Lowell was the archetypal New England man of letters, remarkable for his cultivation and charm, his deep learning, and his varied literary talents. "[8] In his senior year, he became one of the editors of Harvardiana literary magazine, to which he contributed prose and poetry that he admitted was of low quality. "[73] His interest in the Civil War inspired him to write a second series of The Biglow Papers,[68] including one specifically dedicated to the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation called "Sunthin' in the Pastoral Line" in 1862. James Russell Lowell; James Russell Lowell. Wise. [83] Lowell and his wife set sail on July 8, 1872,[84] after he took a leave of absence from Harvard. James Russell Lowell (/ˈloʊəl/; February 22, 1819 – August 12, 1891) was an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. [91] While serving in this capacity, he addressed an importation of allegedly diseased cattle and made recommendations that predated the Pure Food and Drug Act. "[132] Nonetheless, in 1969 the Modern Language Association established a prize named after Lowell, awarded annually for "an outstanding literary or linguistic study, a critical edition of an important work, or a critical biography. He urged better conditions for factory workers, opposed capital punishment, and supported the temperance movement. [28] He was inspired to new efforts towards self-support and joined with his friend Robert Carter in founding the literary journal The Pioneer. Feb 4, 2014 - TRIVIA: Walt Whitman: "Lowell was not a grower—he was a builder. James Russell Lowell was born February 22, 1819, the son of the Reverend Charles Russell Lowell, Sr. (1782–1861), a minister at a Unitarian church in Boston who had previously studied theology at Edinburgh, and Harriett Brackett Spence Lowell. The Use of Nature and Emotion in Romantic Literature: Readings from Lowell… [53] Lowell chose to speak on "The English Poets", telling his friend Briggs that he would take revenge on dead poets "for the injuries received by one whom the public won't allow among the living". [32] He had published these articles anonymously, believing that they would have more impact if they were not known to be the work of a committed abolitionist. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Russell-Lowell, Turner Classic Movies - Biography of Yasujiro Ozu, Poetry Foundation - Biography of James Russell Lowell, The Walden Woods Project - James Russell Lowell, American Studies at The University of Virginia - Biography of James Russell Lowell, James Russell Lowell - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Besides Lowell, the main figures from this group were Longfellow, Holmes, John Greenleaf Whittier, and William Cullen Bryant. M.L. The Use of Nature and Emotion in Romantic Literature: Readings from Lowell… [71], As early as 1845, Lowell had predicted the debate over slavery would lead to war[72] and, as the Civil War broke out in the 1860s, Lowell used his role at the Review to praise Abraham Lincoln and his attempts to maintain the Union. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People named its newsletter The Crisis after the poem, and Martin Luther King Jr. frequently quoted the poem in his speeches and sermons. [42] Walter died suddenly in Rome of cholera, and Lowell and his wife, with their daughter Mabel, returned to the United States in October 1852. "[27] Lowell depicted Southerners very unfavorably in his second collection of The Biglow Papers but, by 1865, admitted that Southerners were "guilty only of weakness" and, by 1868, said that he sympathized with Southerners and their viewpoint on slavery. [125], In 1849, Lowell said of himself, "I am the first poet who has endeavored to express the American Idea, and I shall be popular by and by. He attempted to emulate the true Yankee accent in the dialogue of his characters, particularly in The Biglow Papers. He stayed there, along with his daughter Mabel and her governess Frances Dunlap, until January 1861. Saint Augustine. This depiction of the dialect, as well as his many satires, was an inspiration to writers such as Mark Twain and H. L. Mencken. [55] Lowell, who had never spoken in public before, was praised for these lectures. He was a highly influential man of letters in his day, but his reputation declined in the 20th century. "[119] After his marriage, Lowell at first did not share his wife's enthusiasm for the cause, but he was eventually pulled in. [135] Modern literary critic Van Wyck Brooks wrote that Lowell's poetry was forgettable: "one read them five times over and still forgot them, as if this excellent verse had been written in water. See more ideas about james russell lowell, lowell… [24] In Philadelphia, he became a contributing editor for the Pennsylvania Freeman, an abolitionist newspaper. James Russell Lowell: Among My Books; Adversity. [17] She, too, wrote poetry, and the next twelve years of Lowell's life were deeply affected by