races and in the face of his knowledge of the best actual translations
existing to-day, the result of the scholarship of England.

"Longfellow speaks of difficulty in sleeping. In his college days and
later he had the habit of studying until midnight and rising at six in
the morning, finding his way as soon as possible to his books.
Possibly this habit still prevents him from getting sufficient rest.
However light may be the literature in which he indulges before going
to bed, some chance thought may strike him as he goes up the stairs
with the bedroom candle in his hand which will preclude all
possibility of sleep until long after midnight.

"His account of Sainte-Beuve during his last visit to Europe was an
odd little drama. He had grown excessively fat, and could scarcely
move. He did not attempt to rise from his chair as Longfellow entered,
but motioned him to a seat by his side. Talking of Victor Hugo and
Lamartine, 'Take them for all in all, which do you prefer?' asked
Longfellow.

"'Charlatan pour charlatan, je crois que je prefere Monsieur de
Lamartine,' was the reply.

"Longfellow amused me by making two epigrams:--

"'What is autobiography?
It is what a biography ought to be.'

"And again:--

"'When you ask one friend to dine,