THE LIFE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE IN TWO VOLUMES VOLUME II THE LIFE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE PERSONAL AND LITERARY WITH HIS CHIEF CORRESPONDENCE WITH MEN OF LETTERS BY GEORGE E. WOODBERRY VOLUME II BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY ft itoersi&e pr^s Cambribge 1909 COPYRIGHT, 1885 AND 1909, BY GEORGE E. WOODBERRY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Published March IQOQ CONTENTS CHAPTER VIII THE STYLUS i CHAPTER IX THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 65 CHAPTER X THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 125 CHAPTER XI THE LITERATI 186 CHAPTER XII THE COTTAGE AT FORDHAM 213 CHAPTER XIII EUREKA 237 CHAPTER XIV HELEN WHITMAN 265 CHAPTER XV THE END 294 APPENDIX 357 NOTES 419 INDEX 455 ILLUSTRATIONS EDGAR ALLAN POE (photogravure) . . . Frontispiece From a dagiierreotype made at Richmond by Pratt, and given to John R. Thompson by Poe during his last visit to Richmond. On the death of Mr. Thompson it passed to his sister, Mrs. Quarles, then to the late Mr. Isaac M. Dyckman, his second cousin. It is now first reproduced through the courtesy of Mrs. Isaac M. Dyckman. The autograph is from a letter to John R. Thompson, dated Dec. 7, 1848. JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL 24 After the painting by William Page. THE GOLD BUG 38 After the drawing by Herpin. NATHANIEL P. WILLIS 102 From the painting by Chester Harding. Now first reprO' duced by the courtesy of Willis's daughter, Mrs. L. L. Grinnell. HOUSE WHERE " THE RAVEN" WAS WRITTEN, NEAR 84TH STREET, NEW YORK 114 From a drawing by John Huybers, after an old print, THE BLACK CAT 148 After the drawing by H. Meyer. EVERT A. DUYCKINCK 156 From an engraving. THE RAVEN 166 After the drawing by William Thomas Horton. FRANCES SARGENT OSGOOD 178 From an engraving. viii ILLUSTRATIONS FACSIMILE OF " A VALENTINE " FROM THE ORIGI NAL MS 182 Reproduced by courtesy of Mrs. William M. Griswold. WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS 200 From an engraving. POE'S COTTAGE, FORDHAM 214 After a drawing by Mie Pate. Reproduced through the courtesy of the Iconophile Society of New York City. MARIA CLEMM 226 After a photograph from a daguerreotype taken in 1849. Reproduced through the courtesy of Walter Leon Sawyer, Esq. ULALUME 234 From an etching from F. Seymour Hayden. Reproduced by the courtesy of F. H. Day, Esq. FACSIMILE OF A PORTION OF " THE BELLS " FROM THE ORIGINAL MS 258 Reproduced by the courtesy ofjf. Pierpont Morgan, Esq. SARAH H. WHITMAN 266 After a photograph. Reproduced through the courtesy of Miss Charlotte F. Dailey. SARAH E. SHELTON 318 After a daguerreotype. FACSIMILE OF "I HEED NOT" FROM THE ORIGINAL MS 328 Reproduced by the courtesy of Mrs. William M. Griswold. FACSIMILE OF " ANNABEL LEE" FROM THE ORIGI NAL MS 352 This MS. was given by Poe to John R. Thompson, and is for. the first time reproduced by the courtesy of its present owner, Mrs. Isaac M. Dyckman. RAVEN'S HEAD 356 From "The Raven," illustrated by Edouard Manet. Re produced by the courtesy of F. H. Day, Esq. THE LIFE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE CHAPTER VIII THE STYLUS THE Prospectus of "The Stylus" was issued through the columns of the Philadelphia "Satur day Museum," March 4, 1843, which called at tention to it in an editorial notice, together with a biography of Poe. It was shorter than that of the "Penn Magazine," but the identity of the two projects is avowed, and in the important parts describing the aims of the editors the same sentences formerly used are incorporated. The "chief purpose" is still declared to be to found a journal distinguished by "a sincere and fear less opinion," and it is announced as earnest of this intention that "an important feature of the work, and one which will be introduced in the opening number, will be a series of ' Critical and Biographical Sketches of American Writ ers,'" a plan that afterwards took many forms. 2 EDGAR ALLAN POE "The Stylus" was to be illustrated also, like the "Perm," and an agreement, signed January 31, 1843, had been entered into between Clarke and Poe on one side and F. O. C. Barley on the other, in accordance with which the latter was to furnish not less than three original designs per month to Clarke and Poe, at seven dollars each, until July i, 1844, and was not to contrib ute similar designs for use in any other maga zine during that period. The subjects were to be given by the editors ; and the first work put into the artist's hands for this purpose was " The Gold Bug," for which he made and delivered some designs. Poe himself took the story to Mr. Darley, with whom he held pleasant relations. "He impressed me," writes the latter, "as a re fined and very gentlemanly man; exceedingly neat in his person ; interesting always, from the intellectual character of his mind, which ap peared to me to be tinged with sadness. His manner was quiet and reserved ; he rarely smiled. I remember his reading his 'Gold Bug' and 'Black Cat' to me before they were published. The form of his manuscript was peculiar: he wrote on half sheets of note paper, which he pasted together at the ends, making one continu ous piece, which he rolled up tightly. As he read THE STYLUS 3 he dropped it upon the floor. It was very neatly written, and without corrections, apparently." 1 Several of these small rolls still exist. Poe had also asked Thomas to write the biographical sketch of him for the " Museum," and himself furnished the memoranda. Thomas was obliged to decline : - WASHINGTON, February i, 1843. MY DEAR POE, — You judged rightly I did not write to you [while] waiting "for some defi nite action of Congress on Smith's case." I feel most anxious ( ?) in the matter for you, my friend. About the biography. I duly received your notes, and determined at the earliest moment to take it in hand. Congress is now, you know, in session, and my labors at the department are terrible while it continues. There (?) I have set myself about writing out the notes, and there ( ?) I have been taken off. It would be a labor of love with me, Poe, as you know, and let who will do it now; some of these days I will do it better unless they do it d — d well. I could not do it until Congress adjourns, and not speedily then — I am so much occupied. I therefore think it best to send you the MS. as you request, 1 Barley to the author, February 26, 1884. 4 EDGAR ALLAN POE but I do it with regret. I should be most glad to greet you in the capital. Come on if pos sible. Yes, I saw the " Saturday Museum" in Mr. Robert Tyler's room, and happened to light upon the article in which we are mentioned. I read that portion of it to him, and shall take care that he is not misinformed on the subject. I remember Mr. Hirst. Why the d — 1 did you not give me an inkling of what your good luck is. I was at a party last night, and came to the department rather dull, but when I opened your letter, and read, "In high spirits, Yours truly, E. A. Poe," I rose to "high spirits" myself. I assure you, Poe, that nothing gives me greater pleasure than to know that you are well and doing well. Remember me most affectionately to your mother and lady and believe me truly your friend, F. W.THOMAS. l The desired biography was written by a young Philadelphia poet, H. B. Hirst, then an habitual associate of Poe, who breakfasted and went walking with him, and has been repre sented as a writer in whose work Poe's presence 1 Griswold MSS. THE STYLUS 5 is to be found. The life was written from Poe's memoranda, and a portrait was lithographed from a miniature; both were printed in the " Saturday Museum," of which it was also an nounced he was to be editor. He sent the paper l to Thomas, and others : - PHILADELPHIA, February 25, 1843. MY DEAR THOMAS, — Herewith I forward a " Saturday Museum " containing a Biography and caricature, both of myself. I am ugly enough, God knows, but not quite so bad as that. The biographer is H. W. Hirst of this city. I put into his hands your package, as returned, and he has taken the liberty of stating his in debtedness for memoranda to yourself — a slight extension of the truth for which I pray you to excuse him. He is a warm friend of yours, by the by — and a warm friend is a matter of mo ment at all times, but especially in this age of lukewarmness. 7 have also been guilty of an indiscretion in quoting from a private letter of yours to myself — I could not forego the temp tation of letting the world know how well you thought of me. 1 This was an advance copy, or else the issue of March 4 was a reprint from an earlier number. 6 EDGAR ALLAN POE On the outside of the paper you will see a Prospectus of "The Stylus" — my old "Perm" revived and remodelled under better auspices. I am anxious to hear your opinion of it. I have managed at last to secure, I think, the great ob ject — a partner possessing ample capital, and, at the same time, so little self-esteem as to allow me entire control of the editorial conduct. He gives me, also, a half interest, and is to furnish funds for all the business operations — I agree ing to supply, for the first year, the literary mat ter. This will puzzle me no little, but I must do my best — write as much as possible myself, under my own name and pseudonyms, and hope for the casual aid of my friends, until the first stage of infancy is surpassed. The articles of copartnership have been signed and sealed for some weeks, and I should have written you be fore, informing you of my good luck, but that I was in hope of sending you, at the same time, a specimen sheet. Some little delay has occurred in getting it out on account of paper. In the mean time, all arrangements are progressing with spirit. We shall make the most magnifi cent magazine, as regards externals, ever seen. The finest paper, bold type, in single column, and superb wood-engravings in the manner of THE STYLUS 7 the French illustrated edition of "Gil Bias'' by Gigoux, or "Robinson Crusoe" by Grandville. There are three objects I would give a great deal to accomplish. Of the first I have some hope, but of the two last exceedingly little, un less you aid me. In the first place, I wish an article from yourself for my opening number; in the second, one from Mr. Rob Tyler ; in the third, one from Judge Upshur. If I could get all this, I should be made, but I despair. Judge Upshur wrote some things for "The Messen ger" during my editorship, and if I could get him interested in the scheme he might, by good management, be induced to give me an article, I care not how brief, or on what subject, with his name. It would be worth to me at least $500, and give me caste at once. I think him, as a reasoner, as a speaker, and as a writer, abso lutely unsurpassed. I have the very highest opinion of his abilities. There is no man in America from whom I so strongly covet an arti cle. Is it procurable? In a few weeks, at farthest, I hope to take you by the hand. In the mean time write, and let me know how you come on. About a week since I enclosed an introductory letter to your self in one to a friend of mine (Professor Wyatt) 8 EDGAR ALLAN POE now in Washington. I presume you have seen him. He is much of a gentleman, and I think you will be pleased with him. Virginia and Mrs. Clemm beg to be remem bered. Truly your friend, EDGAR A. PoE.1 P. S. Smith not rejected yet ! Ah, if I could only get the inspectorship, or something similar, now — how completely it would put me out of all difficulty. Poe himself was shortly after sent to Wash ington to obtain subscriptions among his politi cal friends, and, if possible, those of the Presi dent and Cabinet through his old acquaintance, Rob Tyler. He apparently also meant to lec ture, and to look after his prospects of becom ing an office-holder. The visit was unfortunate. On the evening of his arrival he began to drink. On the next day, March n, he wrote to his partner : - WASHINGTON, March n, 1843. MY DEAR SIR, — I write merely to inform you of my well-doing, for, so far, I have done nothing. My friend Thomas, upon whom I depended, 1 Griswold MSS. THE STYLUS 9 is sick. I suppose he will be well in a few days. In the meantime I shall have to do the best I can. I have not seen the President yet. My expenses were more than I thought they would be, although I have economized in every respect, and this delay (Thomas being sick) puts me out sadly. However, all is going right. I have got the subscriptions of all the depart ments, President, &c. I believe that I am mak ing a sensation which will tend to the benefit of the magazine. Day after to-morrow I am to lecture. Rob Tyler is to give me an article, also Upshur. Send me $10 by mail as soon as you get this. I am grieved to ask you for money in this way, but you will find your account in it twice over. Very truly yours, EDGAR A. POE. 1 THOS. C. CLARKE, Esq. The next day his friend Dow 2 wrote in his behalf :- WASHINGTON, March 12, 1843. DEAR SIR, — I deem it to be my bounden duty to write you this hurried letter in relation to our mutual friend E. A. P. 1 Gill, p. 120. 2 Then editor of the Daily Madisonian, a Tyler organ. io EDGAR ALLAN POE He arrived here a few days since. On the first evening he seemed somewhat excited, having been overpersuaded to take some port wine. On the second day he kept pretty steady, but since then he has been, at intervals, quite unre liable. He exposes himself here to those who may injure him very much with the President, and thus prevents us from doing for him what we wish to do and what we can do if he is himself again in Philadelphia. He does not understand the ways of politicians nor the manner of deal ing with them to advantage. How should he? Mr. Thomas is not well and cannot go home with Mr. P. My business and the health of my family will prevent me from so doing. Under all the circumstances of the case, I think it advisable for you to come on and see him safely back to his home. Mrs. Poe is in a bad state of health, and I charge you, as you have a soul to be saved, to say not one word to her about him until he arrives with you. I shall expect you or an answer to this letter by return of mail. Should you not come, we will see him on board the cars bound to Phila., but we fear he might be detained in Baltimore and not be out of harm's way. THE STYLUS n I do this under a solemn responsibility. Mr. Poe has the highest order of intellect, and I can not bear that he should be the sport of senseless creatures who, like oysters, keep sober, and gape and swallow everything. I think your good judgment will tell you what course you ought to pursue in this matter, and I cannot think it will be necessary to let him know that I have written you this letter ; but I cannot suffer him to injure himself here without giving you this warning. Yours respectfully, J. E. Dow.1 To THOMAS C. CLARKE, Esq., Philadelphia, Pa. Poe, however, was sent home by himself, and arrived at Philadelphia March 15, where he was met at the station by Mrs. Clemm. After going home he called on Clarke, and, the next day, wrote to his two friends : — PHILADELPHIA, March 16, 1843. MY DEAR THOMAS AND Dow, — I arrived here in perfect safety, and sober, about half-past four last evening — nothing occurring on the road of any consequence. I shaved and bfeak- 1 Gill, p. 121. 12 EDGAR ALLAN POE fasted in Baltimore, and lunched on the Susque- hanna, and by the time I got to Philadelphia felt quite decent. Mrs. Clemm was expecting me at the car-office. I went immediately home, took a warm bath and supper, and then went to Clarke's. I never saw a man in my life more surprised to see another. He thought by Dow's epistle that I must not only be dead but buried, and would as soon have thought of seeing his great-great-great- grandmother. He received me, therefore, very cordially, and made light of the matter. I told him what had been agreed upon — that I was a little sick, and that Dow, knowing I had been, in times past, given to spreeing upon an extensive scale, had become unduly alarmed, &c., &c.— that when I found he had written, I thought it best to come home. He said my trip had im proved me, and that he had never seen me looking so well! — and I don't believe I ever did. This morning I took medicine, and, as it is a snowy day will avail myself of the excuse to stay at home — so that by to-morrow I shall be really as well as ever. Virginia's health is about the same; but her distress of mind had been even more than I had anticipated. She desires her kindest remembrances to both of you — as also does Mrs. C. THE STYLUS 13 Clarke, it appears, wrote to Dow, who must have received the letter this morning. Please reenclose the letter to me, here, so that I may know how to guide myself. And, Thomas, do write immediately as proposed. If possible, en close a line from Rob Tyler — but I fear under the circumstances, it is not so. I blame no one but myself. The letter which I looked for, and which I wished returned, is not on its way — reason, no money forthcoming — Lowell had not yet sent it. He is ill in New York, of ophthalmia. Imme diately upon receipt of it, or before, I will for ward the money you were both so kind as to lend, which is eight to Dow, and three and a half to Thomas. What a confounded business I have got myself into, attempting to write a letter to two people at once ! However, this is for Dow. My dear fellow, thank you a thousand times for your kindness and great forbearance, and don't say a word about the cloak turned inside out, or other pecca dilloes of that nature. Also, express to your wife my deep regret for the vexation I must have oc casioned her. Send me, also, if you can, the letter to Blythe. Call, also, at the barber's shop just above Fuller's and pay for me a levy which I i4 EDGAR ALLAN POE believe I owe. And now, God bless you, for a nobler fellow never lived. And this is for Thomas. My dear friend, for give me my petulance and don't believe I think all I said. Believe me, I am very grateful to you for your many attentions and forbearances, and the time will never come when I shall forget either them or you. Remember me most kindly to Dr. Lacey — also to the Don, whose mus- tachios I do admire after all, and who has about the finest figure I ever beheld — also to Dr. Frailey. Please express my regret to Mr. Fuller for making such a fool of myself in his house, and say to him (if you think it necessary) that I should not have got half so drunk on his ex cellent port wine but for the rummy coffee with which I was forced to wash it down. I would be glad, too, if you would take an opportunity of saying to Mr. Rob Tyler that if he can look over matters and get me the inspectorship, I will join the Washingtonians forthwith. I am as serious as a judge — and much [more] so than many. I think it would be a feather in Mr. Tyler's cap to save from the perils of mint julep — and "Port wines" -a young man of whom all the world thinks so well and who thinks so remarkably well of himself. THE STYLUS 15 And now, my dear friends, good-by, and be lieve me most truly yours, EDGAR A. POE. Upon getting here I found numerous letters of subscribers to my magazine — for which no can vass has yet been made. This was unexpected and cheering. Did you say, Dow, that Commo dore Elliot had desired me to put down his name ? Is it so, or did I dream it ? At all events, when you see him, present my respects and thanks. Thomas, you will remember that Dr. Lacey wished me to put him down — but I don't know his first name — please let me have it. [NOTE BY THOMAS : This letter explains itself. While his friends were trying to get Poe a place he came on to Washington in the way he men tions. He was soon quite sick, and while he was so Dow wrote to one of his friends in Philadel phia about him ! Poor fellow. A place had been promised his friends for him, and in that state of suspense which is so trying to all men, and par ticularly to men of imagination, he presented himself in Washington certainly not in a way to advance his interests. I have seen a great deal of Poe, and it was his excessive and at times marked 16 EDGAR ALLAN POE sociability [ ?] which forced him into his " frolics," rather than any mere morbid appetite for drink, but if he took but one glass of weak wine or beer or cider, the rubicon of the cup had been passed with him, and it almost always ended in excess and sickness. But he fought against the propen sity as hard as ever Coleridge fought against it, and I am inclined to believe, after his sad expe rience and suffering, if he could have gotten office with a fixed salary, beyond the need of literary labour, that he would have redeemed himself, at least at this time. The accounts of his derelictions in this respect after I knew him were very much exaggerated. I have seen men who drank bottles of wine to Poe's wine-glasses who yet escaped all imputations of intemperance. His was one of those temperaments whose only safety is in total abstinence. He suffered terribly after any indiscretion. And, after all, what Byron said of Sheridan was truer of Poe : — • . . . Ah, little do they know That what to them seemed vice might be but woe. And, moreover, there is a great deal of heartache in the jestings of this letter. T.] * » Thomas soon replied : — 1 Griswold MSS. THE STYLUS 17 WASHINGTON, March 27, 1843. MY DEAR FRIEND, — Yours of the loth I duly received. I would have answered it immediately, but my desk got so behindhand during my ill ness, when you were here, that every moment of my time has been engaged in bringing it up. Dow's epistle, I suppose, astounded your folks. He tells me that he mentions a conversation with me in it. Our friend Dow, you know, is an imaginative man, and he thought that you, as we say in the West, had " broken for high tim ber " I have had a hearty laugh at him for his fears. I am glad to learn that you are well. I rejoice to know that your wife is better. I cannot leave the office at present to see Robert Tyler, as you suggest, to get a line from him. But this I can tell you, that the President yester day asked me many questions about you, and spoke of you kindly. John Tyler, who was by, told the President that he wished he would give you an office in Philadelphia, and before he could reply a servant entered and called him out. John had heard of your frolic from a man who saw you in it, but I made light of the matter when he mentioned it to me, and he seemed to think nothing of it himself. He seems to feel a deep interest in you — Robert was not by. I feel sat- i8 EDGAR ALLAN POE isfied that I can get you something from his pen for your Magazine. He lately made a speech here on St. Patrick's day, which has won for him great applause — you will find it in the " Intelli gencer" of this morning. Read it and tell me what you think of it. I write in the greatest haste, and have not your letter by me, so reply to it from memory. Write as soon as you get this. Be of good cheer. I trust to see you an official yet. In the greatest haste, yours truly, F.W.THOMAS.1 While the affairs of the " Stylus" were faring thus, the " Pioneer" failed, in March, 1843. The contract bound Lowell and Carter to furnish the publishers five thousand copies on the twentieth of each month under a penalty of five hundred dollars in case of failure and the publishers to take that number at a certain price. The March number was eight days late, and the publishers, in the face of what was probably seen to be an unfortunate speculation, claimed the forfeit, but offered to waive it if the contract should be al tered so as to require them to take only so many copies as they could sell. The result was that the editors were obliged to stop printing from a 1 Griswold MSS. THE STYLUS 19 lack of credit, and were left with a large indebted ness for manufacture as well as to contributors. Lowell wrote to Poe about it : - BOSTON, March 24, 1843. MY DEAR FRIEND, — I have neglected writing to you too long already, in the hope of being able to remit the money I owe you. When I shall have stated the facts, I think that you will excuse my want of punctuality. The magazine was started on my own responsibility, & I relied on the pay ments I should receive from my publishers to keep me even with my creditors until the Maga zine should be firmly established. You may con ceive my distress when the very first note given me by my publishers has been protested for non payment, & the magazine ruined. For I was unable to go on any farther, having already incurred a debt of $1800 or more. I hope soon to make such arrangements as will enable me to borrow this sum — pay all my debts & leave [me] free to go [to] work & apply my earnings to getting the load off my shoulders. The loss of my eyes at this juncture (for I am as yet unable to use them to any extent) adds to my distress. I shall remit to you before long - meanwhile do write me on receipt of this & tell 20 EDGAR ALLAN POE me that you forgive me for what truly is more my misfortune than my fault — & that you still regard me as ever Your friend in all ways, J. R. LOWELL. 1 P. S. I hear you have become an Editor. Is it true ? I hope so ; if it were only to keep our criti cism in a little better trim. That Clarke had not been implacably offended by the untoward incident at Washington appears from Poe's reply, in which the project of the " Stylus" is announced to Lowell, who was him self ill with ophthalmia. PHILADELPHIA, March 27, '43. MY DEAR FRIEND, — I have just received yours of the 24th and am deeply grieved, first that you should have been so unfortunate, and, secondly, that you should have thought it neces sary to offer me any apology for your misfor tunes. As for the few dollars you owe me — give yourself not one moment's concern about them. I am poor, but must be very much poorer, in deed, when I even think of demanding them. But I sincerely hope all is not so bad as you 1 Griswold MSS. THE STYLUS 21 suppose it, and that, when you come to look about you, you will be able to continue "The Pioneer. " Its decease, just now, would be a most severe blow to the good cause — the cause of a Pure Taste. I have looked upon your Mag azine, from its outset, as the best in America, and have lost no opportunity of expressing the opinion. Herewith I send a paper, "The Phil. Sat. Museum," in which I have said a few words on the topic. I am not editing this paper, although an announcement was prematurely made to that effect ; but have the privilege of inserting what I please editorially. On the first of July next I hope to issue the first number of "The Stylus," a new monthly, with some novel features. I send you, also, a paper containing the Prospec tus. In a few weeks I hope to forward you a specimen sheet. I am anxious to get a poem from yourself for the opening number, but, until you recover your health, I fear that I should be wrong in making the request. Believe me, my dear friend, that I sympathize with you truly in your affliction. When I heard that you had returned to Boston, I hoped you were entirely well, and your letter disappoints and grieves me. 22 EDGAR ALLAN POE When you find yourself in condition to write, I would be indebted to you if you could put me in the way of procuring a brief article (also for my opening number) from Mr. Hawthorne - whom I believe you know personally. Whatever you gave him, we should be happy to give. A part of my design is to illustrate, whatever is fairly susceptible of illustration, with finely ex ecuted wood-engravings — after the fashion of Gigoux's "Gil Bias" or Grandville's "Gulli ver" — and I wish to get a tale from Mr. Haw thorne as early as possible (if I am so fortunate as to get one at all), that I may put the illustra tion in the hands of the artist. You will see by the Prospectus that we intend to give a series of portraits of the American lit erati, with critical sketches. I would be glad if I could so arrange matters as to have you first, provided you yourself have no serious objection. Instead of the "full-length portraits" promised in the Prospectus (which will be modified in the specimen sheet), we shall have medallions about three inches in diameter. Could you put me in possession of any likeness of yourself ? — or would you do me the same favor in regard to Mr. Hawthorne? — You perceive I proceed upon the ground that you are intimate with THE STYLUS 23 Mr. H., and that making these inquiries would not subject you to trouble or inconvenience. I confess that I am by no means so conversant with your own compositions (especially in prose) as I should be. Could you furnish me with some biographical and critical data, and tell me when or how I could be put in possession of your writings generally ? — but I fear I am asking altogether too much. If the 4th number of "The Pioneer" is printed, I would be obliged if you would send me an early copy through the P. O. Please remember me to Mr. Carter, and be lieve me Most sincerely your friend, EDGAR A. POE.X J. RUSSELL LOWELL, Esqre. Lowell wrote to him, with regard to all these topics three letters : - BOSTON. April 17, 1843. MY DEAR FRIEND, — Hawthorne writes me that he shall be able to send an article in the course of a week or two. His terms are $5 a page, but probably, as your pages will "eat up" Copy with a less anaconda-like appetite than 1 Lowell MSS. 24 EDGAR ALLAN POE the fine print magazines, your best plan would be to pay him so much by the article. His wife will make a drawing of his head or he will have a Daguerreotype taken, so that you can have a likeness of him. As to my own effigies. Page has painted a head of me which is called very fine, & which is now Exhibiting (I believe) at the National Aca demy in New York. This might be Daguerreo- typed — or I might have one taken from my head as it is now — namely in a more civilized condition — the portrait by Page having very long hair, not to mention a beard and some symptoms of moustache, & looking altogether, perhaps, too antique to be palatable to the gentle public. But you shall use your own judgment about that. I write now in considerable confusion, being just on the eve of quitting the office which I occupy as " Attorney & Counsellor at Law." I have given up that interesting profession, & mean to devote myself wholly to letters. I shall live with my father at Cambridge in the house where I was born. I shall write again soon & send you a poem and some data for a biogra phical sketch. Take my best love in exchange for your ready sympathy & use me always JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL THE STYLUS 25 as you may have occasion as your affectionate friend. J. R. L.1 My address will be " Cambridge, Mass." in future. I do hope and trust that your magazine will succeed. Be very watchful of your publish ers & agents. They must be driven as men drive swine, take your eyes off them for an instant & they bolt between your legs & leave you in the mire. J. R. L. CAMBRIDGE, May 8, 1843. MY DEAR FRIEND, — I have been delaying to write to you from day to day in the expectation that I should have received an article from Haw thorne to send with my letter. I am now domi ciled in the country & have been doing nothing but ramble about, gardening, farming, tending an increasing flock of poultry & in short, being out of doors & in active exercise as much as possible in order to restore my eyes effectually. I have got the idea of Hawthorne's article so fixed in my mind that I forgot that I did not send you a poem in my last. I have such a re luctance to go into the city that though I have been here nearly three weeks I have not even 1 Griswold MSS. 26 EDGAR ALLAN POE brought out my MSS. yet. But I mean to do it in a day or two & shall then send you something which I hope will be to your liking. You must forgive my dilatoriness, my dear friend, the nat ural strength of which is increased by the pres sure of my debts — a source of constantly annoy ing thought which prevents my doing almost anything as yet. With regard to a sketch of my own life, my friend [Robert] Carter thinks that he can give it better than I — and perhaps he will send you one. Meanwhile I give a few dates. I was born Feby 22, 1819, in this house at Cambridge — entered Harvard College in 1834 & took my degree as Bachelor of Arts in regular course in 1838 — my master's degree in 1841. While in college I was one of the editors elected to edit the periodical then published by the undergradu ates, & also to deliver the Class poem. — a yearly performance which requires a poet every year who is created as easily by the class vote as a baronet or peer of the realm is in England. I was in the Law School under Judge Story for two years & upwards, took a degree of Bachelor of Laws by force of having my name on the books as a student -- & published a volume of rather crude productions (in which there is more THE STYLUS 27 of everybody else than of myself) in January, 1841. On the Mother's side I am of Scotch de scent. I forgot to thank you for the biographical sketch of your own eventful life which you sent me. Your early poems display a maturity which astonished me & I recollect no individual ( & I believe I have all the poetry that was ever writ ten) whose early poems were anything like as good. Shelley is nearest, perhaps. I have greater hopes of your " Stylus" than I had of my own magazine, for I think you under stand editing vastly better than I shall for many years yet - - & you have more of that quality — which is the Siamese twin brother of genius — industry — than I. I shall write again shortly. Meanwhile, I am your affectionate & obliged friend J.R.L.1 [No date. Postmark, BOSTON, May 16.] MY DEAR FRIEND, — I send you this little poem with some fears that you will be disap pointed therein. But it is on the whole the most likely to please of any that I could lay my hands on — my MSS. being trusted to fortune like the 1 Griswold MSS. 28 EDGAR ALLAN POE Sybil's leaves, & perhaps, like hers, rising in value to my mind as they decrease in number. You must tell me frankly how you like what I sent & what you should like better. Will you give me your address more particularly so that in case I have a package to send you I can for ward it by express? With all truth & love I remain your friend, J. R.L.1 A letter from Carter is of the nature of an ap pendix to all this correspondence : - CAMBRIDGE, MASS., June 19, 1843. MY DEAR SIR, — I send you with this letter a copy of the "Boston Notion," April 29, contain ing an abridgment which I made of the sketch of your life and writings which appeared in the "Phila. Sat. Museum." I was absent from the city when it was printed and did not see the proof ; consequently it is full of atrocious errors. What has become of the " Stylus" ? I trust that it has not been found prudent to relinquish the enterprise, though I fear that such is the case. It would give the friends of pure and elevated liter ature in this region great pleasure to learn that it is only temporarily delayed. 