her influence. [103] That year, Lowell gave an address at the centenary of George Washington's inauguration. [21] James had previously expressed antislavery sentiments, but Maria urged him towards more active expression and involvement. He is associated with the Fireside Poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets that rivaled the popularity of British poets. [26] Lowell was very affected by the loss of almost all of his children. [102], In the last few months of his life, Lowell struggled with gout, sciatica in his left leg, and chronic nausea; by the summer of 1891, doctors believed that Lowell had cancer in his kidneys, liver, and lungs. He is associated with the Fireside Poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets who rivaled the popularity of British poets. The book, dedicated to Norton, collected poems Lowell had written within the previous twenty years and was his first poetry collection since 1848. The same year, he published The Biglow Papers, which increased his fame. [74], Shortly after Lincoln's assassination, Lowell was asked to present a poem at Harvard in memory of graduates killed in the war. Work You Faith God. Updates? [60] He focused on teaching literature, rather than etymology, hoping that his students would learn to enjoy the sound, rhythm, and flow of poetry rather than the technique of words. Join Facebook to connect with James Russell Lowell and others you may know. With its first issue in November of that year, he at once gave the magazine the stamp of high literature and of bold speech on public affairs. The proof of poetry is, in my mind, that it reduces to the essence of a single line the vague philosophy which is floating in all men's minds, and so render it portable and useful, and ready to the hand ... At least, no poem ever makes me respect its author which does not in some way convey a truth of philosophy.[111]. Here, a fictional version of Lowell says he does not believe that women will ever be equal to men in the arts and "the two sexes cannot be ranked counterparts". Analysis is carried into everything. As he said later, "I was as great an ass as ever brayed & thought it singing. James Russell Lowell is on Facebook. In 1845 Lowell published Conversations on Some of the Old Poets, a collection of critical essays that included pleas for the abolition of slavery. In 1857 he married Frances Dunlap, who had cared for his only remaining child, Mabel; and in that year he began his four years’ editorship of the new Atlantic Monthly, to which he attracted the major New England authors. He became involved in the movement to abolish slavery, with Lowell using poetry to express his anti-slavery views and taking a job in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the editor of an abolitionist newspaper. I begin to feel more like my old self than I have these ten years. [114] For example, Lowell's character Hosea Biglow says in verse: Ef you take a sword an' dror it, Essays for James Russell Lowell: Poetry. After his second wife died in 1885, Lowell retired from public life. If I die I shall have engraved on my tombstone that I died of der, die, das, not because I caught them but because I couldn't. [56] The job description was changing after Longfellow; instead of teaching languages directly, Lowell would supervise the department and deliver two lecture courses per year on topics of his own choosing. His parents were the Reverend Charles Lowell (1782–1861), a minister at a Unitarian church in Boston who had previously studied theology at Edinburgh, and Harriett Brackett Spence Lowell. After a yearlong visit to Italy and Germany in 1855–56 to study, he held this professorship for the next 20 years. KY-229 Location: Present Owner: • Present Occupant: Present Use: Statement of Significance: 4501 Crittenden Drive Louisville Jefferson County Kentucky U.S.G.S. After only one year, he was asked to contribute half as often to the Standard to make room for contributions from Edmund Quincy, another writer and reformer. [17] They were finally married on December 26, 1844,[18] shortly after the groom published Conversations on the Old Poets, a collection of his previously published essays. [46] In 1855, Lowell oversaw the publication of a memorial volume of his wife's poetry, with only fifty copies for private circulation. He traveled to Europe before officially assuming his teaching duties in 1856, and married Frances Dunlap shortly thereafter in 1857. Barzallai Frost because of his neglect of his studies. [68] His prose, however, was more abundantly presented in the pages of the North American Review during the years 1862–1872. By the time James Russell Lowell was born, the … They returned to the United States in the summer of 1874. [122] Enemies and friends of Lowell alike questioned his vacillating interest in the question of slavery. For the Review, he served as a coeditor along with Charles Eliot Norton. That year, he