Word: gormanic
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Emerson was not at ease with Long-fellow. To him the popular poet seemed too much hedged about with formality, too loftily perched on the Cambridge Parnassus. Mr. Gorman, owever, sees in Longfellow "our great Victorian," "an American Victoria," "a fascinating man ... no more dead than the era between 1830 and 1880 in New England is dead", and one who must be understood, with his age, if we are to see "what we are and from what curious urges we evolved." Mr. Gorman is careful not to claim that his portrait "is the man," and professes to give nothing more...
...Longfellow who is often more European than American, sentimental didactic, too imitative often, bookish in inspiration, didactic, and typical of much of the narowness in his time and environment, has been often displayed before. So far as facts are concerned, Mr. Gorman repeats with accuracy for the most part. It may not be ungenerous, however, to remark that his summary (pp. 96-97) of American literature before Longfellow seems unhappy in its choice of critical epithets, and shaky in its chronology. One may be excused for disagreeing with the biographer's view that Longfellow's appreciation of wine...
...more serious are other faults in the book. Mr. Gorman loves sweeping statements, many of which seem to come near exaggerations. When he remarks in summing up the poet's work, "Not once have the deep springs of life been touched in living verse," there seems to be room for a saving, "Well, hardly ever...
...Gorman gives the impression of a writer trying hard to be just, but perhaps unconsciously viewing his subject from a fundamentally unsympathetic standpoint, and with a complacent assurance that the art and criticism of the moment are necessarily more worthy than the art and criticism which Longfellow felt to be best. No doubt we have left him far behind, but it is not always as easy to be sure of it as is Mr. Gorman. There is still room for more than one kind of mind in poetry. It is reasonable to disgree with the way in which Longfellow chose...
...Gorman hints that his book may cause "various Longfellow disciples" to take umbrage. "Longfellow disciples," if such there be, are not likely to be disturbed by a repetition of what has often been said before. Others, not "disciples," but familiar with Longfellow's life and writing may find the pages of this biography dull, since they offer neither new facts nor a very original interpretation of the old ones. Nor does the form and style of the book seem to add to its interest. There are, to be sure, pen sketches of the externals of the poet's world, which...