EDUCATION. by James Russell Lowell: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This piece is a biographical prose passage about James Russell Lowell's early education, starting from his first lessons at a dame school and continuing through his time at Harvard College.
The poem
His acquaintance with books and his schooling began early. He learned his letters at a dame school. Mr. William Wells, an Englishman, opened a classical school in one of the spacious Tory Row houses near Elmwood, and, bringing with him English public school thoroughness and severity, gave the boy a drilling in Latin, which he must have made almost a native speech to judge by the ease with which he handled it afterward in mock heroics. Of course he went to Harvard College. He lived at his father's house, more than a mile away from the college yard; but this could have been no great privation to him, for he had the freedom of his friends' rooms, and he loved the open air. The Rev. Edward Everett Hale has given a sketch of their common life in college. "He was a little older than I," he says, "and was one class in advance of me. My older brother, with whom I lived in college, and he were most intimate friends. He had no room within the college walls, and was a great deal with us. The fashion of Cambridge was then literary. Now the fashion of Cambridge runs to social problems, but then we were interested in literature. We read Byron and Shelley and Keats, and we began to read Tennyson and Browning. I first heard of Tennyson from Lowell, who had borrowed from Mr. Emerson the little first volume of Tennyson. We actually passed about Tennyson's poems in manuscript. Carlyle's essays were being printed at the time, and his _French Revolution_. In such a community--not two hundred and fifty students all told,--literary effort was, as I say, the fashion, and literary men, among whom Lowell was recognized from the very first, were special favorites. Indeed, there was that in him which made him a favorite everywhere." Lowell was but fifteen years old when he entered college in the class which graduated in 1838. He was a reader, as so many of his fellows were, and the letters which he wrote shortly after leaving college show how intent he had been on making acquaintance with the best things in literature. He began also to scribble verse, and he wrote both poems and essays for college magazines. His class chose him their poet for Class Day, and he wrote his poem; but he was careless about conforming to college regulations respecting attendance at morning prayers; and for this was suspended from college the last term of his last year, and not allowed to come back to read his poem. "I have heard in later years," says Dr. Hale, "what I did not know then, that he rode down from Concord in a canvas-covered wagon, and peeped out through the chinks of the wagon to see the dancing around the tree. I fancy he received one or two visits from his friends in the wagon; but in those times it would have been treason to speak of this." He was sent to Concord for his rustication, and so passed a few weeks of his youth amongst scenes dear to every lover of American letters.
This piece is a biographical prose passage about James Russell Lowell's early education, starting from his first lessons at a dame school and continuing through his time at Harvard College. It illustrates how his passion for reading and engaging in literary discussions influenced him as a young man, despite a run-in with college rules that led to his suspension just before graduation. The passage concludes with a subtly humorous scene: Lowell peeking out from a covered wagon to observe his own Class Day festivities from afar.
Line-by-line
His acquaintance with books and his schooling began early. He learned his letters at a dame school.
Mr. William Wells, an Englishman, opened a classical school in one of the spacious Tory Row houses near Elmwood...
Of course he went to Harvard College. He lived at his father's house, more than a mile away from the college yard...
"He was a little older than I," he says, "and was one class in advance of me..."
Lowell was but fifteen years old when he entered college in the class which graduated in 1838.
His class chose him their poet for Class Day, and he wrote his poem; but he was careless about conforming to college regulations respecting attendance at morning prayers...
"I have heard in later years," says Dr. Hale, "what I did not know then, that he rode down from Concord in a canvas-covered wagon, and peeped out through the chinks of the wagon to see the dancing around the tree."
He was sent to Concord for his rustication, and so passed a few weeks of his youth amongst scenes dear to every lover of American letters.
Tone & mood
Warm, admiring, and gently amused. The narrator clearly likes Lowell and hopes the reader will too — but the affection stays grounded and never becomes idolizing. A dry wit weaves throughout the entire piece, particularly during the suspension episode, and the quoted testimony from Hale adds an intimate, conversational feel, as if old friends are sharing fond memories.
