His idea was to represent the origin, the medieval
aspect, and the Puritan conception of Christianity--a task not well suited
to Longfellow's genius. _The Golden Legend_ is the most poetic, but _The
New England Tragedies_ is the most likely to be read in future years, not
for its poetic charms, but because it presents two phases of New England's
colonial history, the persecution of the Quakers and the Salem witchcraft
delusion.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS.--An eminent Scotch educator says that Longfellow
has probably taught more people to love poetry than any other
nineteenth-century poet, English or American. He is America's best and most
widely read story-teller in verse. Success in long narrative poems is rare
in any literature. Probably the majority of critics would find it difficult
to agree on any English poet since Chaucer who has surpassed Longfellow in
this field.
He has achieved the unusual distinction of making the commonplace
attractive and beautiful. He is the poet of the home, of the common people,
and of those common objects in nature which in his verses convey a lesson
to all. He has proved a moral stimulus to his age and he has further helped
to make the world kindlier and its troubles more easily borne.
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