1 Griswold MSS. THE STYLUS 29 Mr. Lowell is in excellent health and his eyes have nearly recovered their usual strength. He has entirely abandoned his profession and is liv ing at his father's house in the vicinity of this vil lage. About a fortnight since he began to scrib ble vigorously and has within that period written about a thousand lines. You will see in the next " Democratic Review," or at least in the August no., his longest and . . . [margin cut] blank verse and is entitled " Prometheus." It contains nearly four hundred lines I think, and was writ ten in seven or eight hours. At least, I left him one day at u A. M. and he had concluded to begin it immediately, and when I saw him again at about 8i P. M. the same day he read to me up wards of two hundred and fifty lines and he had written besides before he began some stanzas of a long poem in ottava rima which has occupied him chiefly for the last two weeks. Graham has also a poem from him and there will be one in the next "New Mirror." Within a week I have read for the first time, "Pym's Narrative." I lent it to a friend who lives in the house with me, and who is a lawyer, a graduate of Harvard, and a brother of Dr. O. W. Holmes, yet he is so completely deceived by the minute accuracy of some of the details, 3o EDGAR ALLAN POE the remarks about the statements of the press, the names of people at New Bedford, &c. that, though an intelligent and shrewd man he will not be persuaded that it is a fictitious work, by any arguments drawn from the book itself, though . . . [margin cut] the latter part of the narrative. I dislike to tell him that I know it to be fictitious, for to test its truthfulness I gave it to him with out remark and he has so committed himself by grave criticisms on its details that I dread to un deceive him. He has crossed the Atlantic twice and commented on an inaccuracy in the descrip tion of Pym's midnight voyage with his drunken friend. I have not the book in the house, and knowing nothing of the sea, did not clearly com prehend the objection, but I think it was upon setting a "jib" or some such thing upon a dis masted sloop — I know that the words "jib," "sloop," & "only one mast" occurred in his remarks. To return to a safer subject — I am extremely desirous of knowing the name of your novel in two volumes alluded to in the "Museum" . . . and if it be not a secret, or one that can be con fided to a stranger, would be obliged by its com munication. And while I am in an inquisitive mood, let me beg of you to tell me whether the THE STYLUS 31 name of the author of Stanley is Walter or Wm Landor and whether he has recently or will soon publish anything. Also who is the author of "Zoe" and the " Aristocrat "? My address is still "Boston, care of Rev. Dr. Lowell." Truly & respectfully your friend * [Signature cut out.] At the same time Poe received from one of his Baltimore relatives, William Poe, a letter partly of congratulation and sympathy, partly of warning : - BALTIMORE, June 15, 1843. DEAR EDGAR, — I wrote you on the i5th ulto. since which time I have received nothing from you ; mine was in answer to a letter received giv ing an account of your many recent reverses, and I fear it was in a style not relished by you, but in great sincerity of feeling for you and yours I wrote it, and the reason why I presumed to be so free in my expressions was in consequence of the great friendship I feel for you, and interest I take in your welfare, and therefore hoped to hear again from you, and of your wife's being better, and your recovery from the sickness and de- 1 Griswold MSS. 32 EDGAR ALLAN POE spondency you were suffering when you last wrote. I still write from the same motives. I ob served in the " Baltimore Sun" newspaper in an editorial that you have again lately been success ful in having awarded to you a prize of $100 by the " Dollar Newspaper" for a tale called the " Gold Bug," which gave me much pleasure, and hope it came in time to relieve you from some of your pecuniary wants. Ought you ever to give up in despair when you have such resources as your well-stored mind to apply to ? Let me en treat you then to persevere, for I hope the time is not far distant when a change will take place in your affairs and place you beyond want in this world. Will you write to me freely, and let me know what are your prospects in getting out "The Stylus," and how your wife is, and Mrs. Clemm - how is she ? It would give me pleasure to hear from her. There is one thing I am anxious to caution you against and which has been a great enemy to our family, — I hope, however, in your case, it may prove unnecessary, — "a too free use of the Bottle." Too many, and especially literary characters, have sought to drown their sorrows and disappointments by this means, but in vain, and only, when it has been too late, dis- THE STYLUS 33 covered it to be a deeper source of misery. But enough of this, say you, and so say I: therefore, hoping this may find you in better spirits and better prospects of future happiness, I subscribe myself, Yours affectionately, WILLIAM PoE.1 But the "Stylus" had been abandoned. He wrote of its demise to Lowell : - PHILADELPHIA, June 20, 1843. MY DEAR FRIEND, — I owe you fifty apolo gies for not having written you before — but sickness and domestic affliction will suffice for all. I received your poem, which you undervalue, and which I think truly beautiful — as, indeed, I do all you have ever written — but alas ! my Magazine scheme has exploded — or, at least, I have been deprived, through the imbecility, or rather through the idiocy of my partner, of all means of prosecuting it for the present. Under better auspices I may resume it next year. What am I to do with the poem? I have handed it to Griswold, subject to your disposi tion. (See next page.) My address is 234 North Seventh St., above 1 Griswold MSS. 34 EDGAR ALLAN POE Spring Garden, West Side. Should you ever pay a visit to Philadelphia, you will remember that there is no one in America whom I would rather hold by the hand than yourself. With the sincerest friendship I am yours, EDGAR A. PoE.1 But Poe was sick and poor. On June n he had written to Griswold: — DEAR GRISWOLD, — Can you not send me $5 ? I am sick and Virginia is almost gone. Come and see me. Peterson says you suspect me of a curi ous anonymous letter. I did not write it, but bring it along with you when you make the visit you promised to Mrs. Clemm. I will try to fix that matter soon. Could you do anything with my note ? Yours truly, E. A. P.2 It was probably in response to this letter that Griswold called upon him at his home, in the outskirts, to which the family had removed from their earlier dwelling-place, in the spring of 1842, probably for the sake of Virginia's health, as the situation was more in the coun try.3 Griswold gave a description of it: - 1 Lowell MSS. 2 Griswold, xx. 3 On settling in Philadelphia, Poe took lodgings in Arch THE STYLUS 35 "When once he sent for me to visit him, dur ing a period of illness caused by protracted and anxious watching at the side of his sick wife, I was impressed by the singular neatness and the air of refinement in his home. It was in a small house, in one of the pleasant and silent neigh borhoods far from the centre of the town, and though slightly and cheaply furnished everything in it was so tasteful and so fitly disposed that it seemed altogether suitable for a man of genius. For this and for most of the comforts he enjoyed, in his brightest as in his darkest years, he was chiefly indebted to his mother-in-law, who loved him with more than maternal devotion and con stancy." 1 To this same period of unusual poverty and suffering Mayne Reid's characterization of Mrs. Clemm probably belongs : - "She was the ever- vigilant guardian of the home, watching it against the silent but continu ous sap of necessity, that appeared every day to Street, and in September, 1839 (Poe to Brooks, Stoddard, Ixxxvi), removed to a small house probably on Coates Street, North Fair-mount Park, where he was living in 1842 (City Directory, 1843) ; by May of that year (supra, i, 326) he again removed to Seventh Street above Spring Garden (City Directory, 1844). 1 Griswold, xxxiv. 36 EDGAR ALLAN POE be approaching closer and nearer. She was the sole servant, keeping everything clean ; the sole messenger, doing the errands, making pilgrim ages between the poet and his publishers, fre quently bringing back such chilling responses as 'The article not accepted,' or 'The check not to be given until such and such a day/ - - often too late for his necessities. And she was also the messenger to the market ; from it bringing back not 'the delicacies of the season,' but only such commodities as were called for by the dire exi gencies of hunger." l He remembered the house as "a lean-to of three rooms (there may have been a garret with a closet) , of painted plank construction, supported against the gable of the more pretentious dwell ing," - the latter being a four story red-brick mansion of a wealthy Quaker. But Mr. T. C. Clarke, whose family visited the Poes more or less frequently, describes it as a cottage set back from the street amid luxuriant grape and other vines, and ornamented in winter with flowers. It was a small, humble home with a plot of grass by the side, a porch with a rose-bush and vine, and low eaves; and at times one room was 1 Onward, quoted in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 30, 1869. THE STYLUS 37 rented to a boarder.1 There Clarke especially remembered Virginia, slowly wasting away in consumption, but " wearing on her beautiful countenance the smile of resignation, and the warm, even cheerful look with which she ever greeted her friends." The appearance of the house, however, and the simple hospitality en joyed in it, must have varied materially ; its con tents were known to the pawnbroker; and it is said that the family now became the object of charity. During these trying months Poe won the one- hundred-dollar prize from "The Dollar News paper," edited by Joseph Sailer, for the story of "The Gold Bug," originally intended for the "Stylus" and now recovered from Graham by exchanging a critical article for it. This, the most widely circulated of his tales, was pub lished in two parts: the first June 21, 1843, and the second (together with the first, which was reprinted) a week later. On July 1 2 it was published again with two other prize tales in a supplement. A charge that it was plagiarized from Miss Sherburne's "Imogene, or The Pi rate's Treasure," was made in "The Spirit of the Times," and was widely circulated, but a 1 Mrs. Weiss, p. 94. 3 Gill, p. 101. 38 EDGAR ALLAN POE refutation was quickly attempted in "The Dollar Newspaper," July 19. The only other stones of Poe's published during this year were "The Tell-Tale Heart" in the "Pioneer," the third of the tales of conscience, and "The Black Cat" in the "United States Saturday Post" (as the old "Saturday Evening Post" was now called), August 19, and "Morning on the Wis- sahiccon," a quiet landscape sketch of the en virons of Philadelphia (evidently "The Elk," mentioned hereafter), contributed to Willis's an nual, "The Opal," for 1844. In criticism he published in the "Pioneer" "Notes upon Eng lish Verse," a purely metrical discussion, which he afterwards remoulded into the "Rationale of Verse"; and in "Graham's" four critical notices: "Flaccus,"a satirical review of one Thomas Ward, which he afterwards regarded as in his best manner, and "William Ellery Chan- ning," perhaps the most contemptuous notice he ever seriously wrote, — these being the second and third of the series "Our Amateur Poets"; "Fitz-Greene Halleck," being No. viii of "Our Contributors"; and Cooper's "Wyandotte," a perfunctory performance. He also published, in the "Pioneer," "Lenore," a greatly revised version of his old "Paean," and in "Graham's" THE GOLD BUG THE STYLUS 39 the fine poem entitled "The Conqueror Worm." In the fall an edition of his "Tales," in parts, was undertaken, but only one issue is known.1 Poe still interested himself from time to time in the solution of cryptographs, an occupation which the following letter to Tomlin, the Ten nessee poet and postmaster, who had taken the greatest interest in the "Stylus," with its side lights upon other topics, sufficiently illustrates : — PHILA., August 28, 1843. MY DEAR SIR, — I have just recd your letter, enclosing one in hieroglyphical writing from Mr. Meek, and hasten to reply, since you desire it ; al though, some months ago, I was obliged to make a vow that I would engage in the solution of no more cryptographs. The reason of my making this vow will be readily understood. Much curi osity was excited throughout the country by my solutions of these cyphers, and a great number of persons felt a desire to test my powers individu ally — so that I was at one time absolutely over whelmed ; and this placed me in a dilemma ; for I had either to devote my whole time to the solu- 1 The Prose Romances of Edgar A . Poe. No. i. The Murders of the Rue Morgue and The Man that was Used Up. 1843, 8vo, pp. 40, paper. Philadelphia: George B. Zieber & Co. 40 EDGAR ALLAN POE tions, or the correspondents would suppose me a mere boaster, incapable of fulfilling my promises. I had no alternative but to solve all ; but to each correspondent I made known my intentions to solve no more. You will hardly believe me when I tell you that I have lost, in time, which to me is money, more than a thousand dollars, in solving ciphers, with no other object in view than that just mentioned. A really difficult cipher requires vast labor and the most patient thought in its solution. Mr. Meek's letter is very simple in deed, and merely shows that he misapprehends the whole matter. It runs thus : - [Here follows the solution.] This is the whole of Mr. Meek's letter — but he is mistaken in supposing that I "pride my self" upon my solutions of ciphers. I feel little pride about anything. It is very true, as he says, that cypher writing is "no great difficulty if the signs represent in variably the same letters and are divided into separate words." But the fact is, that most of the criptographs sent to me (Dr. Frailey's for in stance) were not divided into words, and more over, the signs never represented the same letter twice. But here is an infallible mode of showing Mr. THE STYLUS 41 Meek that he knows nothing about the matter. He says cipher writing "is no great difficulty if the signs represent invariably the same letters and are 'divided into separate words." This is true ; and yet, little as this difficulty is, he cannot surmount it. Send him, as if from yourself, these few words, in which the conditions stated by him are rigidly preserved. I will answer for it, he cannot decipher them for his life. They are taken at random from a well-known work now lying beside me : — [Here follows Poe's cryptograph.] And now, my dear friend, have you forgotten that I asked you, some time since, to render me an important favor? You can surely have no scruples in a case of this kind. I have reason to believe that I have been maligned by some envi ous scoundrel in this city, who has written you a letter respecting myself. I believe I know the villain's name. It isWilmer. In Philadelphia no one speaks to him. He is avoided by all as a reprobate of the lowest class. Feeling a deep pity for him, I endeavoured to befriend him, and you remember that I rendered myself liable to some censure by writing a review of his filthy pamphlet called the "Quacks of Helicon." He has returned my good offices by slander behind 42 EDGAR ALLAN POE my back. All here are anxious to have him convicted — for there is scarcely a gentleman in Philaa whom he has not libelled, through the gross malignity of his nature. Now, I ask you, as a friend and as a man of noble feelings, to send me his letter to you. It is your duty to do this — and I am sure, upon reflection, you will so regard it. I await your answer impatiently. Your friend, E. A. PoE.1 Tomlin answered and sent the desired en closure:— JACKSON, TENNESSEE, September 10, 1843. DEAR SIR, — My friendship for you, and no thing else, has prevailed on me to enclose you the letter of L. A. Wilmer, Esquire. But I much fear that in doing it I have violated somewhat the rules that govern correspondence in such matters. Believing, however, that your great good sense will but protect my honor in this transaction, I remain with affectionate regard, Yours ever, JNO. TOMLIN. PHILADELPHIA, May 20, 1843. DEAR SIR, — ... Literary affairs are at a very low ebb in this city at present. 1 Poe to John Tomlin, Esq., MS. THE STYLUS 43 Edgar A. Poe (you know him by character, no doubt, if not personally) has become one of the strangest of our literati. He and I are old friends, have known each other from boyhood, and it gives me inexpressible pain to notice the vagaries to which he has lately become subject. Poor fellow ! he is not a teetotaller by any means, and I fear he is going headlong to destruction, moral, physical, and intellectual. . . . Your obliged and sincere friend, L. A. WlLMER.1 Wilmer, after Poe's death, was one of his most faithful defenders. Scandal, however, was busy with Poe's name, and found its way into print in one of the city papers, in an article of which Poe suspected Griswold to be the author. There is a tradition that he visited Saratoga this summer, as the guest of a wealthy Philadelphia lady, and also in the previous summer; but little is now recollected of the incident.2 After the fall came, the main information con cerning Poe is derived from his letters to Low ell:- 1 Griswold MSS. 2 Mrs. Weiss, p. 195. The same story reappears in the tradition concerning the composition of " The Raven." 44 EDGAR ALLAN POE PHILADELPHIA, September 13, 1843. MY DEAR FRIEND, — Since I last wrote you I have suffered much from domestic and pecuni ary trouble, and, at one period, had nearly suc cumbed. I mention this by way of apology to the request I am forced to make — that you would send me, if possible, $10 — which, I believe, is the amount you owe me for contribution. You cannot imagine how sincerely I grieve that any necessity can urge me to ask this of you — but I ask it in the hope that you are now in much better position than myself, and can spare me the sum without inconvenience. I hope ere long to have the pleasure of con versing with you personally. There is no man living with whom I have so much desire to be come acquainted. Truly your friend, EDGAR A. PoE.1 J. R. LOWELL, Esqre. PHILADELPHIA, October 19, 1843. MY DEAR FRIEND, — I was upon the point of fulfilling a long neglected duty and replying to Mr. Carter's letter, enclosing $5, when I received yours of the i3th, remitting $5 more. Believe me 1 Lowell MSS. THE STYLUS 45 I am sincerely grateful to you both for your uni form kindness and consideration. You say nothing of your health — but Mr. C. speaks of its perfect restoration, and I see, by your very MS., that you are well again, body and mind. I need not say that I am rejoiced at this — for you must know and feel that I am. When I thought of the possible loss of your eye sight, I grieved as if some dreadful misfortune were about happening to myself. I shall look with much anxiety for your pro mised volume. Will it include your " Year's Life," and other poems already published ? I hope that it may ; for these have not yet been fairly placed before the eye of the world. I am seeking an op portunity to do you justice in a review, and may find it in " Graham," when your book appears. No poet in America has done so much. I have maintained this upon all occasions. Mr. Long fellow has genius, but by no means equals you in the true spirit. He is moreover so prone to imitation that I know not how to understand him at times. I am in doubt whether he should not be termed an arrant plagiarist. You have read his " Spanish Student"? I have written quite a long notice of it for Graham's December number. The play is a poor composition, with 46 EDGAR ALLAN POE some fine poetical passages. His "Hymn to the Night," with some strange blemishes, is glori ous. — How much I should like to interchange opinions with you upon poems and poets in general ! I fancy that we should agree, usually, in results, while differing, frequently, about prin ciples. The day may come when we can discuss everything at leisure, in person. You say that your long poem has taught you a useful lesson, — "that you are unfit to write narrative — unless in a dramatic form." It is not you that are unfit for the task — but the task for you — for any poet. Poetry must eschew narrative — except, as you say, dramatically. I mean to say that the true poetry — the highest poetry — must eschew it. The Iliad is not the highest. The connecting links of a narrative - the frequent passages which have to serve the purpose of binding together the parts of the story, are necessarily prose, from their very ex planatory nature. To color them — to gloss over their prosaic nature — (for this is the most which can be done) requires great skill. Thus Byron, who was no artist, is always driven, in his nar rative, to fragmentary passages, eked out with asterisks. Moore succeeds better than any one. His " Alciphron " is wonderful in the force, grace, THE STYLUS 47 and nature of its purely narrative passages :- but pardon me for prosing. I send you the paper with my life and por trait. The former is true in general — the latter particularly false. It does not convey the faintest idea of my person. No one of my family recog nized it. But this is a point of little importance. You will see, upon the back of the biography, an announcement that I was to assume the editor ship of the "Museum." This was unauthorized. I never did edit it. The review of "Graham's Magazine" was written by H. B. Hirst — a young poet of this city. Who is to write your life for "Graham"? It is a pity that so many of these biographies were entrusted to Mr. Gris- wold. He certainly lacks independence, or judg ment, or both. I have tried in vain to get a copy of your "Year's Life" in Philadelphia. If you have one, and could spare it, I would be much obliged. Do write me again when you have leisure, and believe me, Your most sincere friend, EDGAR A. PoE.1 J. R. LOWELL, Esqre. 1 Lowell MSS. 48 EDGAR ALLAN POE At some time during the summer Poe is said to have made his debut as a lecturer in the " Egyptian Hall," Baltimore. He appeared in Philadelphia in the same role, November 25, and made a favorable impression. His subject was "The Poets and Poetry of America" ; and while the lecture was largely compiled from his former book reviews, it was especially distinguished by an attack, which seems to have been unusually severe, on Griswold's volume. At some time before this date there had appeared in the " Saturday Museum" an anonymous review of the third edition of Griswold's work, in which that reverend gentleman was held up to public ridicule in the most scoffing and bitter style, and contrasted with Poe by name, much to the lat- ter's praise and to his own degradation. This mingled expression of pique, wrath, and scorn, with its flaunting self-commendation, is indubi tably Poe's own work. Poe afterwards explained the attack to Griswold, which he described as "some absurd jokes at your expense," as being due to u— -'s false imputation of that beastly article to you," referring to the scandalous pub lication of the summer in a Philadelphia paper. The flagellation Griswold received in the lecture, which does not seem to have displeased his lit- THE STYLUS 49 erary associates, caused an open breach between himself and Poe that was not closed, even in ap pearance, until a year and a half had elapsed. It is worthy of note that Griswold had left his place on " Graham's" about three months be fore the delivery of the address. The receipts from lecturing could not have been large, and for one cause or another the editors who were accustomed to publish Poe's work either would not buy it or else delayed to print it. After Griswold's retirement from " Gra ham's," Poe seems to have contributed freely to the critical department ; and there in March, 1844, appeared his only signed article for several months past, a lengthy review of the drama, " Orion," by Richard Hengist Home, recently published in England. Of this work, which appealed strongly to Poe's delight in pictorial fancy and subdued mystical suggestion, he de clared, "It is our deliberate opinion that in all that regards the loftiest and holiest attributes of the true Poetry, ' Orion' has never been ex celled. Indeed, we feel strongly inclined to say that it has never been equaled." After comparing one passage of it with Milton's description of hell, the latter being "altogether inferior in graphic effect, in originality, in expression, in 50 EDGAR ALLAN POE the true imagination," he concludes more calmly that "l Orion' will be admitted, by every man of genius, to be one of the noblest, if not the very noblest poetical work of the age." l Poe entered into correspondence with Home, and endeavored through him to place some of his work in England, as he appears to have done formerly through "Blackwood's" and Dickens; he sent the tale of "The Spectacles," but if any thing resulted from the plan, it has escaped iden tification. Home replied in two letters : - LONDON, April 16, 1844. MY DEAR SIR, — I have received your letter this morning, and shall feel now and at all times happy in forwarding your views here so far as I am able, in these matters of literary engagement. Just at this time, however, and probably for some months to come, I shall not be likely to have the power. If you have seen the "New Spirit of the Age," you will readily understand that a great many critics here and some authors are far from pleased with me. The attacks and jeers in magazines and newspapers (though several have treated me very fairly) are nearly all written by friends of the angry parties or 1 Works, vi, 279, 287. THE STYLUS 51 influenced by them. Perhaps I may say a word on this point in the Second Edition now prepar ing. I mention this to show you why I can do so little at present. I need not say to an Ameri can that when the storm has blown over, those trees that are not blown down nor injured look all the fresher among the wrecks. I dare say I shall be able to do what you wish before long. I should prefer to do this so that you are fairly remunerated; but if the parties are not in a "paying condition," then I will put you in direct communication with them to arrange the matter yourself. I could most probably obtain the insertion of the article you have sent in " Jerrold's Illumi nated Magazine." Jerrold has always spoken and written very handsomely and eloquently about me, and there would be no difficulty. But — I fear this magazine is not doing at all well. I tell you this in confidence. They have a large but inadequate circulation. The remuneration would be scarcely worth having — ten guineas a sheet is poor pay for such a page ! And now, perhaps, they do not even give that. I will see. My impression, however, is that for the reasons stated previously, I shall not at present be able to assist you in the way I could best wish. 52 EDGAR ALLAN POE Your name is well known to me in the criti cal literature of America, although I have not seen any American magazine for some months. I have ordered the last two numbers of " Graham's Magazine," but have not received them from my booksellers. I am very grateful for the noble and generous terms in which you speak of my works. I have written you a business-like, and not a very "spiritual," letter, you will think. Still, as you are kind enough to give me credit for some things of the latter kind, it seemed best at this distance to reply to your wishes practically. I am, dear sir, Yours truly, R. H. HORNE.