r one young man, for one
middle-aged man, and for one who is growing old. No, no--banish the
Antiquary, banish Leather-Stocking, and banish all the world! Let us
not go about to make life duller than it is."

[Signature of the author.]

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT[14]

[Footnote 14: Reprinted by permission from Appletons'
Journal.]

By RICHARD HENRY STODDARD

(1794-1878)

The life of William Cullen Bryant covers what to me is the most
interesting period in the history of American letters. We cannot be
said to have had a literature when he was born (certainly nothing
worthy of the name), and if we have one now, we owe whatever is of
value therein to three or four writers, among whom he will always
stand first. We were waiting for it, as the English were waiting for a
new-growth in their literature, and it came at last, though later to
us than to them. The same seed blossomed in both countries, only it
was native there, being first sown in "Percy's Reliques," while here
it was transplanted at second-hand from the pages of a new race of
English poets, particularly Wordsworth. They returned to nature in
literature; we, who had no literature, discovered it in nature. That
both the English and ourselves have gone astray after other gods is
certain, but all is not lost yet; Greek atheism will no more satisfy
them forever, than the "barbaric yawp" of the rough will satisfy us.

William Cullen Bryant was born at Cummington, Mass., on November 3,
1794. He was happy in his parentage, his father, who was a physician,
being a studious and thoughtful man, while his mother was a woman of
strong understanding. The infant poet is said to have been remarkable
for an immense head, which was not pleasing in the sight of his
father, who ordered him to be ducked every morning in a spring near
the house. He resisted the treatment, as what child of tender years
would not? but to no purpose--he was predestined to be ducked. Whether
the cold water arrested the cerebral development, we are not told, but
it strengthened his frail _physique_, and made him a hardy little lad.
He began early to write verses, a pursuit in which he was encouraged
by his father, who directed him to what were then considered the best
models, taught him the value of correctness of expression and
condensation of statement, and pointed out the difference between true
and false eloquence in verse. The father of Pope is said to have
performed the