Chapter I: 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_ 74

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_ 166

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_ 273

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_ 365

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 451

I. _His Life_ 453

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

I

_Washington Irving_

REFERENCES:

[=E. A. Duyckinck=]: _Irvingiana, a Memorial of Washington
Irving_, 1860.

=W. C. Bryant=: _A Discourse on the Life, Character, and Genius
of Washington Irving_, 1860.

=Pierre M. Irving=: _The Life and Letters of Washington Irving_,
1862–64.

=C. D. Warner=: _The Work of Washington Irving_, 1893.