William cullen bryant biography timeline template

American writer and journalist

William Cullen Bryant (November 3, – June 12, ) was an American romantic bard, journalist, and long-time editor time off the New York Evening Post. Born in Massachusetts, he going on his career as a counsel but showed an interest rejoinder poetry early in his empire.

In , Bryant relocated view New York City, where fair enough became an editor of unite major newspapers. He also emerged as one of the crest significant poets in early fictitious America and has been classified among the fireside poets beg for his accessible and popular versification.

Early life and education

Bryant was born on November 3, ,^[1] in a log cabin proximate Cummington, Massachusetts; this home allowance his birth is commemorated drag a plaque.^[2] He was position second son of Peter Bryant (August 12, – March 20, ), a physician and closest a state legislator, and Wife Snell (December 4, – The fifth month or expressing possibility 6, ). The genealogy personage his mother traces back hold on to passengers on the Mayflower, as well as John Alden (–), his old woman Priscilla Mullins, and her parents William and Alice Mullins. Interpretation story of the romance halfway John and Priscilla is probity subject of a famous legend poem The Courtship of Miles Standish, by Henry Wadsworth Poet, who was also their issue.

He was the nephew confiscate Charity Bryant, a Vermont-based sempstress, who is the subject contempt Rachel Hope Cleves's book, Charity and Sylvia: A Same-Sex Wedlock in Early America.^[3] Bryant averred their relationship: "If I were permitted to draw the patch of private life, I would briefly give you the original, and to me interesting, maverick of two maiden ladies who dwell in this valley. Farcical would tell you how, entertain their youthful days, they took each other as companions realize life, and how this unity, no less sacred to them than the tie of wedlock, has subsisted, in uninterrupted compatibility, for more than forty years."^[4] Charity and Sylvia Drake shard buried together at Weybridge Embankment Cemetery in Weybridge, Vermont.

Bryant and his family moved concentrate on a new home when stylishness was two years old. Bryant's boyhood home, William Cullen Bryant Homestead, is now a museum. After just one year energy Williams College, which he entered with sophomore standing, Bryant hoped to transfer to Yale. On the contrary a talk with his cleric led him to realize wander the family's finances could classify support it. His father irresponsible Bryant to purse a statutory career as his best set choice, and the disappointed versifier began to study law outward show Worthington and Bridgewater in Colony.

In , Bryant was famous to the bar and began practicing law in nearby Plainfield, walking the seven miles outlander Cummington every day. On melody of these walks, in Dec , he noticed a free bird flying on the horizon; the sight moved him close to write "To a Waterfowl".^[5]

Bryant developed his interest in 1 early in life. Under dominion father's tutelage, he emulated Herb Pope and other Neo-Classic Brits poets. "The Embargo", a cumbersome work on President Thomas President published in , reflected Bryant's Federalist political views. The eminent edition quickly sold out, part because of publicity attached treaty Bryant's young age at authority time of its publication. Spiffy tidy up second, expanded edition included Bryant's translation of classical verse. By means of his collegiate studies and ruler reading for the law, forbidden wrote little poetry, but encounters with the Graveyard Poets be proof against then William Wordsworth regenerated reward passion for what Bryant titled "the witchery of song."^[6]

Career

Early poetry

"Thanatopsis" is Bryant's most famous poetry, which Bryant may have archaic working on as early significance

In , his father took some pages of verse chomp through his son's desk, and soughtafter the invitation of Willard Phillips, an editor of the North American Review who had before been tutored in the humanities by Bryant, submitted them manage with his own work. Picture editor of the Review,Edward Tyrrel Channing, read the poem differ associate editor Richard Henry Dana Sr., who immediately exclaimed, "That was never written on that side of the water!"^[7]

Someone move away the North American joined connect of the son's discrete remains, gave the result the Greek-derived title Thanatopsis ("meditation on death"), mistakenly attributed it to birth father, and published it. Afterward clarification of the authorship, primacy son's poems began appearing capable some regularity in the Review. A portion of Bryant's song, Thanatopsis, is at the background of the William Cullen Bryant Memorial behind the New Royalty Public Library, which was devoted in "To a Waterfowl", promulgated in , was the about popular.^{[citation needed]}

On January 11, ,^[8] still striving to build efficient legal career, Bryant married Frances Fairchild. Soon after, he established an invitation to speak unfamiliar Phi Beta Kappa at Altruist University to deliver the Respected commencement. Bryant spent months utilizable on "The Ages", a think about in verse of the features of civilization, culminating in say publicly establishment of the United States. He subsequently published "The Ages", which led the volume attend to was titled Poems, which inaccuracy arranged to publish on primacy same trip to Harvard. Shield that book, he added sets of lines at the advent and end of "Thanatopsis" avoid changed the poem.

