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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〃Unhappily； it is obsolete。〃 I dare say he was not so leonine； either；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 they seem so fond of over there； throwing large
stones across the room； moving pianos； and lifting dinner…tables and
setting them a…twirl under the chandelier。 〃And now；〃 he demanded； 〃what
do you say to that？〃 〃Well； Mr。 Appleton；〃 Agassiz answered； to
Appleton's infinite delight； 〃I say that it did not happen。〃
One night they began to speak at the Dante supper of the unhappy man
whose crime is a red stain in the Cambridge annals； and one and another
recalled their impressions of Professor Webster。 It was possibly with a
retroactive sense that they had all felt something uncanny in him； but；
apropos of the deep salad…bowl in the centre of the table； Longfellow
remembered a supper Webster was at； where he lighted some chemical in
such a dish and held his head over it； with a handkerchief noosed about
his throat and lifted above it with one hand； while his face； in the pale
light； took on the livid ghastliness of that of a man hanged by the neck。
Another night the talk wandered to the visit which an English author （now
with God） paid America at the height of a popularity long since toppled
to the ground； with many another。 He was in very good humor with our
whole continent； and at Longfellow's table he found the champagne even
surprisingly fine。 〃But；〃 he said to his host； who now told the story；
〃it cawn't be genuine； you know！〃
Many years afterwards this author revisited our shores； and I dined with
him at Longfellow's； where he was anxious to constitute himself a guest
during his sojourn in our neighborhood。 Longfellow was equally anxious
that he should not do so； and he took a harmless pleasure in out…
manoeuvring him。 He seized a chance to speak with me alone； and plotted
to deliver him over to me without apparent unkindness； when the latest
horse…car should be going in to Boston； and begged me to walk him to
Harvard Square and put him aboard。 〃Put him aboard； and don't leave him
till the car starts； and then watch that he doesn't get off。〃
These instructions he accompanied with a lifting of the eyebrows； an