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Longfellow； and their friendship continued while they lived； but towards
the last of his visits at Craigie House it had a pathos for the witness
which I should grieve to wrong。 Greene was then a quivering paralytic；
and he clung tremulously to Longfellow's arm in going out to dinner；
where even the modern Italian poets were silent upon his lips。 When we
rose from table； Longfellow lifted him out of his chair； and took him
upon his arm again for their return to the study。
He was of lighter metal than most other members of the Dante Club； and he
was not of their immediate intimacy； living away from Cambridge； as he
did； and I shared his silence in their presence with full sympathy。
I was by far the youngest of their number； and I cannot yet quite make
out why I was of it at all。 But at every moment I was as sensible of my
good fortune as of my ill desert。 They were the men whom of all men
living I most honored； and it seemed to be impossible that I at my age
should be so perfectly fulfilling the dream of my life in their company。
Often； the nights were very cold； and as I returned home from Craigie
House to the carpenter's box on Sacramento Street； a mile or two away；
I was as if soul…borne through the air by my pride and joy； while the
frozen blocks of snow clinked and tinkled before my feet stumbling along
the middle of the road。 I still think that was the richest moment of my
life； and I look back at it as the moment； in a life not unblessed by
chance； which I would most like to live over againif I must live any。
The next winter the sessions of the Dante Club were transferred to the
house of Mr。 Norton； who was then completing his version of the 'Vita
Nuova'。 This has always seemed to me a work of not less graceful art
than Longfellow's translation of the 'Commedia'。 In fact； it joins the
effect of a sympathy almost mounting to divination with a patient
scholarship and a delicate skill unknown to me elsewhere in such work。
I do not know whether Mr。 Norton has satisfied himself better in his
prose version of the 'Commedia' than in this of the 'Vita Nuova'； but I
do not believe he could have satisfied Dante better； unless he had rhymed
his sonnets and canzonets。 I am sure he might have done this if he had
chosen。 He has always pretended that it was impossible； but miracles are
never impossible in the right hands。
V。
After three or four years we sold the carpenter's box on Sacramento
Street； and removed to a larger house near Harvard Square； and in the
immediate neighborhood of Longfellow。 He gave me an easement across that
old garden behind his house； through an opening in the high board fence
which enclosed it； and I saw him oftener than ever； though the meetings
of the Dante Club had come to an end。 At the last of them； Lowell had
asked him； with fond regret in his jest； 〃Longfellow； why don't you do
that Indian poem in forty thousand verses？〃 The demand but feebly
expressed the reluctance in us all； though I suspect the Indian poem
existed only by the challenger's invention。 Before I leave my faint and
unworthy record of these great times I am tempted to mention an incident
poignant with tragical associations。 The first night after Christmas the
holly and the pine wreathed about the chandelier above the supper…table
took fire from the gas； just as we came out from the reading； and
Longfellow ran forward and caught the burning garlands down and bore them
out。 No one could speak for thinking what he must be thinking of when
the ineffable calamity of his home befell it。 Curtis once told me that a
little while before Mrs。 Longfellow's death he was driving by Craigie
House with Holmes； who said be trembled to look at it； for those who
lived there had their happiness so perfect that no change； of all the
changes which must come to them； could fail to be for the worse。
I did not know Longfellow before that fatal time； and I shall not say
that his presence bore record of it except in my fancy。 He may always
have had that look of one who had experienced the utmost harm that fate
can do； and henceforth could possess himself of what was left of life in
peace。 He could never have been a man of the flowing ease that makes all
comers at home； some people complained of a certain 'gene' in him； and he
had a reserve with strangers； which never quite lost itself in the
abandon of friendship； as Lowell's did。 He was the most perfectly modest
man I ever saw； ever imagined； but he had a gentle dignity which I do not
believe any one； the coarsest； the obtusest； could trespass upon。 In the
years when I began to know him； his long hair and the beautiful beard
which mixed with it were of one iron…gray； which I saw blanch to a
perfect silver； while that pearly tone of his complexion； which Appleton
so admired； lost itself in the wanness of age and pain。 When he walked；
he had a kind of spring in his gait； as if now and again a buoyant
thought lifted him from the ground。 It was fine to meet him coming down
a Cambridge street； you felt that the encounter made you a part of
literary history； and set you apart with him for the moment from the poor
and mean。 When he appeared in Harvard Square； he beatified if not
beautified the ugliest and vulgarest looking spot on the planet outside
of New York。 You could meet him sometimes at the market； if you were of
the same provision…man as he； and Longfellow remained as constant to his
tradespeople as to any other friends。 He rather liked to bring his
proofs back to the printer's himself； and we often found ourselves
together at the University Press； where the Atlantic Monthly used to be
printed。 But outside of his own house Longfellow seemed to want a fit
atmosphere； and I love best to think of him in his study； where he
wrought at his lovely art with a serenity expressed in his smooth；
regular； and scrupulously perfect handwriting。 It was quite vertical；
and rounded； with a slope neither to the right nor left； and at the time
I knew him first； he was fond of using a soft pencil on printing paper；
though commonly he wrote with a quill。 Each letter was distinct in
shape； and between the verses was always the exact space of half an inch。
I have a good many of his poems written in this fashion； but whether they
were the first drafts or not I cannot say； very likely not。 Towards the
last he no longer sent his poems to the magazines in his own hand； but
they were always signed in autograph。
I once asked him if he were not a great deal interrupted； and he said；
with a faint sigh； Not more than was good for him； he fancied； if it were
not for the interruptions； he might overwork。 He was not a friend to
stated exercise； I believe； nor fond of walking； as Lowell was； he had
not； indeed； the childish associations of the younger poet with the
Cambridge neighborhoods； and I never saw him walking for pleasure except
on the east veranda of his house； though I was told he loved walking in
his youth。 In this and in some other things Longfellow was more European
than American； more Latin than Saxon。 He once said quaintly that one got
a great deal of exercise in putting on and off one's overcoat and
overshoes。
I suppose no one who asked decently at his door was denied access to him；
and there must have been times when he was overrun with volunteer
visitors； but I never heard him complain of them。 He was very charitable
in the immediate sort which Christ seems to have meant； but he had his
preferences； humorously owned； among beggars。 He liked the German
beggars least； and the Italian beggars most； as having most savair…faire；
in fact； we all loved the Italians in Cambridge。 He was pleased with the
accounts I could give him of the love and honor I had known for him in
Italy； and one day there came a letter from an Italian admirer； addressed
to 〃Mr。 Greatest Poet Longfellow；〃 which he said was the very most
amusing superscription he had ever seen。
It is known that the King of Italy offered Longfellow the cross of San
Lazzaro； which is the Italian literary decoration。 It came through the
good offices of my old acquaintance Professor Messadaglia； then a deputy
in the Italian Parliament； whom； for some reason I cannot remember； I had
put in correspondence with Longfellow。 The honor was wholly unexpected；
and it brought Longfellow a distress which was chiefly for the gentleman
who had procured him the impossible distinction。 He showed me the pretty
collar and cross； not； I think； without a natural pleasure in it。 No man
was ever less a bigot in things civil or religious than he； but he said；
firmly； 〃Of course； as a republican and a Protestant； I can't accept a
decoration from a Catholic prince。〃 His decision was from his
conscience； and I think that all Americans who think duly about it will
approve his decision。
VI。
Such honors as he could fitly permit himself he did not refuse； and I
recall what zest he had in his election to the Arcadian Academy； which
had made him a shepherd of its Roman Fold； with the title； as he said； of
〃Olimipico something。〃 But I fancy his sweetest pleasure in his vast
renown came from his popular recognition everywhere。 F