Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/584

* WHITTIER. 494 WHITTINGTON. contributor. He was a member of the Massachu- setts Eieetoral College in 1860 and 1864, but thereafter took little, if any. active part in public life. He died at Hampton Falls, N. H., while on a visit there. He never married. Aside from his poetry, Whittier was a real force in the practical anti-slavery politics of Massachusetts. Whittier's literary work, though never very abundant, was very constant. It usually appear- ed in periodicals, and few years of his life were ininiarked bj' literary procluetion of some sort. The chief titles of his" separate works, aside from those already cited and collected editions, are, in prose: The tHruncjcr in Loircll (184.5); Super- naturalism in yew England (1847) ; Leaves from Murrjaret Smith's Journal (1849) ; Old Portraits and Modern Sketches (1850); Literary Kecre- ations and iliscellanies (1854); in verse: Moll Pitcher (1832) ; Mogg Megone (1836) ; Songs of Labor (1850) : A Sabbath Scene (18.")3). a poem descriptive of the workings of the Fugitive Slave Law; The Chapel of the Hermits (1853); The Panorama (1856); Home Ballads and Poems (1860) ; In War Time (1863) ; yational Lyrics (1865); Siioic-Boiitid (1866), probably his best work; The Tent on the Peach (1867) ; Among the 7Zi»6- (1868) ; Miriam (1871) ; The Pennsylvania Pilgrim. (1872) ; Hazel Blossoms (1874), includ- ing poems by his sister, Elizabeth ^^'hittier ; Mabel Martin (1875); A Centennial Hymn (1876); The Vision of Echard (1878) ; The King's Mis- sive (1881) ; The Bay of Seven Islands "(1883) ; Poems of Xature (1886) ; Saint Gregory's Guest (1886); and At Sundoivn (1892). These have been collected into the Complete Poetical and Prose Works, revised and annotated by the poet, in seven volumes of the Riverside Press. Whit- tier was also the cominler. with Lucy Larcom. of Child Life (1871), Child Life in Prose (1874), nnd Songs of Three Centnrics (1876) ; and during his life he also had a hand in many anti-slavery collections and compilations, both in verse and in prose. Whittier ranks as one of the foremost Ameri- can poets. His chief excellence lies in his sim- plicity, sincerity, directness, and fervor. His verse is, to be sure, often disfigured by faulty rhyming, and much of it labors under the disad- vantage of being merely occasional, but even this body of iioetry is redeemed by the unfailing sincerity and earnestness of the poet. In his verse dealing with New England life Whittier may be said to have achieved ])ernianence. No American poet has better depicted the simple scenes of rural life, with finer eye for truth of detail or more impressive delicacy of sentiment, than has Whittier in such scenes as those of Snoic-Bound, a jjoem which has caused him to be regarded as a scut of American Burns, though in respect to lyrical fpiality the similarity of the two ])oets is not striking. A selection of his verses which would show his quality, lyric, de- scriptive, and moral, most characteristically and at its best, would include such jmems as lehabod. Barbara Erietehie, Skipper Ireson's Ride, The Pipes at Lveknon-, Laus Deo. The Eternal Good- ness (a psalm). In School Days, Maud Mailer, The Barefoot Hoy. The Swan Song of Parsmi Avery, and Snon;-Hound. Consult: W. S. Kennedy, John Oreenlcaf Whit- tier: His Life, Genius, and Writings (1882); John G. Whittier, the Poet of Freedom (1892, in "American Reformers Series;" F. H. Un- derwood, John Qreenleaf Whittier, a Biog- raphy (1884); W. J. Linton, Life of John Greenleaf Whittier (1893), in "Great Writers Series;" Mrs. James T. Fields, Whittier: Notes of His Life and His Friendships (1893) ; Mary B. Claflin, Personal Recollections of John G. Whittier (1893) ; S. T. Pickard. Life and Letters of John Greenleaf Whittier (1894). the authori- tative work on Whittier; and G. R. Carpenter, John Greenleaf Whittier, in "American Men of Letters Series" (1903). WHIT'TINGHAM, Cii.eles (1795-1870). An English printer, born at Mitcham, Surrey. He was ap))renticed to his uncle, Charles Whit- tingham, founder of the Chiswick Press, and was taken into partnership in 1824. During the four years of this relationship the press issued Knick- erbocker's History of Xew York (1824), Pierce Egan's Life of an Actor (1825), and Singer's Shakespeare ( 10 vols., 1825 ). In 1828 the younger Whittingham set up for himself and began a series of issues which were distinguished for ex- cellence and beauty of workmanship. The first book to appear was .4. Sunday Book ( 1829). This was followed bv' Bacon's and Peele's works. The Canterbury Tales. The Compleat Angler, and oth- ers. Upon the death of the elder Whittingham in 1840 both businesses devolved upon the nephew. He began l)lock color printing in 1840, and in 1843 introduced the old-fashioned style of book production. The Diary of Lady Willoughb}/ (1844) is an example of the latter innovation. Other works of this later period were: Shaw's Eli::abethan Architecture (1843); the notes to Samuel Rogers's Italy (1843); and Lord Ver- non's Dante (1854). In 1869 Whittingham re- tired. WHIT'TINGHAM, Willi.m Rollinson ( 1805-7!) ). An -American bishop of the Episcopal Cliurcli. He was born in New York City, and graduated at the General Theological Seminary there in 1825. Two years later he was ordained, and a little later became rector of Saint Luke's Churcli, New York. In 1835 he became professor of Church history in the seminary, and in 1840 Bishop of Maryland. He was universally con- sidered the most learned bishop of the time in his Church, especially in Church history and canon law; and his uncompromising adherence to prin- ciple, even on an unpopular side, won him fur- ther respect. He was generally a supporter of the High Cliurch Party; during the Civil War he was a firm friend of the National (iovern- ment, though many of his clergy espoused the Southern cause. His literary remains are cliiefly of an cilitoiial nature. WHIT'TINGTON, Rini.^Rn (c.1359-1423). An English merchant, IMayor of London. He was the tliird snn of Sir William Whittington, who was probably a native of Gloucestershire. Nothing is known of his early life. In 1379 Whittington was a mercer in London; in 1393 lie was an alderman, and in 1397. 1398. 1406, and 1419 Mayor of London. He advanced large sums of money to the Crown and enjoyed the King's conliilcnce. His liberality appears to have been mihonnded. At his dealli he left the bulk of his proiierty to charity, and for completing those works which had been begun under his own superintendence. But his fame is due mainly to