The Life, Travels, and Literary Career of Bayard TaylorConwell, Russell H.
General
The Life, Travels, and Literary Career of Bayard Taylor
Conwell, Russell H.
Taylor, Bayard, 1825-1878
Visit to Europe.—Reception in England.—Company in
Charge.—Starts for Sweden.—Stockholm.—The Dangerous Ride.—The
Severe Cold.—Arrival in Lapland.—First Experience with
Canoes and Reindeers.—Becomes a Lapp.—The Extreme North.—The
Days without a Sun.—“Yankee Doodle.”—The Return.—Study
in Stockholm.—Return to Germany and London.—Embarks for
Norway.—Meets his Friend at Christiania.—The Coast of
Norway.—The Midnight Sun.—Trip across Norway and Sweden.—Return
to Germany.
Without bringing the living into a notoriety which they certainly do
not seek, and which might be unpleasant for them, we cannot give an
extended account of that summer trip of Mr. Taylor and his friends
in the countries of Europe, already so familiar to him. He devoted
himself to the welfare of his companions, and appeared to enjoy himself
exceedingly. England appeared brighter and more attractive than he
supposed it possible; and his pleasure in visiting historical places was
doubled by the fact that he had others to appreciate and enjoy it with
him. His sisters inherited enough of that same instinctive comprehension
of vegetable nature, and enough of that fellowship with kindred human
nature, to regard the landscapes and the people as he had regarded them,
and made, as he wrote to his friends in Philadelphia, wonderfully
observing travellers. Other friends there were, who, with his brother,
made up a pleasant party, over which Mr. Taylor was for the time the
guide and protector. He visited many places where he had never been
before, but he had studied his theme so closely during his previous
visits to Europe that even in strange places he felt the gratification
of one who had been there before, and to whom each scene and relic was
familiar. His little party was often interrupted by the calls made
upon him to attend dinner-parties and select gatherings of literary
people; but he was not a neglectful escort. His acquaintance with the
men and women of London whose names are known to all readers of English
literature, was promoted very much by the kindness of Mr. Thackeray,
who spared no pains to introduce Mr. Taylor into that “charmed circle.”
No one can appreciate the pleasure there was in being introduced to the
authors of whom the world has said so much, unless he has followed them
like a friend through their various volumes and learned to love them
there. Historians, essayists, biographers, poets, musical composers,
and scientific authors clasped his hand in London and welcomed him to
their homes and their love. At last he felt that he had reached the
heights for which he had been striving, and was regarded as an equal by
those whose plane of thought he had so long striven to reach. But that
feeling had its reaction, for he often examined himself and repeated to
himself his published poetry, and, as he described it himself, wondered
what there could be in it worthy of reproduction in Old England. His
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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