The New England Magazine, Volume 1, No. 4, Bay State Monthly, Volume 4, No. 4, April, 1886Various
History
The New England Magazine, Volume 1, No. 4, Bay State Monthly, Volume 4, No. 4, April, 1886
Various
New England -- Periodicals
Mr. Prince died in 1757, after a year's illness, at seventy-two years of
age. The _Weekly Gazette_ said, in announcing his death: "His
performances in pulpit evidence a vast compass of thought, a sublime
imagination, a great faith and zeal. In printed composures there is a
fertility of invention, correctness of sentiment, sprightliness of
expression, that must delight every reader, and transmit his name to
posterity in the most advantageous light. His private life was amiable
and exemplary, adorned with grace and virtues. A useful member of civil
society. His consort has lost an affectionate husband; his only
surviving daughter, a tender father; his servants, an indulgent master;
his acquaintances, a kind, condescending friend; his church, an
enlightened and vigilant pastor; his country, a zealous advocate of
civil and religious liberty. Took farewell to this world with humble
resignation to the will of God, and entire dependence on our Lord Jesus
Christ, and a good hope of Immortality."
NEW ENGLAND MANNERS AND CUSTOMS IN THE TIME OF BRYANT'S EARLY LIFE.
BY MRS. H. G. ROWE.
Ninety-one years ago, in the little town of Cummington, Mass., was born
a child, who was destined, in after years, to be the first of a grand
line of American poets, who have made this, the second century of our
Republic, famous by their genius and originality.
Not long since, in looking over an old magazine, published in
Philadelphia in 1809, I came across quite an extended review of
Campbell's, then just issued, poem, "Gertrude of Wyoming," and was
not a little amused at the closing comments.
After a little mild praise, and a good deal of equally mild criticism,
of the Scotch poet, the editor goes on to say:--
"But, after all, although lesser poets are constantly rising above the
literary horizon, challenging the admiration of the reading world for a
few short months,--possibly years,--and then sinking into the obscurity
of a forgotten past, the sun of English poetry has set forever. With
Pope, Milton, and Dryden, England lost her last true poets. Henceforth
all who claim that title must be more or less skilful _imitators_ merely
of the great masters who have gone before them.
"As for America," he continues, with the most unpatriotic candor, "there
is not the smallest chance of her ever producing a real poet. Ingenious
scribblers she may have, without doubt, but the typical American never
had or will have one grain of poetry in his hard, shrewd, matter-of-fact
nature."
This was the verdict of a Philadelphia editor seventy-six years ago.
To-day the bust of our own Longfellow stands in Westminster Abbey, side
by side with a Chaucer and a Shakspere, while not only the
English-speaking world on both sides of the ocean, but the dwellers in
sunny Italy, upon the frozen steppes of Russia, and in far-off Japan and
India, sing and repeat, each in his own tongue, the stirring
battle-hymns and sweet home-songs of the gifted singers of our Western
World.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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