Yesterday afternoon the balls of Cambridge tolled forth the sad news of the death of Henry W. Longfellow. The poet departed this life at a quarter past three o'clock yesterday afternoon, at his residence on Brattle street. He was born at Portland, Me., Feb. 27, 1807. He prepared himself for college at the public schools of his native city, and entered Bowdoin at the age of fourteen. Having taken the usual course of four years he graduated in 1825, and for some time devoted himself to the study of law.

In 1826 he went abroad to fit himself for the professorship of modern languages, to which his alma mater had appointed him. He returned to America and assumed the professorship at Bowdoin until 1835, when he was appointed by the faculty to fill the place of Mr. Geo. Ticknor, the professor of belles-lettres at Harvard University. In consequence of his appointment, he made another visit to Europe in the summer of 1835. While abroad his wife died, and Mr. Longfellow immediately returned home. In 1843 he married Miss Appleton of Boston, and took up his residence at the old Cragie house. Mr. Longfellow's seven earlier poems were written before he was nineteen years old. His works have been very popular, and have been translated into many languages.

He was regarded in England as the American Tennyson, and during his visit to Oxford in 1869 the honorary degree of D. C. L. was conferred upon him. In Russia he was likewise popular, and was a member of the Russian Academy of Science. When nominated as Lord Rector of Edinburg University he was defeated by a small majority by Mr. Disraeli.

Mr. Longfellow has been failing in health for the past year or two, but it was only on Thursday evening that anything serious was apprehended. All the family were present at his death, which was peaceful and easy.

No arrangements have as yet been made for the funeral, which the family desires to be strictly private. The burial will take place either Sunday or Monday.