Symbols & metaphors
- The canvas-covered wagon — Lowell hiding in the wagon captures the tension between institutional authority and individual spirit. Although he is physically excluded, he still manages to stay engaged, witnessing his own moment from the sidelines. This portrayal also adds a human touch to a figure who might otherwise come across as a mere monument.
- Latin as 'almost a native speech' — Latin here represents deep, embodied learning instead of just surface-level schooling. Making a dead language feel native implies that true education transforms your way of thinking, not merely your knowledge — a subtle point that the entire passage is making about Lowell's development.
- Tennyson's poems passed in manuscript — The handwritten copies of Tennyson that Harvard students are sharing embody a vibrant literary community—knowledge exchanged from one person to another, fueled by genuine enthusiasm instead of just fulfilling a curriculum. This also positions Lowell as a key figure, the one who introduced this fresh perspective to the group.
- Concord as rustication — Concord became the heart of American Romanticism. The passage's main irony lies in sending Lowell there as a punishment: the very place intended to discipline him turned out to be a blessing, immersing him in the writers and ideas that would define his career.
Historical context
James Russell Lowell (1819–1891) was a leading figure in 19th-century American literature. He was a poet, critic, editor of the *Atlantic Monthly*, and later served as a diplomat. This biographical excerpt reflects the life-and-letters style common in the late Victorian era, a time when literary biographies were highly regarded and personal accounts from contemporaries were seen as the gold standard for evidence. In the 1830s, Harvard was a small, close-knit community with fewer than 250 students, while Cambridge, Massachusetts was emerging as a center of American intellectual activity. The Transcendentalist movement, led by Emerson in nearby Concord, was just starting to gain traction. Edward Everett Hale, who is quoted extensively here, was a notable author and clergyman, lending extra credibility to his memories for the readers of the time.
FAQ
You’re correct in pointing that out. This piece is a prose biography, not poetry. It’s listed under the title 'Education' and attributed to Lowell, but it actually offers a third-person view of his early life. It was likely written by a biographer or editor using contemporary sources, including direct quotes from Edward Everett Hale. It serves as a literary biography in the Victorian style.
Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909) was an American author and Unitarian minister, recognized today primarily for his story *The Man Without a Country*. He was a contemporary of Lowell at Harvard and a close friend. His firsthand account is quoted extensively because Victorian literary biography valued eyewitness testimony from credible, well-known figures above all else.
He skipped morning prayers too often. In the 1830s, Harvard required students to attend chapel every day, and Lowell seemed to take a relaxed approach to attending. The consequence — suspension and being sent away to Concord — meant he lost the chance to read his own Class Day poem, which is quite ironic since his classmates had chosen him as their poet.
Rustication was an academic punishment where a student had to leave college and live in a rural area for a specified time. The belief was that stepping away from the lively college atmosphere would promote self-reflection and improved behavior. In Lowell's situation, he was sent to Concord — which, considering Emerson resided there, was hardly a tough break.
Tory Row is a section of Brattle Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, named after the affluent loyalist families who resided there before the American Revolution. Many of their impressive homes still stand today. This detail anchors the story in a historically rich setting and indicates that Lowell's early education took place in an atmosphere of old New England prestige.
Tennyson's early work wasn't easily accessible in America at the time. Lowell had borrowed a small first volume from Emerson, and the students were so eager to read it that they hand-copied poems to share with one another. This vividly highlights how different literary culture was before the advent of cheap reprints — and how much genuine enthusiasm for new writing thrived within that Harvard circle.
Concord in the 1830s was the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson and would soon welcome Henry David Thoreau. It was the heart of American Transcendentalism and, more broadly, a hub of American literary aspiration. The narrator's closing line — 'scenes dear to every lover of American letters' — subtly hints at Lowell's fate, landing him in the most intellectually vibrant spot in the country.
A significant amount. It illustrates a layered system that transitions from informal dame schools to demanding classical education, culminating in a small, socially vibrant college. It also highlights that literary culture was largely shaped by students and their peers — the enthusiasm for Byron, Shelley, Keats, Tennyson, and Carlyle stemmed from students exchanging books and engaging in discussions, rather than from the formal curriculum. The passage subtly suggests that Lowell's true education took place as much in conversation as it did in the classroom.