1/1911 - 12/1911a - The Lowell

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THE LOWELL
published several small poems which caused him to be recognized by his classmates
as a genius. In his senior year the honor of being selected as class poet
was conferred upon him. Although crude in many respects, the genius of the
poet was shown in the poem he wrote for his commencement clay.
Lowell became generally known as a poet by the publication of the first of
the "Biglow Papers." These were exceedingly humorous productions, supposed
to be written by an unknown Yankee in his dialect. They were a witty take-off
on the political situations of the day.
It would be impossible to follow Lowell through the active part of his life.
It would take a book to speak with justice of the various ways in which he
figured as a public man. As a diplomat to Spain and England, as an editor, as
an abolitionist, and as a professor in the university he served, as only a great
man can serve, well. But as a public speaker Lowell deserves special notice.
The custom of lecturing was a new one in New England at the time of his
early manhood. The lectures were delivered under the auspices of the "lyceum
committees." xii order to earn spending money while in college, Lowell volunteered
to give several lectures. It is known that he asked if he might be given
the sum of-five dollars for delivering a lecture.
Lowell's hearers were always very well paid for listening to his lectures.
His subjects were either literary or critical. He continued active in public
speaking until an old man.
Lowell perhaps is the most versatile of all our American poets. As varied
as the occupations of his life are the different classes of literature of which
he was master. As a icritic his insight is keen and penetrating: ns a humorist
he has few superiors, as shown by the "Biglow Papers." He is decidedly a
nature poet. Is there any description of nature more beautiful than that in the
"Vision of Sir Launfal"? Lowell is our Burns in respect to patriotic songs.
His poems helped to lash the people of the North into zeal for the abolition
of slavery.
From comedy to pathos, from patriotism to criticism, this poet was able to
turn in almost a minute. In the same year in which the "Biglow Papers" were
published the "Vision of Sir Launfal" appeared. This by far is his masterpiece.
His love for the romantic, his nature study, his deeply religious life, and his
wonderful descriptive powers are shown here most strongly.
Perhaps far above the man's work in quality shines the truest and brightest
element of his life, his character. His loving and forgiving disposition, based
upon a religious love for everything true and holy, leaves in itself a heritage to
mankind which would cause him to be loved and esteemed by all. I sometimes
like to imagine that Lowell himself, spiritually, went through the experience he
ascribes to Sir Launfal, that he too came to know the true love of God by trial
and suffering, that he found the Holy Grail in a merciful act to the poor.
James Russell Lowell has been dead now for almost twenty years, but the
sweet influence left by his life will never die, but will add just so much more
to the great avalanche of love and truth which sweeps on through each generation
and gathers only what good is contributed by each life. His life was one
which must have realized the importance of little things. Although it was given
him to do great things, he would have been no less great if tohis lot fell the
little wearisome tasks of life, for a true, earnest nature will shine in the lowliest
walk of life as well as in the highest. The little things are really the great
ones, and the little ones sometimes count for more. AILEEN HAND, Dec '11.
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tobacco—inside.
friends. Yes, we
what cared we?
There were fc
Black Hills, a hu
me at nightfall ar
The three sat
watching them.
kled, and a halfwould
gaze for a
would smile—but
The hunter's
stolidly into a cor
knots, hard as flin
He was hunting.
But the most
soft and rosy, wit
and every little w
upon his lips.
I was host, b
Christmas comes
That is, if the sto
the silence.
I spoke sudd
It was a question
The hunter r;
I looked at t
and blushed agaii
I looked at tl
Then all look
each was thinking
Then the mil
and traveled wide
see the Chinese bi
but Hindus. In
not a traveler se
countries, I saw l
where have I fou
"He"—noddii
What is bravery?
defends his home
Does he drive out
own? Which is