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NORTH SHORE BREEZE : 9 
There have been many steadily increasing causes 
toward the growth and popularity of the North Shore 
as a leading summer resort,—scenic beauty, a high class 
clientele, historical and literary tradition, artistic value 
and famous points of interest. These qualifications have 
brought numerous people of distinction in art, music 
and letters to these shores for rest, recreation or new 
inspiration. 
. The fascination of this section of New England and 
all that she stands for in relation to history and liter- 
ature has made its appeal to the people of the new West 
and the old South. They, too, have come in large num- 
bers like Pilgrims to worship at those shrines. 
For the lover of literature and for all that this 
portion of the Massachusetts coast suggests in relation 
to the American School of Literature, the North Shore 
| particularly affords a delightfully impressive place to 
localize the works and haunts of many famous American 
authors. 
Marblehead proved particularly a treasure box for 
themes or plots, for poems and novels, by many writers 
-—notably Whittier and Holmes. It is deeply interesting 
to know, therefore, what an important part the North 
Shore has played in the lives and pleasures of littera- 
teurs now immortal. 
That the sweetest and only personal romance of 
Whittier centered in Marblehead comes down to us in 
history. That he drew his inspiration for his Marble- 
head historical poems through his visits to the young 
woman of his choice is related in this way. 
On State street, near the corner of Washington 
Street, Marblehead, was the home of Capt. Edmund 
Bray, a Revolutionary veteran. After the war, he be- 
came a commander of merchant ships. He had a fair 
daughter, Evelyn Bray. In the course of her educa- 
tional pursuits, she attended Haverhill Academy, where 
she met Whittier. A strong attachment resulted. He is 
_Lelieved to have visited Marblehead frequently as the 
guest of Miss Bray. 
| ‘The Sea Dream,’’ one of his sweetest poems, 
‘Mentions ‘‘the gray fort’s broken wall, the boats that 
Yeck below,’’ a realistie pen picture of a portion’ of 
Marblehead near the fort. 
Miss Bray is said to have been the only woman 
Whittier loved. However, the lovers’ romanee _ter- 
‘minated adversely. Miss Bray became the wife of the 
iTtev. Wm. S. Downey, a Baptist clergyman. Whittier 
ever married. ) 
| Marblehead’s traditions played an important part 
in Whittier’s writings, such as, Skipper Ireson’s ride 
avd his famous ‘‘Swan Song,’’ of Parson Avery, who 
)was drowned off Thatcher’s Island on ** Avery’s Woe.’’ 
| “The Tent an the Beach,’’ idealized life by the 
‘Sea as enjoyed by Whittier, Bayard Taylor and James 
'D. Fields. It is descriptive of the beaches of Gloucester, 
Ipswich and Marblehead. It was dedicated to Mrs. 
James T. Fields of Boston and Manchester. 
Whittier was credited with doing as much for the 
Scenery of New England as Scott did for Scotland. 
Holmes called him the ‘‘ Wood Thrush of Essex.”’ 
Other appellations were ‘‘Poet of New England His- 
tory’’ and ‘‘National Poet of America.’’ 
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North Shore’s Relation to Famous Litterateurs 
7 BY MARY TAYLOR FALT 
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To Whittier, Lucy Larcom of Beverly Farms, owed 
her introduction to James T. Fields, the late publisher, 
a stepping stone to fame. The Field summer home on 
Thunderbolt Hill, off Masconomo street, Manchester-by- 
the-Sea, is a literary landmark of the “Shore.’’ Many 
distinguished people have -been entertained there. 
Mrs. Fields, in her delightful volume entitled 
‘Authors and Friends,’’ states with impressive figures 
of speech, that Whittier ‘‘early became the foster-father 
of Luey Larcom’s children of the brain, her life-long 
friend, adviser and supporter.’’ Whittier was enter- 
tained at the Farms by Miss Larcom. 
Salem, as the birthplace and literary medium for 
Ifawthorne and his works, is now familiar literary his- 
tory. “Tis fascinating to muse on this pathetic figure 
in American literature, wrapped in his dreamy maze of 
romance, writing what was to be immortal contributions 
to our national literature midst pecuniary distress, per- 
sonal illness, dismissal from office, all the dire stress and 
handicaps peculiar to genius. 
It is interesting to know that practically the entire 
North Shore afforded Hawthorne inspiration and recre- 
ation. ‘‘Footprints on the Seashore’”’ printed ‘in the 
‘‘Democratic Review’’ in 1838, and later in his ‘‘ Amer- 
ican Note Book’’ one finds sections of the North Shore, 
then in all their undeveloped and latent beauty, des- 
cribed by him in his rambles, ‘‘The Ramble to the Sea- 
shore near Phillips Beach’’ being one mentioned. The 
tourist on the North Shore can hardly visit any of this 
section of Massachusetts coast without tracing ‘‘some 
1oot-path of the Great Romancer.’’ The rocky shores 
of Beverly, Manchester, Marblehead and Nahant were 
visited by Hawthorne on foot. His introspections and 
impressions. have come .down to us. 
Salem: and the North Shore resorts therefore are 
shrines to which pilgrims unceasingly come. The 
Hawthorne memorial association, in which so many em- 
inent men of the country, as well as Salemites, are 
interested, had raised last January $10,000 toward the 
memorial statue of Hawthorne to be placed on Salem 
Common. Bela L. Pratt, the Boston sculptor, has pre- 
sented two models. The favored one depicts the great 
author sitting on a large rock by the shore clad in his 
great coat, hat and characteristic cane in hand. 
The North Shore claims James Russell Lowell, too, 
in the list of ‘distinguished sojourners.. He was here 
during the summer of 1854, at what is now Pride’s 
Crossing. He appreciated to the full the ‘‘Witeh 
Woods’? and ‘‘Witch Lane’’ of this section. The his- 
toric traditions and the quaint and beautiful scenery 
of that period appealed strongly to the great poet, who 
then sojourned in the ‘‘enchanted woodlands”’ of Bev- 
erly and her environs. 
Beverly Farms points with pride to Justice Oliver 
Wendell Holmes’ estate. There the distinguished poet- 
father of the distinguished jurist resided for a few 
years. He also had another home at the Farms near 
Miss Lucy Larcom’s residence. ‘‘The Autocrat of the 
Breakfast Table’’ is well remembered by the older resi- 
dents of the Farms. A more tangible remembrance is 
(Continued on Page 55.) 
