John Greenleaf Whittier: His Life, Genius, and WritingsKennedy, William Sloane
General
John Greenleaf Whittier: His Life, Genius, and Writings
Kennedy, William Sloane
Abolitionists -- United States -- Biography; Poets, American -- 19th century -- Biography; Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892
At ten o'clock the public was admitted to the house, passing in a
continuous line (as at the funeral of dear old Walt Whitman, his brother
poet of Democracy, a few months before in Camden) through the humble
little parlor of the Amesbury home. It was originally intended to hold
the services in the Friends' meeting-house near by; but the dense fog
clearing up and the bright sun coming out--as one beautifully said, "the
mystery of death typified by the shifting and elusive shadows of the
fog, and the glory and hopefulness of the resurrection by the bright
rays of the sun"--it was decided to let the body rest in the house, and
hold memorial services in the quiet garden in the rear of the house.
The funeral arrangements were in charge of William Lloyd Garrison, Jr.,
S. T. Pickard and Judge G. W. Cate, the tenant of the house. The
atmosphere was one of peace and restfulness, and the simplicity of the
life of the Friends was seen in all the arrangements. In the quaint
parlor of the homestead lay all that was mortal of the poet, on whose
face was an expression of supreme peace; his form was encircled by a
delicate fringe of trailing fern. A most beautiful wreath from Dr.
Oliver Wendell Holmes--eighty-four white roses, fringed with carnations
and maidenhair ferns, one for each year of the poet's life,--was laid
around the name-plate on the coffin. It was a touching tribute by the
last one of that remarkable galaxy of poets that marked such a
distinguished era in our American literature. Two crossed palms, with
the Japan lilies Whittier loved so well, encircled by a broad white
satin ribbon, were from Mrs. Daniel Lothrop. The fronds of the long
palms encircled the face of the dead poet as it looked out from the
large engraving between the windows of the parlor. Upon the end of the
ribbon was delicately painted six lines from Whittier's "Andrew
Rykman's Prayer:"
"Some sweet morning yet in God's
Dim aeonian periods,
Joyful I shall wake to see
Those I love who rest in Thee,
And to them in Thee allied
Shall my soul be satisfied."
Upon the accompanying card was this: "In memory of my husband's dear
friend. This verse of 'Andrew Rykman's Prayer' was consolation in the
hour of death to both him who wrote it, and to him who loved it.--Mrs.
Daniel Lothrop."
Another exquisite floral offering came with these lines:
"I know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond His love and care."
On the back of the card were the words "Oak Knoll."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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