John Greenleaf Whittier (1950)

[Music] out of the calm hardworking Quaker community of East hail Massachusetts emerged the Quaker poet of New England John greenle fiter born in 18007 on a farm which his family had occupied for five Generations he was the second child of John and Abigail Whittier young Green Leaf as his family called him soon learned to perform the labors of the farm but he had very little opportunity for schooling when Green Leaf was 14 however the master of the district school Joshua coffen spent numerous evenings by the Whittier Fireside lay the proud usurers low tyrants fall in every foe Liberties in every blow the let us do or die let us do or die most melodious Mr coffin most melodious whose lines are these again the Poetry of Robert Burns ma'am this Burns has an easy tongue for Bloodshed for war too easy for our Quaker we whiters know little of books Mr coffin but in one way this Burns agrees with the Society of Friends he speaks a strong word against slavery to strong ah that we only had such a voice to speak against slavery now tell me green leaf do you like this poetry if it please thee Mr coffin Green Leaf is a lover of books and such is he know hush now Mary thou Wilt embarrass the boy but the girl is right he's a great reader Abigail Green Leaf is to be a farmer I see nevertheless I wish to make a loan of this book to Green Leaf if I may many thanks sir no thanks necessary my [Music] boy Green Leaf Green Leaf what's a poem don't know yet Lizzie that's what I'm going to find out so I can write some or try to read me a poem Green Leaf very well Lizzy listen my heart's in the highlands my heart is not here my hearts in the highlands are chasing the deer with this introduction to the Poetry of Robert Burns young Green Leaf discovered a sign of talent within himself father father look here what is it son one of my poems published right here in the new report free press William Lloyd garison's paper the Exile departure by W and listen to this note at the Finish if w at hail will continue to favor us with pieces as beautiful as the one inserted in our poetical department of today we shall esteem it a favor if he wants more poetry from W he shall have it Green Leaf put the paper away for now we have work to do we are farmers of course father who could have sent in the poem who Green Leaf this is Mr Garrison he's driven all the way from Newberry Port to see Thee the you must excuse my appearance I ah don't mention it don't mention it when I think had it not been for your sister your poetry and talent might still be hidden among the gett rubbish might have been better if those words had been left where they were and never reached thee seems the only thing I'm fit to become is a cobbler oh why so Melancholy with here why many's the time the making of an excellent shoe has helped in the making of an excellent poem huh John Whittier finally allowed his son to attend the Newan Hao you can't imagine how proud I am of you cousin Green Leaf think that you made ladies slippers to get your education here at the Academy it reminds the of the difference in our stations and ways of life doesn't it nothing of the sort it reminds me of the rank that you've gained as a writer already with your pros and published in the newspapers and Poets are supposed to be of great charm and slight means H I have only the slight means without the charm you have great talent oh my poetry might have been written by any one of a hundred poets every line is to be forced from the pen still it emerges an imitation this time Byron the next Milton but you copy only the best one day other Young Writers will copy you Mary Mary I want a place in the world I want to be famous I want to be eligible I I want to impress thee Mary so thou will know I'm as good a man as any I've always known that cousin Greenleaf I can gain money and reputation and journalism William carer of Boston has offered me a position as editor of the manufacturer the ambitious Quaker you'll never be content with merely Spreading the News like a Quaker you'll you'll take a side and speak out for it I'll take the side of success no no when it comes to a choice you'll take the sight of the righteous oh th art a rare creature Mary Emerson after a year and a half in Boston as editor for ker young Whittier returned to the farm due to the rapid failure of his father's Health when John Whittier died Green Leaf only 23 assumed responsibility for the family and went to Hartford to become editor of the New England weekly review his Works were published extensively but he achieved his greatest success in the field of politics ill health however forced him to resign and returned to hail for a much needed rest however William Lloyd Garrison was championing a cause and Publishing a paper which sorely needed the talents of the successful young poet the cause abolitionism the paper The Liberator con Garrison now against be sure I am for their cause wholeheartedly but is it so necessary for me to take an active part at this time in a few short years your words and fame as an editor and a molder of men's Minds has spread all over New England you hold the balance of power here in North Essex abolitionism needs you now you're to be the next nominee of your party to Congress yes if my health permits however if I associate myself with the and abolitionism any chance of election to Congress would be swept aside I should lose public favor lose hope of ever earning enough to marry the choice is difficult but not for you are you not a Quaker have you forgotten that inward fire which says to you fight for man's right to be free and that poem which you wrote dedicating it to me go on the dagger's point May glare amid thy Pathways Gloom the Fate which sternly threatens there is