* LONDON, April 27, 1844. MY DEAR SIR, — When I replied to your let ter (which I did by the next post of the day on which I received it) I had not seen the number of "Graham's" for March, containing the review of "Orion." Mr. C. Matthews, of New York, had been so good as to inform me there would be a review ; and he, at the same time, mentioned that he had sent me a copy of the magazine in question. My friend Miss E. B. Barrett also sent me a note to the same effect. But owing, no 1 Griswold, MSS. THE STYLUS 53 doubt, to some forgetfulness on the part of the booksellers who were to forward it, the magazine never reached me, nor was it at Wiley & Put nam's when I called the other day. Your MS. of "The Spectacles" is safely lodged in my iron chest with my own MSS. till I find a favorable opportunity for its use. I have carefully read and considered the re view of "Orion" in the magazine. It would be uncandid in me to appear to agree to all the ob jections; and, amidst such high praise, so inde pendently and courageously awarded, it would be ungrateful in me to offer any self-justificatory remark on any such objections. I shall, there fore, only observe that there are some objections from which I can derive advantage in the way of revision — which is more than I can say of any of the critiques written on this side of the water. One passage, in particular, I will mention. It is that which occurs at p. 103. "Star-rays that first" -needlessly obscure, as you truly say. For, in fact, I did allude to Sleep, as the ante cedent — and it should have been printed with a capital letter. What I meant by the passage, if rendered in prose, would be something like this : "The God Sleep, lying in his cave by the old di vine sea, feeleth the star-rays upon his eyelids at 54 EDGAR ALLAN POE times; and then his sleep is not perfect, and he dreams, or for a brief interval awakes. Without which awaking he would never have known surprise, nor hope, nor useful action. Because (your poet herein bewitched by a theory he fan cies original) we are never surprised at anything, however wonderful, in a dream; neither do we hope ; nor do we perform any action with an idea of its being at all useful." A pretty condition, you see, my imagination had got into while writ ing this passage. The explanation, if it does not make you angry, will, I think, greatly amuse you. Are there any of my works which you do not possess, and would like to have ? I shall be very happy to request your acceptance of any, if you will let me know how to send them. It strikes me (from some remarks of yours on versification and rhythm) that you do not know my introduction to " Chaucer Modernized." Do you? Would any American bookseller like to reprint " Orion," do you think? If so, I would willingly super intend the sheets, by a slight revision in some half-dozen places, and would write a brief In troduction or Preface addressed to the American Public ; and certainly I should at the same time be too happy to express my obligations to the THE STYLUS 55 boldness and handsomeness of American criti cism. I am, dear sir, Your obliged, R. H. HoRNE.1 P. S. In the remark I have made at the close of my letter, as to a reprint of " Orion" by an American bookseller, I forgot to say that I was not particular as to terms; and if they would give me nothing, I was still ready to give them the thing I proposed. Poe's hand was recognized in " Graham's" by his correspondents, and both Tomlin and Lowell wrote him their compliments : — JACKSON, TENNESSEE, February 23, 1844. DEAR SIR, — I have had no letter from you since I sent you the libellous letter of L. A. Wilmer. Did you inflict on him a chastisement equal to the injury he designed, by the publica tion of such slanders ? Previous to the reception of that letter, I had entertained a good opinion of the "Quacks of Helicon" man, and it had been brought about in a great measure by your review of the book. In his former letters, he not only spoke kindly of you, but seemed disposed to become your advocate against the litterateurs 1 Griswold MSS. 56 EDGAR ALLAN POE of Philadelphia. I hope that you will forgive him, and that he will go and "sin no more." Your review of " Orion" in the February or March number of " Graham's," I have read with much pleasure. The article is one of great abil ity. I know of no writer whose success in life would give me more sincere pleasure than that of yourself. Hoping soon to hear from you, I remain ever, Your friend, JNO. ToMLiN.1 ELMWOOD, CAMBRIDGE, March 6, 1844. MY DEAR FRIEND, — When I received your last letter I was very busily employed upon a job article on a subject in which I have no manner of interest. As I had nothing to say, it took me a great while to say it. I made an expedition to Boston to learn what I could about our lectures there, & found that the lectures for the season are now over. I mean the Society lectures. There are different gen tlemen employed diligently in lecturing upon "physical sciences" & "the lungs," &c., &c., ad mission ninepence, children half price, but all the lectures of a more literary class are over. I spoke to the secretary of the Boston Lyceum about the 1 Griswold MSS. THE STYLUS 57 probability of your success if you came experi mentally, & he shook his head. It is not a mat ter in which I feel myself competent to judge -my bump of hope being quite too large. I asked him about engaging you for next year & he seemed very much pleased with the plan & said that the Society would be glad to do it. This course of lectures has (I think) the highest rank here. To speak for myself / should be delighted both to see & hear you. I like your subject too. The Boston people want a little independent criticism vastly. I know that we should not agree exactly, but we should at least sympathize. You occasionally state a critical proposition from which I dissent, but I am always satisfied. I care not a straw what a man says, if I see that he has his grounds for it, & knows thoroughly what he is talking about. You might cut me up as much as you pleased & I should read what you said with respect, & with a great deal more of satis faction, than most of the praise I get, affords me. It is these halfpenny "critics" —these men who appeal to our democratic sympathies by exhibit ing as their only credentials the fact that they are "practical printers" & what not, that are ruin ing our literature — men who never doubt that 58 EDGAR ALLAN POE they have a full right to pronounce upon the music of Apollo's lute, because they can criticise fitly the filing of a handsaw, & who, making a point of blundering, will commend Hercules (if they commend at all) for his skill at Omphale's distaff. It will please you to hear that my volume will soon reach a third edition. The editions are of five hundred each, but "run over," as printers say, a little, so that I suppose about eleven hun dred have been sold. I shall write to you again soon, giving you a sketch of my life. Outwardly it has been simple enough, but inwardly every man's life must be more or less of a curiosity. Goethe made a good distinction when he divided his own autobiography into poetry & fact. When will Graham give us your portrait? I hope you will have it done well when it is done, & quickly too. Writing to him a short time ago I congratulated him upon having engaged you as editor again. I recognized your hand in some of the editorial matter (critical) & missed it in the rest. But I thought it would do no harm to assume the fact, as it would at least give him a hint. He tells me I am mistaken & I am sorry for it. Why could not you write an article now and then for the "North American Review"? THE STYLUS 59 I know the editor a little, & should like to get you introduced there. I think he would be glad to get an article. On the modern French School of novels for example. How should you like it ? The " Review" does not pay a great deal ($2 a page, I believe), but the pages do not eat up copy very fast. I am sorry I did not know of your plan to lec ture in Boston earlier. I might have done some thing about it. The Lyceum pays some fifty to a hundred dollars, as their purse is full or empty. I will put matters in train for next year, however. Affectionately your friend,1 [Signature cut out.] P. S. You must not make any autobiogra phical deductions from my handwriting, as my hand is numb with cold. Winter has come back upon us. Poe had now formed a new scheme, which is as fine a piece of literary visionariness as was ever elaborated by a penniless author. He un folds it in the following letter to Lowell, which also contains other matter of contemporary in terest. 1 Griswold MSS.« 60 EDGAR ALLAN POE PHILADELPHIA, March 30, 1844. MY DEAR FRIEND, — Graham has been speaking to me, lately, about your Biography, and I am anxious to write it at once, always pro vided you have no objection. Could you forward me the materials within a day or two ? I am just now quite disengaged — in fact positively idle. I presume you have read the Memoir of Willis, in the April number of G. It is written by a Mr. Landor — but I think it full of hyperbole. Willis is no genius — a graceful trifler — no more. He wants force and sincerity. He is very frequently far-fetched. In me, at least, he never excites an emotion. Perhaps the best poem he has written is a little piece called "Unseen Spirits," begin ning "The Shadows lay — Along Broadway." You inquire about my own portrait. It has been done for some time — but is better as an engraving, than as a portrait. It scarcely resem bles me at all. When it will appear I cannot say. Conrad and Mrs. Stephens will certainly come before me — perhaps Gen. Morris. My Life is not yet written, and I am at a sad loss for a Biographer — for Graham insists upon leaving the matter to myself. I sincerely rejoice to hear of the success of your volume. To sell eleven hundred copies THE STYLUS 61 of a bound book of American poetry, is to do wonders. I hope everything from your future endeavors. Have you read "Orion"? Have you seen the article on "American Poetry" in the "London Foreign Quarterly"? It has been denied that Dickens wrote it — but, to me, the article affords so strong internal evidence of his hand that I would as soon think of doubting my existence. He tells much truth — although he evinces much ignorance and more spleen. Among other points he accuses myself of "metrical imitation" of Tennyson, citing, by way of instance, passages from poems which were written and published by me long before Tennyson was heard of : — but I have at no time made any poetical pretension. I am greatly in debted for the trouble you have taken about the lectures, and shall be very glad to avail myself, next season, of any invitation from the "Boston Lyceum." Thank you, also, for the hint about the "North American Review" ; — I will bear it in mind. I mail you, herewith, a "Dollar News paper," containing a somewhat extravagant tale of my own. I fear it will prove little to your taste. How dreadful is the present condition of our Literature ! To what are things tending ? We 62 EDGAR ALLAN POE want two things, certainly : — an International Copy-Right Law, and a well-founded Monthly Journal, of sufficient ability, circulation, and character, to control, and so give tone to, our Letters. It should be, externally, a specimen of high, but not too refined Taste : — I mean, it should be boldly printed, on excellent paper, in single column, and be illustrated, not merely embellished, by spirited wood designs in the style of Grandville. Its chief aims should be Inde pendence, Truth, Originality. It should be a journal of some 120 pp. and furnished at $5. It should have nothing to do with Agents or Agencies. Such a Magazine might be made to exercise a prodigious influence, and would be a source of vast wealth to its proprietors. There can be no reason why 100,000 copies might not, in one or two years, be circulated ; but the means of bringing it into circulation should be radically different from those usually employed. Such a journal might, perhaps, be set on foot by a coalition, and, thus set on foot, with proper understanding, would be irresistible. Suppose, for example, that the elite of our men of letters should combine secretly. Many of them control papers, &c. Let each subscribe, say $200, for the commencement of the undertaking ; furnish- THf ""THE STYLUS 63 ing other means, as required from time to time, until the work be established. The articles to be supplied by the members solely, and upon a con certed plan of action. A nominal editor to be elected from among the number. How could such a journal fail? I would like very much to hear your opinion upon this matter. Could not the "ball be set in motion" ? If we do not defend ourselves by some such coalition, we shall be devoured, without mercy, by the Godeys, the Snowdens, et id genus omne. Most truly your friend, EDGAR A. PoE.1 The next week after writing this letter Poe put in execution what seems a sudden determina tion to leave Philadelphia. Whatever was the immediate occasion of his decision, looking back over the five years of his life in that city, with its delusively brilliant openings and sharp reverses of hope, he obeyed the dictates of worldly pru dence in deserting a scene where his failures were well known, his character widely dis trusted, and his reputation in the city gone. It is plain that there was no time, after the first year of his residence in Philadelphia, when 1 Lowell MSS. 64 EDGAR ALLAN POE he had not the reputation, among those who profess to have been his boon-companions, of frequenting drinking places and joining with them in their ways; and his absences from the city, though few, ended in spreeing.1 He had fought his fight, and lost ; and, driven by poverty, he shifted the scene. He seems to have broken up his home at the cottage before this time, and he had not much more than ten dollars in his pocket when he left. Mrs. Clemm remained be hind to sell his books and settle up affairs, and with Virginia he went to New York, with no more definite a view than to make a new start in a new community. 1 Cf. Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Ixxviii (March, 1889). Mrs. Clemm evidently followed him with anxiety at such times, and as on this occasion (either March or June, 1842), when he was found wandering in the Jersey woods, hunted him up. CHAPTER IX THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" POE'S account of his departure is given in a let ter to Mrs. Clemm, which stands by itself in his correspondence as of a purely domestic kind, illustrative of life within doors. Its confiding and familiar tone explains somewhat, too, how he won the devotion of his mother-in-law to that degree which has secured for her the admiration of all who were intimately acquainted with Poe's home life. ( NEW YORK, Sunday Morning, ( April 7, just after breakfast. MY DEAR MUDDY, — We have just this minute done breakfast, and I now sit down to write you about everything. I can't pay for the letter, because the P. O. won't be open to-day. In the first place we arrived safe at Walnut St. wharf. The driver wanted to make me pay a dollar, but I would n't. Then I had to pay a boy a levy to put the trunks in the baggage car. In the meantime I took Sis [Virginia] in the Depot Hotel. It was only a quarter past six, and we had 66 EDGAR ALLAN POE to wait till seven. We saw the "Ledger" and " Times" — nothing in either — a few words of no account in the " Chronicle." We started in good spirits, but did not get here until nearly three o'clock. We went in the cars to Amboy, about forty miles from N. York, and then took the steamboat the rest of the way. Sissy coughed none at all. When we got to the wharf it was raining hard. I left her on board the boat, after putting the trunks in the Ladies' cabin, and set off to buy an umbrella and look for a boarding- house. I met a man selling umbrellas, and bought one for twenty-five cents. Then I went up Greenwich St. and soon found a boarding- house. It is just before you get to Cedar St., on the west side going up — the left-hand side. It has brown stone steps, with a porch with brown pillars. "Morrison" is the name on the door. I made a bargain in a few minutes and then got a hack and went for Sis. I was not gone more than half an hour, and she was quite astonished to see me back so soon. She did n't expect me for an hour. There were two other ladies waiting on board — so she was n't very lonely. When we got to the house we had to wait about half an hour before the room was ready. The house is old and looks buggy [The letter is cut here for THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 67 the signature on the other side.] the cheapest board I ever knew, taking into consideration the central situation and the living. I wish Kate [Catterina, the cat] could see it — she would faint. Last night, for supper, we had the nicest tea you ever drank, strong and hot, — wheat bread and rye bread — cheese — tea-cakes (ele gant), a great dish (two dishes) of elegant ham, and two of cold veal, piled up like a mountain and large slices — three dishes of the cakes and everything in the greatest profusion. No fear of starving here. The landlady seemed as if she could n't press us enough, and we were at home directly. Her husband is living with her — a fat, good-natured old soul. There are eight or ten boarders — two or three of them ladies — two servants. For breakfast we had excellent- flavored coffee, hot and strong — not very clear and no great deal of cream — veal cutlets, ele gant ham and eggs and nice bread and butter. I never sat down to a more plentiful or a nicer breakfast. I wish you could have seen the eggs - and the great dishes of meat. I ate the first hearty breakfast I have eaten since I left our little home. Sis is delighted, and we are both in excellent spirits. She has coughed hardly any and had no night sweat. She is now busy mend- 68 EDGAR ALLAN POE ing my pants which I tore against a nail. I went out last night and bought a skein of silk, a skein of thread, two buttons, a pair of slippers, and a tin pan for the stove. The fire kept in all night. We have now got four dollars and a half left. To-morrow I am going to try and borrow three dollars, so that I may have a fortnight to go upon. I feel in excellent spirits, and have n't drank a drop — so that I hope soon to get out of trouble. The very instant I scrape together enough money I will send it on. You can't imagine how much we both do miss you. Sissy had a hearty cry last night, because you and Catterina were n't here. We are resolved to get two rooms the first mo ment we can. In the meantime it is impossible we could be more comfortable or more at home than we are. It looks as if it were going to clear up now. Be sure and go to the P. O. and have my letters forwarded. As soon as I write Low ell's article, I will send it to you, and get you to get the money from Graham. Give our best love to C. [Signature cut out.] Be sure and take home the "Messenger" to Hirst. We hope to send for you 'very soon.1 1 Poe to Mrs. Clemm, MS. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 69 Foe's first business in New York after he got settled was presumably to call on the editor of "The Sun/' and offer him the well-known " Bal loon Hoax." At least on the following Saturday, April 13, "The Sun" contained a postscript, in double-leaded type, announcing that a balloon had crossed the Atlantic, bringing news, and had arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, and pro mising that an extra, giving full particulars, should be issued at ten o'clock on that morning. The extra duly appeared, with its narrative, in Poe's usual realistic manner, of a transatlantic voyage by a party of English aeronauts ; and at a time when such journalistic fictions were more common and less easily detected than now, it achieved a momentary success. Lowell now offered to write Poe's life for the series, "Our Contributors," then appearing in "Graham's"; and with this subject Poe's reply was next mainly concerned. NEW YORK, May 28, '44. MY DEAR FRIEND, — I received yours last night, forwarded from Philadelphia to this city, where I intend living for the future. Touching the Biography — I would be very proud, indeed, if you would write it, and did, certainly, say to 70 EDGAR ALLAN POE myself, and I believe to Graham — that such was my wish ; but as I fancied the job might be disagreeable, I did not venture to suggest it to yourself. Your offer relieves me from great em barrassment, and I thank you sincerely. You will do me justice ; and that I could not expect at all hands. Herewith, I mail you a Life written some time since by Hirst, from materials furnished princi pally by Thomas and Mr. T. W. White. It is correct, I think, in the main (barring extrava gant eulogy), and you can select from it whatever you deem right. The limit is 6 pp. of Graham - as much less as you please. Besides the Tales enumerated in the foot-note, I have written "The Spectacles"; "The Oblong Box"; "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains" ; " The Prema ture Burial"; "The Purloined Letter" ; "The System of Doctors Tar and Fether"; "The Black Cat" ; "The Elk" ; "Diddling Considered as one of the Exact Sciences" ; "Mesmeric Reve lation"; "The GoldBug" ; " Thou arttheMan"; about 60 altogether, including the "Grotesque and Arabesque." Those italicized are as yet un published — in the hands of different editors. Of the "Gold Bug" (my most successful tale), more than 300,000 copies have been circulated. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 71 There is an article on " American Poetry" in a late number of the " London Foreign Quar terly," in which some allusion is made to me, as a poet, and as an imitator of Tennyson. I would like you to say (in my defense) what is the fact : that the passages quoted as imitations were writ ten and published, in Boston, before the issue of even Tennyson's first volume. Dickens (/ know) wrote the article — I have private personal rea sons for knowing this. The portrait prepared does not in the least resemble me. I wrote you a long letter from Philadelphia about seven weeks since — did you get it ? You make no allusion to it. In great haste, Your most sincere friend, EDGAR A. PoE.1 The list of the tales still in the hands of editors which Poe gives, brings out strongly one source of the discouragement under which he had to bear up. He had been for ten years a writer of untiring industry, and in that time had pro duced an amount of work large in quantity and excellent in quality, much of it belonging in the very highest rank of imaginative prose ; but his books had never sold, and the income from his 1 Lowell MSS. 72 EDGAR ALLAN POE tales and other papers in the magazines when he was not attached to a magazine had never sufficed to keep the wolf from the door. No thing is plainer, in his life, than that he had diffi culty in selling his work and was very poorly paid. He had now prepared a revision of all his tales, and he sent them to Anthon, and solicited his influence with the Harpers to secure their publication by that house in five volumes. He accompanied his request with a review of his career. June, 1844. MY DEAR SIR, — Many years have elapsed since my last communication with you, and per haps you will be surprised at receiving a letter from me now — if not positively vexed at receiv ing one of so great a length and of such a charac ter. But I trust to your goodness of heart for a patient hearing at the least. You will have already seen that, as usual, I have a favor to solicit. You have, indeed, been to me in many respects a good genius and a friend, but the request I have to make now is one of vital interest to myself — so much so that upon your granting it, or refusing it, depends, I feel, much if not all of the prosperity, and even comfort, of my future life. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 73 I cannot flatter myself that you have felt suf ficient interest in me to have followed in any re spect my literary career since the period at which you first did me the honor to address me a note while editor of the " Southern Messenger." A few words of explanation on this point will there fore be necessary here. As I am well aware that your course of reading lies entirely out of the track of our lighter litera ture, and as I take it for granted, therefore, that none of the papers in question have met your eye, I have thought it advisable to send you with this letter a single tale as a specimen. This will no doubt put you in mind of the trick of the Skolastikos — but I could not think of troubling you with more than one. I do not think it my best tale, but it is perhaps the best in its particu lar vein. Variety has been one of my chief aims. In lieu of the rest, I venture to place in your hands the published opinions of many of my contemporaries [appended to Hirst's Sketch of Poe]. I will not deny that I have been careful to collect and preserve them. They include, as you will see, the warm commendations of a great number of very eminent men, and of these com mendations I should be at a loss to understand why I have not a right to be proud. 74 EDGAR ALLAN POE Before quitting the " Messenger" I saw, or fancied I saw, through a long and dim vista, the brilliant field for ambition which a Magazine of bold and noble aims presented to him who should successfully establish it in America. I perceived that the country, from its very constitution, could not fail of affording in a few years a larger pro portionate amount of readers than any upon the earth. I perceived that the whole energetic, busy spirit of the age tended wholly to Magazine lit erature — to the curt, the terse, the well-timed, and the readily diffused, in preference to the old forms of the verbose and ponderous and the in accessible. I knew from personal experience that lying perdu among the innumerable plantations in our vast Southern and Western countries were a host of well-educated men peculiarly devoid of prejudice, who would gladly lend their influence to a really vigorous journal, provided the right means were taken of bringing it fairly within the very limited scope of their observation. Now, I knew, it is true, that some scores of journals had failed (for, indeed, I looked upon the best success of the best of them as failure), but then I easily traced the causes of their failure in the impotency of their conductors, who made no scruple of basing their rules of action alto- THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN " 75 gether upon what had been customarily done in stead of what was now before them to do, in the greatly changed and constantly changing condi tion of things. In short, I could see no real reason why a Magazine, if worthy the name, could not be made to circulate among 20,000 subscribers, em bracing the best intellect and education of the land. This was a thought which stimulated my fancy and my ambition. The influence of such a journal would be vast indeed, and I dreamed of honestly employing that influence in the sacred cause of the beautiful, the just, and the true. Even in a pecuniary view, the object was a magnificent one. The journal I proposed would be a large octavo of 128 pages, printed with bold type, single column, on the finest paper; and disdaining everything of what is termed " embel lishment " with the exception of an occasional portrait of a literary man, or some well-engraved wood-design in obvious illustration of the text. Of such a journal I had cautiously estimated the expenses. Could I circulate 20,000 copies at $5, the cost would be about $30,000, estimating all contingencies at the highest rate. There would be a balance of $70,000 per annum. But not to trust too implicitly to a priori rea- 76 EDGAR ALLAN POE sonings, and at the same time to make myself thoroughly master of all details which might avail me concerning the mere business of pub lication, I entered a few steps into the field of experiment. I joined the " Messenger," as you know, which was then in its second year with 700 subscribers, and the general outcry was that be cause a Magazine had never succeeded south of the Potomac, therefore a Magazine never could succeed. Yet, in spite of this, and in despite of the wretched taste of its proprietor, which ham pered and controlled me at all points, I increased the circulation in fifteen months to 5500 sub scribers paying an annual profit of $10,000 when I left it. This number was never exceeded by the journal, which rapidly went down, and may now be said to be extinct. Of " Graham's Magazine" you have no doubt heard. It had been in exist ence under the name of the " Casket" for eight years when I became its editor, with a subscrip tion list of about 5000. In about eighteen months afterward, its circulation amounted to no less than 50,000 — astonishing as this may appear. At this period I left it. It is now two years since, and the number of subscribers is now not more than 25,000 — but possibly very much less. In three years it will be extinct. The nature of this THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 77 journal, however, was such that even its 50,000 subscribers could not make it very profitable to its proprietor. Its price was $3, but not only were its expenses immense, owing to the employ ment of absurd steel plates and other extrava gances, which tell not at all, but recourse was had to innumerable agents, who received it at a dis count of no less than fifty per cent., and whose frequent dishonesty occasioned enormous loss. But if 50,000 can be obtained for a $3 Magazine among a class of readers who really read little, why may not 50,000 be procured for a $5 journal among the true and permanent readers of the land? Holding steadily in view my ultimate purpose, — to found a Magazine of my own, or in which at least I might have a proprietary right, — it has been my constant endeavour in the mean time, not so much to establish a reputation great in itself as one of that particular character which should best further my special objects, and draw attention to my exertions as Editor of a Maga zine. Thus I have written no books, and have been so far essentially a Magazinist [illegible] bearing, not only willingly but cheerfully, sad poverty and the thousand consequent contume lies and other ills which the condition of the 78 EDGAR ALLAN POE mere Magazinist entails upon him in America, where, more than in any other region upon the face of the globe, to be poor is to be despised. The one great difficulty resulting from this course is unless the journalist collects his various articles he is liable to be grossly misconceived and misjudged by men of whose good opinion he would be proud, but who see, perhaps, only a paper here and there, by accident — often only one of his mere extravaganzas, written to supply a particular demand. He loses, too, whatever merit may be his due on the score of versatility — a point which can only be estimated by collection of his various articles in volume form and all to gether. This is indeed a serious difficulty — to seek a remedy for which is my object in writing you this letter. Setting aside, for the present, my criticisms, poems, and miscellanies (sufficiently numerous), my tales, a great number of which might be termed fantasy pieces, are in number sixty-six. They would make, perhaps, five of the ordinary novel-volumes. I have them prepared in every respect for the press ; but, alas, I have no money, nor that influence which would enable me to get a publisher — although I seek no pecuniary re muneration. My sole immediate object is the ' THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 79 furtherance of my ultimate one. I believe that if I could get my tales fairly before the public, and thus have an opportunity of eliciting foreign as well as native opinion respecting them, I should by their means be in a far more advantageous position than at present in regard to the estab lishment of a Magazine. In a word, I believe that the publication of the work would lead forthwith either directly through my own exer tion, or indirectly with the aid of a publisher, to the establishment of the journal I hold in view. It is very true that I have no claims upon your attention, not even that of personal acquaintance. But I have reached a crisis of my life in which I sadly stand in need of aid, and without being able to say why, — unless it is that I so earnestly desire your friendship, — I have always felt a half-hope that, if I appealed to you, you would prove my friend. I know that you have un bounded influence with the Harpers, and I know that if you would exert it in my behalf you could procure me the publication I desire.1 Anthon replied five months later, his appar ent delay being perhaps due to the summer vaca tion : — 1 GriswoldMSS. 