served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, speaking on behalf of presidential candidate Rutherford B. [52] Some speculated the opportunity was because of the family connection, offered as an attempt to bring him out of his depression. "[126] Poet Walt Whitman said: "Lowell was not a grower—he was a builder. [9] In his last year there, he wrote, "During Freshman year, I did nothing, during Sophomore year I did nothing, during Junior year I did nothing, and during Senior year I have thus far done nothing in the way of college studies. M.L. From 1845 to 1850 he wrote about 50 antislavery articles for periodicals. Primarily, however, Lowell spent his time abroad studying languages, particularly German, which he found difficult. [129], Contemporary critic and editor Margaret Fuller wrote, "his verse is stereotyped; his thought sounds no depth, and posterity will not remember him. Corrections? James Russell Lowell; Arguments and Controversy. [79] Lowell was one of the main members of the so-called "Dante Club", along with William Dean Howells, Charles Eliot Norton and other occasional guests. [35], In 1848, Lowell also published The Biglow Papers, later named by the Grolier Club as the most influential book of 1848. The couple had several children, though only one survived past childhood. "[40] These personal troubles as well as the Compromise of 1850 inspired Lowell to accept an offer from William Wetmore Story to spend a winter in Italy. God'll send the bill to you. His grief over the death of his first daughter in particular was expressed in his poem "The First Snowfall" (1847). [30] The first issue of the journal included the first appearance of "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe. As he wrote in his introduction to The Biglow Papers, "few American writers or speakers wield their native language with the directness, precision, and force that are common as the day in the mother country". He continued to teach at Harvard for twenty years. "[132] Even his friend Richard Henry Dana Jr. questioned Lowell's abilities, calling him "very clever, entertaining & good humored ... but he is rather a trifler, after all. His last few months, he was administered opium for the pain and was rarely fully conscious. Easy to use and portable, study sets in James Russell Lowell are great for studying in the way that works for you, at the time that works for you. Bio: James Russell Lowell was an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. [39] Under the surface, The Biglow Papers was also a denunciation of the Mexican–American War and war in general. In these satirical verses, Lowell uses a humorous and original New England dialect to express his opposition to the Mexican War as an attempt to extend the area of slavery. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. He had trouble socializing while in Spain, however, and amused himself by sending humorous dispatches to his political bosses in the United States, many of which were later collected and published posthumously in 1899 as Impressions of Spain. 1. [35] In it, he took good-natured jabs at his contemporary poets and critics—but not all the subjects were pleased. It proved a popular satire, and the first 3,000 copies sold out quickly. James Russell Lowell (22 February 1819 – 12 August 1891) was an American Romantic poet, critic, satirist, writer, diplomat, and abolitionist. [25] In the spring of 1845, the Lowells returned to Cambridge to make their home at Elmwood. "[130] Evert Augustus Duyckinck thought Lowell was too similar to other poets like William Shakespeare and John Milton. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. His later poetry includes The Cathedral (1870), a long and ambitious but only partly successful poem that deals with the conflicting claims of religion and modern science. However, in 1857, surprising his friends, he became engaged to Frances Dunlap, whom many described as simple and unattractive. [60] It was in 1876 that Lowell first stepped into the field of politics. Not failure, but low aim, is crime. However, his commitment to the anti-slavery cause wavered over the years, as did his opinion on African-Americans. [33] In the spring of 1848, he formed a connection with the National Anti-Slavery Standard of New York, agreeing to contribute weekly either a poem or a prose article. Yellin, Jean Fagan. James Russell Lowell was born February 22, 1819. [83], Lowell resigned from his Harvard professorship in 1874, though he was persuaded to continue teaching through 1877. Genre/Form: Biographies Biography: Additional Physical Format: Online version: Scudder, Horace Elisha, 1838-1902. JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (East Highland Park School) HABS No. [1] He was a member of the eighth generation of the Lowell family,[2] the descendants of Percival Lowle who settled in Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1639. [59] Towards the end of his professorship, then-president of Harvard Charles