378 JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER. 



Indubitably didactic in motive, too, are those two narrative 

 poems of his which are apparently most familiar, — " Maud 

 Muller,"* written at forty-six, and "Skipper Ireson's Eide," t 

 written at forty-nine. The merits and the limits of his work in 

 this kind are patent in Maud Muller. The little poem is very 

 simple, and in its conventional sentimentality is very acceptable 

 to the great American public. In its presentation of a Yankee 

 judge in the character of a knightly hero of romance, it is art- 

 lessly consonant with the social ideals of the Yankee country; 

 so, too, in its tacit assumption that the good looks of a barefoot 

 country beauty would really have been more congenial life 

 companions in an eminent legal career than the rich dower and 

 the fashionable tendencies of the lady the Judge ultimately 

 married, — in deference to 



" his sisters proud and cold, 

 And his mother, vain of her rank and gold." 



If this sort of thing were canting, it would be abominable. 

 What saves it is that it rings true. The man meant it seriously. 

 We may smile at his simplicity, if we like ; but we can hardly 

 help loving him for it. Indeed, it is almost enough to make us 

 forgive that invidiously dreadful rhyme : 



" For of all sad words of tongue or pen, 

 The saddest are these: 'It might have been! ' " 



"Skipper Ireson's Eide," on the other hand, has much of the 

 true ballad quality : 



" Body of turkey, head of owl, 

 Wings a-droop like a rained-on fowl, 

 Feathered and ruffled in every part, 

 Skipper Ireson stood in the cart. 

 Scores of women, old and young, 

 Strong of muscle, and glib of tongue, 

 Pushed and pulled up the rocky lane, 

 Shouting and singing the shrill refrain: 

 ' Here 's Flud Oirson, fur his horrd horrt, 

 Torr'd an' futherr'd an' corr'd in a corrt 

 By the women o' Morble'ead! ' " 



Such a subject as that stirred the Yankee Quaker to the depths. 

 A human being, deaf to the still small voice, had acted devil- 



* Poetical Works, Vol. I. p. 148. t Ibid., p. 174. 



