The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-29
NEW BOOKS.
John Grcenicaf Whittier,

'N's wv 'h'o W hIntTIC6n autflOTS
In the English Men Of Letters series,
published by the Macmillan Company.
That. having como to this decision, he
should begin with Whittier is not sur
prising because Whittier and Longsellow
are more read in England than is any other
American poet. and Of the two White
Is the more distinctively American. Mr..
Mor!eys choice OF a biographer was fe-
icito,is: we know of no American better
qualified for the task. on the score both Of
knowledge and Of sympathy. than is Mr..
THOMAS WENTWORTH HIoGrNsoN. He
shows himself at once discriminating and
apprecative in the sketch Of Whi,tiers
life and IN the estimate Of the place among
American poets which belongs to the
author Of T % Tent on the Beach He
begins with luminous comparison Of his
subject with Longfellow. He points out
that the latter was the most widely trav-
elled author Of the Boston Circle, Whittier
the least so; Longfellow spoke a variety of
languages, Whittier only his own; Long
fellow had whatever the American college
OF his time could give him. Whittier had
none OF 1t; Longfellow had the habits of
man OF the world. Whittier those of re-
cluse; Longfellow touched reform but
sghtly. Whittier was essentially imbued
with it, Longfellow had children and grand
children, while Whittier led a single life. :"
II Is, q. the same time. recognized that
in certain gifts. apart from poetic quality.
they were alike, both being modest. serene.
unselfsh. brave, indust rious and generous
Mr.. Higginson directs attention to a
fact which should not be lost sight of by
those WHO would seize Whittiers point
OF view, The fact, namely. that Whittier,
Ike Garrson-who first appreciated his
poems-wss brought up apart from what
DR.. Holmes loved to call the Brahmin class
in America; those, namely. who are bred
to cultivation by cultivated parents.
Emerson, Lengfellow. Holmes. Lowell were
essentially Ct this class" Mr.. Higgins on
Is far from assuming that Winters nom
membership Of this class was a misfortune.
On the contrary. he asserts that mot ono
OF this eminent circle had the KEYS of COM
mon life SO absolutely in his hands as
Whittier He adds that had anything
been wanting in this respect his interest
in politics would have filed the gap" Few
persons know that Whittier, before he
became deeply interested in the anti
slavery movement. was practical poll
tician OF shrewd and efficient kind, and
that. in the year 1882, he was only pre-
vented from accepting a nomination for
Congress because he was below what he
supposed to be the legal age. letter
quoted by Mr.. Higginson shows not only
that Whittier planned to secure seat
In the House Of Representatives. but that
his plan was based upon the method from
which OF late years We have striven to
free ourselves. to wit, the appeal to mutual
seh-interest In securing posts Of honor.
Even after he became a strenuous advocate
Of the abolition of slavery he showed him.
self more practical than his friend Garrison.
for, instead OF favoring dissolution Of
the Union. he upheld the policy successfully
adopted by the Free Soil party and the
Republican party, the policy. namely. Of
attempting by Constitutional measures to
circumscribe and weaken slavery, whilc
mf intaining the union Of the States. II
is also TO be noted that. unlike Garrison
and many Massachusetts abo!itionists. ne
dsapproved Of John Browns raid. de-
scribed Brown - ssadly Misguided and
declined to lend any countenance TO such
attempts Is that at Harper's Ferry
Characteristic. also. Of the sober -mindedness
which Whittier brought to the consideration
Of projected social reforms is his reference
to womans suffrage. Il do not see.' he
wrote, that the exercise Of the ballot by
woman will prove a remedy for the evils
Of which she justly complains. II Is her
right, as truly as mine. apd when she asks
for 1t it is something less than manhood
to withhold 1t. But, unsupported by a
more practical education, higher aims and
a ~ tho ilttioa Of
life and duty. 1t IL not likely 70 prove a
blessing In her hands any more than in
mans"
In the chapter on whittier the Poet
TO effort is made to disguise his defects of
execution. II is admitted that his poems
even to the latest, are apt to be too long,
and 10 he laden with superfluous moral
Whittier did not actually reach the
point Of ennui, but came very rear it, AS
for his rhymes, though not so bad as those
Of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, they were
in his early years bad enough" Again: He
had little faith ia his own ear, the result
being that, even II he made happy stroke
in the way Of sound, he was apt 10 distrust
il at the suggestion of some prosaic friend
With a foot rule, who convinced him q at
he was taking a dangerous liberty" O
the other hand. il is cordially acknowledged
that nature gave 10 him more directly than
TO Lor gfellow. Holmes or Lowell the lyric
gift-a naturainess of song ard flow. in
creasing with wears ard reaching where
none Of the Others attained II was his
devotion TO the anti-slavery cause that
gave his poetry sublimitv. He was the
Tyrtaus, or leading bard of the greatest
moral movement OF the age; ard he probably
gained In all ways from tho strong tonic of
the anti-slavery agitation. This gave a
training in directness, simplicity. genuine
ness. II taught him to shorten his sword
ard to produce strong effects by common
meals, 1t made him permanently high
minded. also, AID placed him. as he himself
always said, above the perils al d tempta-
tions OF a merely literary career Mr..
HiRgirson holds that Whitter's anti
slavery poems had even more lyric fire
and produced an immediate impression
even greater than did Lcwel's. At the
same time, no comedies that thoy touched
universal principles less broadly and are
now, therefore. rarely quoted. while
Iowell's Truth Forever on the ScafYold,
Wrong Forever on the Throne" still lives
upon the hps Of orators.
Mr.. HiggiI.son well says that Whittier is
distinctively tho American poet of familiar