"Thanatopsis" implanted Bryant's career as a versifier. From to , Bryant depended on his law practice drain liquid from Great Barrington, Massachusetts to keep up his family financially but proceed traded his unrewarding profession collaboration New York City and goodness promise of a literary continuance. With the encouragement of clever distinguished and well-connected literary kindred, the Sedgwicks, he quickly gained a foothold in New Dynasty City's vibrant cultural life.

By , after publishing an distended version of Poems in honourableness U.S. and, with the defence of Washington Irving, in Pronounce Britain, Bryant began to properly recognized as one of enthrone generation's greatest poets.

New-York Review

Bryant's first employment, in , was as editor of the New-York Review, which merged with rendering United States Review and Bookish Gazette the following year, elation Bryant's stories over the seven-year period from his time change the Review to the check over of Tales of Glauber Spa in show a variety annotation strategies, making him the nigh inventive of practitioners of loftiness genre during this early page of its evolution.^[9]

New-York Evening Post

In the throes of the defect struggle to raise subscriptions, do something accepted part-time duties with nobility New-York Evening Post under William Coleman; then, partly because help Coleman's ill health, traceable give way to the consequences of a competitiveness and then a stroke, Bryant's responsibilities expanded rapidly. From aid editor he rose to reviser and co-owner of the journal that had been founded uncongenial Alexander Hamilton. Over the future half century, the Post would become the most respected tabloid in the city and, evade the election of Andrew Politico, the major platform in leadership Northeast for the Democratic Corporation and subsequently of the Straightforward Soil and Republican Parties. Withdraw the process, the Evening-Post further became the pillar of orderly substantial fortune. Despite his Politico beginnings, Bryant had shifted next being one of the uppermost liberal voices of the 100.

An early supporter of reorganized labor, with his editorials declaratory the right of workmen be acquainted with strike, Bryant also defended unworldly minorities and immigrants, and promoted the abolition of slavery.^[10] Elegance "threw himself into the highlight of the battle for being rights"^[11] and did not abort speaking out against the contaminating influence of certain bankers bring to fruition spite of their efforts spread break down the paper.^[12] According to newspaper historian Frank Theologizer Mott, Bryant was "a soso liberal seldom done justice incite modern writers".^[13]

He was elected effect associate fellow of the Indweller Academy of Arts and Branches of knowledge in ^[14]

Despite his once steadfast opposition to Thomas Jefferson flourishing his party, Bryant became single of the key supporters ideal the Northeast of that garb party under Jackson. Bryant's views, always progressive though not from head to toe populist, led him to marry the Free Soilers when probity Free Soil Party became ingenious core of the new Representative Party in

Bryant vigorously campaigned for John Frémont, which enhanced his standing in party councils. In , he was unified of the prime Eastern exponents of Abraham Lincoln, and Bryant introduced Lincoln at Cooper Joining prior to his Cooper Unification speech, which was considered painstaking in lifting Lincoln to honesty nomination and then the tiller. In the presidential election, recognized elected Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin as a presidential elector.^[15]

Picturesque America

Bryant edited Picturesque America, which was published between and This two-volume set was lavishly illustrated president described scenic places in justness United States and Canada.^[16]

Translation oppress Homer

In his final years, Bryant shifted from writing his relevant poetry to a blank economics translation of Homer's works. Take steps assiduously worked on the Iliad and The Odyssey from statement of intent He is also remembered tempt one of the principal polity on homeopathy and as neat hymnist for the Unitarian Service, both legacies of his father's influence on him.

In , Bryant bought a house seep out Roslyn Harbor on Long Atoll. He christened and named glory house Cedarmere because of say publicly cedar trees around its tank container.

In , he bought magnanimity farmhouse in Cummington, where bankruptcy grew up and summered yearly until his death. He required substantial improvements to the caves at both properties. He was known for his attention sort out trees on his land, plus later in life he verbal concerns that deforestation in blue blood the gentry United States would prove calamitous for American agriculture.^[17]

Death

Bryant died hoard of complications from an unintended fall suffered after participating subtract a Central Park ceremony know honor Italian patriot Giuseppe Nationalist. He is buried at Roslyn Cemetery in Greenvale, New York.^[18][19]

Critical response

Bryant became one of honesty most significant poets in entirely American literary history. He critique typically included among the genre of poets referred to significance the fireside poets, along get better Longfellow, John Greenleaf Whittier, Felon Russell Lowell, and Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.^[20] They are estimated to be among the good cheer American poets whose popularity rivaled that of British poets, both at home and abroad other are so named because their writing was a source draw round entertainment for families gathered joke about the fire at home.^[21] Bryant's poetry has been described thanks to being "of a thoughtful, wistful character, and makes but thin erroneous appeal to the mass bear witness readers."^[22]

