Life and Letters of Henry Lee Higginson
PROFESSOR BLISS PERRY’SLife and Letters of Henry Lee Higginson is a delightful portrayal of one of the most lovable men Puritan New England has ever produced. Like his father, Higginson was a thorough-going Puritan, with the Calvinistie beliefs left out. lake the Puritans, be was independent, public-spirited, adventurous, hold, full of fight on occasion, and full of the spirit and practice of liberty. He added to these Puritan virtues a lively sense of humor, quick sympathy with human joy or sorrow, and a disposition to do good to fellow men which was more than generous: it was reckless. Even his defects of character and manner often caused in those who had experience of them, not only no condemnation, but actually a closer attachment to him. Thus he sometimes uttered hot words of condemnation or reproof, or drew unjust inferences about persons or their projects, or stood too long by a reprobate, or took foolish risks with his property, or for a cause to which he was sincerely but not wisely devoted; but he seldom lost a friend or made an enemy in any of these ways.
His father and mother and his grandparents possessed the Puritan virtues in eminent degree, without the Puritan’s ungentle qualities. He belonged to a large group of Boston kinsfolk, in whom good sense and good feeling abounded, though unevenly distributed; and he felt, and gratefully recognized through his whole life, the influence of these inheritances and this fortunate environment. His friendships with both men and women were many and various; he was absolutely constant in them, and his enjoyment of them was intense; and that enjoyment was always mutual.
The married life of Ida Agassiz and Henry Lee Higginson was a tender, joyous, helpful comradeship; and Professor Perry has delicately and adequately portrayed it. They both found in it, not only the most precious of human joys, but also invaluable mental and moral support.
Mr. Higginson’s method in giving money away, whether to public objects or private beneficiaries, was kindly, sympathetic, and self-effacing. In response to a friend’s solicitation, he would send money for a person in need who was almost a stranger to him, or with whom he had had but slight contact and even that remote — such, for instance, that, as a young man, he had danced to the beneficiary’s piano-playing at parties; and when the friend solicited a like contribution year after year, he would each year write with his own hand a touching note, which not only contained the money asked for and good wishes for the beneficiary, but expressed gratitude to the solicitor.
He began the organization of the Symphony Orchestra on a scale and with lofty aims to which his private fortune was absolutely inadequate; and having begun, he maintained such friendly and helpful relations with the Conductor and all his players, that over and over again his personal influence held the organization together, and carried it through grave perils. For years it was doubtful if his income would he sufficient to enable him to bear the heavy burden of maintaining the Orchestra; but his natural love of adventure, his hope of rendering a large service to Boston and the country, and the sympathy and support of many personal friends sustained him in his formidable undertaking.
The Life and Letters bring out the delightful fact that the boy was father to the man. He had no perverse or sinful traits to overcome; but all through life was the same affectionate, expressive, ardent, and brave human being, full of good instincts, open to all good influences himself, and never exercising upon those with whom he lived and worked any influences except loving and righteous ones.
His gifts to Harvard College were all meant to build up, in the successive generations of college youth, good-fellowship, patriotism, and serviceableness, and to nourish in them the motives that lead to happy and honorable lives. May this Life and Letters carry down through many generations the blessed memory of Henry Lee Higginson, soldier, citizen, servant of God and man,
CHARLES W. ELIOT.