Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-27
Wednesday, February n, 1907.
1onqfelIow.

Never before since the making of
rhymes was begun has the birthday of
poet been celebrated so generally and
with such loving regard as the Tooth
anniversary of Longfellow's birth will
be celebrated today. Not only here in
New England where he lived and la
bored and died in the fulness of years.
but throughout the whole land and in
Great Britain and continental Europe
as we'll, the tribute of loving hearts is
being paid to his memory. 1t is es-
pecially fitting that the centenary is to
be 50 generally observed in the schools
This is as the great poet himself would
have wished it. for above all others he
was. and will remain. the poet Of child
hood.
Longfcllow's place in American liter
ature and in the literature of the world
is secure. Critics will continue to ar
que that he was not one of the worlds
greatest poets. but the fact remains
that no poet ever won the heart of the
common people as LongfellOw won it.
ard now, a full quarter century after
his death. his popularity is greater
than it ever was while he was living.
Lincoln said that "the Lord must love
the common people he makes 80 many
of them" and in gaining the lasting al
lection Of these. Longfellow built MINI
self a monument which will endure af-
ter some of those are forgotten whom
the critics rate as greater poets than he
was.
This country has never produced q
man who led the literary life more con-
sistcntly than Longfellow did. His
life story is told in a few words and is
well known to all, and as q consequence
iris centennial celebration will be
chiefly a review OF his work and an ap-
probation of his noble character. rath-
er than discussion of the events of his
career. His life was clean and
beautiful in every detail, and there
were none of those ''eccentricities of
great names in the literary world.
Though born of the best New Eng
land stock and spending his life in
Maine and Massachusetts, the poems Of
Longfellow never speak the spirit of
New England as do those of Whittier.
To be sure he wrote often on New Eng
land themes and has been called
"pre -eminently the maker of shrines"
ii New England. but his travel and
breadth OF scholarship influenced his
work to q marked degree. He was the
first American writer to lift the Literal
ture Of his country out of the realm Of
the provincial, at least in European
eyes, and it was largely due to him
that the barriers against the crcula-
ton of American books in Europe We're
broken down. He showed the world
that America had literature of its
own How England loves Longfellow
IL ny tilt ittb tiiht ttoN
has the distinction of being that of the
only foreigner given a place in West
minister Abbey. and exercises in his
honor will be held there today and gem
Axaliy throughout the British possess
siohs. even in Australia.
I.ongfellow knew the human heart
etc ,,T ho l1yri inn Oin1
tim. He idealized and lifted into a
yegihn Of beauty the stuff of which the
average human life is composed. To
the experiences which we so often find
prosaic,, fretting and disheartening he
brings peace and consolation and a Sc
rene trust in God. He has been a
comforter and spiritual uplifter to
many millions of weary and heavy
laden nortals. The spirit of his verse
Is that of "thc benediction that follows
after prayer" Longfellow is the poet
Of purity. the sweet singer of the
beauty. charm. dignity and aspiration
Of the common things of human ex-
perience.
The world does web to honor the
memory Of such man and such poet.
The more the. wofss of Longfellow are
read the bettef the world will be. The
revival Of intel est which comes with
this Longfeilowrcentennial celebration
Is something taSeadse rejoicing. not
only among the lovers of what is best
in our literature. ous also among all
who have at heart tfie:uplifting of hui
narity.