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NOTES BY

P. H. PEARSON, A. M.

Professor of the English Language and Literature
at Bethany College

EVANGELINE

EVANGELINE

A TALE OF ACADIE

BY

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

With a Biographical Sketch
Suggestions for Study
and Notes

BY

P. H. PEARSON, A. M.

Professor of the English Language and Literature
at Bethany College

CRANE & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS
TOPEKA, KANSAS

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

THE year 1807 gave to America two poets, John Greenleaf Whittier and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

In the home of his father, a lawyer of the city of Portland, Longfellow had access to good books, and was early encouraged in his enthusiasm to make use of them. He was prepared for college in Portland Academy. Among his teachers at this institution were Mr. Carter and Mr. Jacob Abbott. In 1821 he passed the entrance examinations required for admission to Bowdoin College, but on account of his youth he did not go up for residence study until a year later.

At Bowdoin he had the advantage of living in the midst of a district noted for its attractive scenery: the forests, the pine hills, and the Androscoggin Falls were not far off. This region had, moreover, the charm of being associated with interesting Indian legends.

Among his fellow-students at Bowdoin were several who later became famous-Nathaniel Hawthorne, classmate of the poet; J. S. C. Abbott, the historian; and Franklin Pierce, afterwards President of the United States.

During his college years, Longfellow contributed poems to publications in Portland and Boston. Some of these as, for instance, "Thanksgiving"-appeared later on in

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