Richard Henry Stoddard (2 July 1825-12 May 1903), poet, critic, and man of letters, was born in Hingham, Massachusetts, and died in New York City. His early years were spent in poverty, because his father, a sailor, died at sea when Stoddard was three years old. His mother remarried, and the family moved to Boston, where Stoddard learned to read. In 1835 the family moved to New York City, and Stoddard was able to attend school for a while, reading poetry and British literature. At the age of fifteen he was sent out to earn a living, buying books with the allowance his mother gave him from the dollar a week he brought home. He worked at assorted trades, from scrivener to errand boy, and finally became an iron moulder.

In 1848 Stoddard met Bayard Taylor, who was just his age, and after spending his day in the iron foundry, would join...