titled "Hymns of the Spirit," and
published under the joint names of Samuel Longfellow and Samuel Johnson,
is a valuable one, and the hymns which Mr. Longfellow himself
contributed to the _repertoire_ of the denomination are deeply religious
in tone; and yet I must think that among Unitarians of thirty or more
years ago he was held to be something of a skeptic. Thomas G. Appleton
was speaking of him in my presence one day, and said, "He asked me
whether I could not get along without the idea of a personal God. I
replied, 'No, you ---- ----.'" Appleton shook his fist, and was very
vehement in his expression; but his indignation had reference to Mr.
Longfellow's supposed opinions, and not at all to his character, which
was esteemed of all men.

I myself was present when he read his essay on "Law" before the Radical
Club. Of this I especially recall a rather elaborate argument against
the popular notion of a directing and overruling Providence. He
supported his statement by the imagined story of a shipwreck or railroad
disaster, in which some would escape injury, while others quite as
worthy might be killed or maimed for life. "How," he asked, "could we
call a providence divine which, able to save all of those people, should
rescue only a part of them, leaving the rest to perish?"

When it became my turn to take part in the discussion of this paper, I
admitted the logical consistency of Mr. Longfellow's argument. I could
point out no flaw in it, and yet, I maintained that the faith in an
overruling Providence lay so deeply in my mind that it still persevered,
in spite of the ingenious statements to which we had just listened. Mrs.
Livermore, who was present on this occasion, expressed herself as much
of my opinion, acknowledging the consistency of the demonstration, but
declining to abide in the conclusion arrived at.

My last recollection of speech with Mr. Longfellow is of an evening on
which I lectured at his church in Germantown. He gave me a most
hospitable reception, and I found it very pleasant to be his guest.

* * * * *

To speak of my first impressions of Dr. F. H. Hedge, I must turn back to
the autumn of 1841, when he delivered his first Phi Beta address at
Harvard College.

This was the summer already mentioned as having brought my first meeting
with Dr. Howe. Commencement and Phi Beta in those days were held in the
early autumn, and my sisters and I were staying at a cottag