8o EDGAR ALLAN POE NEW YORK, November 2, 1844. DEAR SIR, — I have called upon the Harpers, as you requested, and have cheerfully exerted with them what influence I possess, but without accomplishing anything of importance. They have complaints against you, grounded on cer tain movements of yours, when they acted as your publishers some years ago ; and appear very little inclined at present to enter upon the matter which you have so much at heart. However, they have retained, for a second and more careful pe rusal, the letter which you sent to me, and have promised that, if they should see fit to come to terms with you, they will address a note to you forthwith. Of course, if you should not hear from them, their silence must be construed into a declining of your proposal. My own advice to you is to call in person at their store, and talk over the matter with them. I am very sure that such a step on your part will remove many of the difficulties which at present obstruct your way. You do me injustice by supposing that I am a stranger to your productions. I subscribed to the " Messenger " solely because you were connected with it, and I have since that period read and, as a matter of course, admired very many of your other pieces. The Harpers also entertain, as I THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 81 heard from their own lips, the highest opinion of your talents, but — I remain very sincerely, Your friend and well-wisher, CHARLES ANTHON.1 P. S. The MSS. which you were kind enough to send can be obtained by you at any time on calling at my residence. C. A. A letter from a correspondence otherwise unknown, addressed to Bowen and Gossler, editors of "The Columbia Spy," Columbia, Pennsylvania, throws some light upon Poe's interests and occupations at this obscure period, and differs markedly from his usual corre spondence. It may have been intended for inser tion in the paper, and if so is a unique example of a kind of composition to which there is some reason to believe that Poe occasionally resorted to make money when he was otherwise unem ployed, either anonymously or semi-anony- mously as in this signature. NEW YORK, June 18, [1844]. In point of natural beauty, as well as of con venience, the harbor of New York has scarcely its equal in the northern hemisphere ; but, as in 1 Griswold MSS. 82 EDGAR ALLAN POE the case of Brooklyn, the Gothamites have most greviously disfigured it by displays of landscape and architectural taste. More atrocious pagodas, or what not, — for it is indeed difficult to find a name for them, — were certainly never imagined than the greater portion of those which affront the eye, in every nook and corner of the bay, and more particularly, in the vicinity of New Brighton. If these monstrosities appertain to taste, then it is to taste in its dying agonies. - Speaking of harbors ; I have been much sur prised at observing an attempt, on the part of a Philadelphian paper, to compare Boston, as a port, with New York ; and in instituting the comparison, the journal in question is so bold as to assert that the largest class of ships cannot pass the bar of this harbor at low water. I be lieve this to be quite a mistake ; — is it not ? — Foreigners are apt to speak of the great length of Broadway. It is no doubt a long street ; but we have many much longer in Philadelphia. If I do not greatly err, Front Street offers an unbroken line of houses for jour miles, and is, unquestionably, the longest street in America, if not in the world. Grant, the gossiping and twaddling author of " Random Recollections of the House of Lords," "The Great Metropolis,'7 THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 83 &c., &c., in mentioning some London thor oughfare of two miles and three quarters, calls it, with an absolute air, "the most extensive in the world." The dogmatic bow-bow of this is the most amusing thing imaginable. I do believe that out of every ten matters which he gives to the public as fact, eight, at least, are downright lies, while the other two may be classed either as "doubtful" or "rigmarole." — The trial of Polly Bodine will take place at Richmond, on Monday next, and will, no doubt, excite much interest. This woman may, possibly, escape ; — for they manage these mat ters wretchedly in New York. It is difficult to conceive anything more preposterous than the whole conduct, for example, of the Mary Rogers affair. The police seemed blown about, in all directions, by every varying puff of the most unconsidered newspaper opinion. The truth, as an end, appeared to be lost sight of altogether. The magistry suffered the murderer to escape, while they amused themselves with playing court, and chopping the technicalities of juris prudence. Not the least usual error in such investigations, is the limiting of inquiry to the immediate, with total disregard of the collateral, or circumstantial events. It is malpractice to 84 EDGAR ALLAN POE confine evidence and discussion too rigorously within the limits of the seemingly relevant. Experience has shown, and Philosophy will always show, that a vast portion, perhaps the larger portion of truth, arises from the appar ently irrelevant. It is through the spirit of this principle, that modern science has resolved to calculate upon the unforeseen. The history of human knowledge has so uniformly shown that to collateral, or incidental, or accidental events, we are indebted for the most numerous and most valuable discoveries, that it has, at length, become necessary, in any prospective view of improvement, to make not only large, but the largest allowances for inventions that shall arise by chance — out of the range of expectation. It is, thus, no longer philosophical to base upon what has been, a vision of what is to be. Ac cident is admitted as a portion of the sub structure. We make chance a matter of absolute certainty. We subject the unlooked-for and un- imagined to the mathematical formula of the schools. But what I wish now to observe is, that the small magistracies are too prone to ape the airs and echo the rectangular precepts of the courts. And, moreover, very much of what is rejected as evidence by a court, is the best of evi- THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 85 dence to the intellect. For the court, guiding itself by the general principles of evidence, - the recognized and booked principles, — is averse from swerving at particular instances. And this steadfast adherence to principle, with systematic disregard of the conflicting exception, is a sure mode of attaining the maximum of attainable truth, in any long sequence of time. The prac tice, in mass, is, therefore, philosophical ; but it is none the less certain that it engenders, in many extraordinary instances, a vast amount of indi vidual error. I have good reason to believe that it will do public mischief in the coming trial of Polly Bodine. The literary world of Gotham is not particularly busy. Mr. Willis, I see, has issued a very handsome edition of his poems - the only complete edition — with a portrait. Few men have received more abuse, deserving it less, than the author of " Melanie." I never read a paper from his pen, in the "New Mirror," without regretting his abandonment of Glen- Mary, and the tranquillity and leisure he might there have found. In its retirement he might have accomplished much, both for himself and for posterity ; but, chained oar of a mere weekly paper, professedly addressing the frivolous and the fashionable, what can he now hope for but a 86 EDGAR ALLAN POE gradual sinking into the slough of the Public Disregard ? For his sake, I do sincerely wish the "New Mirror7' would go the way of all flesh. Did you see his Biography in "Graham's Magazine"? The style was a little stilted, but the matter was true. Mr. W. deserves nearly all, if not quite all, the commendation there be stowed. Some of the newspapers, in the habit of- seeing through mill-stones, attributed the article to Longfellow, whose manner it about as much resembled as a virgin of Massaccio does a virgin of Raphael. The real author, Mr. Landor, al though a man of high talent, has a certain set of phrases which cannot easily be mistaken, and is as much a uni-stylist as Cardinal Chigi, who boasted that he wrote with the same pen for fifty years. In the "annual" way, little preparation is making for 1845. It is doubtful whether Mr. Keese will publish his "Wintergreen." Mr. Appleton may issue something pretty, but cares little about adventure, and would prefer, I dare say, a general decay of the race of gift works, their profit is small. Mr. Ricker is getting up the " Opal, " which was first edited by Mr. Gris- wold, afterwards by Mr. Willis for a very brief period, and now by Mrs. Hale, a lady of fine THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 87 genius and masculine energy and ability. The "Gift," however, will bear away the palm. By the way, if you have not seen Mr. Gris- wold's " American Series of the Curiosities of Literature, " then look at it, for God's sake — or for mine. I wish you to say, upon your word of honor, whether it is, or is not, per se, the greatest of all the Curiosities of Literature, or whether it is as great a curiosity as the compiler himself. p i After a month's delay, Lowell replied to Poe's communication with regard to the biography. ELMWOOD, June 27, 1844. MY DEAR FRIEND, — I have been stealing a kind of vacation from the pen during the last month, & I hope that my lying fallow for a time will increase my future crops, though I cannot bring myself to use the farmer's phrase & wish them to be "heavier." Now I ought by this time to have finished the article to accompany your head in Graham, but I have been unable to write anything. I have fits of this kind too often owing to a Constitutional indolence which was not counteracted by proper training in my child hood. You may be sure I am not one of those 1 Poe to Bowen and Gossler, MS. copy. 88 EDGAR ALLAN POE who follow a fashion which is hardly yet extinct, & call upon the good, easy world to accept my faults in proof of my genius. I can only mention it to ask forgiveness for my dilatoriness which springs from no want of interest but from sheer indolence — a fault — which your acquaintance with Life & Biography must have convinced you is one of the most incurable. However, I am resolved to set about it now in good earnest — & I have one or two preliminary requests to make. I wish you would (if you can) write me a letter giving me in some sort a spiritual autobiography of yourself. The newspaper ["The Saturday Museum" containing Hirst's sketch of Poe] you sent me will give me enough outward facts - but I want your own estimate of your life. Of course you need not write it as if for my use merely in the writing of this article — but as to a friend. I believe that the opinion a man has of himself (if he be accustomed to self-analysis) is of more worth than that of all the rest of the world. If you have a copy of your first volume (of poems) will you send it to me by Harnden, directing it to be kept till called for & writing me a line by mail to warn me of its being on the way. I will return it to you by the same conveyance — as it must be valuable to you & as you have not probably THE AUTHOR OF " THE RAVEN" 89 more than one copy. I never saw it, nor can I get it. If you would send at the same time any other of your writings which I could not readily get you will oblige me very much & they shall be safely returned to you. I agree with you that the article on Griswold's book in the "Foreign Quarterly Review " was fair enough as far as the Conclusions the author came to were concerned — though at the same time I think him as ignorant in political matters as a man can well be — in short, ignorant to the full to be a Reviewer — But you are mistaken as to the authorship of it. It was not (I am quite sure) written by Dickens, but by a friend of his named Forster (or Foster) — the author of a book named "Statesmen of the time of Crom well." Dickens may have given him hints. . . . I shall send you my sketch of course before it is printed, so that you can make any suggestions you like or suppress it altogether. I wish it to please you rather than the public. Affectionately your friend, J. R. L.1 Poe's reply to this request for a "spiritual autobiography " — and especially, what he says 1 Griswold MSS. 9o EDGAR ALLAN POE of his own indolence in view of the whole mass of his writings, of which a large portion was per ishable — ought to be taken with some allow ance for the tendency he had to idealize his own nature. A poet's analysis of his original tempera ment, if it be sincere, is of the highest value ; for a man's conception of his own character, particu larly if he be of an introspective turn, counts often as one of the most powerful influences that shape his acts. It should be remembered, too, that in describing himself Poe was not uncon scious of the presence of Lowell as his auditor, nor forgetful of the latter's relation to him as his biographer; but, nevertheless, the account falls in with other more disinterested utterances by Poe regarding himself, and in general it has an idiosyncratic character that marks it as genuine. NEW YORK, July 2, '44. MY DEAR MR. LOWELL, — I can feel for the "constitutional indolence" of which you com plain — for it is one of my own besetting sins. I am excessively slothful and wonderfully indus trious — by fits. There are epochs when any kind of mental exercise is torture, and when no thing yields me pleasure but solitary communion with the "mountains and the woods," — the THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 91 "altars" of Byron. I have thus rambled and dreamed away whole months, and awake, at last, to a sort of mania for composition. Then I scrib ble all day, and read all night, so long as the disease endures. This is also the temperament of P. P. Cooke, of Virginia, the author of " Flor ence Vane," " Young Rosalie Lee," and some other sweet poems — and I should not be sur prised if it were your own. Cooke writes and thinks as you — and I have been told that you resemble him personally. I am not ambitious — unless negatively. I now and then feel stirred up to excel a fool, merely because I hate to let a fool imagine that he may excel me. Beyond this I feel nothing of ambition. I really perceive that vanity about which most men merely prate, — the vanity of the human or temporal life. I live continually in a reverie of the future. I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active — not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. The result will never vary — and to suppose that it will, is to suppose that the foregone man has lived in vain — that the foregone time is but the rudiment of the future — that the myriads who 92 EDGAR ALLAN POE have perished have not been upon equal footing with ourselves — nor are we with our posterity. I cannot agree to lose sight of man the individual in man the mass. — I have no belief in spirit uality. I think the word a mere word. No one has really a conception of spirit. We cannot im agine what is not. We deceive ourselves by the idea of infinitely rarefied matter. Matter escapes the senses by degrees — a stone — a metal — a liquid — the atmosphere — a gas — the lumin- iferous ether. Beyond this there are other mod ifications more rare. But to all we attach the notion of a constitution of particles — atomic composition. For this reason only we think spirit different ; for spirit, we say, is unparticled, and therefore is not matter. But it is clear that if we proceed sufficiently far in our ideas of rare faction, we shall arrive at a point where the par ticles coalesce; for, although the particles be infinite, the infinity of littleness in the spaces be tween them is an absurdity. — The unparticled matter, permeating and impelling all things, is God. Its activity is the thought of God — which creates. Man, and other thinking beings, are in- dividualizations of the unparticled matter. Man exists as a " person," by being clothed with mat ter (the particled matter) which individualizes THE AUTHOR OF " THE RAVEN" 93 him. Thus habited, his life is rudimental. What we call "death" is the painful metamorphosis. The stars are the habitations of rudimental beings. But for the necessity of the rudimental life, there would have been no worlds. At death, the worm is the butterfly — still material, but of a matter unrecognized by our organs — recog nized occasionally, perhaps, by the sleep-walker directly — without organs — through the mes meric medium. Thus a sleep-walker may see ghosts. Divested of the rudimental covering, the being inhabits space, — what we suppose to be the immaterial universe, — passing everywhere, and acting all things, by mere volition, cognizant of all secrets but that of the nature of God's volition, — the motion, or activity, of the unpar- ticled matter. You speak of " an estimate of my life," - and, from what I have already said, you will see that I have none to give. I have been too deeply conscious of the mutability and evanescence of temporal things to give any continuous effort to anything — to be consistent in anything. My life has been whim — impulse — passion — a long ing for solitude — a scorn of all things present, in an earnest desire for the future. I am profoundly excited by music, and by 94 EDGAR ALLAN POE some poems, — those of Tennyson especially - whom, with Keats, Shelley, Coleridge (occasion ally), and a few others of like thought and ex pression, I regard as the sole poets. Music is the perfection of the soul, or idea, of Poetry. The vagueness of exaltation aroused by a sweet air (which should be strictly indefinite and never too strongly suggestive) is precisely what we should aim at in poetry. Affectation, within bounds, is thus no blemish. I still adhere to Dickens as either author, or dictator, of the review. My reasons would con vince you, could I give them to you, but I have left myself no space. I had two long interviews with Mr. D. when here. Nearly everything in the critique, I heard from him, or suggested to him, personally. The poem of Emerson I read to him. I have been so negligent as not to preserve copies of any of my volumes of poems — nor was either worthy of preservation. The best passages were culled in Hirst's article. I think my best poems "The Sleeper," "The Conqueror Worm," "The Haunted Palace," "Lenore," "Dream land," and the "Coliseum," — but all have been hurried and unconsidered. My best tales are "Ligeia," the "Gold-Bug," the "Murders in the THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 95 Rue Morgue," " The Fall of the House of Usher," the "Telltale Heart," the "Black Cat," "Wil liam Wilson," and "The Descent into the Mael strom." "The Purloined Letter," forthcoming in the "Gift," is perhaps the best of my tales of ratiocination. I have lately written for Godey "The Oblong Box" and "Thou art the Man," - as yet unpublished. With this I mail you the " Gold-Bug," which is the only one of my tales I have on hand. Graham has had, for nine months, a review of mine on Longfellow's "Spanish Student," which I have "used up," and in which I have exposed some of the grossest plagiarisms ever perpe trated. I can't tell why he does not publish it. - I believe G. intends my Life for the September number, which will be made up by the loth August. Your article should be on hand as soon as convenient. Believe me your true friend, E.A.POE.1 The philosophic lucubrations in the foregoing were taken from his metaphysical tale, "Mes meric Revelation," about to be published in the "Columbian Magazine" for August, and were 1 Lowell MSS. 96 EDGAR ALLAN POE afterwards more fully developed. Poe returned to the same metaphysical subject in a letter 1 to Chivers, July 10, written in reply to a commu nication dated May 15, from Oaky Grove, Georgia ; but he was more concerned with his correspondent's inquiry whether the "Penn Magazine," in which Poe had asked him to join financially two years before, was abandoned, and with the offer which accompanied the ques tion. "I expect," said Chivers, "to receive my part of my father's estate in July next, and should like to unite with you, provided it would be to my interest to do so." Poe answered that the "Stylus" (the change of name was appar ently unknown to Chivers) was only postponed, and encouraged him to come on to New York for a consultation. Six weeks later he sent the "Mesmeric Revelation" to Lowell, and gave the noticeable information that he was engaged on his "Critical History of American Literature," a book at which he kept working until death. NEW YORK, August 18, 1844. MY DEAR FRIEND, — With this letter I take the liberty to mail you a number of the " Colum- 1 Poe to Chivers. The Poe-Chivers Papers, Century Mag azine, January-February, 1903. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 97 bian Magazine/' in which you will find a paper on " Mesmeric Revelation." In it I have en deavored to amplify some ideas which I sug gested in my last letter. You will observe many corrections and altera tions. In fact the article was wofully misprinted ; and my principal object in boring you with it now, is to beg of you the favor to get it copied (with corrections) in the Brother Jonathan — I mean the Boston Notion — or any other paper where you have interest. If you can do this with out trouble, I would be very deeply indebted to you. I am living so entirely out of the world, just now, that I can do nothing of the kind myself. In what are you occupied ? — or is it still the far niente ? For myself I am very industrious - collecting and arranging materials for a " Critical History of American Literature." Do you ever see Mr. Hawthorne ? He is a man of rare genius. A day or two since I met with a sketch by him called "Browne's Wooden Image" - delicious. The leading idea, however, is suggested by Michael Angelo's couplet : - Non ha T ottimo artista alcun concetto Ch& un marmo solo in se non circonscriva. To be sure Angelo half stole the thought from Socrates. 98 EDGAR ALLAN POE How fares it with the Biography ? I fear we shall be late. Most truly your friend, EDGAR A. PoE.1 Poe's correspondence with Thomas had lan guished, but was now pleasantly resumed, in the old strain, and contains further evidence of the effort Poe made, in the first year of his residence, to establish himself. NEW YORK, September 8, 1844. MY DEAR THOMAS, — I received yours with sincere pleasure, and nearly as sincere surprise ; for while you were wondering that I did not write to you, I was making up my mind that you had forgotten me altogether. I have left Philadelphia, and am living, at pre sent, about five miles out of New York. For the last seven or eight months I have been playing hermit in earnest, nor have I seen a living soul out of my family — who are well and desire to be kindly remembered. When I say "well," I only mean (as regards Virginia) as well as usual. Her health remains excessively precarious. Touching the "Beechen Tree" [a poem by 1 Lowell MSS. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 99 Thomas], I remember it well and pleasantly. I have not yet seen a published copy, but will get one forthwith and notice it as it deserves — and it deserves much of high praise — at the very first opportunity I get. At present I am so much out of the world that I may not be able to do anything immediately. Thank God! Richard (whom you know) is himself again. Tell Dow so: but he won't be lieve it. I am working at a variety of things (all of which you shall behold in the end) - and with an ardor of which I did not believe myself capable. You said to me hurriedly, when we last met on the wharf in Philadelphia, that you believed Robert Tyler really wished to give me the post in the Custom House. This I also really think ; and I am confirmed in the opinion that he could not, at all times, do as he wished in such matters, by seeing - - at the head of the "Aurora" --a bullet-headed and malicious villain who has brought more odium upon the Administration than any fellow (of equal lit tleness) in its ranks, and who has been more indefatigably busy in both open and secret vili fication of Robert Tyler than any individual, little or big, in America. ioo EDGAR ALLAN POE Let me hear from you again very soon, my dear Thomas, and believe me ever Your friend, PoE.1 At the end of the month he received the bio graphy by Lowell : — ELMWOOD, September 27, 1844. MY DEAR FRIEND, — I kept back the bio graphy a short time in order to send it on by a private hand. It is not half so good as it ought to be, but it was written under many disadvan tages, not the least of which was depression of spirits which unfits a man for anything. I wish you to make any suggestions about it that may occur to you, and to reject it entirely if you do not like it. I have mentioned Chatterton in it rather too slightingly; will you be good enough to modify what I say of him a little ? His " Minstrel's Song in Ella" is better than the rest of his writings. You will find the package at No. i Nassau Street, up stairs. It was addressed to the care of C. F. Briggs. If his name is not upon the door, you will probably see the name of " Dougherty" or " Jones." As ever, your friend, J. R. LOWELL.2 1 Griswold MSS. 2 Stoddard, civ, cv. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 101 It was at this time that, according to Willis, Mrs. Clemm called upon him and solicited employment for Poe, who was then, she said, ill. Willis, who was just converting his weekly paper, the "New Mirror," into the "Evening Mirror," a daily, with a weekly issue in addi tion, was in need of a subordinate, and in conse quence of Mrs. Clemm's visit Poe was engaged as an assistant — a "mechanical paragraphist," to use Willis's phrase — in the "Mirror" office. There, during the fall, at a desk in a corner, he sat from nine in the morning until the paper went to press, ready for whatever work might befall. He discharged the duties of the daily routine punctually, listened good-humoredly to the request that he would dull the edge of a criticism or soften a misanthropic sentiment, and conformed with entire fidelity to the suggestions made. Such is Willis's sketch of his subordi nate, and he adds in general terms that through a considerable period he saw only "one present ment of the man, — a quiet, patient, industri ous, and most gentlemanly person, commanding the utmost respect and good feeling by his unvarying deportment and ability." * It needs no keen eye to read between the lines of this de- 1 The Home Journal, October 13, 1849. 102 EDGAR ALLAN POE scription the real facts, — that the pay was small, the labor perfunctory and uninteresting, and the spirit of the poet himself, compelled to subdue his saturnine temper to the geniality of his chief, was chafing within. It was a striking instance of Pegasus in harness. The first number of "The Evening Mirror" appeared October 7, 1844, and the next day the literary columns contained this passage upon Elizabeth Barrett Browning : — "Miss Barrett is worth a dozen of Tennyson and six of Motherwell — equal perhaps in ori ginal genius to Keats and Shelley." Two months later this was followed up by another unmistakable sentence on the same poetess : - "We do not believe there is a poetical soul embodied in this world that — as a centre of thought — sees further out toward the periphery permitted to angels, than Miss Barrett." l These critical dicta could have been no one's but Poe's ; and as his hand is readily discerned in the literary paragraphing at many other points, it is most likely that he was employed on the daily from its start. It is as certain, on the other hand, as internal evidence can make it, that he 1 Evening Mirror, December 7, 1844. NATHANIEL P. WILLIS THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 103 never before this time made, as has been stated,1 one of Willis's staff of writers. . A month after the receipt of the biography from Lowell, Poe acknowledged it, and again reverted to his scheme for the association of authors in a Magazine Company. NEW YORK, October 28, '44. MY DEAR FRIEND, — A host of small troubles growing from the one trouble of poverty, but which I will not trouble you with in detail, have hitherto prevented me from thanking you for the Biography and all the well-intended flatteries which it contains. But, upon the principle of bet ter late than never, let me thank you now, again and again. I sent it to Graham on the day I re ceived it — taking with it only one liberty in the 1 Ingram, i. 248. The statement that Poe contributed trans lations from the French to the New Mirror from April, 1843, to its discontinuance (which is wrongly said to have taken place before Poe left Philadelphia), and signed them with his initials, rests on a negligent examination of the files. The translations referred to begin January 3, 1843 0> 9)> and are signed E. P.; they continue to the end, but afterwards they are also signed at the beginning of the articles "By a Lady." For example, i, 307, 355, etc. The complete list is published in The Virginia Poe, xvi, 368-371. They are, perhaps, from the pen of Emily Percival. io4 EDGAR ALLAN POE way of modification. This I hope you will par don. It was merely the substitution of another brief poem for the last you have done me the honor to quote. I have not seen your marriage announced, but I presume from what you said in your penulti mate letter, that I may congratulate you now. Is it so ? At all events I can wish you no better wish than that you may derive from your marriage as substantial happiness as I have derived from mine. A long time ago I wrote you a long letter to which you have never replied. It concerned a scheme for protecting ourselves from the impo sition of publishers by a coalition. I will state it again in brief. Suppose a dozen of the most active or influential men of letters in this country should unite for the purpose of publishing a magazine of high character. Their names to be kept secret, that their mutual support might be the more effectual. Each member to take a share of the stock at $100 a share. Each, if required, to furnish one article each month - the work to be sustained altogether by the con tributions of the members, or by unpaid contri butions from others. As many of the members as possible to be taken from those connected THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 105 otherwise with the press : — a black-ball to ex clude any one suggested as a member by those already conjoined — this to secure unanimity. These, of course, are mere hints in the rough. But suppose that (the scheme originating with yourself and me) we write to any others or, seeing them personally, engage them in the enterprise. The desired number being made up, a meeting might be held, and a constitution framed. A point in this latter might be that an editor should be elected periodically from among the stock holders. The advantages of such a coalition seem to me very great. The Magazine could be started with a positive certainty of success. There would be no expense for contributions, while we would have the best. Plates, of course, would be dis dained. The aim would be to elevate without stupefying our literature — to further justice - to resist foreign dictation — and to afford (in the circulation and profit of the journal) a remu neration to ourselves for whatever we should write. The work should be printed in the very best manner, and should address the aristocracy of talent. We might safely give, for $5, a pamphlet of 128 pages, and, with the support of the variety io6 EDGAR ALLAN POE of our personal influence, we might easily extend the circulation to 20,000, — giving $100,000. The expenses would not exceed $40,000, — if indeed they reached $20,000 when the work should be fairly established. Thus there would be $60,000 to be divided among twelve, — $5000 per annum apiece. I have thought of this matter long and cau tiously, and am persuaded that there would be little difficulty in doing even far more than I have ventured to suggest. Do you hear anything more about the Lec tures? Truly yours, E. A. PoE.1 Lowell did not answer until the middle of December, when he wrote to pave the way for Briggs, who was about to start the "Broadway Journal" in New York and desired an introduc tion. ELMWOOD, December 12, 1844. MY DEAR FRIEND, — You will forgive me for not writing sooner & for writing so little now, when I tell you that I have been for some time keeping a printing office agoing at the rate of from eight to twenty pages a day. I am printing 1 Lowell MSS. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 107 a volume of prose (in conversation form) about poets and everything else, ["Conversations on Some of the Old Poets"] & not having prepared my copy, am obliged to write & print at once. You will like some parts of the book and dislike others. My object in writing this is to introduce you to my friend Charles F. Briggs who is about to start a literary weekly paper in New York & desires your aid. He was here a month or two since, & I took the liberty of reading to him what I had written about you & to-day I re ceived a letter from him announcing his plan & asking your address. Not knowing it, & not hav ing time to write him I thought that the shortest way would be to introduce you to him. He will pay & I thought from something you said in your last letter that pay would be useful to you. I also took the liberty of praising you to a Mr. Colton, who has written "Tecumseh" ... & whom I suspect, from some wry faces he made on first hearing your name, you have cut up. He is publishing a magazine & I think I convinced him that it would be for his interest to engage you permanently. But I know nothing whatever of his ability to pay. I am not to be married till I have been de- io8 EDGAR ALLAN POE livered of my book ; which will probably be be fore Christmas, & I shall spend the winter in Philadelphia. I shall only stop one night in New York on my way on. Returning I shall make a longer stay & shall of course see you. You will like Briggs & he will edit an excellent paper. Op posite, I write a note to him. Yr. affectionate friend, J. R. LOWELL. * P. S. You must excuse me if I have blundered in recommending you to Colton. I know nothing of your circumstances save what I gleaned from your last letter, &, of course, said nothing to him which I might not say as an entire stranger to you. It is never safe to let an editor (as editors go) know that an author wants his pay. I was in hopes that I should have been able to revise my sketch of you before it appeared. It was written under adverse circumstances & was incomplete. If you do not like this method of getting acquainted, send Briggs your address. His is No. i Nassau St. I never wrote an intro ductory letter before & do not own a complete letter writer — so you must excuse any greenness about it. 1 Griswold MSS. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 109 Nothing of Poe's in the " Mirror" during the first three months requires notice. Since his arrival in New York, however, in the preceding April, some of his pieces in editors' hands had got published: "A Tale of the Ragged Moun tains," a picturesque story of metempsychosis ascribed to the influence of Hoffmann, in "Go- dey's" for June, and the two inferior grotesques, "The Oblong Box" and "Thou art the Man," also in "Godey's" for September and October; "Dreamland," a new poem, in "Graham's" for June; "The Angel of the Odd," a title which appears for the first time, in the "Columbian" for October; "The Literary Life of Thingum Bob," a satirical extravaganza, said to be aimed at Graham, on the ways of editors and the means of popularity, which had at last found its indulgent victim in the "Southern Literary Mes senger" for December, where it appeared anony mously ; "The Purloined Letter," in the "Gift" for 1845, closing the series of the ratiocinative tales. In the "Democratic Review," too, for No vember and December, the first installments of the miscellaneous notes called " Marginalia" were issued ; and as one reads them and the later collections, which continued to be published until Poe died, one cannot but admire the auda- no EDGAR ALLAN POE city of their author, who could thus resell clip pings from his old book reviews since the be ginning of his career, by merely giving them a new title. It was a dexterous filching back from Time of the alms for oblivion already given and stored away in that capacious wallet. Doubt less Poe looked on editors as fair game, — if they would not buy his new tales, let them pur chase his old criticisms. But an event was soon to occur that made any manuscripts by Poe treasure-trove. Probably the editors, who had almost emptied their pigeon-holes of his accu mulated contributions, were sorry they had not delayed longer. In the " Evening Mirror," January 29, 1845, " The Raven " was published, with a highly com mendatory card from Willis; and a few days later " The American Whig Review" for Febru ary, from the advance sheets of which this poem had been copied, was the centre of literary inter est and the prey of editorial scissors throughout the length and breadth of the country. In the magazine the author was masked under the pseudonym "Quarles," but in this journal he had' been named as E. A. Poe. The popular response was instantaneous and decisive. No brief poem ever established itself so immedi- THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" in ately, so widely, and so imperishably in men's minds. "The Raven" became, in some sort, a national bird, and the author the most notorious American of the hour. It happened — and for this Godey and Graham must have blessed their stars, that in their respective magazines of this same month the former published "The 1002 Tale," the voyage of Sinbad among the won ders made known by modern science, and the latter Lowell's sketch of Poe. The history of the composition of the "Ra ven" has been variously told, but it is possible to reconcile the different accounts. Mrs. Weiss relates, on Poe's authority, that the bird was originally an owl, and that the poem "had lain for more than ten years in his desk unfinished, while he would at long intervals work on it." l Whatever may have been the history of this earlier conception, the true germ is contained in Poe's review of "Barnaby Rudge," published in "Graham's," February, 1842:- "The raven, too, intensely amusing as it is, might have been made, more than we now see it, a portion of the conception of the fantastic Barnaby. Its croakings might have been pro phetically heard in the course of the drama. Its 1 Mrs. Weiss, p. 185. ii2 EDGAR ALLAN POE character might have performed, in regard to that of the idiot, much the same part as does, in music, the accompaniment in respect to the air. Each might have been distinct. Each might have differed remarkably from the other. Yet between them there might have been wrought an analogical resemblance, and although each might have existed apart, they might have formed together a whole which would have been imperfect in the absence of either. " This is pre cisely the relation which exists in the poem between the raven and the lover. It is related l that Poe was, at some time the following summer, at the Barhyte trout-ponds, Saratoga Springs, New York, and mentioned the poem "to be called 'The Raven'" to Mrs. Barhyte, who was a contributor to the "New York Mirror." The next summer, 1843, accord ing to this same tradition, agreeing with the tale told at Philadelphia of such a visit, he was again at the same resort ; and a conversation between him and a lad about the bird in the poem is reported, and it is added that Mrs. Barhyte was shown the written composition. This lady died in April, 1844, and these statements seem 1 Home Journal (by Dr. William Elliot Griffis), Novem ber 5, 1884. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 113 to be derived from Mr. Barhyte's recollection of what his wife said. It must have been this draft of the poem which Rosenbach saw in Phila delphia as early as the winter of 1843-44. "I read 'The Raven' long before it was pub lished," says this writer, "and was in Mr. George R. Graham's office when the poem was offered to him. Poe said that his wife and Mrs. Clemm were starving, and that he was in very pressing need of the money. I carried him fif teen dollars contributed by Mr. Graham, Mr. Godey, Mr. McMichael, and others, who con demned the poem, but gave the money as a charity." 1 He had this poem, which may be correctly described as a draft, at least, when, in 1844, he went to New York and boarded at Mrs. Brennan's, on the Bloomingdale road, near what is now the eastern corner of Eighty-fourth Street and Broadway, where he is also said 2 to have stayed, accompanied by his family, in the pre vious summer. There he read the poem to his 1 The American, February 26, 1887. 2 Poe and the Raven (by General James R. O'Beirne), the New York Mail and Express, quoted in the Augusta Chronicle, April 30, 1900 ; the earliest account of Poe's residence in the house and the reminiscences of Mrs. Bren- nan is given by Gill, 1877. Cf. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Weekly, September, 1833 (by Tyrrell). n4 EDGAR ALLAN POE landlady before its publication in the " Mirror" ; and as he removed, late in the fall of 1844, to 15 Amity Street, it is clear that whatever revision he gave it was done there.1 He offered the poem to the ' l Whig Review ' ' anonymously, through John Augustus Shea, an old West Point schoolmate then pursuing literature in the city, to whom he sent the last correction in a note.2 It will be remembered, however, that Colton, the editor of the "Whig," had been spoken to by Lowell in Poe's favor, and it is unlikely that he was ignorant of the authorship. Willis may have taken the text from an advance copy of the magazine or from a proof. Such seems to have been the composition of "The Raven." Poe now withdrew from the "Mirror," much to the regret of his employer. His contributions 1 It is also related by his tavern companions of Sandy Welsh's cellar in Ann Street that the poem was a sort of joint-product of all their wits, being " produced stanza by stanza at small intervals, and submitted by Poe piecemeal to the criticism and emendation of his intimates," until it was " voted complete." Specific instances of such emendation are reported from Colonel Du Solle. Scribner's (by F. G. Fair- field), October, 1875. Mrs. Weiss (p. 99), also on Du Solle's authority, tells the same anecdote with variations. 2 The Virginia Poe, i, 217-220. Judge George Shea, son of J. A. Shea, told the author the entire story some time about 1893 at "The Players," New York. HOUSE WHERE '-THE RAVEN " WAS WRITTEN Xear 8j//i Street, Xeu< York THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 115 had been of the slightest interest, and contained nothing novel, except his attack on Longfellow's collection of fugitive poems, called "The Waif," - the beginning of the "Longfellow war." His connection with the paper had turned to his own benefit by the frequent puffs of himself, both direct and indirect, which it published, and by the literary introductions which his position afforded him. He was, however, always dissat isfied with his situation, which certainly was a humble one. In the issue of January 20, 1845, in which Lowell's critical estimate of him was reprinted, he was editorially praised, his capaci ties as a magazine editor pointed out, and him self described as "ready for propositions." l No proposition of the kind was made, but an ar rangement was entered into by which he became associated with Charles F. Briggs, then known as "Harry Franco," in the management of "The Broadway Journal," a weekly which had issued its first number on the 4th of January previous. Briggs was a writer of light literature, from Nantucket, and ambitious of editing a paper. A month before this time he wrote to his friend Lowell, "I have made arrangements for pub- 1 Evening Mirror, January 20, 1845. u6 EDGAR ALLAN POE lishing the first number of my long-talked-of paper in January. It will be published by John Bisco, a shrewd Yankee from Worcester, who has been a school-teacher in New Jersey, and was once the publisher of the 'Knickerbocker." Further on he adds, "If you know Poe's address, send it on to me when you write." In conse quence of Lowell's introduction Poe contributed to the first two numbers of the " Journal" a re view of Miss Barrett (Mrs. Browning), and from that time was a regular writer at the rate of one dollar a column. He sent the review, and also a copy of "The Raven" to Home, January 25, 1845, but the reply was delayed till late in the spring, when Home wrote : - LONDON, May 17, 1845. MY DEAR SIR, — After so long a delay of my last letter to you, I am at all events glad to hear that it reached you — or rather that you, in div ing among the shoals at the Post-Office, had con trived to fish it up. But matters do not seem to mend in this respect ; for your present letter of the date of January 25, 1845, only reached my house at the latter end of April. In short, we might as well correspond from Calcutta, as far as time is concerned. However, I am glad that the THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 117 letters reach their destination at all, and so that none are lost we must be patient, I have only just returned from a nine months' absence in Germany. I principally resided, dur ing this time, in the Rhine Provinces. I take the earliest opportunity of thanking you for all attentions. As I thought your letter to me contained more of the bright side of criticism than the ''Broad way Journal," I sent it to my friend Miss Bar rett. She returned it with a note — half of which I tear off, and send you (confidentially) that you may see in what a good and noble spirit she receives the critique — in which, as you say, the shadows do certainly predominate. Well, for my own part, I think a work should be judged of its merits chiefly — since faults and imperfections are certain to be found in all works, but the high est merits only in a few. Therefore the highest merits seem to me to be naturally the first and main points to be considered. Miss Barrett has read the "Raven," and says she thinks there is a fine lyrical melody in it. When I tell you that this lady " says" you will be so good as to under stand that I mean " writes" -for although I have corresponded with Miss Barrett these five or six years, I have never seen her to this day. n8 EDGAR ALLAN POE Nor have I been nearer to doing so than talking with her father and sisters. I am of the same opinion as Miss Barrett about the "Raven"; and it also seems to me that the poet intends to represent a very painful condition [of] mind, as of an imagination that was liable to topple over into some delirium, or an abyss of melancholy, from the continuity of one unvaried emotion. Tennyson I have not seen nor heard from yet, since my return. It is curious that you should ask me for the opinions of the only two poets with whom I am especially intimate. Most of the others I am acquainted with, but am not upon such terms of intellectual sympathy and friend ship, as with Miss Barrett and Tennyson. But I do not at this moment know where Tennyson is. You mention that an American publisher would probably like to reprint "Orion," and I therefore send a copy for that purpose, or proba bility. I also send a copy in which I have written your name, together with a copy of "Gregory VII," and two copies of "Introductory Com ments" (to the second edition of the "New Spirit of the Age") of which I beg your acceptance. Of "Chaucer Modernized" I do not possess any other copy than the one in my own library, and I THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 119 believe it is out of print ; but if you would like to have a copy of SchlegePs lectures on " Dramatic Literature" (to which I wrote an introduction to the second edition), I shall be happy to forward you the volume, and any others of my own you would like to have — that is, if I have copies of them. " Cosmo de' Medici," for instance, I could send you. I have made no revision of " Orion" for the proposed new edition. The fact is, I have not time, and moreover am hardly disposed to do much to it, after so many editions. I had rather write (almost) another long poem. I shall be happy to send you a short poem or two for your magazine, directly it is established, or for the first number, if there be time for you to let me know. I am, dear sir, Yours truly, R. H. HoRNE.1 The inclosure, from Mrs. Browning to Home, was as follows : - 58 WIMPOLE ST., May 12, 1845. You will certainly think me mad, dear Mr. Home, for treading upon my own heels (room for the [illegible], in another letter. But I am un comfortable about my message to Mr. Poe, lest it should not be grateful enough in the sound of 1 Griswold MSS. 120 EDGAR ALLAN POE it. Will you tell him what is quite the truth, that in my own opinion he has dealt with me most generously, and that I thank him for his candour as for a part of his kindness. Will you tell him also that he has given my father plea sure, which is giving it to me more than twice. Also the review is very ably written — and the reviewer has so obviously and thoroughly read my poems, as to be a wonder among critics. Will you tell Mr. Poe this, or to this effect, dear Mr. Home, all but part of the last sentence, which perad venture may be somewhat superfluous. I heard from dear Miss Mitford this morning, and she talks delightfully of taking lodgings in Lon don soon ; of coming not for a day only, nor for a week only [end of sheet *]. Poe's association with Briggs continued in an undefined way. " The Raven " was reprinted in the "Journal," slightly revised, February 8, and the office-boy of the day, writing fifty-seven years afterwards, gives a scene of the editorial den. "It was one cold day in winter, when every body in the 'Literary Journal' office from my self on up was busily at work, that Poe came 1 Griswold MSS. THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 121 into the office, accompanied by the great actor named Murdock. They went to Poe's desk, and Mr. Poe summoned the entire force, includ ing myself, about him. There were less than a dozen of us, and I was the only boy. "When we were all together, Poe drew the manuscript of ' The Raven ' from his pocket and handed it to Murdock. He had called us to hear the great elocutionist read his newly-written poem. Murdock read, and what with the com bined art of two masters, I was entranced. It is the most cherished memory of my life that I heard the immortal poem read by one whose voice was like a chime of silver bells. ... In the next issue of the ' Literary Journal' 'The Raven' appeared in the place of honor." 1 The first trial Poe made of the value of his popularity was to lecture in the library of the New York Historical Society, on February 28, when between two and three hundred persons gathered to hear him. His subject was, as be fore, American Poetry, and in substance the ad dress was the old monologue, sharp, bitter, and grim, on the sins of editors and the stupidity of versifiers, relieved by the elocutionary effect of a 1 Sunday World-Herald, Omaha (by Alexander T. Crane), July 13, 1902. 122 EDGAR ALLAN POE few fine poems and too generous praise where he thought praise was due. He dealt with Mrs. Sigourney, Mrs. Welby, Mrs. Osgood, Seba Smith, the Davidsons, Bryant, Halleck, Long fellow, Sprague, and Dana. The inference is that the lecture was made up by piecing to gether his old book reviews, and was probably textually the same with that delivered at Phila delphia, except that he now omitted reference to Griswold, with whom he was endeavoring to renew his acquaintance, plainly from selfish motives. He was still playing the part of the fearless critic, and he found some listeners to follow Lowell's lead and commend him for his audacity, while they acknowledged the usefulness of his ungracious service ; but there were many more in whose minds his words rankled. He was a good speaker, having natural gifts of elo cution and an effective manner. Willis, in no ticing the lecture, sketches him with the elegant facility that now, to our changed taste, reads so much like nonsense : - "He becomes a desk, — his beautiful head showing like a statuary embodiment of Discrim ination ; his accent drops like a' knife through water, and his style is so much purer and clearer than the pulpit commonly gets or requires that THE AUTHOR OF "THE RAVEN" 123 the effect of what he says, besides other things, pampers the ear." 1 The impression Poe first made on Briggs is told in the following passages of the latter's cor respondence with Lowell : - "I like Poe exceedingly well; Mr. Griswold has told me shocking bad stories about him, which his whole demeanor contradicts." "Poe tells me that Graham refused to print his tale of the ' Gold Bug,' and kept it in his pos session nine months. I never read it before last week, and it strikes me as among the most in genious pieces of fiction that I have ever seen. If you have not read it, it will repay you for the trouble when you do. He told me furthermore that the poem which you have quoted from the 'House of Usher,' - " ' In a valley, fair and shady [sic] By good angels tenanted,' etc., he sent to O'Sullivan for the 'Democratic/ and it was returned to him. You see by these what the judgments of Magazine editors amount to. ... I have always strangely misunderstood Poe, from thinking him one of the Graham and Godey species, but I find him as different as possible. I 1 Evening Mirror, March 12, 1845. 2 Briggs to Lowell, January 6, 1845. MS. i24 EDGAR ALLAN POE think that you will like him well when you come to know him personally." l Briggs, under this impression, now associated Poe with himself in "The Broadway Journal"; and, under the impetus of the popularity of "The Raven," Wiley & Putnam undertook to bring out in the summer a selection from his tales, and later an edition of his poems. 1 Briggs to Lowell, January 27, 1845. MS. CHAPTER X THE BROADWAY JOURNAL AT the beginning of March Poe was announced as co-editor, with Henry S. Watson and Briggs, of "The Broadway Journal." The correspond ence of Briggs with Lowell shows plainly the relations between him and his new chief. The " Journal" was at the time becoming notorious by the "Longfellow war," which, as Briggs re marked, was "all on one side." It had been begun by Poe, in the "Mirror," and had fol lowed with him into the new office. He had long had this bee in his bonnet, and was only repeating a charge that he had made from his first Philadelphia days. He was now endeavor ing mightily to sustain the accusation of plagiar ism against the poet, and incidentally he glanced at Lowell as guilty of the same offense, whether knowingly or not. On March 8, 1845, Briggs wrote : - " Poe is only an assistant to me, and will in no manner interfere with my own way of doing things. It was requisite that I should have his or 126 EDGAR ALLAN POE some other person's assistance, on account of my liability to be taken off from the business of the paper, and as his name is of some authority I thought it advisable to announce him as an editor. Mr. Watson's name will command the support of a good portion of the musical interest in this city and in Boston, and by putting forth his name as musical editor I can gain his time for a pro rata dividend on the amount of patron age which he may obtain. He is the only mu sical critic in the country and a thorough good fellow. Poe has left the 'Mirror.' Willis was too Willisy for him. Unfortunately for him (Poe), he has mounted a very ticklish hobby just now, Plagiarism, which he is bent on riding to death, and I think the better way is to let him run down as soon as possible by giving him no check. Wiley & Putnam are going to publish a new edition of his tales and sketches. Everybody has been raven-mad about his last poem, and his lecture, which W. Story went with me to hear, has gained him a dozen or two of waspish foes who will do him more good than harm." l A week later, March 16, he returns to the same subject : - "Poe is a monomaniac on the subject of pla- 1 Briggs to Lowell. MS. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 127 giarism, and I thought it best to allow him to ride his hobby to death in the outset and be done with it. It all commenced with myself. When he was in the 'Mirror' office he made what I thought a very unjustifiable charge against my friend Aldrich [James Aldrich], who is one of the best fellows in the world, and I replied to it as you saw. Somebody in Boston, 'Outis,' whose name I forget, replied to P. on behalf of Long fellow and Aldrich, and so the war began. It will end as it began, in smoke. But it will do us some good by calling public attention to our paper. Poe is a much better fellow than you have an idea of. ... The ' Journal' gains strength every day, and I am very sanguine of success."1 Three days later he writes again more fully : "I thought it best to gain Poe's services as a critic because he already has a reputation for reviewing, and I could gain them by allowing him a certain portion of the profits of the paper. He thought it would gain the ' Journal ' a certain number of subscribers immediately if his name were published in connection with it. I did not much like the plan, but he had had more expe rience than myself in the matter, so I consented. 1 Briggs to Lowell. MS. 128 EDGAR ALLAN POE ... I retain precisely the same authority I did in the beginning. . . . Poe's fol-de-rol about plagiarism I do not like, but the replies which it provokes serve us as advertisements, and help us along. As he dealt more severely by me and my friend Aldrich than anybody else I do not think that anybody has any right to complain of his thumps. I think that you are too sensitive in regard to Longfellow ; I really do not see that he has said anything offensive about him. . . . Poe has indeed a very high admiration for Longfel low, and so he will say before he is done. For my own part I did not use to think well of Poe, but my love for you and implicit confidence in your judgment led me to abandon all my prejudices against him when I read your account of him. The Rev. Mr. Griswold, of Philadelphia, told me some abominable lies about him, but a per sonal acquaintance with him has induced me to think highly of him. Perhaps some Philadel- phian has been whispering foul things in your ear about him. Doubtless his sharp manner has made him many enemies. But you will think better of him when you meet him." 1 While Briggs was thus explaining his own po sition and defending Poe from the strictures of 1 Briggs to Lowell. MS. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 129 Lowell, who had now ceased to correspond with him, the "Broadway Journal" was pressing the attack. The attitude of Poe toward Longfellow has become sufficiently clear in the course of the preceding narrative; he was a jealous admirer. The present, and most notorious, imbroglio was occasioned by the publication of "The Waif," a collection of fugitive pieces by minor authors, edited by Longfellow. In the " Mirror" Poe had said, - "We conclude our notes on the 'Waif with the observation that, although full of beauties, it is infected with a moral taint — or is this a mere freak of our own fancy? We shall be pleased if it be so ; — but there does appear, in this little volume, a very careful avoidance of all American poets who may be supposed especially to inter fere with the claims of Mr. Longfellow. These men Mr. Longfellow can continuously imitate (is that the word?) and yet never incidentally commend." l The discussion thus begun was followed up in succeeding issues with the protests of Longfel low's friends and the editorial comment in reply, extenuating on Willis's part, vindicatory on Poe's, until Willis withdrew from the discussion 1 Evening Mirror, January 14, 1845. 1 30 EDGAR ALLAN POE in a card in which he stated his entire dissent from "all the disparagement of Longfellow " that had been published in the "Mirror"; and soon he admitted to its columns a lengthy de fense of him by one "Outis," just after Poe left the office to join Briggs. On March i the new editor of the "Broadway Journal" began his reply to " Outis," which was continued in weekly installments through five numbers. So far as it related to Longfellow it repeated textually the charge made in "Bur ton's" in regard to the "Midnight Mass for the Dying Year"; discredited a letter in which Longfellow had personally explained the error in consequence of which he had translated a song of Motherwell's back into English from the German of Wolff, under the impression that it was original with the latter ; and finally charged new plagiarisms, particularly in the case of "The Spanish Student," some scenes of which Poe traced to his own "Politian" in a violent pas sage in which probably the old review is incor porated. To sum up Poe's strictures as urged here and in earlier and later writings, Longfellow was a plagiarist, a didactic poet, and a writer of hex ameters. In this there is so much truth as is in- THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 131 volved in the milder statement that he belonged to the poets of cultivation rather than of irresist ible original genius, that he frequently wrote to illustrate or enforce morality, and that his ear was not offended by the English hexameter. That Poe was sincere in his opinions, though he en forced them rudely and with the malicious plea sure of an envious rival, there can be little ques tion; that Longfellow never pilfered from Poe, and that in the unconscious adaptations natural to a poet of culture he never imitated him, there can be no doubt at all. In the elusive search for motives in the case, it is best to remain content with Longfellow's charitable opinion: "The harshness of his criticisms I have never attrib uted to anything but the irritation of a sensitive nature, chafed by some indefinite sense of wrong." l Poe's other contributions to the "Journal" during the time that he had "a third interest" (as he described to Griswold his salary of a third of the profits) were plentiful, but not fresh.2 The 1 Southern Literary Messenger, November, 1849. Cf. Monats-Hefte, liii, pp. 119, 538, 677, Edgar Poe gegen Henry Longfellow, von Fr. Spielhagen. 2 He reprinted, sometimes with slightly changed names and other revision, representing the Anthon copy, Lionizing, Bere nice, Bon-Bon, The Oval Portrait, The Philosophy of Furni- 132 EDGAR ALLAN POE very early grotesque, "Peter Snook," and the long-rejected tale, "The Premature Burial," of which no earlier publication is found, were the freshest stories. But it should be remembered that his tales were salable, and therefore reserved for the magazines. He also utilized passages from old book reviews by incorporating them in new notices. His new papers were for the most part hack-work articles on anastatic printing, street-paving, magazine literature, etc., etc. ; the only noteworthy pieces being a critical baiting of W. W. Lord, who had committed the unpardon able sin of plagiarizing from the author of "The Raven," and the exhaustive review of some vol umes of Mrs. Browning's, already mentioned. In this last, although nearly all the space is taken up with unfavorable comment in detail, Miss Barrett is at the conclusion lifted to the high est pinnacle but one : "She has surpassed all her poetical contemporaries of either sex (with a single exception)," that exception being Tenny son. The state of Poe's mind at this time is best seen in a characteristic letter to Thomas : - ture, Three Sundays in a Week, The Pit and the Pendulum, Eleonora, Shadow, The Assignation, and Morella ; and of his poems, To F , The Sleeper, To One in Paradise, and The Conqueror Worm. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 133 May 4, 1845 MY DEAR THOMAS, — In the hope that you have not yet quite given me up as gone to Texas, or elsewhere, I sit down to write you a few words. I have been intending to do the same thing ever since I received your letter before the last — but for my life and soul I could not find, or make, an opportunity. The fact is, that being seized of late with a fit of industry, I put so many irons in the fire all at once that I have been quite un able to get them out. For the last three or four months I have been working fourteen or fifteen hours a day, — hard at it all the time, — and so, whenever I took pen in hand to write, I found that I was neglecting something that would be attended to. I never knew what it was to be a slave before. And yet, Thomas, I have made no money. I am as poor now as ever I was in my life — except in hope, which is by no means bankable. I have taken a third pecuniary interest in the " Broad way Journal," and for everything I have written for it have been, of course, so much out of pocket. In the end, however, it will pay me well — at least the prospects are good. Say to Dow for me that there never has been a chance for my repay ing him, without putting myself to greater incon- i34 EDGAR ALLAN POE venience than he himself would have wished to subject me to, had he known the state of the case. Nor am I able to pay him now. The Devil him self was never so poor. Say to Dow, also, that I am sorry he has taken to dunning in his old age - it is a diabolical practice, altogether unworthy "a gentleman and a scholar" - to say nothing of the Editor of the "Madisonian." I wonder how he would like me to write him a series of let ters, — say one a week, — giving him the liter ary gossip of New York, or something of more general character. I would furnish him such a series for whatever he could afford to give me. If he agrees to this arrangement, ask him to state the length and character of the letters — how often — and how much he can give me. Remem ber me kindly to him, and tell him I believe that dunning is his one sin — although at the same time, I do think it is the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost spoken of in the Scrip tures. I am going to mail him the " Broadway Journal' ' regularly, and hope he will honor me with an exchange. My dear Thomas, I hope you will never im agine, from any seeming neglect of mine, that I have forgotten our old friendship. There is no one in the world I would rather see at this mo- THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 135 ment than yourself ; and many are the long talks we have about you and yours. Virginia and Mrs. Clemm beg to be remembered to you in the kindest terms. Do write me fully when you get this, and let me know particularly what you are about. I send you an early number of the "B. Jour nal" containing my " Raven." It was copied by Briggs, my associate, before I joined the paper. The "Raven" has had a great "run," Thomas - but I wrote it for the express purpose of run ning — just as I did the " Gold Bug," you know. The bird beat the bug, though, all hollow. Do not forget to write immediately, and be lieve me, Most sincerely your friend, PoE.1 During the year 1844, from his arrival in New York, Poe was abstemious. Mrs. Barhyte, Willis, and others, who saw him daily, bear testi mony to this. It was a time when he, for the most part, kept apart from general association with men by his residence and work in the country. He had returned to the city, 15 Amity Street, in November, 1844, and had since led a more so cial life, but without excesses ; after the publica- 1 Griswold MSS. 136 EDGAR ALLAN POE tion of "The Raven" he began to fall into old habits. The first information of this sort comes from the reminiscent office-boy of the " Journal," who idolized him. He relates that Poe was invited to repeat the lecture of February 28, and gives the only account of what happened on that evening late in March : - "The night set for the second lecture was a very bad one. It stormed incessantly, with min gled rain and hail and sleet. In consequence there were scarcely a dozen persons present when Poe came upon the platform and an nounced that, under the circumstances, the lec ture could not be given, and those in the audi ence would receive their money back at the door. I was one of those present, as Poe had given me a complimentary ticket to the lecture, and badly as I was disappointed, I could see upon his face that my master was much more so. It was a little thing, it is true, but he was a man easily upset by little things. The next morning he came to the office, leaning on the arm of a friend, intoxicated with wine." l The same authority states that this was the only occasion on which he saw any thing of the sort. 1 Sunday World-Herald, Omaha (by Alexander T. Crane), July 13, 1902. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 137 Toward the last of May Lowell passed through the city on his way from Philadelphia, where he had for a few months been on the staff of the " Pennsylvania Freeman," and called on Poe. Neither of them was much pleased. Lowell thus describes the meeting : - "I saw Poe only once. ... I suppose there are many descriptions of him. He was small; his complexion of what I should call a clammy- white ; fine, dark eyes, and fine head, very broad at the temples, but receding sharply from the brows backwards. His manner was rather formal, even pompous, but I have the impression he was a little soggy with drink — not tipsy - but as if he had been holding his head under a pump to cool it." 1 Mrs. Clemm herself described the interview in a letter to Lowell, after Poe's death : - LOWELL, Qth March, 1850. DEAR SIR, — ... How much I wish I could see you! how quickly I could remove your wrong impression of my darling Eddie ! The day you saw him in New York he was not himself. [Italics in letter.] Do you not remember that I never left the room ? Oh, if you only knew his 1 Lowell to the author, March 12, 1884. 