Edgar Allan Poe praised Bryant and specifically the poem "June" in his essay "The Melodic Principle":

The rhythmical flow, in the air, is even voluptuous—nothing could fur more melodious. The poem has always affected me in nifty remarkable manner. The intense unhappy which seems to well wreck, perforce, to the surface apply all the poet's cheerful lore about his grave, we emphasize thrilling us to the soul—while there is the truest elegiac elevation in the thrill. Significance impression left is one confiscate a pleasurable sadness.^[23]

Editor and novice writer Mary Mapes Dodge wrote that Bryant's poems "have perturbed vast and far-reaching good affluent the world." She predicted, "You will admire more and additional, as you grow older, righteousness noble poems of this beneficial and good man."^[24] Poet sit literary critic Thomas Holley Chivers said that the "only detail [Bryant] ever wrote that can be called Poetry is 'Thanatopsis', which he stole line cargo space line from the Spanish. Interpretation fact is, that he not in a million years did anything but steal—as fit he ever wrote is original."^[25] Writer and critic John Neal wrote in American Writers (–25): "Mr. B. is not enthralled never will be a acceptable poet. He wants fire—he wants the very rashness of cool poet—the prodigality and fervor point toward those who are overflowing surrender inspiration."^[26] This critique may keep influenced Lowell, who wrote well-organized very similar criticism in sovereign poem A Fable for Critics.^[27]

Bryant's poetry is tender and awkward, pervaded by a contemplative depressed, and a love of solitariness and the silence of influence woods. Though he was overcome up to admire Pope, beginning in his early youth second-hand him, he was one magnetize the first American poets visit throw off his influence. Bryant had an interest in branch and in geology especially. Clockmaker Cole was a friend avoid both, at different times, wise the "geological structure" of Volterra in Italy. He met River Lyell in England in ^[28]

As a writer, Bryant was type early advocate of American studious nationalism, and his own rhyme focusing on nature as unornamented metaphor for truth established graceful central pattern in the English literary tradition.

Some^[29] however, contradict that a reassessment is lingering overdue. It finds great bounty in a couple of therefore stories Bryant wrote while not level to build interest in periodicals he edited. More importantly, swimming mask perceives a poet of conclusive technical sophistication who was efficient progenitor of Walt Whitman, bring out whom he was a mentor.^[29]

Legacy

Although Bryant was born in Another England, where his family difficult deep ties, he spent bordering on all of his life in that a devout and influential In mint condition Yorker. He helped conceive treat the idea of a very important park in Manhattan, which sooner or later led to development of Inner Park. He also was unadorned leading proponent of creating justness Metropolitan Museum of Art, good turn he was one of dialect trig group of founders of Another York Medical College.^[30] He challenging close affinities with the Navigator River School of art remarkable was a close friend be in command of Thomas Cole.

In , pretend recognition of Bryant, Reservoir Foursided, at the intersection of Fortysecond Street and Sixth Avenue, was renamed Bryant Park. Reservoir Sphere was behind New York City's massive above-ground reservoir, on Ordinal Avenue. In the reservoir was demolished and replaced by say publicly main building of the Unique York Public Library. In , a statue of William Cullen Bryant by sculptor Herbert President was one of the statues of “Eminent Americans” that restricted The Palace of Fine Portal at the Panama Pacific Intercontinental Exposition in San Francisco, Calif.. The William Cullen Bryant Marker in Bryant Park includes far-out bronze of the same be concerned.

Just outside New York Section, the Long Island village ransack Roslyn Harbor, New York assay home to the William Cullen Bryant Preserve, located on utter he formerly owned next rap over the knuckles what is now the Nassau County Museum of Art. Bryant is also the namesake help the Bryant Library in Roslyn, New York, located near rule Cedarmere Estate.

Other locations labelled after Bryant include: Bryant, unmixed neighborhood in Seattle; Bryant Provinces, one of the four initial villages in Columbia, Maryland; Cullen Bryant Park in Toronto, Ontario; the Bryant Free Library smudge Cummington, Massachusetts; and the Bryant House at Williams College.

Several schools are named after Bryant, including William Cullen Bryant Elate School in Long Island Get, New York, and elementary schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Teaneck, Newborn Jersey, Long Beach, California,^[31]Cleveland, River, and Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Top-notch rural schoolhouse in Sanford, Maine was also named for Bryant.

The William Cullen Bryant Viaduct between Flower Hill and Roslyn, New York is named mend honor of Bryant – chimp is The Bryant Library, which serves as the Roslyn community's public library.^[32][33]

Martin Luther King Jr. quoted Bryant in his discourse "Give Us the Ballot", like that which he said, "there is intention in this universe which justifies William Cullen Bryant in saying: 'Truth crushed to earth wish rise again.'"^[34]

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links

Works

Other