Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Thomas Bailey Aldrich
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Thomas Bailey Aldrich was born on November 11, 1836, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He is also known as T.B.A. to his friends and fellow writers.
Birth and Death Dates
Born: November 11, 1836
Died: March 19, 1907 (age 70)
Nationality and Profession(s)
Thomas Bailey Aldrich was an American poet, novelist, essayist, and editor. He is considered one of the leading literary figures of his time in America.
Early Life and Background
Aldrich's early life was marked by a love for literature and writing. His father, Thomas Coffin Aldrich, was a prominent lawyer and politician in Portsmouth. The family's social status allowed young Thomas to be educated at home before attending the Portsmouth Academy. He later attended Harvard University, where he developed his passion for literature and poetry.
In 1859, Aldrich married Elizabeth Stoddard, a writer and poet who would become a close friend and collaborator throughout his life. The couple had no children but maintained a close relationship with each other's writing.
Major Accomplishments
Thomas Bailey Aldrich is best known for his work as an editor of the influential literary magazine _The Atlantic Monthly_. During his tenure, he championed new voices in American literature and helped establish the publication as a leading platform for writers. His own poetry, novels, and essays were published in various magazines and journals throughout his career.
Some notable works by Aldrich include:
Poems (1861) - his first collection of poetry
The Poet's Progress (1872-1896) - a series of poems that reflect on the American experience
Marriage: A Story (1884) - a novel exploring themes of love and relationshipsNotable Works or Actions
Aldrich's most notable contribution to literature was his work as an editor. He discovered and promoted many new writers, including:
Henry James
Edith Wharton
William Dean Howells
Under Aldrich's guidance, _The Atlantic Monthly_ became a hub for innovative writing in America.
Impact and Legacy
Thomas Bailey Aldrich had a lasting impact on American literature. His dedication to promoting new voices helped shape the literary landscape of his time. As an editor, he played a crucial role in establishing _The Atlantic Monthly_ as a leading publication.
Aldrich's own work remains widely read today for its insight into the American experience during the late 19th century. His poetry, novels, and essays offer a unique perspective on themes such as love, relationships, and identity.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Thomas Bailey Aldrich is remembered as one of America's most influential literary figures of his time. His work as an editor helped launch the careers of many prominent writers, while his own writing continues to be celebrated for its insight into the human experience.
As a writer and editor, Aldrich embodied the values of innovation and creativity that defined American literature in the late 19th century. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of writers and readers alike.
His contributions to _The Atlantic Monthly_ helped establish it as one of the premier literary publications in America during his time, providing a platform for voices that would shape the nation's literary landscape for decades to come.
Quotes by Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Thomas Bailey Aldrich's insights on:
All the best sands of my life are somehow getting into the wrong end of the hourglass. If I could only reverse it! Were it in my power to do so would I?
Hebe's here, May is here ! / The air is fresh and sunny ; / And the miser-bees are busy / Hoarding golden honey !
What is lovely never dies, but passes into another loveliness, Star-dust or sea-foam, Flower or winged air.
October turned my maple's leaves to gold;The most are gone now; here and there one lingers;Soon these will slip from out the twig's weak hold,Like coins between a dying miser's fingers.
To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent--that is to triumph over old age.
I never witness a performance of child-acrobats, or the exhibition of any forced talent, physical or mental, on the part of children, without protesting, at least in my own mind, against the blindness and cruelty of their parents or guardians or whoever has care of them.
I have frequently noticed how circumstances conspire to help a man, or a boy, when he has thoroughly resolved on doing a thing.
The burdens of childhood are as hard to bear as the crosses that weigh us down later in life, while the happinesses of childhood are tame compared with those of our maturer years.
It is a great mistake on the part of elderly ladies, male and female, to tell a child that he is seeing his happiest days. Do not you believe a word of it, my little friend.
There is a special Providence that watches over idiots, drunken men, and boys.