138 EDGAR ALLAN POE bitter sorrow when I told him how unlike himself he was while you were there, you would have pitied him ! he always felt particularly anxious to possess your approbation. If he spoke unkindly of you (as you say he did), rely on it, it was when he did not know of what he was talking. . . . Most respectfully, MARIA CLEMM/ Poe, on his part, said to Chivers: "He [Lowell] called to see me the other day, but I was very much disappointed in his appearance as an intellectual man. He was not half the noble- looking person that I expected to see." Chivers had come to New York on the occa sion of the publication of his volume, "The Lost Pleiad, and Other Poems," and also with a desire to confer with Poe as to his association with him in the "Stylus," with a view to fur- 1 Mrs. Clemm to Lowell. Lowell MSS. The author would not have printed these passages had not his account of the in terview been called in question by Professor Harrison. The Virginia Poe, i, 203, 204. 2 The Poe-Chivers Papers, the Century Magazine (by the author), August-September, 1903. The author is not at liberty to quote from the Chivers papers themselves. The habits of Poe during these months are abundantly shown by this and other testimony, and the brief statement in the former bio graphy sufficiently substantiated. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 139 nishing the capital for that enterprise. He arrived either in June or July, and met Poe l on Nassau Street in an intoxicated condition. Chivers went home with him — he was then living at 195 Broadway — and narrates the in cidents of the walk, chief of which was an en counter with Lewis Gaylord Clark, editor of the " Knickerbocker," whom Poe threatened to attack; but Clark, seeing how matters stood, bowed himself out of the way. Chivers gives a detailed account of Poe's reception by Mrs. Clemm. The next day when Chivers called, Poe was not to be found. On the next he was in bed, feigning illness, as Chivers thought, in order to excuse himself for not delivering a poem he en gaged to give before a meeting of the societies of New York University. Chivers continued to see him, during his stay, and Poe noticed his new book of poems, August 2, in the "Journal." A pleasant anecdote of Poe, and the lasting impression he made on a working-boy during the year, are given in Mr. Crane's reminiscences, already quoted : - "Poe was a quiet man about the office, and was uniformly kind and courteous to every one, and, with congenial company, he would grow 1 ibid. 140 EDGAR ALLAN POE cheerful and even playful. I saw him every day, for, as you may imagine, our office rooms did not consist of a great many compartments, and office-boy and editor were pretty close together. He came to the office every day about nine o'clock and worked until three or four in the afternoon, and he worked steadily and method ically too. "Not a great while after I had gone to work on the paper, on a hot August afternoon, while wrapping and addressing Journals, I was over come with the heat and fainted dead away. Poe was writing at his desk. When I recovered con sciousness I was stretched out on the long table at which I had been at work and Poe was bend ing over me bathing my wrists and temples in cold water. He ministered to me until I was able to stand up, and then he sent me home in a car riage. "This act of kindness, coupled with his uni form gentle greetings when he entered the office of a morning, together with frequent personal inquiries and words of encouragement, made me love and trust my editor." l The history of the "Broadway Journal" in the mean time was interesting. When the first vol- 1 Sunday World-Herald, Omaha, July 13, 1902. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 141 ume was approaching its end, Briggs wrote to Lowell, June 29, 1845, reviewing his plans : — "I have arrangements on foot with a new publisher for the ' Journal ' who will enable me to give it a fresh start, and I trust very soon to be able to give you an earnest of its profits. I shall haul down Poe's name ; he has latterly got into his old habits and I fear will injure himself irre trievably. I was taken at first with a certain ap pearance of independence and learning in his criticisms, but they are so verbal, and so purely selfish that I can no longer have any sympathy with him." 1 Lowell's own interview, however, in the pre vious month had prepared him for the following passage in Briggs' s next letter, in explanation of what seemed a sudden demise of the " Journal" : "The non-appearance of the ' Broadway Journal' has probably surprised you. I had made arrangements with a new publisher, — a very good business man, — and had agreed upon terms with Bisco to buy his interest ; but when I came to close with him he exacted more than I had stipulated for, and finding that he was deter mined to give me trouble I refused to do any thing with the ' Journal.' I had the first number 1 Briggs to Lowell. MS. i42 EDGAR ALLAN POE of the new volume all ready to be issued, with a handsomely engraved title, etc. ; but, as I could not put the new publisher's name upon it with out Bisco's consent, I let it go a week, meaning to issue a double number — not doubting that I could agree with him upon some terms; but he had fallen into the hands of evil advisers, and became more extortionate than ever. Poe in the mean time got into a drunken spree, and con ceived an idea that I had not treated him well, for which he had no other grounds than my hav ing loaned him money and persuaded Bisco to carry on the i Journal ' himself. As his doing so would give me a legal claim upon him, and enable me to recover something from him, I allowed him to issue one number, but it is doubtful whether he issues another. Mr. Homans, the publisher, with whom I had agreed to undertake the publication of the ' Journal,' is an educated man and a thorough good fellow, wTith a very extensive book-selling connection. He is still desirous of taking hold of the i Journal,' and has made me a very liberal offer to go on with him if he can purchase Bisco's share. But I do not yet know how the affair will terminate. "Poe's mother-in-law told me that he was quite tipsy the day that you called upon him, and THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 143 that he acted very strangely ; but I perceived no thing of it when I saw him in the morning. He was to have delivered a poem before the societies of the New York University a few weeks since, but drunkenness prevented him. I believe he had not drunk anything for more than eighteen months until within the past three months, but in this time he has been very frequently carried home in a wretched condition. I am sorry for him. He has some good points, but, taken alto gether, he is badly made up. I was deceived by his superficial talents when I first met him, and relied too much upon the high opinion which you had expressed of him. His learning is very much like that of the famous Mr. Jenkinson in the ' Vicar of Wakefield.' He talks about dactyls and spondees with surprising glibness; and the names of metres being caviare to nine men out of ten, he has gained a reputation for erudition at a very cheap rate. He makes quotations from the German, but he can't read a word of the language." 1 Some further explanation of the matter was given August i : - "I did not give you sufficient particulars to enable you to understand my difficulties with 1 Briggs to Lowell, July 16, 1845. MS. i44 EDGAR ALLAN POE Bisco and Poe. Neither has done anything with out my full consent, and I have nothing to com plain of but their meanness, which they could n't help. I had told P. a month before that I should drop his name from the 'Journal.' He said I might keep it there if I wanted to, although he intended to go into the country and devote his time to getting up books, and would not there fore be able to assist me. I had also told Bisco that I would have nothing more to do with him after the close of the first volume, and that I would not carry it on unless I could find a pub lisher to my mind. I did find such a publisher, and Bisco, thinking that I was very anxious to go on with it, was more exacting in his demands for his share of the ' Journal' than I thought just, so I told him I would not take it ; and he, thinking to spite me, and Poe, thinking to glorify himself in having overmastered me, agreed to go on with it. I laughed at their folly, and told them to go ahead ; but I still hold the same right that I ever did. and could displace them both if I wished to do so. But seeing so much poltroonery and littleness in the business gave me a disgust to it, and I let them alone, hoping to get back from Bisco some money which I had advanced him." l 1 Briggs to Lowell. MS. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 145 Three weeks later he wrote a characterization of Poe more in detail : - " You have formed a correct estimate of Poe's characterless character. I have never met a per son so utterly deficient of high motive. He can not conceive of anybody's doing anything, except for his own personal advantage; and he says, with perfect sincerity, and entire unconscious ness of the exposition which it makes of his own mind and heart, that he looks upon all reformers as madmen ; and it is for this reason that he is so great an egoist. He cannot conceive why the world should not feel an interest in whatever in terests him, because he feels no interest himself in what does not personally concern him. There fore, he attributes all the favor which Longfel low, yourself, or anybody else receives from the world as an evidence of the ignorance of the world, and the lack of that favor in himself he attributes to the world's malignity. It is too absurd for belief, but he really thinks that Long fellow owes his fame mainly to the ideas which he has borrowed from his (Poe's) writings in the ' Southern Literary Messenger.' His presump tion is beyond the liveliest imagination. He has no reverence for Homer, Shakespeare, or Milton, but thinks that 'Orion' is the greatest poem in i46 EDGAR ALLAN POE the language. He has too much prudence to put his opinions into print, — or, rather, he can find nobody impudent enough to print them, — but he shows himself in his private converse. The Bible, he says, is all rigmarole. As to his Greek, - you might see very well if it were put in your eye. He does not read Wordsworth, and knows nothing about him." l As has been incidentally mentioned above, the "Journal" was suspended for one week; and when the first number of the second volume ap peared, a week later, it bore Poe's name as sole editor. Since he describes himself as "one third proprietor," in his old terms, it seems probable that he agreed to go on with Bisco for one third of the profits, just as before, but having entire charge. Bisco himself declared that he meant to get rid of Briggs, and, in order to do so, took up with Poe. There was from the first some financial tangle between the parties, which, for tunately, there is no need to unravel. The result of the difference was to install Poe in full control. One of his acts was to have a fling at Briggs, in connection with which a last extract from the latter's correspondence has its interest : "You take Poe's niaiseries too seriously. I 1 Briggs to Lowell, August 21, 1845. MS. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 147 only cared for his unhandsome allusion to me in the B. J. because it proved him a baser man than I thought him before. . . . The truth is that I have not given him the shadow of a cause for ill-feeling; on the contrary he owes me now for money that I lent him to pay his board and keep him from being turned into the street. But he knows that I am possessed of the secret of his real character and he no doubt hates me for it. Until it was absolutely necessary for me to ex pose some of his practices to save myself from contempt, I never breathed a syllable of his ill habits, but I tried in vain to hide them from ob servation out of pure compassion, for I had not known him long before I lost all respect for him and felt a loathing disgust for his habits. I did not much blame him for the matter of his remarks about Jones, although the manner of them was exceeding improper and unjust; the real cause of his ire was Jones' neglecting to enumerate him among the humorous writers of the country, for he has an inconceivably extravagant idea of his capacities as a humorist. The last conversation I had with Poe he used all his power of eloquence in persuading me to join him in the joint editor ship of the l Stylus."'1 1 Briggs to Lowell, October 13, 1845. MS. 148 EDGAR ALLAN POE Poe remained simply editor, with his third in terest for pay, until October. In the first num ber of his editing was a review of his own " Tales,"1 just published by Wiley & Putnam as No. 2 in their "Library of American Books," and selected by Duyckinck from the seventy previously sent to Anthon and declined by the Harpers in the previous November. Duyckinck certainly had chosen from Poe's numerous and uneven stories those on which his fame has proved itself to be founded. Poe, however, de clared in private, "Those selected are not my best, nor do they fairly represent me in any respect." 2 He meant that they were too much of one kind, whereas he had aimed at diversity in his writings; in other words, the grotesque tales were slighted, and hence the universality of his genius and the versatility of his talents were not illustrated. During the first months of his sole editorship he reprinted, as before, his 1 Tales. By Edgar A. Poe. New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1845, pp. 228. The contents are, in order: The Gold Bug, The Black Cat, Mesmeric Revelation, Lionizing, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Descent into the Maelstrom, The Colloquy of Monos and Una, The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion, The Murders of the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget, The Purloined Letter, The Man in the Crowd. 2 Poe to Eveleth, Ingram, ii, 24. THE BLACK CAT THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 149 old tales and poems,1 as now revised for book publication and one paper whose previous issue, before June, 1844, is unknown, " Diddling Con sidered as one of the Fine Arts;" of criticism there was nothing noteworthy except a flattering review of Hirst and a satirical one of Hoyt, both poetasters. In October occurred one of the best known incidents of Poe's life. In the summer he had visited Boston, and now was invited to give a poem before the Boston Lyceum (it will be remembered that Lowell had at Poe's request formerly interested himself to obtain an engage ment for him to lecture before the same or ganization), and he accepted. On the evening appointed, October 16, a lecture, which was the 1 How to write a Blackwood Article, The Masque of the Red Death, The Literary Life of Thingum-Bob, The Business Man, The Man who was Used Up, Never Bet the Devil your Head, The Tell-Tale Heart, William Wilson, Why the Little Frenchman wears his Hand in a Sling, The Landscape Garden, The Tale of Jerusalem, The Island of the Fay, MS. Found in a Bottle, The Due de L'Omelette, King Pest, and The Power of Words. Of his poetry he used The Coliseum, Zante, Israfel, Silence, Science, Bridal Ballad, Eulalie, Lenore, A Dream, Catholic Hymn, Romance, City in the Sea, To the River , The Valley of Unrest, To F , To - - ("The bowers whereat"), Song ("I saw thee"), and Fairyland. He had also reprinted, in the Whig, The Doomed City and The Valley Nis. 1 5o EDGAR ALLAN POE second of the course, having been given by Caleb Gushing, Poe came forward on the platform of the Odeon, and, after some prefatory remarks about the foolishness of didacticism, read "Al Aaraaf." The audience, the hour being late, began to disperse, but enough persons remained to enjoy his recitation of "The Raven," with which the entertainment closed. The audience was disappointed, and afterwards some Boston papers commented somewhat severely on the performance, especially when the truth came out that the poem given was a juvenile production, written years before. Poe, when he returned to New York, declared that he had acted of malice prepense. "It would scarcely be supposed that we would put ourselves to the trouble of composing for the Bostonians anything in the shape of an original poem. We did not. We had a poem (of about five hundred lines) lying by us — one quite as good as new — one, at all events, that we con sidered would answer sufficiently well for an au dience of transcendentalists. That we gave them - it was the best that we had — for the price - and it did answer remarkably well. Its name was not 'The Messenger Star' — who but Miss Wal ter would ever think of so delicious a little bit of THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 151 invention as that ? We had no name for it at all. The poem is what is occasionally called a ' juve nile poem' — but the fact is, it is anything but juvenile now, for we wrote it, printed it, and pub lished it, in book form, before we had fairly com pleted our tenth year. We read it verbatim, from a copy now in our possession, and which we shall be happy to show at any moment to any of our inquisitive friends." 1 He goes on to say, " Over a bottle of champagne that night, we confessed to Messrs. Gushing, Whipple, Hudson, Fields, and a few other natives who swear not alto gether by the frog-pond — we confessed, we say, the soft impeachment of the hoax." This was Poe's explanation. The fact was, that he had undertaken an engagement, and being unable to write a poem for the occasion he resorted to his old compositions, and selected 11 Al Aaraaf " as the most available. He then at tempted to extricate himself from the situation by turning the incident into burlesque. Poe became sole proprietor of the "Journal" October 24. Mr. Bisco says that he made over his rights to Poe for the consideration of a pro missory note for $50, signed by Poe, and in dorsed by Horace Greeley, who had at one time 1 The Broadway Journal, November i, 1845. 152 EDGAR ALLAN POE written on political topics for the paper; and when it came due Bisco collected it, as was to be anticipated, from the indorser. It is plain, how ever, that there were also other notes given in this transaction or afterwards. Greeley himself refers to the incident, with sharp pleasantry : - "A gushing youth once wrote me to this ef fect : - "'DEAR SIR, — Among your literary trea sures, you have doubtless preserved several au tographs of our country's late lamented poet, Edgar A. Poe. If so, and you can spare one, please inclose it to me, and receive the thanks of yours truly.' "I promptly responded as follows: - "'DEAR SIR, — Among my literary treasures, there happens to be exactly one autograph of our country's late lamented poet, Edgar A. Poe. It is his note of hand for fifty dollars, with my in dorsement across the back. It cost me exactly $50.75 (including protest), and you may have it for half that amount. Yours, respectfully.' "That autograph, I regret to say, remains on my hands, and is still for sale at first cost, de spite the lapse of time and the depreciation of our currency." * 1 Recollections of a Busy Life. By Horace Greeley, pp. 196, 197. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 153 Thus Poe at last owned and edited the " Jour nal," but he needed capital to run it. In August he had written to Neilson Poe,1 with whom he had reestablished connections, that he should start a magazine in January ; but this was prob ably only a reference to the "Stylus," which he may have hoped to float with the financial aid of Chivers, who had set that date as the time when he would be ready to undertake it. He wrote to Chivers, August n, "my prospects about Maga are glorious" 2 and that there was "a fortune" in the "Broadway Journal," for whose immediate needs he asked a loan of fifty dollars for two months; and again, August 29, reminding him of this request ; and to Kennedy, October 26, in the same strain: — NEW YORK, Octo. 26, '45. MY DEAR MR. KENNEDY, — When you were in New York I made frequent endeavours to meet you — but in vain — as I was forced to go to Boston. I stand much in need of your aid, and beg you to afford it me, if possible — for the sake of the position which you already have enabled me to obtain. By a series of manoeuvres, almost 1 Poe to Neilson Poe, August 8, 1845. MS. 2 Poe to Chivers. The New York Observer, April 26, 1900. 154 EDGAR ALLAN POE incomprehensible to myself, I have succeeded in getting rid, one by one, of all my associates in " The -Broadway Journal," and (as you will see by last week's paper) have now become sole editor and owner. It will be a fortune to me if I can hold it — and if I can hold it for one month I am quite safe — as you shall see. I have exhausted all my immediate resources in the purchase — and I now write to ask you for a small loan — say $50. I will punctually return it in 3 months. Most truly yours, EDGAR A. PoE.1 Hon. J. P. KENNEDY. Chivers continued to put him off, but Ken nedy declined, and this letter from his old friend is interesting, as probably the last and also as showing the writer's temper toward his protege : - DEAR POE, — I was in Virginia when your letter came to Baltimore and did not return until very recently, which will account for my delay in acknowledging it. I take great pleasure in hear ing of your success in your career, and am an attentive reader of what comes from your pen. 1 Kennedy MSS. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 155 You have acquired a very honorable reputation in letters, but nothing less than I predicted at the time of our first acquaintance. When in New York, a month ago, I called at your " Broadway Journal" establishment in the hope of meeting you, but was told you were just setting out for Providence, and as I received your card the same day I took it for granted you had left it only in the moment of your departure and I therefore made no further effort to see you. I trust you turn the " Journal" to a good account. It would have given me pleasure to assist you in this enterprise in the manner your letter suggested, but that I could not do. Good wishes are pretty nearly all the capital I have for such speculations. I hear of you very often, and although I perceive you have some enemies, it may gratify you to know that you have also a good array of friends. When it falls in your way to visit Baltimore both Mrs. Kennedy and myself would be much pleased to receive you on our old terms of familiar ac quaintance and regard. Very truly yours, J. P. KENNEDY.1 EDGAR A. POE, Esqr. BALT. December i, 1845. 1 Griswold MSS. 156 EDGAR ALLAN POE Poe also appealed to his publishers, Wiley & Putnam. He had placed in their hands, appar ently in September, the material for a volume of poems for immediate issue, and was also preparing for them a volume, the " American Parnassus," probably a variant title of that work on his contemporaries which occupied his attention continuously. In consequence of these engagements, as well as of their issue of his " Tales" in the summer, he had financial deal ings with them, and their representative, Duy- ckinck, was now his chief adviser in literary ways. He seems to have already drawn the fifty dollars mentioned in the following letter, pre vious to his visit to Boston in October. Thursday Morning. MY DEAR MR. DUYCKINCK, — I am still dreadfully unwell, and fear that I shall be very seriously ill. Some matters of domestic affliction have also happened which deprive me of what little energy I have left — and I have resolved to give up the B. Journal and retire to the country for six months, or perhaps a year, as the sole means of recruiting my health and spirits. Is it not possible that yourself or Mr. Matthews might give me a trifle for my interest in the EVERT A. DUVCKIXCK <> OF THE UNIVERSITY Of THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 157 papers. Or, if this cannot be effected, might I venture to ask you for an advance of $50 on the faith of the "American Parnassus"? — which I will finish as soon as possible. If you could oblige me in this manner I would feel myself under the deepest obligation. Will you be so kind as to reply by the bearer? Truly yours, EDGAR A.' PoE.1 Poe now wrote again : - Thursday Morning — i3th [November, 1845]. 85 Amity St. MY DEAR DR. DUYCKINCK, — For the first time during two months I find myself entirely myself — dreadfully sick and depressed, but still myself. I seem to have just awakened from some horrible dream, in which all was confusion and suffering — relieved only by the constant sense of your kindness, and that of one or two other considerate friends. I really believe that I have been mad — but indeed I have had abun dant reason to be so. I have made up my mind to a step which will preserve me, for the future, 1 Poe to Duyckinck. Bulletin of the New York Public Library, VI, i (January, 1902). The letter is undated, but, read in connection with the next letter and the context, may be safely referred to the late summer of 1845. 158 EDGAR ALLAN POE from at least the greater portion of the troubles which have beset me. In the mean time, I have need of the most active exertion to extricate my self from the embarrassments into which I have already fallen — and my object in writing you this note is (once again), to beg your aid. Of course I need not say to you that my most urgent trouble is the want of ready money. I find that what I said to you about the prospects of the B. J. is strictly correct. The most trifling imme diate relief would put it on an excellent footing. All that I want is time in which to look about me ; and I think that it is your power to afford me this. I have already drawn from Mr. Wiley, first $30 —then 10 (from yourself) — then 50 (on account of the " Parnassus") — then 20 (when I went to Boston) — and finally 25 — in all 135. Mr. Wiley owes me, for the "Poems," 75, and admit ting that 1500 of the " Tales" have been sold, and that I am to receive 8 cts a copy — the amount which you named, if I remember - admitting this, he will owe me $120. on them : - in all 195. Deducting what I have received there is a balance of 60 in my favor. If I understood you, a few days ago, Mr. W. was to settle with me in February. Now, you will already have THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 159 anticipated my request. It is that you would ask Mr. W. to give me, to-day, in lieu of all farther claim, a certain sum whatever he may think advisable. So dreadfully am I pressed, that I would willingly take even the $60 actually due (in lieu of all farther demand) than wait until February : — but I am sure that you will do the best for me that you can. Please send your answer to 85 Amity St. and believe me — with the most sincere friendship and ardent gratitude Yours, EDGAR A. PoE.1 On November 15 Poe again appealed to Chivers and said that he had paid entirely the price of the " Journal" except one hundred and forty dollars, which would fall due January i, 1846. The lack of capital continuing to be a press ing trouble, he wrote to his cousin, George Poe, touching the matter: — NEW YORK, November 30, '45. DEAR SIR, — Since the period when (no doubt for good reasons) you declined aiding me with the loan of $50, I have perseveringly struggled against a thousand difficulties, and have suc- 1 Poe to Duyckinck, loc. cit. 160 EDGAR ALLAN POE ceeded, although not in making money, still in attaining a position in the world of letters, of which, under the circumstances, I have no rea son to be ashamed. For these reasons — because I feel that I have exerted myself to the utmost — and because I believe that you will appreciate my efforts to elevate the family name — I now appeal to you once more for aid. With this letter I send you a number of "The Broadway Journal," of which, hitherto, I have been merely editor, and one third proprietor. I have lately purchased the whole paper, and, if I can retain it, it will be a fortune to me in a short time ; — but I have exhausted all my resources in the purchase. In this emergency I have thought that you might not be indisposed to assist me. I refrain from saying any more — for I feel that if your heart is kindly disposed toward me, I have already 1 [Rest, with signature, cut off.] On the next day, December i, he wrote 2 to Halleck, who seems to have assisted him at 1 Poe to George Poe. MS. 2 Poe to Halleck. The New York Observer, April 26, 1900. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 161 other times in a spirit of generous friendship, and asked a loan of one hundred dollars for three months. Halleck sent the money, and, as in Greeley's case, the note was preserved as an autograph. While these embarrassments were annoying him, Poe used his paper for the reproduction of his works l as formerly, the only tale not else where known being "The Spectacles," which he had formerly sent to Home. Of his original work, since he left the "Mirror," he had pub lished in the "Democratic,"— "The Power of Words," a metaphysical tale : in the "Whig," - "Some Words with a Mummy," a grotesque on the old theme that " there is nothing new under the sun," with some unusual satire on politics; "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar," that tale which for mere physical disgust and foul horror has no rival in literature ; a new poem, " Eulalie," and a review of "The American Drama," in which he dealt mainly with Willis's "Tortesa," and once more with Longfellow's "Spanish Student" at great length: in "Gra ham's,"— "The Imp of the Perverse," the last 1 Some Words with a Mummy, The Devil in the Belfry, A Tale of the Ragged Mountains, Four Beasts in One, The Ob long Box, Mystification, Loss of Breath. 162 EDGAR ALLAN POE of the tales of conscience, and the absurd mad house grotesque, "Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether" ; and, in "Godey's," two installments of the clip pings from old magazines, called "Marginalia." These publications include all his new writings during the year, outside of the "Journal." The "Journal" showed vigorous manage ment; its advertisements had been largely in creased, and its circulation is said to have lessened. The last numbers of December are full of promises regarding the future ; but George Poe not responding, the Greeley note becoming due, and other friends than Halleck being ob durate, the demise of the paper suddenly took place. Its last expenses appear to have been paid by T. H. Lane, who through a long life remembered with pleasure this brief association with Poe and always spoke in his behalf. On December 26 was published the following : - VALEDICTORY Unexpected engagements demanding my whole attention, and the objects being fulfilled so far as regards myself personally, for which "The Broadway Journal" was established, I now, as its editor, bid farewell — as cordially to foes as to friends. EDGAR A. POE. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 163 What other objects Poe achieved, except the republication of much that he had previously written in prose and verse, it is hard to see. One more number was issued, January 3, with the assistance of Thomas Dunn English, with which the "Journal" expired. Just at the close of the year, apparently on December 31, Poe's collected poems had been issued by Wiley & Putnam, under the title "The Raven, and Other Poems." 1 He dedicated the volume to Mrs. Browning, then Miss Barrett, and sent her a copy, which drew forth this reply : 5 WIMPOLE ST., April, 1846. DEAR SIR, — Receiving a book from you seems to authorize or at least encourage me to 1 The Raven, and Other Poems. By Edgar A. Poe. New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1845. The contents were, in order, The Raven, Valley of Unrest, Bridal Ballad, The Sleeper, The Coliseum, Lenore, Catholic Hymn, Israjel, Dream-land, Sonnet — To Zante, City in the Sea, To One in Paradise, Eulalie — A Song, To F s S. O d, To F , Sonnet — Silence, The Conqueror Worm, The Haunted Palace, Scenes from Politian. Then followed, with the foot note still published, Poems In Youth : Sonnet — To Science, Al Aaraaj, Tamer lane, A Dream, Romance, Fairy-land, To , To the River —, The Lake — To , Song, To Helen. It is scarcely necessary to add that the youthful poems are not printed ex actly '"'verbatim, without alteration from the original edition," but the changes, nevertheless, are not important. 