The times., 1898-04-10
Thomas wentworth Higsinson.

as Wentworth Higginson, whose name |
was possibly mere familiar TO the last /
generation than it is TO this. There are /
some m,n who are born to be Boswells. |
not Of one particular Johnson, but of their
generation, and Mr.. Higginson IS one Of
these He sees life. literature, and
American history with eyes which,
though keen, are kind; and he is never
intolorant. A Cambridge man by birth
and education, he was one Of the very
few Boston aristocrats who cast in their
lot with the anti-slavery agitators, and
several chapters in his present book are
occupied with the memory of that stir
ring time. Mr.. Hieginson may be said
10 have been present at the birth of
American literature, for, as an intimate
friend Of Lonefellow and the rest of the
Cambridge coterie, and a writer OF tai
ent, though not of genius, he was a part
Of the literary life Of the last genera
lion other chapters are given to Lit
erary Paris Twenty Years Ago" and Lit
erary London Twenty Years Ago 10 the
early days Of Cambridge. and at the end
OF the book are some gentle reflections
on the duties Of a citizen of our Repub-
lie and the pleasures and dlihcuItes OF
pubic ne Al liNdAi - bNNAs 4'eNcN - ~
b, found some bit of reflection, some wise
quotation or quaint reminiscence, which
recalls most forcibly the unWoridly Wis
dom OF that strange schoo! OF Thought
which gathered about Emerson and Al
corr-a school which recognized as the
basis Of human action something more
than shrewdneSs. higher than expectancy,
a school which though il made fanatics,
made little money and few hypocrites.
There is n5tking peGantic about these
chapters; the author wears his wisdom,
such as 1t is, uncOnsciously; but 10 read
the book is 10 know the man, and ne is
above all. a Bostonian.
Here, in the very first chapter, Is a
glimpse OF that supreme content which
made Thoreau d dEeller in a log cabin
and a citizen Of the universe. One OF the
things which the Concord school OF PM
losopFy brought 10 notice was that one
need not go away from home TO be great,
or to be happy. Born in Cambridge In
1873. in a house on that street down which
the Americans marched 10 the battle OF
Bunker Hill, the Cambridge man says:
All the scenes and atmosphere OF ones native
rillaae-if one Is fortunate enough 20 have been
born in such locality-lie around the memory
like the horizon line, unreach2bie, linfassabe,
Even a s0-Called cosmopolitan man mas never
seegnod 10 me very happy beng, ana cosIy-
u0gitan child Is above all things, 70 be pltled
10 he identified IN early memories with some
limited and therefore Characteristic region-tlat
izen 0i the world. What denatIonallzed America
hasten stamp as provincial Is, for child at
least saving grace. GU 90 MOI can Z ntS' pr pr.
marked cut by temperament for literary career.
The predestined painter OF musician needs an ear!
contact with the treasures anc cJndlllois q an
Other world: but literature needs for is ma
teTial only men, nature and books; and Of these
the frst Two are everywhere. and the last are
easily transuoT1able, since you can pile the lew
supreme authors OF the world ~ a little corner oi
the smallest log cabin The Cambridge OF my
hoyhood-two three thousand people-anorded
me il now seems, all that human heart could ask
for its elementary training. Those VINO doubt II
might. perchanee have been the gamers 81 Il lhey me-
had shared II. He desplseS me, sald ben Jon
son, because ] live in an alley. Tell him hls
soul lives in an alley"
Again, he says:
To have lain on the hearth-rug and heard ones
Enogier read aloud is liberal education.
Born OF a bookish family, young Hig-
Eiuson wandered al will in what was in
those days q large library, and was, in
fact, the best the time afforded; but, ne
says-and one seems to see the smile with
which he says it-that he never had books
enough, nor has he had until this day.
This passion for books and for study,
which led the youth to look forward with
eaEerness TO becoming a collegian from
pure love of intellectual life, may not be
an easy thing for the modern boy to
comprehend but il was very common
thing among New England boys of that
period. IL was not The typical boy exactly
who thus hungered for books. but il was
not phenomenal boy by any means. OF
his own youth he says, further. that eV
cry boy of active tastes must become
either a sportsman or d naturalist. and
that he himself never regretted that 1T
was his fate" TO become the latter An
other point in this boys experience Wiicn
Will surprise a good many people who
never were in New England, is that the
Ology had no terrors for him. he says:
never heard Of the Five Points Of Calv.nisn
until maturity; never was converted; never eG-
perienced religion. We were expected TO read
me New leS'afurnt but there nothing
forced about the Old, and were as fortunate
= iitile Eili l1vg since known. who was sur
there could be such place as hell, because their
minister hsd never mentioned il.
OF course. among novelists who regard
the pious New Englander as part Of their
stock IN trade, this paragraph viii be
considered unrealistic but il was the ex-
perience Of a good many other boys. even
In those dark days 1t was probably ow-
ing TO men OF the temperament OF the
elder iiigginsOn that Boston was, and i
now. the stronghold OF Tnitarianism.
In The second chapter-this is a book
through which II Is pleasant to wander
In q cesCltory fashion, picking bits OF de-
Ecription by the wayside-there Is a
quaint Characterization Of Cambridge
which is worth repeating.
the leaves falling from the trees, and the old
university, like the weird Witch-hazel in the
groves. puts out fresh blossoms al the when
al else grows sere- II is never-failing delight
10 behold the hundreds 0f newcomers who then
ihT6ng streets; BOYS with smooth and un-
worn faces, full OF the Zest ot their own being,
taking the whole world having been made for
them. which, indeed. II was: willing 10 do any
ieediul kindness 10 an elder human being, such
Tescuiug him from carriage wheels picking him
out - the mud, hut otherwise WholesomeIy
ind1herent 10 his very eA-stence as Il he we're 4
iamppost or horseless vehicle. II be be wise.
.as fully accepts the situation and takes in il
something Of the pride which a father feels when
hls youngest son oyertofs him by head. .
The future Is theirs 10 command, ours: il be-
longs 10 them more than they think il does.
and tins is undoubtedly saying good deal.
Living IN 2 college town Is after all. yeTy much
like dwelling Just outside Of a remarkably large
glass beehive where watch all day long
the busy lttle people inside; them going
inUessantly 10 and fro at their honey making paus
iEg occasionally 10 salute sting another
and all without The slightest peril 10 the be
holder.
After leaving college IIigginson came
in contact with many Of the odd char.
actors Of the Period Of the Newness''-
the time 0f the Brook Farm and com.
ununism, jranscendentalism and diet re.
form. AT that time when the young
men Of Boston We're beginning to spend
their Handerjahre al German uniyersi.
ties. the German spirit Of romance an.
philosophy was rampant in Boston and
its vicinity. The life Of young Higein
son was touched by this influence as Il
was by the literary and religious move.
ments, and in the course Of his deyelop.
ment he met most Of the celebrities in al
these different lines. One Of the notabl,
people Of the time 10 those who knew
him was a young man named Hurl
no u1 he harg Of -