The Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne

“In the elder days of art Builders wrought with greatest care Each minute and unseen part,-- For the gods see everywhere.” --Longfellow

“Oh, happy dreams of such a soul have I, And softly to myself of him I sing, Whose seraph pride all pride doth overwing; Who stoops to greatness, matches low with high, And as in grand equalities of sky, Stands level with the beggar and the king.” --Wasson

PREFACE

The simple events of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s life have long been before the public. From 1835 onward they may easily be traced in the various Note-books, which have been edited from his diary, and previous to that time we are indebted for them chiefly to the recollections of his two faithful friends, Horatio Bridge and Elizabeth Peabody. These were first systematised and published by George P. Lathrop in 1872, but a more complete and authoritative biography was issued by Julian Hawthorne twelve years later, in which, however, the writer has modestly refrained from expressing an opinion as to the quality of his father’s genius, or from attempting any critical examination of his father’s literary work. It is in order to supply in some measure this deficiency, that the present volume has been written. At the same time, I trust to have given credit where it was due to my predecessors, in the good work of making known the true character of so rare a genius and so exceptional a personality.

The publication of Horatio Bridge’s memoirs and of Elizabeth Manning’s account of the boyhood of Hawthorne have placed before the world much that is new and valuable concerning the earlier portion of Hawthorne’s life, of which previous biographers could not very well reap the advantage. I have made thorough researches in regard to Hawthorne’s American ancestry, but have been able to find no ground for the statements of Conway and Lathrop, that William Hathorne, their first ancestor on this side of the ocean, was directly connected with the Quaker persecution. Some other mistakes, like Hawthorne’s supposed connection with the duel between Cilley and Graves, have also been corrected.

F. P. S.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. SALEM AND THE HATHORNES: 1630-1800 II. BOYHOOD OF HAWTHORNE: 1804-1821 III. BOWDOIN COLLEGE: 1821-1825 IV. LITTLE MISERY: 1825-1835 V. EOS AND EROS: 1835-1839 VI. PEGASUS AT THE CART: 1839-1841 VII. HAWTHORNE AS A SOCIALIST: 1841-1842 VIII. CONCORD AND THE OLD MANSE: 1842-1845 IX. “MOSSES FROM AN OLD MANSE”: 1845 X. FROM CONCORD TO LENOX: 1845-1849 XI. PEGASUS IS FREE: 1850-1852 XII. THE LIVERPOOL CONSULATE: 1852-1854 XIII. HAWTHORNE IN ENGLAND: 1854-1858 XIV. ITALY XV. HAWTHORNE AS ART CRITIC: 1858 XVI. “THE MARBLE FAUN”: 1859-1860 XVII. HOMEWARD BOUND: 1860-1862 XVIII. IMMORTALITY

PORTRAITS OF HAWTHORNE EDITIONS OF HAWTHORNE’S BOOKS PUBLISHED UNDER HIS OWN DIRECTION. MRS. EMERSON AND MRS. HAWTHORNE APPENDICES

List of Illustrations

PORTRAIT OF HAWTHORNE, BY FRANCES OSBORNE IN 1893 HAWTHORNE’S BIRTHPLACE HORATIO BRIDGE, FROM THE PORTRAIT BY EASTMAN JOHNSON HAWTHORNE, FROM THE PORTRAIT BY CHARLES OSGOOD IN 1840 THE OLD MANSE, RESIDENCE OF DR. RIPLEY THE CUSTOM HOUSE, SALEM, MASS THE WAYSIDE GUIDO RENI’S PORTRAIT OF BEATRICE CENCI STATUE OF PRAXITELES’ RESTING FAUN TORRE MEDIAVALLE DELLA SCIMMIA (HILDA’S TOWER) IN ROME

THE LIFE AND GENIUS OF NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER I

SALEM AND THE HATHORNES: 1630-1800