Evangeline / with Notes and Plan of Study

Produced by John Hagerson, Kevin Handy, S.R.Ellison and
the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
Edited with Introduction, Notes and a Plan of Study
Copyright 1899 by W.F. CONOVER
The distinctive feature of this edition of Evangeline is the PLAN OF STUDY which forms the latter part of the volume.
This Plan for the study of Evangeline is the outgrowth of several years' teaching of this delightful poem. It has proved successful in securing very satisfactory work from classes varying greatly in ability. It has resulted, in a considerable majority of cases, in (1) in awakening an interest in and a love for good literature; (2) opening up the field of literature in a new way, and showing that much wealth may be gotten by digging below the surface; (3) developing a considerable power of discrimination; (4) enlarging the pupil's working vocabulary. See Argument on page 113.
NOTE Page 5
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine, February 27, 1807. His father and mother were of English stock, his mother being a descendant of John Alden and Priscilla. Stephen Longfellow, his father, was a lawyer and statesman. Henry's school life began at the age of three. When he was six years old he could read, spell and multiply, and at the age of seven was half way through his Latin grammar. He early showed a taste for reading, and read not only his father's small stock of books, but frequented the Portland Library and book stores. The Battle of Lovell's Pond was his first poem, written when he was thirteen. He entered Bowdoin College at the age of fourteen, graduating in 1825. During the latter part of his student life there he began to show a considerable literary bent. Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin, Longfellow was elected Professor of Modern Languages in that institution. Before entering upon his work, he spent three years in study and travel in Europe, returning to America in 1829. For five and one-half years he taught in Bowdoin, during which time he began serious work as an author. In 1834, Harvard called him to the chair of Modern Languages. He again made a trip to Europe for further study. Longfellow was connected with Harvard for nineteen years, resigning his position in 1854 to devote his whole time to literature.