Episodes of My Second Life (Volume 1)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII. CAMBRIDGE SOCIETY. A new situation--Pro and contra--Soldier or teacher?--Schoolgirls' nature--Social intercourse--A stranger's popularity--The ami de la maison--Two charming women--A fancy fair--A ladies' post-office--Doggerel poetry--A success--The, long vacation--Deep at work--A western tour--A black-gown meeting--A New England autumn. After that walk with Longfellow I felt like a new man. I did not, indeed, blind myself to the real merits of my poetical effusions, and could make due allowance for the mere goodwill of the kind friends who had brought them into notice. Moreover, I was by no means sure that even their unbiassed judgment of verses in a foreign language might be accepted as decisive and final. Longfellow himself could hardly as yet be said to have established his reputation. His pupils and friends had certainly a high opinion of him; but Hyperion and Voices of the Night had not yet appeared, and what he had hitherto published had not taken a very firm hold of the public even in his native land; and there was nothing in his productions that seemed to justify the long hair and the somewhat outlandish, picturesque garb by which he made himself conspicuous. Both himself and Tuckerman were only looked upon as rising men. But even attaching the utmost importance to the good opinion they might have of me, I could not help feeling that my success as a lite-ary man must be in every sense ephemeral. I could never make my living in America by writing Italian verse. Holmes and Pierpoint had proved how even English poetry could earn no daily bread in New England; and what hope could I entertain of ever being able to set up as an English writer, be it of rhyme or prose? Was there no other business open to me than that of a teacher o...