164 EDGAR ALLAN POE try to express what I have felt long before — my sense of the high honor you have done me in [illegible] your country and of mine, of the dedi cation of your poems. It is too great a distinc tion, conferred by a hand of too liberal a gener osity. I wish for my own sake I were worthy of it. But I may endeavour, by future work, to jus tify a little what I cannot deserve anywise, now. For it, meanwhile, I may be grateful — because gratitude is the virtue of the humblest. After which imperfect acknowledgment of my personal obligation may I thank you as another reader would thank you for this vivid writing, this power which is felt! Your " Raven" has produced a sensation, a " fit horror," here in Eng land. Some of my friends are taken by the fear of it and some by the music. I hear of persons haunted by the " Nevermore," and one acquaint ance of mine who has the misfortune of possess ing a "bust of Pallas" never can bear to look at it in the twilight. I think you will like to be told that our great poet, Mr. Browning, the author of "Paracelsus " and the " Bells and Pomegran ates," was struck much by the rhythm of that poem. Then there is a tale of yours ["The Case of M. Valdemar"] which I do not find in this vol- THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 165 ume, but which is going the round of the news papers, about mesmerism, throwing us all into "most admired disorder," and dreadful doubts as to whether "it can be true," as the children say of ghost stories. The certain thing in the tale in question is the power of the writer, and the faculty he has of making horrible improbabili ties seem near and familiar. And now will you permit me, dear Mr. Poe, as one who though a stranger is grateful to you, and has the right of esteeming you though unseen by your eyes — will you permit me to remain Very truly yours always, ELIZABETH BARRETT BARRETT/ The volume contained nearly all the poetry he had ever written, and the versions are those now established in the text. In the preface he speaks in dispraise of his work, saying that he thinks nothing in this volume of much value to the pub lic, or very creditable to himself. "Events not to be controlled," he continues, in the well- known words, "have prevented me from mak ing at any time any serious effort in what, under happier circumstances, would have been the field of my choice. With me poetry has been not 1 Griswold MSS. i66 EDGAR ALLAN POE a purpose, but a passion ; and the passions should be held in reverence ; they must not — they can not at will be excited, with an eye to the paltry compensations, or the more paltry commenda tions, of mankind." * The poems which this proud apology prefaced comprise the poetic labors of their author up to the close of this year, and although a few were to be added before his death, they illustrate fully his poetic powers. In attempting an estimate of their worth, it is useful to recur once more to the theory which Poe had now completely de- veloppH regarding the aims and scope of poetry; for it is his own comment on his own text. To put it in the fewest words, Poe believed that of the pleasures that spring from Truth, which satisfies the intellect, or from Passion, which excites the heart, or from Beauty, which elevates the soul, the latter is the most pure, keen, and absorbing; and this because it appeals to that sense of harmony and feeds that yearning for its manifestation which belongs to the immortal part of man. In the moods aroused through the sentiment of beauty man is most clearly con scious of his eternal nature, and in the lifting up of his spirit under such influences penetrates (so 1 Works, x, 4. THE RAVEN THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 167 Poe thought) to the divine. This subtle power is possessed by all beauty in its sensible forms as built by God in nature; but the suggestions of something fairer beyond and above nature, which arise in its presence, stimulate man to at tempt to reach this unknown loveliness by re- combining the elements he perceives, and thus in imagination (which repeats the creative act of God) to fashion by art, under the guidance of his own instinct, an ideal beauty which shall be a new and purer source of spiritual emotion. This creation of beauty is the end of all the fine arts, but in music and in poetry it is most di rectly accomplished. It would, however, be an error to suppose that Poe, in thus adopting the doctrines of Coleridge and rejecting passion and truth and morality as poetic themes, meant to sever poetry by distinct boundaries from those regions of life; on the contrary, he expressly states that "the incitements of Passion, the pre cepts of Duty, and even the lessons of Truth" may be advantageously introduced into a poem, if they are only subordinated and blended in by the skill of the artist who understands how to use them for the heightening of the effect of mere beauty; and furthermore, it should be observed that to beauty itself Poe assigns both a moral 1 68 EDGAR ALLAN POE value, as lending attraction to virtue, and an in tellectual value, as leading out to the mystical province of that truth which, withdrawn from the probing of the reason, is fathomed by the imagination alone. Such a speculation may be regarded as a baseless reverie or as profound philosophy; but it is essential to keep in mind the fact, not only that Poe made beauty the theme of poetry, but also that he found its value in intimations of the divine ; or, in other words, that he was devoted to a mystical aestheticism. Of the minor articles of his creed it is necessary to recall only those which assert that a poem should be brief; should aim at a single artistic effect, but not to the exclusion of a secondary suggested meaning; and should be touched, if possible, by a certain quaintness, grotesqueness, or peculiarity of rhythm or metre, to give it tone. One who reflects upon the character of mind implied by the holding of this theory, the ele ments of which assimilated and united only very slowly in Poe's case, cannot be surprised at the objections ordinarily urged against Poe's verses. They are said to be vague, destitute of ideas, in substantial, unreal, full of artifice, and trench ing on the domain of music. That these phrases accurately describe the impression made by the THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 169 poems on many minds by no means strangers to the poetic sentiment may be granted without hesitation ; and if any one maintains that from certain points of view such words are justly ap plied, it would be futile to dissent. The diver sity of criticism upon Poe's verse is largely due to the assumption that it can be measured in telligibly by any other than his own standard. The poet strives, Poe thought, to bring about in others the state felt in himself; and in his own case that was one of brooding reverie, a sort of emotional possession, full of presentiment, ex pectancy, and invisible suggestion, the mood that is the habitat of superstition; vagueness was the very hue in which he painted. Again, if in his prose tales he declares repeatedly that he meant not to tell a story, but to produce an effect, much more is it to be thought that in poetry he aimed not to convey an idea, but to make an im pression. He was a dreamer. When he came to poetic expression which must needs be the gen uine manifestation of the soul's secret, he had no wisdom and no romance to disclose, of any earthly reality, and he was forced to bring out his meagre store of visionary facts, to which his random and morbid feelings alone gave credibility. To say of such works that thev are destitute of ideas and 170 EDGAR ALLAN POE insubstantial is not criticism, — it is mere descrip tion. Even for that slight framework of the things of sense which Poe had to shape in order to allegorize his moods at all, he seems but little indebted to nature. The purely imaginary char acter of his landscape has been touched on, again and again, hitherto ; it is indicative of the obvious fact that he never regarded nature as anything but the crucible of his fancies. To qualify his conceptions as unreal is merely to gather into a colorless word the quivering eastern valley, the flaming city isled in darkness, the angel- thronged, star-lighted theatre of the Worm's conquest, the wind-blown kingdom by the sea, the Titanic cy press alley, the night's Plutonian shore, or any other of those dim tracts, "Out of space, out of time," where his spirit wandered. So, too, if any one presses the charge of artifice home, it must be allowed just, though it attaches only to the later poems and is the excess of art. No poet was ever less spontaneous in excellence than Poe. When one reads, at successive stages of his career, the same old stanzas in new versions, and notices how they grew out of rudeness of many different descriptions into such perfection as they reached, THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 171 he perceives before him an extraordinary exam ple of growth in the knowledge and exercise of the poetic art, — the pulse of the machine laid bare. The changes are minute and almost in numerable, the approaches to perfection are exceedingly gradual, the last draft is sometimes only slightly related to the earliest; but — and this is the point that proves Poe primarily a care ful artist rather than an inspired poet — in every instance the alteration is judicious, the step is a step forward. One who achieves success mainly by self-training in art comes to rely on art over much; and so he degenerates into artifice, or visible art, puts his faith in mechanism, and trusts his fam^ to cogs and levers of words and involutions of sounds ; or it may happen, as was perhaps finally the case with Poe, that a weak ened hand keeps facility with the tools when the work slips from his grasp. At least, so much truth lies in this last objection of the artificiality of Poe's work as to justify the more expressive statement that he was, in verse as in prose, es sentially a skillful literary artist. And further more, music was an essential element of his art. It is true that his ear for verbal melody was at first very defective, and was never perfect, but in much of his best work the rhythmic move- 172 EDGAR ALLAN POE ment is faultless in its flow and its simplicity. This is not, however, all that is meant by saying that he borrowed effects from music. In his verses sonorousness counts independently of its relation to the meaning of the words, and the poem seems at intervals to become merely a vol ume of sound, in which there is no appeal to the mind at all, but only a stimulation of the feel ings as by the tones of an instrument. In the management of the theme, too, particularly in his later verse, the handling of the refrain, the recurrence to the same vocal sounds and the same order of syllabic structure, the movement of the whole poem by mere new presentations of the one idea, as in "The Raven," or of the same group of imagery, as in "Ulalume," par takes of the method of musical composition. In these ways Poe did appropriate the effects of music, and they blended with the other charac teristics of his art as sound and color in nature, to make that vague impression on the mind of which he sought the secret. It belongs to his originality that he could thus exercise his mas tery in the borderland between poetry and music, where none before him had power. After all, to meet the last circumscription of his praise, he did not write a dozen poems of the THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 173 best rank. Those of his youth, already suffi ciently characterized, were works of promise in a boy, but they would not have made a bubble as they sank in the waters of oblivion. Of those composed in manhood (and as such should be reckoned the present versions of "The Sleeper," "The Valley of Unrest," "The City in the Sea," "To One in Paradise," and possibly "Israfel") the first fine one was "The Haunted Palace," nor was that to be free from later improvements ; and from its appearance until his death Poe's poems of the same level can be counted on the fingers. To the world, indeed, he is the genius of one poem only, "The Raven"; unless, to sup port his name, the fame of "The Bells" and of "Ulalume" be added. There is no occasion to examine either these three or any others of the dozen that are justly immortal ; they all belong to the class of poems that make their way at once or not at all. Yet it may serve to define and possibly to elucidate Poe's genius if it be inci dentally noticed that, except in his single lyric "Israfel," the theme of his imagination is ruin; and that in the larger number of these few best poems it is the special case of ruin which he declared the most poetic of all, — the death of a beautiful woman. It is of no concern that the 174 EDGAR ALLAN POE treatment was radically different, so that in each instance a poem absolutely unique was created ; the noteworthy fact is, at present, that Poe's genius was developed in its strength by brooding over a fixed idea, as the insane do ; and when, under great excitement, some other mode of ex pression was imperative, it was found only in such objective work as the marvelous allegory of "The Conqueror Worm," or in such spirit- broken confession as that other allegory of "The Haunted Palace," which in intense, imagina tive self-portraiture is scarcely excelled in litera ture. The secret life, the moments of strongest emotion, the hours of longest reach, implied by such motives as these, make that impenetrable background of shadow against which in these poems the poet stands relieved forever, — the object of deep gloom, whether his sufferings were imaginary or real, inevitable or self-imposed, the work of unregarding fate or the strict retribu tion of justice. But when the utmost has been said adversely, the power of these dozen poems is undiminished even over those who admit their vagueness, their lack of ideas, their insubstantial and unreal qual ity, their sometimes obvious artifice, their like ness to musical compositions, and their scant THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 175 number. Poe would himself have considered such censures as praises in disguise, and scoffed at their authors as dull-mettled rascals, like Par tridge at the play. The power, after all, remains ; first and foremost a power of long-practiced art, but also of the spell itself, of the forms evoked independently of the magic that compels them, - a fascination that makes the mind pause. If one is not subdued by this, at least at moments, there are some regions of mortality unknown to him; he will never disembark on No Man's Land. If one is not sensible of the exquisite con struction here shown, the poetic art is as much a mystery to him as was Prospero's to Caliban. But if one with the eye to see and the heart to understand remains fascinated by these poems, he forgets Poe's own gospel of the ends of art, and does not perceive the meaning of the irony that made the worshiper of beauty the poet of the outcast soul.1 If it be the office of poetry to intimate the divine, it must be confessed these works of Poe intimate the infernal; they 1 "L'adorateur de la beaute devint le poete de Tame damnee. C'est vrai : mais si Poe n'atteignit guere cette beaute extatique a laquelle il aspirait, n'atteignit -il pas en son inspira tion melancholique a une perfection artistique qui est aussi de la beaute?" Edgar Poe, sa vie et son (Euvre par £mile Lauvriere, Paris, 1904, p. 434. 176 EDGAR ALLAN POE are variations struck on the chord of evil that vibrates in all life, throbs of the heart of pain, echoes of ruin that float up from the deep within the deep, the legend and paean and ritual of hopeless death; they belong to the confusions of a superstitious mind, the feebleness of an un manned spirit, the misery of an impotent will. Profound in knowledge of the obscure sources of feeling; almost magical in the subtlety of their lure ; bold, clear, and novel in imagination ; ideal, startlingly original, married to strange and re vealing music, these poems fulfill all conditions of Poe's standard save one, and that the su preme one. A fresh phase of Poe's fascination for women emerged in the period of which the other inci dents have now been detailed, — his relations with the poetesses of the New York coterie and their circle. After the publication of "The Raven " he had attended, from time to time, most often alone, but sometimes in company with his invalid wife, the receptions at which the litterateurs of the metropolis, particularly the ladies, used to meet. These gatherings took place commonly at Dr. Orville Dewey's, the eloquent preacher ; or at James Lawson's, dis tinguished in Poe's mind as a man interested THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 177 in our literature although a Scotchman, and as an enthusiast in all matters of taste although himself devoid of it ; or at Miss Anne Charlotte Lynch's, a poetess of the Willis group, whose weekly receptions in Waverley Place were thronged by literary men, artists, poetesses, and others of like pursuits. At such resorts, in the midst of a variously constituted company, Poe would sit, dressed in plain black, but with the head, the broad, retreating white brow, the large, luminous, piercing eyes, the impassive lips, that gave the visible character of genius to his features ; and if the loud, bluff pleasantry of the humorist physician, Dr. Francis, or the high-keyed declamation of Margaret Fuller in her detested transcendentalist Boston dialect, would permit, he would himself, in his ordinary subdued, musical tones exercise his charm on women of lesser note, among whom — to men tion only a few that come within the scope of this narrative — were Mrs. Elizabeth Oakes- Smith, once known as the author of "The Sinless Child" (which Poe thought the most original long American poem excepting Maria del Occidente's "Bride of Seven") ; Mrs. Eliza beth Frieze Ellet, whose hand Poe took in an evil hour; and Mrs. Mary Gove, afterwards 178 EDGAR ALLAN POE Mrs. Nichols, "a Mesmerist, a Swedenborgian, a phrenologist, a homoeopathist, and a disciple of Priessnitz," and, adds Poe, "what more lam not prepared to say." * Notwithstanding his natural reserve his manners were pleasing, and his conversation, although said to be best when but one or two were present, was engaging and impressive even in the constraint and inconse quence of general talk. Upon women his voice and look had a magical power, partly the social charm peculiar to the Virginia society in which he was bred, but also flowing from his own personality, idealized now through his author ship of "The Raven," and often pathetic by the pallor of illness and poverty. He fascinated wo men from his youth, and his relation to them had always been romantic, so far as it existed at all ; he now appealed to sentimental women by his figure, history, and actions, and to kind-hearted women by his sufferings. Early in 1845 he had formed such an attachment with Mrs. Francis Sargent Osgood, a poetess of thirty and the wife of an American artist, who on publishing her first volume, seven years before, in London, had been taken up as a protegee by Mrs. Norton. Poe had noticed her verses with great favor, and 1 Works, viii, 62. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 179 in his New York lecture, in February, especially, eulogized her in warm terms. Shortly after this latter incident Willis one day handed her "The Raven," with the author's request for her judg ment on it, and for an introduction to herself. She assented, and a few days later Poe called at the Astor House to see her. "I shall never forget," she wrote, "the morn ing when I was summoned to the drawing-room by Mr. Willis to receive him. With his proud and beautiful head erect, his dark eyes flashing with the electric light of feeling and of thought, a peculiar, an inimitable blending of sweetness and hauteur in his expression and manner, he greeted me, calmly, gravely, almost coldly, yet with so marked an earnestness that I could not help being deeply impressed by it. From that moment until his death we were friends; al though we met only during the first year of our acquaintance." 1 Some verses addressed to Poe, in the character of Israfel, by Mrs. Osgood, were published in the "Broadway Journal" April 5; and to these Poe replied April 26, with a version of his stanzas, originally written for the "Messenger," and here entitled "To F " and signed 1 Griswold, liii. i8o EDGAR ALLAN POE "E."; and he later addressed her again in the " Journal/7 September 13, with four lines of the eight originally written for Miss Eliza White at Richmond. The course of this friendship, how ever, by her own statement, had not run smooth from the start. He sought her with the char acteristic vehemence of his nature. "I never thought of him till he sent me his ' Raven' and asked Willis to introduce him to me, and imme diately after I went to Albany, and afterwards to Boston and Providence to avoid him, and he followed me to each of those places and wrote to me, imploring me to love him, many a letter which I did not reply to, until his wife added her entreaties to his and said that I might save him from infamy, and her from death, by show ing an affectionate interest in him."1 The young poetess thus became intimate with the Poes now at 85 Amity Street, and to her pen is due the only description of the family, at this time, that has been preserved : - "It was in his own simple yet poetical home that to me the character of Edgar Poe appeared in its most beautiful light. Playful, affectionate, 1 Mrs. Osgood to Griswold. Griswold MSS. A version of Poe's pursuit of Mrs. Osgood, quite different in tone, is given by her brother-in-law. The Critic, October 3, 1885. THE BROADWAY JOURNAL 181 witty, alternately docile and wayward as a petted child, for his young, gentle, and idolized wife, and for all who came, he had, even in the midst of his most harassing literary duties, a kind word, a pleasant smile, a graceful and courteous attention. At his desk beneath the romantic picture of his loved and lost Lenore, he would sit, hour after hour, patient, assiduous, and uncom plaining, tracing, in an exquisitely clear chiro- graphy and with almost superhuman swiftness, the lightning thoughts — the 'rare and radiant fancies' --as they flashed through his wonder ful and ever-wakeful brain. I recollect, one morning, toward the close of his residence in this city, when he seemed unusually gay and light- hearted. Virginia, his sweet wife, had written me a pressing invitation to come to them ; and I, who never could resist her affectionate summons, and who enjoyed his society far more in his own home than elsewhere, hastened to Amity Street. I found him just completing his series of papers entitled 'The Literati of New York.' 'See,' said he, displaying in laughing triumph several little rolls of narrow paper (he always wrote thus for the press), 'I am going to show you by the differ ence of length in these the different degrees of estimation in which I hold all you literary peo- i82 EDGAR ALLAN POE pie. In each of these one of you is rolled up and fully discussed. Come, Virginia, help me!' And one by one they unfolded them. At last they came to one which seemed interminable. Vir ginia laughingly ran to one corner of the room with one end, and her husband to the opposite with the other. 'And whose lengthened sweet ness long drawn out is that?' said I. 'Hear her ! ' he cried. ' Just as if her little vain heart didn't tell her it's herself!'" l Mrs. Osgood was a kind friend, and while her indulgence in sentimentality is sufficiently evi dent in these reminiscences, and plainly affected her more than she was conscious of, she was pleased to think, with Virginia, that her influ ence over Poe was for his good. If on his part there were in this Platonic friendship, as she de clares, "many little poetical episodes, in which the impassioned romance of his temperament impelled him to indulge," they were not new to the family circle that encouraged them ; and on her own part, his devoted admirer obtained from him a solemn promise not to use stimu lants, and, she naively states, he so far observed his word as never to appear before her when affected by them. 1 Griswold, lii, liii. - .r> VV - =. ^> 5\£ J 1 3 -*P * §^ § .$ -*N «^ ti 3-^ r -^~ ,4 ^ 1 x -j crt> ^v? t ^ c5_ ^"V V8 -1- i i ^ i » °S - M : "i -« o ^ 55 \> ^ 1^ 1 >? esi old\ A CM* &», J LjuL not V Ik /ta THE END 329 not bear to hear it now — unless you can tell me that; Mr. - - [her husband] is dead. I have got the wedding ring, and shall have no difficulty, I think, in getting a dress-coat.1 Wednesday Night. . . . [torn out] also the letter. Return the letter when you write. A few days later, on Sunday, September 9, he was at Old Point, near Norfolk, with a Vir ginia party, one of whom in her old age de scribed the scene, which is too characteristic to be neglected : - "That Sunday evening in early September at Old Point stands out like a lovely picture. I can not describe it fitly. There was more in it than may be expressed in mere words. There were several of us girls, all friends, and all of us knew Mr. Poe. I can see just how we looked sitting about there in our white dresses. There was a young collegian, too, who was my particular friend. He is gone long years since, and all the others in that little group have passed away except Sister and myself. "Mr. Poe sat there in that quiet way of his 1 Griswold MSS. 330 EDGAR ALLAN POE which made you feel his presence. After a while my aunt, who was nearer his age, said: 'This seems to be just the time and place for poetry, Mr. Poe.' "And it was. We all felt it. The old Hygeia stood some distance from the water, but with nothing between it and the ocean. It was moonlight and the light shone over everything with that undimmed light that it has in the South. There were many persons on the long verandas that surrounded the hotel, but they seemed remote and far away. Our little party was absolutely cut off from everything except that lovely view of the water shining in the moonlight and its gentle music borne to us on the soft breeze. Poe felt the influence. How could a poet help it? And when we seconded the request that he recite for us he agreed readily. "He recited the 'Raven,' 'Annabel Lee,' and last of all 'Ulalume,' with the last stanza, of which he remarked that he feared it might not be intelligible to us, as it was scarcely clear to himself, and for that reason it had not been published." The next day he sent a copy of "Ulalume" with a letter to this young friend : — THE END 331 Monday Evening. I have transcribed " Ulalume" with much plea sure, Dear Miss Ingram — as I am sure I would do anything else at your bidding — but I fear you will find the verses scarcely more intelligible to-day in my manuscript than last night in my recitation. I would endeavor to explain to you what I really meant — or what I fancied I meant, by the poem, if it were not that I re membered Dr. Johnson's bitter and rather just remarks about the folly of explaining what, if worth explanation, would explain itself. He has a happy witticism, too, about some book, which he calls "as obscure as an explanatory note." Leaving " Ulalume" to its fate, therefore, and in good hands, I am, yours truly, EDGAR A. POE. "We went from Old Point Comfort," the writer continues, "to our home near Norfolk, Va., and he called on us there, and again I had the pleasure of talking with him. Although I was only a slip of a girl and he what then seemed to me quite an old man, and a great literary one at that, we got on together beautifully. He was one of the most courteous gentlemen I have ever seen, and that gave a great charm to his 332 EDGAR ALLAN POE manner. None of his pictures that I have ever seen look like the picture of Poe that I keep in my memory. Of course they look like him, so that any one seeing them could have recognized him from them, but there was something in his face that is in none of them. Perhaps it was in the eyes, perhaps in the mouth, I do not know, but any one who ever met him would understand what I mean. " There were no indications of dissipation apparent when we saw Poe in Virginia at that time. I think he had not been drinking for a long time. If I had not heard or read what had been said about his intemperance I should never have had any idea of it from what I saw in Poe. To me, he seemed a good man, as well as a charming one, very sensitive and very high- minded." She closes her reminiscences with a pleasant touch of Poe's boyhood. "I remember one little instance that illus trates how loyal he was to the memory of those that had been kind to him. I was fond of orris root and always had the odor of it about my clothes. One day when we were walking to gether he spoke of it. 'I like it, too,' he said. 'Do you know what it makes me think of? My THE END 333 adopted mother. Whenever the bureau drawers in her room were opened there came from them a whiff of orris root, and ever since when I smell it I go back to the time when I was a little boy, and it brings back thoughts of my mother."7 ' On the following Friday, September -14, Poe lectured in the Norfolk Academy on "The Poetic Principle," and was handsomely noticed in the local press,2 and he was entertained in the city at the best houses. He returned to Richmond, and wrote immediately to Mrs. Clemm. It will be observed that the pseudonym he gives to her is the same as that used in his first note to Mrs. Whitman. [RICHMOND, VA. Tuesday, September 18, '49. MY OWN DARLING MUDDY, — On arriving here last night from Norfolk I received both your letters, including Mrs. Lewis's. I cannot tell you the joy they gave me to learn at least that you are well and hopeful. May God forever bless you, my dear, dear Muddy. — Elmira has just got home from the country. I spent last 1 New York Herald (by Miss Susan Ingram), February 19, 1905. The Norfolk American Beacon, September 13, 14, 17, 1849. 2 '334 EDGAR ALLAN POE evening with her. I think she loves me more de votedly than any one I ever knew and I cannot help loving her in return. Nothing is as yet definitely settled — ] and it will not do to hurry matters. I lectured at Norfolk on Monday and cleared. enough to settle my bill here at the Madi son House with $2 over. I had a highly fashion able audience, but Norfolk is a small place and there were two exhibitions the same night. Next Monday I lecture again here and expect to have a large audience. On Tuesday I start for Phila delphia to attend to Mrs. Loud's poems — and possibly on Thursday I may start for New York. If I do I will go straight over to Mrs. Lewis's and send for you. It will be better for me not to go to Fordham — don't you think so ? Write imme diately in reply and direct to Philadelphia. For fear I should not get the letter sign no name and address it to E. S. T. Grey, Esqre. If possible I will get married before I start, but there is no telling. Give my dearest love to Mrs. L. My poor, poor Muddy, I am still unable to send you even one dollar, — but keep [up heart — I hope that our troubles are nearly over. I saw John Beatty in Norfolk. God bless and protect you, my own darling Muddy. I showed your letter to Elmira, and she THE END 335 says "it is such a darling precious letter that she loves you for it already." YOUR OWN EDDY. Don't forget to write immediately to Phila delphia so that your letter will be there when I arrive. The papers here are praising me to death — and I have been received everywhere with enthu siasm. Be sure and preserve all the printed scraps I have] sent you and keep up my file of the " Literary World." l On Saturday, September 22, Mrs. Shelton, at Poe's request, wrote her first letter to Mrs. Clemm, which proves her engagement on her part. She says, "I have just spent a very happy evening with your dear Edgar, and I know it will be gratifying to you to know that he is all that you could desire him to be, sober, tem perate, moral, & much beloved." 2 Poe repeated his lecture on "The Poetic Principle" on Monday, September 24, in the 1 Poe to Mrs. Clemm, MS. ; where bracketed, MS. copy. A portion of this letter was published by Burr, loc. cit. 2 Mrs. Shelton to Mrs. Clemm, MS. The letter, which was of an intimate character and therefore suppressed in the former biography, when Mrs. Shelton was still alive, has been par tially published in The Virginia Poe, xvii, 396. 