controlled his spirit and gave him calm.

He early chose Craigie House as the most desirable place for his abode
in all the world. The poems and journals are full of his enjoyment of
nature as seen from its windows. In the beginning of his residence
there he persuaded Mrs. Craigie to allow him to have two rooms; but he
soon controlled the second floor, and at the time of his marriage to
Miss Appleton her father presented them with the whole of the
beautiful estate.

Here his life took shape and his happiness found increase with the
days. It was like him to say little in direct speech of all this; but
we find a few words describing his wife, of whom his brother wrote
that "her calm and quiet face wore habitually a look of seriousness."
And then evidently quoting from Henry, he adds, "at times it seemed to
make the very air bright with its smiles." She was a beautiful woman
of deep but reserved feeling and cultivated tastes and manners. She
understood and sympathized in his work, and, even more, she became
often its inspiration. During their wedding journey they passed
through Springfield, whence she wrote: "In the Arsenal at Springfield
we grew quite warlike against war, and I urged H. to write a peace
poem."

Finally established in Craigie House, as the children grew and his
library enlarged, and guests, attracted by personal love and by his
fame, became more numerous, he found the days almost overburdened with
responsibilities. He wrote one day to Charles Sumner: "What you quote
about the _pere de famille_ is pretty true. It is a difficult
role to play; particularly when, as in my case, it is united with that
of _oncle d'Amerique_ and general superintendent of all the