Page 93 - Four Famous American Writers: Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, James Russell Lowell, Bayard Taylor

A little farther along the music seems to broaden and deepen:

Now is the high-tide of the year, And whatever of life hath ebbed away
Comes flooding back with a ripply cheer, Into every bare inlet and creek

and bay; Now the heart is so full that a drop overfills it, We are happy now
because God wills it.

You must read the rest of the poem for yourself, ever remembering that to
read poetry so that you understand it and love it means that you yourself are

a poet at heart; and if you come to love a great poem you may be proud of
your achievement.

CHAPTER XI

PROFESSOR, EDITOR, AND DIPLOMAT

There was a touching and very warm affection between Longfellow and
Lowell. Mrs. Lowell says of it, "I have never seen such a beautiful
friendship between men of such distinct personalities, though closely linked

together by mutual tastes and affections. They criticise and praise each
other's performances with frankness not to be surpassed, and seem to have

attained that happy height of faith where no misunderstanding, no jealousy,
no reserve exists." Often in his diary Longfellow speaks of "walking to see
Lowell," who was either "musing before his fire in his study," or occupied

in his "celestial study, with its pleasant prospect through the small square
windows."

Longfellow was some dozen years the elder; and when the time came that
he wished to retire from the professorship of belles-lettres in Harvard

College, he was very desirous that Lowell should take the place. There
were others who wanted it; but it was arranged that Lowell should become

Longfellow's successor. Lowell had never before been a professor and he
did not particularly like the work. In 1867 he speaks of "beginning my
annual dissatisfaction of lecturing next week." Still, he was popular with

the students and highly successful because of his fine gift of literary