Longfellow said
he thought Mr. Charles Mathews was entirely unjust in his criticisms
upon Mr. Forrest's King Lear. He considered Mr. Forrest's rendering of
the part as very fine and close to nature. He could not understand why
Mr. Mathews should underrate it as he did. Longfellow showed us a book
given him by Charles Sumner. In it was an old engraving (from a
painting by Giulio Clovio) of the moon, in which Dante is walking with
his companion. He said it was a most impressive picture to him. He
knew it in the original; also there is a very good copy in the
Cambridge Library among the copies of illuminated manuscripts."
There is a little note belonging to this period full of poetic feeling
and giving more than a hint at the wearifulness of interrupting
visitors:--
"I send you the pleasant volume I promised you yesterday. It is a book
for summer moods by the seaside, but will not be out of place on a
winter night by the fireside.... You will find an allusion to the
'blue borage flowers' that flavor the claret-cup. I know where grows
another kind of bore-age that embitters the goblet of life. I can
spare you some of this herb, if you have room for it in your garden or
your garret. It is warranted to destroy all peace of mind, and finally
to produce softening of the brain and insanity.
"'Better juice of vine
Than berry wine!
Fire! fire! steel, oh, steel!
Fire! fire! steel and fire!'"
The following, written in the spring of the same year, gives a hint of
what a festival season it was to him while the lilacs which surround
his house were in bloom:--
"Here is the poem, copied for you by your humble scribe.
Pages:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61