successful to himself. To the unsuccessful he lent the sunshine and
overflow of his own life, as if he tried to show every day afresh that
he believed noble pursuit and not attainment to be the purpose of our
existence.

In a letter written in 1860 Longfellow says:--

"I have no end of poems sent me for candid judgment and opinion. Four
cases on hand at this moment. A large folio came last night from a
lady. It has been chasing me round the country; has been in East
Cambridge and in West Cambridge, and finally came by the hands of
Policeman S---- to my house. I wish he had waived examination, and
committed it (to memory). What shall I do? These poems weaken me very
much. It is like so much water added to the Spirit of Poetry."

And again he writes:--

"I received this morning a poem with the usual request to give 'my
real opinion' of it. I give you one stanza."

After quoting the verse and giving the subject of the poem, he
continues:--

"In his letter the author says, 'I did so much better on poetry than I
thought I could as a beginner, that I really have felt a little proud
of my poems.' He also sends me his photograph 'at sixty-five years of
age,' and asks for mine 'and a poem' in return. I had much rather send
him these than my 'real opinion,' which I shall never make known to
any man, except on compulsion and under the seal of secrecy."