Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-01

the feelings of his family in the matter into
verse. 49,. s--
Later in life, Mr.. Bryant became one Of the
most influential champions of the JefferSonian
Democracy. He was much annoyed that the
Federal press occasionally-when it lacked more
effective Weapons quoted the lines Of his poem
about Jefferson. In the collections of his writ-A
ings he did not include the embargo or ang
of the smaller pieces Of verse written during
his school days.
During the Summer of 1911, while Bryant was
living with his parents at Cummington, he
wrote. that beautiful poem which he called
"Thanatopsis" or "A. View of Death" At this
time he had not yet reached his eighteenth year.
It was by accident, nearly six years later,
that his father came upon the manuscript
tucked away in a drawer. Without telling
his son. DIR. Bryant took the poem to Boston
together with the manuscript Of IAN InScrip-
ton Upon the Entrance to a Wood" to his
friend, Willard Phillips, one of the editors Of
the North American Review. When Mr..
Phillips read "ThanatopSis" to his editorial
colleagues they laughed, telling him that he
had been imposed upon, that no one in the
New World capable of writing such verse.
But on learning that the verse was authentic
it was printed. It appeared in the September
number of the North American Review for
1917. Not only did these verses find their
way into the school books of the country, but
they were quoted from the pulpit, and "Thana-
Of English didactic poetry.
When Bryant was in his poetic mood every
thing around him seemed to speak of hope and
cheer. The new moon was Most welcome to
the lovers sight: the north star, "a beauteous
type of that unchanging good; even death
held no terror.
In Bryant's time, as today, poets were poorly
paid for their work. In 1921 small volume
Of his poems was published for which he re-
ceived SIS. AT that time he wrote verse for
the magazines, for which he asked 50 each
Occasionally an editor, realizing that the poems
were worth much more than the poet asked,
paid him $40.
Later in life, Mr.. Bryant took up translation
as an agreeable diversion. He got a great deal
OF pleasure translatng Homers Odyssey which
was received most cordially.
When Mr.. Bryant secured temporary posi-
ton as a book reviewer for the Evening Post.
New York daily, in 1926, the population of
New York City was only $780, 900. Later he
was made assistant editor, then editor and
then became part owner, remaining at the
head OF the Post until his death on the morn.
ing of the 18th Of June 1878.
AS poet, Bryant is to be Judged by the
quality rather than the quantity of his work
He never wrote poem that was unworthy
Of his best. He seldom wrote a long poem
OF the $50 poems which he left, the average
length Is only IS lines.
On August %, 1929. the 15Oth anniversary
OF the town OF Cummington, the old homestead
OF William Cullen Bryant was opened as a
memorial to the poet To this big house and
its 200 acres Of fields and trees, the poet was
wont to return from time to time to rest and
70 write. 1t was there that some of his most
quoted verse was composed. Through prnm
visions In the viii Of his granddaughter, Mimi
G. Goddard, the property with a legacy of
$4,000, was placed in the hands of the Trus.
tees OF Public Reservations. The poets daugh-
Ter, Julia Sands Bryant, also left legacy Of
the same amount