Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/374

 he was

precocious but ripened to fullness late. He was 47 be- fore he wrote "The Man With the Hoe", by which he was suddenly lifted from obscurity to fame. Life tardily vouchsafed its rewards, but granted him longevity in recompense, so, although he was mar- ried at 45 and became able to live by his pen at 47, his years subsequent to these events have been as long as given to most men of normal schedules. It is all quite contrary to the lessons taught by psychology and biography. Brighter always than most boys of his age, remaining brighter in succeeding periods of growth than other men, destiny nevertheless held him to a longer apprenticeship. It is unorthodox, but it is his case exactly, and it seems a reasonable way to great achievement. During his creative period of 36 years, stretching with sustained freshness into advanced old age, he has published several volumes of poetry and a few volumes of prose, in addition to editing a number of books, which call for no detailed listing in this history, since they do not deal with Oregon. For a long time he has resided in New York. At the age of 83 he finds Ore- gon City coveting its reputation as the place of his birth, and the pride is mutual. He has talked about Oregon more than he has written about it, and in this way has heartily acquiesced in its claim of ownership. At least the state can cherish the confirmation that it has a lush soil for genius—from it have risen three men who have given to American literature three of its great poems: "Columbus", "Beautiful Willamette" and "The Man With the Hoe". Here will be given, instead of any of