MANY INTERESTING ANECDOTES or THE POET
RELATED By THE SPEAKER.
'Longtellow" was the theme OF lecture delivered
last evening al the Hotel Castletcn- 81 Geofses
$. l.. by William Winter Mr.. Winter dweit upon
the literature OF England. and showed no" ms
same literature had been the foundation o' vac
poetry and prose OF America. Ih.s re'i'.''s"'is
however he said. had not prevented tne "l11e's ~
America from assuming A d!stt'ct S"a-"~'e''
speaker then entered upon his suoJee' piopei ,e
lie and works Of Longfel!ow Inc "0rhs oi 80
noe, he said had been translated into htteeH !aiA
guages Longtelow stood at the hedd Oh TIC Poe'S
OF America. More than any o'her Poe', nc Ha
snoken with universal voice rather .iia'' W.,
nsrsoraI one. He did not write for himself; he
d 80 ,nars His writings represented TWO
,,rt,n,I PRINCIPLES which were OF the highest IN
,or,arca 70 the human race-the NOBILITY OK the
human life and faith in the divine government IT'S
.ritInes moreover. were absolutely pure. Inc
hssutifll refinement OF Lonsfellow ard his KINDNESS
together with his e,h!c taste in dress ana MS man
,ers made him the IDEAL poet. His desire was 70
he helpful 10 all. to light up the Lowry 70 ory ever
tear and TO make every pathway smooth' ne "e'e,
smoke a harsh word except against injustice al9
wrong 1T is the prerogative OF the poet sAiu
LongtelIow once 10 NJ. Winter. TO give p'eaSs
but IL is the critics province 10 give pain
AR Winter then spoke OF the personal traits OF
cha most Iongfellow was impervious to criticism
He ignored Il. HIS opinion OF II found eAP'ess'0,
T., ,ha ,,lovfne words: Since you neither WIS"
,our vanity TO be stimulated. Tor your sensloi!iV
10 be wounded, you ought TO remain IN aoso'H'e
ignorance OF IT. 49,.
Mr. Winter related many interesting anecco'es
Of Longfeuow's private life. He told or one man
who called upon Longfeow with new patent
medicine he was selling He wanted Longfe!lo"
"a write a poem for the label OF the bottles, and ID
return he would give him bottle OF the nedi-
cine which was worth ST. Another man once
wrote TO Longfellow asking him 10 SEND MS auto
sraph In his own handwriting! THESE incioehts'
and such as these. were source or great anuse-
ment 70 Longfellow. or his own poems his favori's
was "Evangene" but he liked the vers!ncauon
Of The Day is Done" His poems OF The BuId.
ars. contained his creed that OF The Liberty OF
81. Augustine" contained the philosophy OF MS
career The following lines illustrated his spirit
OF resignation;
There is no fold. however watered and tended
dead limb is there:
There is no freside. howsoeer defended.
But has one vacant chair. l..
After his wifes death. Longte.low seemed "
have fingered on as one patiently waiting TOT VI.
end, ard when II came he did not seem to die' w
only to pass, as rennyson said, from TINS 'oS
into the next" He never lived with reference w
death, but only and always IN the undyins. u.
begun Mr.. Winter read letter, troM a,,s sn upoD
George William Curtis 70 himself write. orr com
the q onstelOT he a:sS r saer soe
death The bust of Longte:low In Westm,nsn
Abbey. he said. was the only monument 10 d"
Tbe Scture was in aid OF the Olympian Athletic
Association OF 81. George S. /. ana the atrc cam.
ments were conducted by an Entertainment S Vim
mt'f Exs s9nss nd sSenkns Of the association
The lecture was well attended