glorious martydom These Are Not Mere fcel words he Jon call For Better or Worse John Greenleaf fer adopted the cause of abolition and the great fundamental principle that man cannot hold property in man first in the pamphlet Justice and expediency then in a steady stream of fiery verse propaganda he sacrificed All Tech technique and smoothness to a harsh compelling Cry of Rage at Injustice he continued politically active and helped to found the new Republican party he also continued writing but after two strenuous years as editor of the Pennsylvania Freeman during which he gained stature as a writer of Pros his Frailty again forced retirement and at the age of 33 he returned to his new home at Asbury which was a acoss the street from the Quaker Meeting House Green Leaf what can the be thinking of of all night I could hear the Garrison Garrison he wants to disrupt the union lead to Bloodshed emancipation must be accomplished within the framework of the Constitution perhaps it's time they became a poet again Greenleaf if their writings were less controversial people might buy them for their literary merit we'd all be wellfed but actually I'd rather go hungry than have thee go against thy Inner Light I'm not up to it yet work of any sort write something thou can't create here at home Thou Art an editor criticize thy own work perhaps the can still write literature as well as propaganda maybe sing a few lays of my home discover just how good a poet I can really be henceforward Whittier seldom strayed long or far from Asbury here he wrote lays of my home the first book of poetry for which he was paid his seclusion was indeed improving his work and the chief vehicle of his writing became the Washington DC newspaper the national era which in 1850 published his Masterpiece of denunciatory verse kabar all else is gone those great eyes the soul has fled and faith is lost when honor dies the man is dead what are they mumbling about Green Lea perhaps I was too harsh with Daniel Webster aabad he didn't have to make that speech in favor of compromise that was very hard on him perhaps he feared war and was striving to avoid it perhaps in which case his motives are unquestionably the finest I've been unjust I shall have much to answer for if War comes my words can return to mock me the death of many but we are right Lizzy no [Music] compromise within a decade all the horrors of War were upon the nation and what do your turn from fiery anti-slavery writing to poems for peace and Brotherhood with the end of the war came the passage of the amendment abolishing slavery and in a tide of feeling of rejoicing quer wrote his leus D praising God for the freeing of the slaves and the ending of the war however John Greenley foer's rejoicing was shadowed with tragedy death had already taken his beloved mother an older sister Mary and before the war's end Elizabeth who had devoted her life to caring for for him was on her deathbed how ironic it would be certainly fortune or fate or whatever we may call it chose to smile on me now Lizzie whom should I share it with green leaf listen I have written poetry and it has been praised but had I been brighter touched by the spark of inspiration as Thou Art I might have written words that would have lived after me If thy would live I shall live in them sharing them with thee can you deny me this no lizy no though whiter had already written some of his best known poetry the barefoot boy Skipper iris's ride Barbara frie it remained for deep personal tragedy to provide the Quaker with his greatest challenge my heart's in the highlands my heart is not here my heart's in the highlands chasing the deer Green Leaf what's a home [Music] [Music] snowbound a winter I do to the memory of the household which it describes this poem is dedicated by the author the Sun that brief December day Rose cheerless over Hills of gray and Darkly circled gave at noon a sadder light and waning moon Our Father rode again his ride on MRA magog's wooded side our mother she made us welcome to her home old hears grew wide to give us room there to our eldest sister applied her evening task to stand beside a full Rich nature free to trust truthful and almost sternly just our youngest and our dearest sat lifting her large sweet asking eyes now bathed within the fadeless green and holy piece of paradise clasp Angel of the backward look and folded wings of Ash and gray and voice of Echoes far away the Brazen covers of thy book out of whittier's ability to make friends with memory came snowbound if he had written nothing else his immortality would have been assured by this single work John Greenleaf Whittier lived out the rest of his years in Cal seclusion at Amesbury in late life he advised a young friend 15 years old my lad if thou wouldst win success join thyself to some unpopular but noble cause in 18 77 a banquet was given by the Atlantic Monthly in Boston one of the principal speakers was the renowned doctor and poet Oliver Wendell Holmes and those poets and authors Among Us have much for which to thank the Atlantic Monthly I know I speak not only for myself but for Ralph Waldo Emerson and James Russell LEL whose lines I have quoted to you here this evening I have however overlooked the poetry of one other contributor whose beautiful songs and long years and popularity the Atlantic Monthly May well be thankful for for who will forget those lines blessings on the little man barefoot boy with cheek of tan from my heart I give thee Joy I was once a barefoot boy indeed the man we have come here to toast tonight has given joy to many because I believe he had the Good Fortune once to be a a barefoot boy so gentlemen rise now I give you on his great 70th Anniversary the Wood Thrush of essic John Greenleaf wio [Applause] [Music]