Chapter John Greenleaf Whittier of Index by Simonds History of American Literature

with delight, and felt his own soul kindled with poetic fire. He began to write rhymes of his own, and the verses were passed about and admired. He borrowed all the books that were available, especially poems; one of his first purchases was a copy of Shakespeare's plays. His parents were devout Quakers, and it was natural enough that oftener than any other volume, the Bible was in his hands. Meanwhile the youth was working hard at plow and scythe, steadily employed in the severe manual labor of the farm. District school he attended during the twelve weeks' session every winter.

In Print.

Whittier's father was a subscriber to the Free Press, a weekly paper which young William Lloyd Garrison was then editing at Newburyport; and to this publication Mary Whittier, a sister two years older than the youthful poet, sent anonymously one of his early compositions. It was printed by the editor; and one day when the eighteen-year-old lad was mending fences the postman tossed him the weekly paper with his verses in the "Poet's Corner." Whittier could hardly believe his eyes. He stood dazed, reading the lines, scarcely comprehending the fact that one of his poems was actually in print. It was not long thereafter that Garrison himself drove over to have a look at his new contributor; and the lifelong friendship of these two men was begun. The visitor urged Mr. Whittier not to discourage the literary ambitions of his son, and advised that the youth be given an education. While not indifferent to his son's desires, Mr. Whittier was a hard-headed, hard-working practical man, upon whom the necessity of a livelihood pressed heavily. True to the poet's characterization of him in Snow-Bound,--

"A prompt, decisive man, no breath
Our father wasted:"--

his terse response to this appeal was, "Sir, poetry will not give him bread!"

The Academy.

But Whittier yearned for an education. His health was delicate; indeed, it had already suffered from the hard labor of the farm, and it was evident that his physique could not endure the heavy demands of the agricultural life. It was not long after Garrison's visit, therefore, that young Whittier obtained his father's consent to his attendance at the academy in Haverhill, provided that he could earn the means. So the farm-boy learned how to make slippers and labored at the shoemaker's bench. Thus he paid his tuition for a six months' term in the Haverhill school. The next winter he taught in the country district and earned sufficient funds to secure another term at the academy. This was the extent of Whittier's scholastic training. A college course he was compelled to renounce for lack of funds, and a disinclination to accept assistance unearned. He had read a surprising number of books, -- sometimes walking miles to secure a coveted volume, -- had written a great deal of verse, and was locally known as a poet. He even planned to publish an edition of his poems, but the project failed.

The Journalist.

Under the circumstances, Whittier was fortunate in the opportunities which now offered for a career. In 1829, he became editor of a journal published in Boston called the American Manufacturer, which supported the idea of a protective tariff, and also contained literary matter. The position carried no particular distinction with it, and the salary was only nine dollars a week; but it served as a good school for a young writer. Whittier wrote regularly for his paper, both prose and verse, yet had considerable leisure for reading, and making acquaintance with the world. In August, his father's illness called him home, and he was kept busy in the management of the farm until his father's death. Early in 1830, he became editor of the Haverhill Gazette. This engagement continued for six months, when he assumed editorial charge of the New England Review, published in Hartford. That the young Quaker of Haverhill had already made some impression by his personality as well as by his pen is evident from the introduction now given him by George D. Prentice, the retiring editor of the Review.

"I cannot do less than congratulate my readers," said Prentice, "on the prospect of their more familiar acquaintance with a gentleman of such powerful energies and such exalted purity and sweetness of