immortal youth, and are often with us to dine or sup. I have never
seen such a beautiful friendship between men of such distinct
personalities, though closely linked together by mutual tastes and
affections. They criticise and praise each other's performances, with
a frankness not to be surpassed, and seem to have attained that happy
height of faith where no misunderstanding, no jealousy, no reserve,
exists." It appears, however, that even these delightful friendships
had left something to be desired. In his journal he wrote: "Came back
to Cambridge and went to Mr. Norton's. There I beheld what perfect
happiness may exist on this earth, and felt how I stood alone in life,
cut off for a while from those dearest sympathies for which I long."
His brother said of him that having known the happiness of domestic
life for which his nature was especially formed, "he felt the need of
more intimate affection." Thus, after many years of lonely wandering,
another period of Longfellow's life opened with his marriage in 1843.
Had he himself been writing of another, he might have divided his
story into cantos, each one with a separate theme. One of aspiration,
one of endeavor, one with the despair of young sorrow, and one of
triumphant love. Advancing thus through the gamut of human experience
he might have closed the scene with the immortal line loved of all
poets:--

"In sua voluntade e nostra pace."

Thus indeed, reviewing Longfellow's life as a whole, we discern his
days to be crowded with incident and experience. Every condition of
human life presented itself at his door, and every human being found a
welcome there,--incidents and experience coming as frequently to him
through the lives of others as through the gate of his own being. The
note of love and unity with the Divine will was the dominant one which