Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/176

 HAWTHORNE

HAWTHORNE

and New York state to Ticonderoga and as far west as Niaj^ara Falls. He contributed short stories, sketches ami essays to the Salem Oa-cde and tlie .Wic Emjland M<tijiiziiu\ ami in May, 1S31, Samuel G. Goodrich published four of his tales in the Token and Atlantic Sonvvnir, but they received little notice except from the Peabody sisters, who learned tiiat the anonymous author was the son of their neighbor. Widow Hawthorne, and this led to the actiuaintance that made Sophia Peabody his wife. In 183(5 lie was made editor of the Amirican Mat^azine of rsrful and Entertain- ing Knoirlid(j<' at a salary of iJ-luO per annum, by Mr. Goodrich. He also compiled for the pub- lishing company a "Universal History," for which he received §100 and which gave rise to the " Peter Parley '' works of Mr. Goodrich. When his tales in the Token reached London the Athe- mviim gave favorable notices and this encouraged him to follow the advice of his classmate, Horatio Bridge, and publish them in a volume, Bridge agreeing to take the pecuniary risk. In this way "Twice Told Tales" was printed by the American Statemen Co. in Boston. Longfellow's review of the book in the Xvrth American Bevieio started the sale, which reached about seven hundred copies. In 1837 he visited Horatio Bridge at his home in Augusta, Maine. In 1838 he became a contributor to the Democratic lievieic. In 1839 George Bancroft, the collector of the port of Boston, appointed him weigher anil gauger, his salary being §1200 per annum, and he held the office until the advent of the Whig administration of 1841. He then published in Boston and New York the first part of 'Grandfather's Chair." He joined the Brook Farm community the same year, invested SIOOO, his savings from his custom hou.se position, in the enterprise, and was one of the most diligent and painstaking of the laborers. He was married in June, 1842, to Sophia Peabody, but instead of going back to Brook Farm he took up his abode in the Old Manse in Concord. Here he wrote his tales for the Democratic JRevieic, which were preserved in " Mo.sses from an Old Man.se." He again became a recluse and except when on a daily walk, an occasional boat ride on the river by moonlight or an infrequent chat with Chan- ning, Emerson, Henry Thoreau or Margaret Ful- ler, he lived by himself. His contributions to the Democratic lieriew kept the wolf from the dfKjr but gave no feasts. In 1845 the " Twice Toll I Tales," .second series, appeared in book form. In 184fi he was api)ointed by President Polk U.S. surveyor in the custom house. Salem, Mass., anrl held the office until the incoming of a Whig adraini.stration in 1849. While occupying the position he made the first draft of " The Scarlet Letter," wiiich was publislied by James T. Fields in 1850, and within two weeks the edition

of 5000 copies was exhausted and the book was reset and stereotyi)ed ami republished in England. In 1850 Hawthorne removed to Lenox, Mass., where in an old red farmhouse he wrote " The House of the Seven Gables," published in 1851, which proved almost as great a success as the "Scarlet Letter." In the autumn of 1851 he removed to West Newton, where he wrote " The Blithedale Romance," using the life at Brook Farm as side scenes. In 1852 he published " The

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Wonder Book." In the same year he purchased Bronson Alcott's house and twenty acres of land at Concord, Mass., and called it " The Wayside." In 1852 he prepared and published a campaign life of his friend, Franklin Pierce and in the winter of 1852-53, he wrote " Tanglewood Tales." In March, 1853, President Pierce appointed him U.S. consul at Liverpool, England. He lived in England with his family four years and his expe- riences there suggested "English Note Books" and "Our Old Home." He visited France, Switzerland and ItalJ^ 1857-59, and gained the material for his "French and Italian Note- Books," and while in Italy he began "The Marble Faun," which was published in 1860, the English edition bearing the title, "Trans- formation." He returned to the L^nited States in 1860. " Our Old Home," which he dedicated to Franklin Pierce, against the protest of his pub- lishers, was issued in 1863 and suffered but little from its dedication. In the spring of 1864 his health began to fail rajiidly while he was pub- lishing " The Dolliver Romance " in the Atlantic. He went to Philadelphia in April, 1864, with his publislier, AV. D. Ticknor, and while in that city Mr. Ticknor died. This incident was a great .shock to Hawthorne in his weak condition. The next month he went with ex-President Pierce to the White Mountains, and when they reached Plymouth. N.H., May 18, Hawthonie died in his sleep. He was buried in Sleepy Hollow cemetery. Concord, Mass., May 24. 1864, and Emerson and Thoreau. his life long friends, rest nearby. His widow, So])hia Peabody Hawthoi-ne, who edited his " Note Books " and published " Notes in Eng- land and Italy" (1868), died in London, Eng-