will perhaps be found, as time goes on, that the greatest service rendered by Longfellow—beyond all personal awakening or stimulus exerted on his readers—was that of being the first conspicuous representative, in an eminently practical and hard-working community, of the literary life.
One of a circle of superior men, he was the only one who stood for that life purely and supremely, and thus vindicated its national importance.
Among his predecessors, Irving had lived chiefly in Europe, and Bryant in a newspaper office.
Among his immediate friends, Holmes stood for exact science, Lowell and Whittier for reform, Sumner for statesmanship, Emerson for spiritual and mystic values; even the shy Hawthorne for public functions at home and abroad.
Here was a man whose single word, sent forth from his quiet study, reached more hearts in distant nations than any of these, and was speedily reproduced in the far-off languages of the world.
Considered merely as an antidote to materialism, such
ne Pierre, 47.
Besse, 239.
Bierstadt, Mr., 221.
Bigelow, John, his Life of Bryant, cited, 146 note.
Blackwood's Magazine, 194.
Blair, Robert, 62.
Booth, Jes A., 125.
Bruges, 161.
Brunswick, Me., 18, 64, 69, 82, 100, 163.
Bryant, William C., 8, 23, 60, 62, 64, 80, 112, 142, 265, 294; his early poems compared with23; selections appear in Miscellaneous Poems, 23; his early poems compared with Bryant's, 24-26; one of his poems attributed to Bryant, 27; involuntary imitation of BBryant, 27; involuntary imitation of Bryant, 27; contributes articles in Irving's style, 27; letter to, from Jared Sparks, declining article, 29, 30; his Our Native Writers, 30-36; graduates from Bowdoin,Bryant, 27; contributes articles in Irving's style, 27; letter to, from Jared Sparks, declining article, 29, 30; his Our Native Writers, 30-36; graduates from Bowdoin, 37; literature his definite purpose, 37; writes to his father about his profession, 38-40, 41, 43; father's reply, 40, 41; first visit to Europe to prepare for Bowdo 137; letter about Hyperion, 139,140; criticisms of, 141-143; his relation with Bryant, 145,146; social side, 146, 147; costume of, 147; suggestions for poems, 149,