The Letters of James Russell Lowell (1894), edited by Charles Eliot Norton, is a two-volume collection of correspondence from the esteemed American poet, critic, diplomat, and Harvard professor James Russell Lowell (1819–1891). A key figure in 19th-century literature, Lowell was part of the Fireside Poets and a prominent abolitionist, blending intellectual rigor with wit and warmth in his letters.
Norton, a close friend and fellow scholar, curated these letters to reflect Lowell’s wide-ranging mind—discussing literature, politics (including his time as U.S. ambassador to Spain and England), friendships with figures like Longfellow and Emerson, and his sharp observations on society. The collection reveals Lowell’s humor, erudition, and the personal struggles behind his public persona, offering a vivid portrait of Victorian-era intellectual life.
For readers who enjoyed this, consider:
- The Letters of Henry Adams – Another insightful collection from a brilliant 19th-century American mind.
- Selected Letters of Ralph Waldo Emerson – For more transcendentalist thought and literary camaraderie.
- The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson – A transatlantic exchange of ideas echoing Lowell’s own diplomatic and literary circles.
