" It
leads us, individually, only to a full sense of the artistical power
and knowledge of the poet. We confess that now, for the first time, we
hear unity of conception objected to as a defect. But Mr. Langtree
seems to have fallen into the singular error of supposing the poet
to have absolutely but one idea in each of his ballads. Yet how "one
idea" can be "gradually unfolded" without other ideas is, to us, a
mystery of mysteries. Mr. Longfellow, very properly, has but one
leading idea which forms the basis of his poem; but to the aid and
development of this one there are innumerable others, of which the
rare excellence is that all are in keeping, that none could be well
omitted, that each tends to the one general effect. It is
unnecessary to say another word upon this topic.
In speaking of "Excelsior," Mr. Langtree (are we wrong in
attributing the notice to his very forcible pen?) seems to labour
under some similar misconception. "It carries along with it," says he,
"a false moral which greatly diminishes its merit in our eyes. The
great merit of a picture, whether made with the pencil or pen, is
its truth; and this merit does not belong to Mr. Longfellow's
sketch. Men of genius may, and probably do, meet with greater
difficulties in their struggles with the world than their fellow men
who are less highly gifted; but their power of overcoming obstacles is
proportionately greater, and the result of their laborious suffering
is not death but immortality.
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