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good offices of my old acquaintance Professor Messadaglia； then a deputy
in the Italian Parliament； whom； for some reason I cannot remember； I had
put in correspondence with Longfellow。 The honor was wholly unexpected；
and it brought Longfellow a distress which was chiefly for the gentleman
who had procured him the impossible distinction。 He showed me the pretty
collar and cross； not； I think； without a natural pleasure in it。 No man
was ever less a bigot in things civil or religious than he； but he said；
firmly； 〃Of course； as a republican and a Protestant； I can't accept a
decoration from a Catholic prince。〃 His decision was from his
conscience； and I think that all Americans who think duly about it will
approve his decision。
VI。
Such honors as he could fitly permit himself he did not refuse； and I
recall what zest he had in his election to the Arcadian Academy； which
had made him a shepherd of its Roman Fold； with the title； as he said； of
〃Olimipico something。〃 But I fancy his sweetest pleasure in his vast
renown came from his popular recognition everywhere。 Few were the lands；
few the languages he was unknown to： he showed me a version of the 〃Psalm
of Life〃 in Chinese。 Apparently even the poor lost autograph…seeker was
not denied by his universal kindness； I know that he kept a store of
autographs ready written on small squares of paper for all who applied by
letter or in person； he said it was no trouble； but perhaps he was to be
excused for refusing the request of a lady for fifty autographs； which
she wished to offer as a novel attraction to her guests at a lunch party。
Foreigners of all kinds thronged upon him at their pleasure； apparently；
and with perfect impunity。 Sometimes he got a little fun； very； very
kindly； out of their excuses and reasons； and the Englishman who came to
see him because there were no ruins to visit in America was no fable； as
I can testify from the poet himself。 But he had no prejudice against
Englishmen； and even at a certain time when the coarse…handed British
criticism began to blame his delicate art for the universal acceptance of
his verse； and to try to sneer him into the rank of inferior poets； he
was without rancor for the clumsy misliking that he felt。 He could not
understand rudeness； he was too finely framed for that； he could know it
only as Swedenborg's most celestial angels perceived evil； as something
distressful； angular。 The ill…will that seemed nearly always to go with
adverse criticism made him distrust criticism； and the discomfort which
mistaken or blundering praise gives probably made him shy of all
criticism。 He said that in his early life as an author he used to seek
out and save all the notices of his poems； but in his latter days he read
only those that happened to fall in his way； these he cut out and amused
his leisure by putting together in scrapbooks。 He was reluctant to make
any criticism of other poets； I do not remember ever to have heard him
make one； and his writings show no trace of the literary dislikes or
contempts which we so often mistake in ourselves for righteous judgments。
No doubt he had his resentments； but he hushed them in his heart； which
he did not suffer them to embitter。 While Poe was writing of 〃Longfellow
and other Plagiarists；〃 Longfellow was helping to keep Poe alive by the
loans which always made themselves gifts in Poe's case。 He very； very
rarely spoke of himself at all； and almost never of the grievances which
he did not fail to share with all who live。
He was patient； as I said； of all things； and gentle beyond all mere
gentlemanliness。 But it would have been a great mistake to mistake his
mildness for softness。 It was most manly and firm； and of course it was
braced with the New England conscience he was born to。 If he did not
find it well to assert himself； he was prompt in behalf of his friends；
and one of tho fine things told of him was his resenting some censures of
Sumner at a dinner in Boston during the old pro…slavery times： he said to
the gentlemen present that Sumner was his friend； and he must leave their
company if they continued to assail him。
But he spoke almost as rarely of his friends as of himself。 He liked the
large； impersonal topics which could be dealt with on their human side；
and involved characters rather than individuals。 This was rather strange
in Cambridge； where we were apt to take our instances from the
environment。 It was not the only thing he was strange in there； he was
not to that manner born； he lacked the final intimacies which can come
only of birth and lifelong association； and which make the men of the
Boston breed seem exclusive when they least feel so； he was Longfellow to
the friends who were James； and Charles； and Wendell to one another。 He
and Hawthorne were classmates at college； but I never heard him mention
Hawthorne； I never heard him mention Whittier or Emerson。 I think his
reticence about his contemporaries was largely due to his reluctance from
criticism： he was the finest artist of them all； and if he praised he
must have praised with the reservations of an honest man。 Of younger
writers he was willing enough to speak。 No new contributor made his mark
in the magazine unnoted by him； and sometimes I showed him verse in
manuscript which gave me peculiar pleasure。 I remember his liking for
the first piece that Mr。 Maurice Thompson sent me； and how he tasted the
fresh flavor of it； and inhaled its wild new fragrance。 He admired the
skill of some of the young story…tellers； he praised the subtlety of one
in working out an intricate character； and said modestly that he could
never have done that sort of thing himself。 It was entirely safe to
invite his judgment when in doubt； for he never suffered it to become
aggressive； or used it to urge upon me the manuscripts that must often
have been urged upon him。
Longfellow had a house at Nahant where he went every summer for more than
a quarter of a century。 He found the slight transition change enough
from Cambridge； and liked it perhaps because it did not take him beyond
the range of the friends and strangers whose company he liked。 Agassiz
was there； and Appleton； Sumner came to sojourn with him； and the
tourists of all nations found him there in half an hour after they
reached Boston。 His cottage was very plain and simple； but was rich in
the sight of the illimitable； sea； and it had a luxury of rocks at the
foot of its garden； draped with sea…weed； and washed with the
indefatigable tides。 As he grew older and feebler he ceased to go to
Nahant； he remained the whole year round at Cambridge； he professed to
like the summer which he said warmed him through there； better than the
cold spectacle of summer which had no such effect at Nahant。
The hospitality which was constant at either house was not merely of the
worldly sort。 Longfellow loved good cheer； he tasted history and poetry
in a precious wine； and he liked people who were acquainted with manners
and men； and brought the air of capitals with them。 But often the man
who dined with Longfellow was the man who needed a dinner； and from what