The Complete Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Appendix to Volume XII: Tales, Sketches, and other Papers by Nathaniel Hawthorne with a Biographical Sketch by George Parsons Lathrop: Biographical Sketch of Nathaniel HawthorneLathrop, George Parsons
General
The Complete Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Appendix to Volume XII: Tales, Sketches, and other Papers by Nathaniel Hawthorne with a Biographical Sketch by George Parsons Lathrop: Biographical Sketch of Nathaniel Hawthorne
Lathrop, George Parsons
Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864; Novelists, American -- 19th century -- Biography
practical elements in the romancer gained upon him, so far as personal
appearance was concerned, with advancing age and a wider experience of
life in the large world. But such a series of glimpses can do no more
than to suggest disjointedly the union in him of attributes positive and
passive, which always struck those who met him. A photograph which was
secured before he left England depicts him in a mood and with an air
that very happily convey this complete equipment of the man, this
wellnigh perfect combination of traits, which enabled him by sympathy to
run through the entire gamut of human feeling. His friend, John Lothrop
Motley, induced him one day to enter a photographer's establishment, on
the plea that he had business of his own there. Hawthorne was given a
book to read, while waiting; and when the photographer was ready Motley
attracted his friend's attention. Hawthorne looked up with a dawning
smile, a bright, expectant glance,--holding the book on his knee
meanwhile, with a finger in the place,--and instantly a perfect negative
was made. The resulting portraiture showed him absolutely as he was: a
breathing form of human nobility; a strong, masculine, self-contained
nature, stored in a stalwart frame--the face grown somewhat more rotund
than formerly, through material and professional success, and lighted up
with captivating but calm geniality; while over the whole presence
reigned an exquisite temperance of reserve, that held every faculty in
readiness to receive and record each finest fluctuation of joy or
sorrow, of earnest or of sport.
Such as he there appears, we shall do well to imagine him to ourselves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account