AMERICAN
LITERARY MASTERS
BY LEON H. VINCENT
BOSTON AND NEW YORK
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
The Riverside Press Cambridge
COPYRIGHT 1906 BY LEON H. VINCENT
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Published March 1906
TO
GEORGE EDWARD WOODBERRY
PREFACE
The nineteen men of letters whose work is reviewed in this volume represent an important half-century of our national literary life. The starting-point is the year 1809, the date of “A History of New York by Diedrich Knickerbocker.” No author is included whose reputation does not rest, in part, on some notable book published before 1860.
Readers of modern French criticism will not need to be told that the plan of dividing the studies into short sections was taken from Faguet’s admirable “Dix-Septième Siècle.”
I am indebted for many helpful criticisms to Mr. James R. Joy, to Miss Mary Charlotte Priest, and especially to Mr. Lindsay Swift of the Boston Public Library.
L. H. V.
January 23, 1906.
Contents
WASHINGTON IRVING
I. His Life 3
II. His Character 10
III. The Writer 13
IV. Early Work: Knickerbocker’s History, Sketch Book, Bracebridge Hall, Tales of a Traveller 14
V. Historical Writings: Columbus, Conquest of Granada, Mahomet 20
VI. Spanish Romance: The Alhambra, Legends of the Conquest of Spain 24
VII. American History and Travel: A Tour on the Prairies, Astoria, Life of Washington 27
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT
I. His Life 35
II. His Character 44
III. The Literary Craftsman 46
IV. The Poet 50
V. Latest Poetical Work: The Iliad and the Odyssey 58
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
I. His Life 65
II. His Character 72
III. The Writer 74x
IV. Romances of the American Revolution: The Spy, Lionel Lincoln 75
V. The Leather-Stocking Tales and Other Indian Stories 77
VI. The Sea Stories from The Pilot to Miles Wallingford 82
VII. Old-World Romance and New-World Satire: The Bravo, The Heidenmauer, The Headsman, Homeward Bound, Home as Found 89
VIII. Travels, History, Political Writings, and Latest Novels 93
GEORGE BANCROFT
I. His Life 101
II. His Character 108
III. The Writer 110
IV. The History of the United States 113
WILLIAM HICKLING PRESCOTT
I. His Life 123
II. His Character 128
III. The Writer 130
IV. The Histories 132
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
I. His Life 147
II. His Character 157
III. The Writer 159
IV. Nature, Addresses, and Lectures 160
V. The Essays, Representative Men, English Traits, Conduct of Life 166xi
VI. The Poems 176
VII. Latest Books 182
EDGAR ALLAN POE
I. His Life 189
II. His Character 198
III. The Prose Writer 201
IV. Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque 203
V. The Critic 211
VI. The Poet 215
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW
I. His Life 221
II. His Character 228
III. The Poet 230
IV. Outre-Mer, Hyperion, Kavanagh 233
V. Voices of the Night, Ballads, Spanish Student, Belfry of Bruges, The Seaside and the Fireside 236
VI. Evangeline, Hiawatha, Miles Standish, Tales of a Wayside Inn 240
VII. Christus, Judas Maccabæus, Pandora, Michael Angelo 245
VIII. Last Works 249
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER
I. His Life 255
II. His Character 264
III. The Poet 266
IV. Narrative and Legendary Verse 269
V. Voices of Freedom, Songs of Labor, In War Time 273xii
VI. Snow-Bound, Tent on the Beach, Pennsylvania Pilgrim, Vision of Echard 277
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
I. His Life 287
II. His Character 293
III. The Writer 296
IV. The Short Stories: Twice-Told Tales, Mosses from an Old Manse, The Snow-Image 298
V. The Great Romances: Scarlet Letter, House of the Seven Gables, Blithedale Romance, Marble Faun 302
VI. Latest and Posthumous Writings: Our Old Home, Note-Books, Dolliver Romance 314
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
I. His Life 321
II. His Character 325
III. The Writer 327
IV. The Books 328
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES
I. His Life 337
II. The Man 341
III. The Writer 344
IV. The Autocrat and its Companions, Over the Teacups, Our Hundred Days in Europe 345
V. The Poet 349
VI. Fiction and Biography 352
JOHN LOTHROP MOTLEY
I. His Life 359
II. His Character 365xiii
III. The Writer 367
IV. The Histories 369
FRANCIS PARKMAN
I. His Life 379
II. His Character 383
III. The Writer 385
IV. Early Work: Oregon Trail, Conspiracy of Pontiac, Vassall Morton 387
V. France and England in North America 390
BAYARD TAYLOR
I. His Life 401
II. His Character 407
III. The Artist 409
IV. Poetical Works 410
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS
I. His Life 417
II. The Man 423
III. The Writer and the Orator 424
IV. Nile Notes of a Howadji, Prue and I, Trumps 427
V. The Easy Chair 430
VI. Orations and Addresses 433
DONALD GRANT MITCHELL
I. His Life 439
II. The Author and the Man 442
III. The Writings 444
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL
I. His Life 453xiv
II. Lowell’s Character 461
III. Poet and Prose Writer 463
IV. Poems, The Biglow Papers, Fable for Critics, Vision of Sir Launfal 465
V. Under the Willows, The Cathedral, Commemoration Ode, Three Memorial Poems, Heartsease and Rue 469
VI. Fireside Travels, My Study Windows, Among my Books, Latest Literary Essays 474
VII. Political Addresses and Papers 479
WALT WHITMAN
I. His Life 485
II. The Growth of a Reputation 490
III. The Writer 492
IV. Leaves of Grass 494
V. Specimen Days and Collect 503
VI. Whitman’s Character 504
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