William Eliot noted that Lowell seemed to have "no natural inclination" to teach; Lowell agreed, but retained his position for twenty years. [70] Lowell lost three nephews during the war, including Charles Russell Lowell Jr., who became a Brigadier General and fell at the Battle of Cedar Creek. James Russell Lowell Quotes. They had four children, though only one (Mabel, born 1847) survived past infancy. [85] Hayes won the nomination and, eventually, the presidency. [99] Lowell spent part of the 1880s delivering various speeches,[100] and his last published works were mostly collections of essays, including Political Essays, and a collection of his poems Heartsease and Rue in 1888. – James Russell Lowell. Get all the lyrics to songs by James Russell Lowell and join the Genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics. [51], At the invitation of his cousin John Amory Lowell, James Russell Lowell was asked to deliver a lecture at the prestigious Lowell Institute. [20] Lowell himself believed that she was made up "half of earth and more than half of Heaven". In 1844 he was married to the gifted poet Maria White, who had inspired his poems in A Year’s Life (1841) and who would help him channel his energies into fruitful directions. [98] His last few years he traveled back to England periodically[101] and when he returned to the United States in the fall of 1889, he moved back to Elmwood[102] with Mabel, while her husband worked for clients in New York and New Jersey. [120] The couple often gave money to fugitive slaves, even when their own financial situation was not strong, especially if they were asked to free a spouse or child. He said that his first book of poetry A Year's Life (1841) "owes all its beauty to her", though it only sold 300 copies. [121] Even so, he did not always fully agree with the followers of the movement. [137] The poem was also the source of the hymn Once to Every Man and Nation. [108] He composed his poetry rapidly when inspired by an "inner light" but could not write to order. Early in his career, James Russell Lowell's writing was influenced by Swedenborgianism, a Spiritualism-infused form of Christianity founded by Emanuel Swedenborg, causing Frances Longfellow (wife of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) to mention that "he has been long in the habit of seeing spirits". Abolitionist Samuel Joseph May accused him of trying to quit the movement because of his association with Harvard and the Boston Brahmin culture: "Having got into the smooth, dignified, self-complacent, and change-hating society of the college and its Boston circles, Lowell has gone over to the world, and to 'respectability'. "[20] William Wetmore Story noted the journal's higher taste, writing that "it took some stand & appealled to a higher intellectual Standard than our puerile milk or watery namby-pamby Mags with which we are overrun". "[59], In the autumn of 1857, The Atlantic Monthly was established, and Lowell was its first editor. Guv'ment aint to answer to it, His friend Edward Everett Hale denied these allegations. James Russell Lowell, (born Feb. 22, 1819, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.—died Aug. 12, 1891, Cambridge), American poet, critic, essayist, editor, and diplomat whose major significance probably lies in the interest in literature he helped develop in the United States. Intriguing heroes are plenty, villains, not so many. [31] Poe mourned the journal's demise, calling it "a most severe blow to the cause—the cause of a Pure Taste". He built poems: he didn't put in the seed, and water the seed, and send down his sun—letting the rest take care of itself: he measured his poems—kept them within formula.". She was a member of the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society and persuaded her husband to become an abolitionist. His Class Day poem satirized the social movements of the day; abolitionists, Thomas Carlyle, Emerson, and the Transcendentalists were treated. [6] Lowell's mother built in him an appreciation for literature at an early age, especially in poetry, ballads, and tales from her native Orkney. He ultimately enrolled at Harvard Law School in 1840 and was admitted to the bar two years later. [131] Ralph Waldo Emerson noted that, though Lowell had significant technical skill, his poetry "rather expresses his wish, his ambition, than the uncontrollable interior impulse which is the authentic mark of a new poem ... and which is felt in the pervading tone, rather than in brilliant parts or lines. From required chapel attendance 14 times and from classes 56 times to other poets sent many letters Lowell... Movements of the movement Freeman, an abolitionist, but soon gave it up for this,. The summer of 1856 and began his College duties he tried the,. Of literature, history, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica were pleased Anti-Wine '' club at Harvard for years! 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