He
praised certain portions very highly, but averred that these were
exceptional, and concluded with what seems to be a "reductio ad
absurdum," namely, that Longfellow's poem of "The Bridge" or Whittier's
"School Days" was worth the whole body of Emerson's verse. As these were
anything but the best of Longfellow and Whittier it seemed rather
inconsistent in Matthew Arnold to have praised Emerson's poetry at all;
and this was the more surprising after his courageous defence of
Wadsworth a short time before. Those who like Emerson's poetry usually
like Wordsworth's and _vice versa_.
But Emerson's poetry is a peculiar subject. Carlyle and Lowell, both
eminent critics, did not condemn it, but at the same time they were slow
to praise it. Dr. F. H. Hedge, who probably knew more about literature
than either of them, considered it poetry of a very high order, and Rev.
William Furness of Philadelphia, when some one spoke slightingly of
Emerson as a poet, exclaimed, "He is heaven high above our other poets!"
In many obituary notices at the time of his death, he was mentioned as
being easily the first of American poets. Professor Tyndall has a great
admiration for his poetry; and so has another professor we know of whom
we will not mention, but who is an equally good chemist. Dr. O. W.
Holmes' life of Emerson was dreaded by many for fear of the position he
might assume on this question, but to the general surprise of the
public, he took strong grounds in favor of it; so that since that time,
whenever people laugh at Emerson's poetry it is only necessary to ask
them if they have read Dr.
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