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after his return to Cambridge I had a message from him asking me to come
to a meeting of the Dante Club at Craigie House。
Longfellow was that winter （1866…7） revising his translation of the
'Paradiso'； and the Dante Club was the circle of Italianate friends and
scholars whom he invited to follow him and criticise his work from the
original； while he read his version aloud。 Those who were most
constantly present were Lowell and Professor Norton； but from time to
time others came in； and we seldom sat down at the nine…o'clock supper
that followed the reading of the canto in less number than ten or twelve。
The criticism； especially from the accomplished Danteists I have named；
was frank and frequent。 I believe they neither of them quite agreed with
Longfellow as to the form of version he had chosen； but； waiving that；
the question was how perfectly he had done his work upon the given lines：
I myself； with whatever right； great or little； I may have to an opinion；
believe thoroughly in Longfellow's plan。 When I read his version my
sense aches for the rhyme which he rejected； but my admiration for his
fidelity to Dante otherwise is immeasurable。 I remember with equal
admiration the subtle and sympathetic scholarship of his critics； who
scrutinized every shade of meaning in a word or phrase that gave them
pause； and did not let it pass till all the reasons and facts had been
considered。 Sometimes； and even often； Longfellow yielded to their
censure； but for the most part； when he was of another mind； he held to
his mind； and the passage had to go as he said。 I make a little haste to
say that in all the meetings of the Club； during a whole winter of
Wednesday evenings； I myself； though I faithfully followed in an Italian
Dante with the rest； ventured upon one suggestion only。 This was kindly；
even seriously； considered by the poet； and gently rejected。 He could
not do anything otherwise than gently； and I was not suffered to feel
that I had done a presumptuous thing。 I can see him now； as he looked up
from the proof…sheets on the round table before him； and over at me；
growing consciously smaller and smaller； like something through a
reversed opera…glass。 He had a shaded drop…light in front of him； and in
its glow his beautiful and benignly noble head had a dignity peculiar to
him。
All the portraits of Longfellow are likenesses more or less bad and good；
for there was something as simple in the physiognomy as in the nature of
the man。 His head； after he allowed his beard to grow and wore his hair
long in the manner of elderly men； was leonine； but mildly leonine； as
the old painters conceived the lion of St。 Mark。 Once Sophocles； the ex…
monk of Mount Athos； so long a Greek professor at Harvard； came in for
supper； after the reading was over； and he was leonine too； but of a
fierceness that contrasted finely with Longfellow's mildness。 I remember
the poet's asking him something about the punishment of impaling； in
Turkey； and his answering； with an ironical gleam of his fiery eyes；
〃Unhappily； it is obsolete。〃 I dare say he was not so leonine； either；
as he looked。
When Longfellow read verse； it was with a hollow； with a mellow resonant
murmur； like the note of some deep…throated horn。 His voice was very
lulling in quality； and at the Dante Club it used to have early effect
with an old scholar who sat in a cavernous armchair at the corner of the
fire； and who drowsed audibly in the soft tone and the gentle heat。 The
poet had a fat terrier who wished always to be present at the meetings of
the Club； and he commonly fell asleep at the same moment with that dear
old scholar； so that when they began to make themselves heard in concert；
one could not tell which it was that most took our thoughts from the text
of the Paradiso。 When the duet opened； Longfellow would look up with an
arch recognition of the fact； and then go gravely on to the end of the
canto。 At the close he would speak to his friend and lead him out to
supper as if he had not seen or heard anything amiss。
III。
In that elect company I was silent； partly because I was conscious of my
youthful inadequacy； and partly because I preferred to listen。 But
Longfellow always behaved as if I were saying a succession of edifying
and delightful things； and from time to time he addressed himself to me；
so that I should not feel left out。 He did not talk much himself； and I
recall nothing that he said。 But he always spoke both wisely and simply；
without the least touch of pose； and with no intention of effect； but
with something that I must call quality for want of a better word； so
that at a table where Holmes sparkled； and Lowell glowed； and Agassiz
beamed； he cast the light of a gentle gaiety； which seemed to dim all
these vivider luminaries。 While he spoke you did not miss Fields's story
or Tom Appleton's wit； or even the gracious amity of Mr。 Norton； with his
unequalled intuitions。
The supper was very plain： a cold turkey； which the host carved； or a
haunch of venison； or some braces of grouse； or a platter of quails； with
a deep bowl of salad； and the sympathetic companionship of those elect
vintages which Longfellow loved； and which he chose with the inspiration
of affection。 We usually began with oysters； and when some one who was
expected did not come promptly； Longfellow invited us to raid his plate；
as a just punishment of his delay。 One evening Lowell remarked； with the
cayenne poised above his bluepoints； 〃It's astonishing how fond these
fellows are of pepper。〃
The old friend of the cavernous arm…chair was perhaps not wide enough
awake to repress an 〃Ah？〃 of deep interest in this fact of natural
history； and Lowell was provoked to go on。 〃Yes； I've dropped a red
pepper pod into a barrel of them； before now； and then taken them out in
a solid mass； clinging to it like a swarm of bees to their queen。〃
〃Is it possible？〃 cried the old friend； and then Longfellow intervened to
save him from worse； and turned the talk。
I reproach myself that I made no record of the talk； for I find that only
a few fragments of it have caught in my memory； and that the sieve which
should have kept the gold has let it wash away with the gravel。
I remember once Doctor Holmes's talking of the physician as the true
seer； whose awful gift it was to behold with the fatal second sight of
science the shroud gathering to the throat of many a doomed man
apparently in perfect health； and happy in the promise of unnumbered
days。 The thought may have been suggested by some of the toys of
superstition which intellectual people like to play with。
I never could be quite sure at first that Longfellow's brother…in…law；
Appleton； was seriously a spiritualist； even when he disputed the most
strenuously with the unbelieving Autocrat。 But he really was in earnest
about it； though he relished a joke at the expense of his doctrine； like
some clerics when they are in the safe company of other clerics。 He told
me once of having recounted to Agassiz the facts of a very remarkable
seance； where the souls of the departed outdid themselves in the
athletics and acrobatics the