HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY by James Russell Lowell: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This text isn't a poem; it's the copyright and publisher information page from a collected edition of works by James Russell Lowell, published by Houghton, Mifflin and Company.
The poem
Boston: 4 Park Street; New York: 11 East Seventeenth Street Chicago: 378-388 Wabash Avenue The Riverside Press, Cambridge Copyright, 1848, 1857, 1866, 1868, 1869, 1876, and 1885, By JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. Copyright, 1887, 1894, and 1896, By HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO.
This text isn't a poem; it's the copyright and publisher information page from a collected edition of works by James Russell Lowell, published by Houghton, Mifflin and Company. It includes office addresses, the press name, and copyright dates ranging from 1848 to 1896. There’s no verse, imagery, or poetic content to discuss.
Line-by-line
Boston: 4 Park Street; New York: 11 East Seventeenth Street
Copyright, 1848, 1857, 1866, 1868, 1869, 1876, and 1885, / By JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL.
Copyright, 1887, 1894, and 1896, / By HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO.
Tone & mood
There’s nothing poetic here. This reads like dry, legal boilerplate typical of publishers — the sort of page that many readers just skip over.
Symbols & metaphors
- The Riverside Press, Cambridge — The Riverside Press was Houghton Mifflin's printing facility located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. When its name appeared on a title page, it indicated that the book was produced to a high standard by one of America's most respected literary publishers.
- Copyright dates (1848–1896) — The range of dates quietly reflects a lengthy literary career. 1848 signifies Lowell's early breakthrough years, while 1896, five years after his death, indicates that his work remained commercially and culturally appreciated.
- Publisher addresses — The offices in Boston, New York, and Chicago illustrate the landscape of American literary culture in the late 19th century — with Boston as the historic heart, New York as the bustling commercial center, and Chicago as the emerging market in the Midwest.
Historical context
James Russell Lowell (1819–1891) was a key figure in 19th-century American poetry, criticism, and public thought. He co-founded *The Atlantic Monthly* and held positions as a Harvard professor and U.S. ambassador. Houghton, Mifflin and Company, which evolved from the earlier Ticknor and Fields, was a major publisher in New England, representing notable authors like Longfellow, Emerson, Hawthorne, and Thoreau. The copyright page shown here is from a collected edition of Lowell's poems, likely the well-known "Riverside Edition" that compiled his work throughout his life. The dates from 1848 to 1896 reflect the publication timeline of individual volumes that were later brought together into this comprehensive collection. The posthumous copyrights (1887, 1894, 1896) managed by the publisher were typical for handling an author's literary estate prior to the development of modern copyright laws.
FAQ
No. This page contains the copyright and publisher information from a collected edition of Lowell's poetry. It was accidentally submitted as if it were a poem. There’s no poetry here — just addresses, a press name, and copyright notices.
Lowell was a prominent American poet, satirist, and critic in the 19th century. He gained fame for *The Biglow Papers*, a satirical piece that criticized the Mexican-American War, and for *A Fable for Critics*, a clever look at his fellow writers. Additionally, he was the inaugural editor of *The Atlantic Monthly*.
It was a key American publisher during the 19th and early 20th centuries, located in Boston. This company evolved from the earlier firm Ticknor and Fields and published almost every prominent New England writer of that time. It later became Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which is still in operation today.
Lowell published his poetry in individual volumes over several decades. Each volume received its own copyright upon release. When a collected edition was put together, all those separate copyrights were compiled on a single page to safeguard the complete contents.
Lowell passed away in 1891, but the copyright from 1887 was probably for a new collected edition that he helped prepare. After he died, the publisher retained the rights to any new editions and compilations. This was common practice at the time, as publishers frequently handled an author's estate rights before modern copyright laws defined these arrangements more clearly.
The Riverside Press was Houghton Mifflin's printing facility located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Books produced there were known for their high quality, and having the press's name on a title page was a sign of prestige. The 'Riverside Edition' emerged as the standard collected format for several renowned 19th-century American authors.
Start with *A Fable for Critics* (1848) for its witty and sharp literary sketches, or check out *The Biglow Papers* (1848 and 1867) for some clever political satire in Yankee dialect. If you want to explore his more lyrical work, dive into *The Vision of Sir Launfal* (1848) or the moving *Commemoration Ode* (1865), which was written to honor Harvard men who lost their lives in the Civil War.