336 EDGAR ALLAN POE Exchange Hotel, to a good audience, and was well noticed by the press. To Mrs. Weiss, who then looked on Poe with the romantic interest of a young poetess as well as with a woman's sympathy with sadness so confessed as his, is due the most lifelike and de tailed portrait of him that exists and the most vivid account of him in these last Richmond days. Erect in stature, cold, impassive, almost haughty in manner, soberly and fastidiously clad in black, to a stranger's eye he wore a look of distinction rather than beauty ; on nearer approach one was more struck by the strongly marked head, with the broad brow, the black curly hair brushed back, the pallid, careworn, and in repose the somewhat haggard features, while beneath the concealment of a short black mustache one saw the slight habitual contraction of the mouth and occasionally the quick, almost imperceptible curl of the upper lip in scorn — a sneer, it is said, that was easily excited ; but the physical fascina tion of the man was felt, at last, to lie in his eyes, large, jet-black, with a steel-gray iris, clear as crystal, restless, ever expanding and contracting as, responsive with intelligence and emotion, they bent their full, open, steady, unshrinking gaze from under the long black lashes that THE END 337 shaded them. He visited the houses where he was intimate, but was also seen in general soci ety. His sister, Rosalie, who adored her distin guished brother, was greatly pleased to see him made much of, and shadowed him as he went about, sometimes inconveniently. She lived to be old, and the Civil War having broken up the home of the MacKenzies, she wandered about among charitable homes and was at last received into the Epiphany Church Home at Washington, where she died June 14, 1874. This last summer with Poe, of whom she was so proud, was the happiest of her life, as she saw him in their common circle into which both had been adopted in childhood. The old, fa miliar society and ways of living were scarcely less grateful to Poe ; on meeting his friends his face would brighten with pleasure, his features lost the worn look and his reserve its coldness; to men he was cordial, to women he showed de ference; and in society with the young he for got his melancholy, listened with amusement, or joined in their repartees with evident pleasure, though he would soon leave them for a seat in the portico, or a walk in the grounds with a single friend. To the eyes of his young girlish friend, Miss Talley, he seemed invariably cheer- 338 EDGAR ALLAN POE ful, and often even playful in mood. Once only was he noticeably cast down ; it was when visiting the old deserted Mayo place, called The Hermit age, where he used to go frequently in his youth, and the scene was so picturesque that it is worth giving at length : — "On reaching the place our party separated, and Poe and myself strolled slowly about the grounds. I observed that he was unusually silent and preoccupied, and, attributing it to the influ ence of memories associated with the place, for bore to interrupt him. He passed slowly by the mossy bench called the 'lovers' seat,' beneath two aged trees, and remarked, as we turned toward the garden, 'There used to be white violets here/ Searching amid the tangled wilderness of shrubs, we found a few late blossoms, some of which he placed carefully between the leaves of a note book. Entering the deserted house, he passed from room to room with a grave, abstracted look, and removed his hat, as if involuntarily, on enter ing the saloon, where in old times many a bril liant company had assembled. Seated in one of the deep windows, over which now grew masses of ivy, his memory must have borne him back to former scenes, for he repeated the familiar lines of Moore : — THE END 339 " 'I feel like one Who treads alone Some banquet hall deserted,' and paused, with the first expression of real sad ness that I had ever seen on his face. The light of the setting sun shone through the drooping ivy- boughs into the ghostly room, and the tattered and mildewed paper-hangings, with their faded tracery of rose-garlands, waved fitfully in the autumn breeze. An inexpressibly eerie feeling came over me, which I can even now recall, and as I stood there, my old childish idea of the poet as a spirit of mingled light and darkness re curred strongly to my imagination." 1 Poe talked with his young friend about his plans and hopes ; about the restrictions on criti cism which are imposed by personal friendship and editorial prepossessions, and from which even he could not wholly free himself ; about his New York friends, the misconstructions his na ture suffered under even among those who knew him, and other confidential topics that the charm of his listener and his own readiness to indulge in female intimacies beguiled him into. In par ticular it should be noticed that he showed her a letter from Griswold, accepting his commis- 1 Scribner's Magazine, xv, 5, p. 712 (March, 1878). 340 EDGAR ALLAN POE sion to edit his works in case of his sudden death. In order to wind up his affairs in New York and to bring Mrs. Clemm to Richmond, as pre liminaries of his marriage, Poe decided to go North. Poe is said to have himself written to Mrs. Clemm that the ceremony was fixed for October 17.* He told his friends at Richmond that he would return within two weeks, and ex pressed his intention to reside thereafter in that city, where there was some talk of his joining the staff of the " Examiner." On the day before leaving, Tuesday, September 25, he passed the evening at Mrs. Talley's, where he had a long conversation with her daughter, in which he spoke of his future, " seeming to anticipate it with eager delight, like that of youth," and, . Mrs. Weiss adds, "he declared that the last few weeks in the society of his old and new friends had been the happiest that he had known for many years, and that when he again left New York he should there leave behind all the trouble and vexation of his past life." 2 That night he spent with his friends at Duncan Lodge, and sat late at his window, smoking and silent. The next day he passed in the city with some 1 Didier, no. 2 Scribner's Magazine, he. tit. THE END 341 male friends, sent a note by Rosalie for Mrs. Weiss, enclosing the poem "For Annie," and spent the evening with Mrs. Shelton. She says, writing October n, "He came up to my house on the evening of the 26th Sept. to take leave of me. He was very sad, and complained of being quite sick. I felt his pulse, and found he had considerable fever, and did not think it prob able he would be able to start the next morning (Thursday) as he anticipated. I felt so wretched about him all that night, that I went up early the next morning to inquire after him, when, much to my regret, he had left in the boat for Balti more." 1 On his walk back from Mrs. Shelton's he stopped at Dr. John Carter's office, as was his custom, and, without mentioning his inten tion of leaving for Baltimore that night, took his friend's Malacca cane and went to take a late supper across the street, at Sadler's restaurant. There he met some acquaintances, who kept company with him until very late and then ac companied him to the boat, where, as is said, they left him sober and cheerful. He, however, had left his trunk and baggage at the hotel, and 1 Mrs. Shelton to Mrs. Clemm. The Poe-Chivers Papers, loc. cit. This letter, written two weeks after the facts, settles the date on which Poe left Richmond. 342 EDGAR ALLAN POE from all the circumstances it would seem that his decision to go to Baltimore that night was suddenly executed. The boat left at four o'clock the next morning, September 27, and arrived at Baltimore about twenty- four hours later, early on Friday, the 28th. Poe wandered in Baltimore or its neighbor hood for five days. It is known that he called on his old Baltimore friend, Dr. N. C. Brooks, par tially intoxicated, and not finding him at home went away. It is said that he was invited to a birthday party and could not refuse a pledge to his hostess.1 It is said that he dined with some old military friends. It is said that he took the train to Philadelphia, but either because he was in a wrong car or because the river was in flood, he was brought back from Havre de Grace in a state of stupor. It is said that he was captured by an election gang, drugged, and made to vote at several places. The basis of these statements is lost ; in view of the tragic consequences, it was natural that any who shared in his last days should keep silence, and there is no decisive di rect evidence to any of these reports, which may be correctly described as rumors. It is plain enough what happened; there is no mystery 1 The Virginia Poe, i, 319. THE END 343 about it. Just as when in the summer of 1847 at Philadelphia l he was saved by a friend, just as when in the summer of 1848 at Boston he was saved by a friend, just as when in the summer of 1849 he was saved by Burr, he had experienced one of those repeated attacks, worse at each re turn, and of whose fatal issue he had been often warned, and he had found no friend by to save him. On the sixth day, Wednesday, October 3, he was picked up unconscious near one of the rumshops used for voting, Ryan's Fourth Ward Polls. The absence of his baggage, the state of his clothes, his entire condition were a repeti tion of his experience in Philadelphia. It is a trifling but interesting detail that the Malacca cane had stuck to him through all his adven tures ; had he been drugged and made to vote in any violent manner, as was represented, it could hardly have failed to be separated from him. A printer recognized him and sent the fol lowing note to his old friend, Dr. Snodgrass : - 1 Poe to - - (the editor of Graham's), August 10, 1847. The Virginia Poe, i, 270. "Without your aid at the precise moment and in the precise manner in which you rendered it, it is more than probable that I should not now be alive to write you this letter." 344 EDGAR ALLAN POE BALTIMORE CITY, October 3, 1849. There is a gentleman, rather the worse for wear, at Ryan's Fourth Ward Polls, who goes under the cognomen of Edgar A. Poe, and who appears in great distress. He says he is ac quainted with you, and I assure you he is in need of immediate assistance. JOSEPH W. WILSON. 1 To DR. J. E. SNODGRASS. Dr. Snodgrass called at Ryan's, and Mr. Herring, Poe's relative, who had also been summoned, came to the scene. Between them they put Poe, with the cane, into a carriage, and he was taken to the Washington Hospital, where he was admitted, still unconscious, at 5 P. M. Neilson Poe was also notified, visited the hospital, and sent whatever was necessary. Poe remained in an alarming delirium, with such intervals of apparent sanity as he had shown in his ravings with Sartain. Mrs. Moran, the wife of the resident physician, in his last hours read to him, she says, "the fourteenth 1 New York Herald, March 27, 1881. Cf. The Virginia Poe, i, 328 et seq., where a summary with extracts is given from The Facts of Poe's Death and Burial (by Snodgrass), Beadle* 's Monthly, 1867, and the examination of this by Mr. Spencer, in the Herald. THE END 345 chapter of St. John's Gospel, gave him a quiet ing draught, wiped the beads of perspiration from his face, smoothed his pillow, and left him." * It is the only mention of religion in his entire life. This was on Sunday, October 7. Shortly after, about five o'clock, he died. The story of the last days, taken from con temporary documents, is as follows. Dr. Mo- ran wrote : - BALTIMORE CITY MARINE HOSPITAL, November 15, '49. MRS. CLEMM: My dear Madam, — I take the earliest op portunity of responding to yours of the gth inst, which came to hand by yesterday's mail. . . . But now for the required intelligence. Pre suming you are already aware of the malady of which Mr. Poe died, I need only state concisely the particulars of his circumstances from his entrance until his decease. When brought to the hospital he was uncon scious of his condition — who brought him or with whom he had been associating. He re mained in this condition from five o'clock in the afternoon — the hour of his admission — until three next morning. This was on the 3d October. 1 The Virginia Poe, i, 337. 346 EDGAR ALLAN POE To this state succeeded tremor of the limbs, and at first a busy but not violent or active de lirium — constant talking — and vacant con verse with spectral and imaginary objects on the walls. His face was pale and his whole person drenched in perspiration. We were unable to induce tranquillity before the second day after his admission. Having left orders with the nurses to that effect, I was summoned to his bedside so soon as consciousness supervened, and questioned him in reference to his family, place of residence, relatives, etc. But his answers were incoherent and unsatisfactory. He told me, however, he had a wife in Richmond (which I have since learned was not the fact), that he did not know when he left that city or what had become of his trunk of clothing. Wishing to rally and sustain his now fast sinking hopes, I told him I hoped that in a few days he would be able to enjoy the society of his friends here and I would be most happy to contribute in every possible way to his ease and comfort. At this he broke out with much energy, and said the best thing his best friend could do would be to blow out his brains with a pistol — that when he beheld his degradation he was ready to sink into the earth, etc. Shortly THE END 347 after giving expression to these words Mr. Poe seemed to doze, and I left him for a short time. When I returned I found him in a violent delir ium, resisting the efforts of two nurses to keep him in bed. This state continued until Saturday evening (he was admitted on Wednesday), when he commenced calling for one "Reynolds," which he did through the night until three on Sunday morning. At this time a very decided change began to affect him. Having become enfeebled from exertion, he became quiet and seemed to rest for a short time; then gently moving his head, he said, "Lord help, my poor soul" and expired! This, Madam, is as faithful an account as I am able to furnish from the Record of his case. . . . His remains were visited by some of the first individuals of the city, many of them anxious to have a lock of his hair. . . . Respectfully yours, J. J. MORAN, Res. Phys.1 1 Moran to Mrs. Clemm, MS. The omitted portions are of no interest. The different dates and additional circumstances given many years afterward by Dr. Moran in the press, and in A Defense of Edgar Allan Poe : Life, Character, and Dying Declarations of the Poet : An Official Account of his Death by his Attending Physician, John J. Moran, M. D., Washington, 348 EDGAR ALLAN POE The undistinguished funeral took place on Monday, October 8, and three days later Neilson Poe wrote to Mrs. Clemm:— BALTIMORE, October n, 1849. MY DEAR MADAM, — ... He died on Sun day morning, about five o'clock, at the Washing ton Medical College, where he had been since the Wednesday preceding. At what time he ar rived in this city, where he spent the time he was here, or under what circumstances, I have been unable to ascertain. It appears that on Wednes day he was seen and recognized at one of the places of election in old town, and that his con dition was such as to render it necessary to send him to the College, where he was tenderly nursed until the time of his death. As soon as I heard that he was at the College I went over; but his physician did not think it advisable that I should see him, as he was very excitable. The next day I called, and sent him changes of linen, etc., and was gratified to learn that he was much better, and I was never so much shocked, in my life, as when, on Sunday morning, notice was sent me that he was dead. Mr. Herring and myself im- D. C., 1885, must give way to the statements here made when the event was fresh in his memory. THE END 349 mediately took the necessary steps for his funeral, which took place on Monday afternoon at four o'clock. . . . The body was followed to the grave by Mr. Herring, Dr. Snodgrass, Mr. Z. Collins Lee (an old classmate), and myself. The service was performed by the Rev. William T. D. Clemm, a son of James S. Clemm. Mr. Her ring and myself have sought, in vain, for the trunk and clothes of Edgar — there is reason to believe that he was robbed of them, whilst in such a condition as to render him insensible of his loss. . . . Truly your friend and servant, NEILSON PoE.1 MRS. MARIA CLEMM. Three days after Poe's death, Kennedy, who was on the ground, his earliest friend and life long well-wisher, wrote in his diary the passage from which some brief extracts have already been made : - Wednesday, Oct. 10, 1849. On Sunday last Edgar A. Poe died in town here at the hospital from the effects of a de bauch. He had been to Richmond, was return- 1 Neilson Poe to Mrs. Clemm, MS. The omitted portions are of no interest. 35o EDGAR ALLAN POE ing to New York, where he lived, and, I under stand, was soon to be married to a lady in Richmond of quite good fortune. He fell in with some companions here who seduced him to the bottle, which it was said he had renounced some time ago. The consequence was fever, delirium, and madness, and in a few days a termination of his sad career in the hospital. Poor Poe! He was an original and exquisite poet, and one of the best prose writers in this country. His works are amongst the very best of their kind. His taste was replete with clas sical flavor, and he wrote in the spirit of an old Greek philosopher. It is many years ago — I think perhaps as early as 1833 or 4 — that I found him in Balti more in a state of starvation. I gave him cloth ing, free access to my table, and the use of a horse for exercise whenever he chose — in fact brought him up from the very verge of despair. I then got him employment with Mr. White in one department of the editorship of the " Southern Literary Messenger " at Richmond. His talent made that periodical quite brilliant whilst he was connected with it. But he was irregular, eccentric, and querulous, and soon gave up his place for other employments of the THE END 351 same character in Philadelphia and New York. His destiny in these places was as sad and fickle as in Richmond. He always remembered my kindness with gratitude, as his many letters to me testify. He is gone. A bright but unsteady light has been awfully quenched.1 Shortly after, Poe's remaining writings were published by the editors or friends who had copies. To mention only the first issue in each case, " Annabel Lee," the simplest and sweet est of his ballads, appeared in the New York "Tribune"; "The Bells," that wonderful ono- matopoetic experiment, in "Sartain's" for No vember; an essay "On Critics and Criticism," in "Graham's" for January, 1850; and in Oc tober following, "The Poetic Principle," in "Sartain's." Meanwhile words, like Kennedy's for kind ness, were spoken to the world by Poe's friends and associates over the still recent grave. Gra ham wrote of him as seen in the editorial office and spoke with most authority of the professional side of his career: "For three or four years I knew him intimately, and for eighteen months 1 Kennedy MSS. 352 EDGAR ALLAN POE saw him almost daily, much of the time writing or conversing at the same desk, knowing all his hopes, his fears, and little annoyances of life as well as his high-hearted struggle with adverse fate ; yet he was always the same polished gentle man, the quiet, unobtrusive, thoughtful scholar, the devoted husband, frugal in his personal ex penses, punctual and unwearied in his industry, and the soul oj honor in all his transactions. This, of course, was in his better days, and by them we judge the man. But even after his habits had changed, there was no literary man to whom I would more readily advance money for labor to be done. . . . The very natural question, 'Why did he not work and thrive?' is easily answered. It will not be asked by the many who know the precarious tenure by which literary men hold a mere living in this country. The avenues through which they can profitably reach the country are few, and crowded with aspirants for bread, as well as fame. The unfortunate tendency to cheapen every literary work to the lowest point of beggarly flimsiness in price and profit prevents even the well-disposed from ex tending anything like an adequate support to even a part of the great throng which genius, talent, education, and even misfortune, force THE END 353 into the struggle. The character of Poe's mind was of such an order as not to be very widely in demand. The class of educated mind which he could readily and profitably address was small - the channels through which he could do so at all were few — and publishers all, or nearly all, contented with such pens as were already en gaged, hesitated to incur the expense of his to an extent which would sufficiently remunerate him ; hence, when he was fairly at sea, connected per manently with no publication, he suffered all the horrors of prospective destitution, with scarcely the ability of providing for immediate necessi ties. . . . Let the moralist, who stands upon 1 tufted carpet,' and surveys his smoking board, the fruits of his individual toil or mercantile ad venture, pause before he let the anathema, trem bling upon his lips, fall upon a man like Poe, who, wandering from publisher to publisher, with his fine, print-like manuscript, scrupulously clean and neatly rolled, finds no market for his brain — with despair at heart, misery ahead, for himself and his loved ones, and gaunt famine dogging at his heels, thus sinks by the wayside, before the demon that watches his steps and whispers oblivion." 1 Willis, his New York 1 Graham's Magazine, March, 1850. 354 EDGAR ALLAN POE chief, whose description of their collaboration has already been given, wrote of their later friendly, though never intimate, acquaintance: "He frequently called on us afterwards at our place of business, and we met him often in the street, — invariably the same sad-mannered, winning, and refined gentleman such as we had always known him," and found in his letters to himself — friendly business notes — sufficient evidence of "the very qualities denied to Mr. Poe, — humility, willingness to persevere, belief in another's kindness, and capability of cordial and grateful friendship! Such he assuredly was when sane. Such only he has invariably seemed to us, in all we have happened person ally to know of him, through a friendship of five or six years. And so much easier is it to believe what we have seen and known than what we hear of only, that we remember him but with admiration and respect." 1 Mrs. Osgood, writing on her deathbed, with the same limita tion, but brightening memory within the little bound, said: "I have never seen him otherwise than gentle, generous, well-bred, and fastidi ously refined. To a sensitive and delicately nurtured woman there was a peculiar and irre- 1 Home Journal, October 12, 1849. THE END 355 sistible charm in the chivalric, graceful, and almost tender reverence with which he invari ably approached all women who won his re spect. It was this which first commanded and always retained my regard for him." 1 Mrs. Whit man said: "He was essentially and instinctively a gentleman." 2 Mrs. Shelton said: "He was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He was one of the most fascinating and refined men I ever knew. I never saw him under the influ ence of wine." 3 Burr, who knew him in his worst hours, said, characterizing him: "He was also, in the core of his heart, a grateful, single- minded, loving kind of man. ... A very gentle, thoughtful, scrupulously refined, and modest kind of man. . . . That he had faults and many weaknesses is, also, too true. But that he had a congregation of virtues which made him loved as well as admired by those who knew him best, is also true." 4 Mrs. Clemm, who lived on char ity till past her eightieth year and died in the Church Home at Baltimore, February 16, 1871, so long the faithful guardian of his life, wrote 1 Griswold, Hi. 2 Mrs. Whitman to Gill, August, 1873. 3 Appletorfs Journal, May, 1878. 4 The Nineteenth Century, loc. cit. 356 EDGAR ALLAN POE to Willis in the first moments of her grief : " Say what an affectionate son he was to me, his poor desolate mother." J This is the sheaf of memo ries that was laid upon his grave. 1 Mrs. Clemm to Willis. Home Journal, October 12, 1849. APPENDIX APPENDIX A I. THE HOMES OF POE AT RICHMOND THOMAS H. ELLIS TO THE AUTHOR No. ii Cathedral Street, BALTIMORE, MD. May 28, 1884. Dear Sir, — So much delay has taken place in my an swering your letter of the 5th instant that I think I ought to make an explanation of it. At the time of the receipt of your letter I happened to be specially engaged with matters of some urgency; but as soon as I could conveniently do so I looked into the old mercantile books of Ellis & Allan with the view to furnish you the information you desired. Before I was able to give you the result of my examination, however, I was called to Baltimore, where I expect hereafter to reside, and since my arrival in this city my engagements have been such as to prevent my writing such a letter as I had contemplated. I will now give you, as nearly as I could ascertain, the dates of Mr. Allan's departure for England and his re turn to Richmond. On the iyth of June, 1815, John Allan is charged in the Cash Account of Ellis & Allan with £335.10.6 paid him, and on the same day with 2s. $d. paid for drayage of his baggage, and on the 2ist of June with 125. paid for boatage of his baggage; and on the ist of July he is credited with £2.11.9 sent back by him in a letter from the Capes. My conclusion from these entries is that he 36o APPENDIX went on board of a ship in James River (with his wife, Mrs. Frances Keeling Allan, his sister-in-law, Miss Anne Moore Valentine, and his adopted son, Edgar Allan Poe) on or about the lythof June, 1815; and I believe the name of the ship was the Lothair. From various entries it appears that he furnished his own stores for the voyage, which were in part purchased in Richmond, and in part sent to him from Norfolk, as he passed through Hampton Roads, by the firm of Moses Myers & Sons. There was a sale of some of his household furniture and effects made before he left Richmond, by the auction and commission house of Moncure, Robinson & Pleasants. Among other small bills and accounts paid for him, and charged to his account after his departure, was one of Fitzwhylsonn & Potter, booksellers, in which I noticed these items: One " Olive Branch," one "Murray's Reader," two "Murray's Spelling Books"; cost for the four books i6s. 6d. ; which I doubt not were intended for Edgar Poe's instruction on the voyage. The letter book of Ellis & Allan shows letters written for the firm by John Allan, dated in Richmond, August 5, 1820, to John Noble, of London, Ewart, Myers & Co., Liverpool, Charles Denny, Glasgow, and to William Taylor, Thomas S. Coles, and A. Saltmarsh (who were the "Inspectors" of Allan & Ellis), London. The last- mentioned letter contains this passage: " Our Mr. Allan arrived here a few days ago, and we hasten to enclose you Messrs. John & William Gilliat's first of exchange of set No. i, on Messrs. John Gilliat & Co., London, of this date, at sixty days after sight, for one thousand pounds sterling; which we have no doubt will be duly honoured; being for the General Fund; and we shall remit you at APPENDIX 361 least £400x5 more in the course of this month." [Which promise was complied with by further remittances on the loth, i8th, and 28th days of the same month, and an ad ditional £5000 Stg. sent in October following.] On the igth of August, 1820, is a letter, copied in the letter book, from John Allan to Maitland & Coles, Lon don, in which he says, "I arrived at this place" [Rich mond] "on the 2d instant" ; and on the 22d of August another letter from him, to William Taylor, of London, in which he says, "I arrived at New York on the 2ist of July after a passage of thirty-six days." [The ocean, he adds, was very rough during the greater part of their voyage, and Mrs. Allan and Miss Valentine suffered ex ceedingly from sea-sickness. They all complained of the extreme heat which they found on their arrival in New York.] After Mr. Allan's return to Richmond, he, his wife, Miss Valentine, and Edgar Poe spent the greater part of the first year with my father at his residence on the south west corner of Franklin and 2d streets. After that, he occupied a long low frame house with dormer windows, fronting west, on 5th Street, with Bishop Moore, Mr. James Brown, Jr., Dr. James Greenhow, and other well- known gentlemen, as his neighbors. At a later day he occupied a house which in the mean time had been left to him by his uncle, Mr. William Gait [who died March 26, 1823], situated at the northwest corner of i4th Street and Tobacco Alley, fronting what is now the west side of the Exchange Hotel; but the building has been greatly changed of late years, and at present it is remarkable for its unusual height and slender proportions. While living there he bought the house at the intersection of Main and 5th streets, — the southeast corner, — which was built 362 APPENDIX by Mr. David Meade Randolph, bought by Mr. Joseph Gallego, and occupied by the last-named gentleman until his death, in 1818. In 1822 Mr. John Richard became the purchaser of it, at $19,100, but Mr. Richard dying, in 1824, before he had completed his payments for it and before a title had been made to him, it was sold by his executrix, at public auction, and bought by John Allan for the price of $14,950, the conveyance to him being made by Peter Joseph Chevallie, as surviving executor of the last will and testament of Joseph Gallego de ceased, and Mary Richard, as executrix of the last will and testament of John Richard deceased, and dated June the 28th, 1825. From the time of Mr. Gallego's death until it was taken possession of by Mr. Allan, it was oc cupied by Mr. Peter J. Chevallie, whose beautiful, grace ful, and most accomplished daughter, Miss Sallie Magee Chevallie, married afterwards Mr. Abraham Warwick, an intimate friend of Mr. Allan. At the time of Mr. Allan's purchase the house had not much more than one half of its present front; a large addition having been made to it, by the late Mrs. Louisa G. Allan, after the death of her husband, and when her three sons were growing up, with tastes for gay and fashionable society, in which their mother (but always with admirable taste and good judgment) participated with them. In the old house, the small room on the right as you enter the spacious hall from the front door was the morn ing-reception and tea room; the large octagon room on that floor, with its entrance fronting the front door, was the dining-room; the octagon room, of the same size, upstairs, was the parlor; Mr. Allan's chamber was on the parlor floor, in the front of the house, over the hall and APPENDIX 363 over the front door, with windows looking into the front yard; on the north side of the house, upstairs, upon the parlor floor, were three chambers — one occupied by Miss Valentine, one by Edgar Poe, and one for guests; Edgar's, if I mistake not, was the one with a window fronting east and another window fronting north: and this was before the Second Baptist Church was built, or any other house on Mr. Allan's square, or any house on the square next below, except Dr. Nelson's and the one adjoining it at the southwest corner of Main and ;th streets, and before Messrs. Fleming and Joseph S. James had built their fine residences on the north side of Main Street between 6th and yth; so that he had an unob structed view of the city (including the capitol) lying east of 6th Street, and an extensive view of James River, of Manchester on the south side of the river, and of the country stretching on either side of the river, into both Henrico and Chesterfield counties. On the south side of the house there was an unusually large portico extend ing the full depth of the house, and into which you easily passed, when downstairs, from both the reception room and the dining-room, and, when upstairs, from both Mr. Allan's chamber and the parlor. This portico was in deed, and is, the grand feature of the house; and was as much used, in all favorable weather, for both family and company purposes, as any portion of the house. It was the delight of all boys and girls, who \vere either intimate enough to run in at all times, or who were invited to entertainments there; for there was a splendid swing securely fastened to the top of the upper portico, and Mr. Allan, who was fond of astronomy, had brought with him from England a fine telescope, through which his young friends (and no man was fonder of children 364 APPENDIX than he) many a time looked with wondering eyes. The garden below was a double one, being for vegetables on the east side of the house, and for fruits, flowers, and shrubbery on the south side. Mr. Gallego was a native of Andalusia, and being, perhaps, naturally fond of grapes, and the slope of the hill being a favorable exposure for them, and the soil and location also suitable for figs and raspberries, these three fruits I recollect grew there in abundance and to perfection. At that time there were but few houses in the imme diate neighborhood; my father-in-law, Mr. Thomas Tay lor (whose oldest daughter, Mary, married Mr. William Gait, Jr., a cousin of Mr. Allan's), lived at the corner im mediately in front (the southwest corner of Main and 5th streets), and he owned that entire square; Mr. Joseph Tate, who for thirteen years was mayor of the city of Richmond, lived at the northwest corner; at the northeast corner was the residence of Major James Gibbon, com monly known as "the hero of Stony Point," and who for thirty-six years was collector of the port of Richmond; just below, on 5th Street, at the southeast corner of Gary, was Mr. Joseph Marx's residence, and immediately in front of that, Mr. Thomas Gilliat's. Mr. Marx had built for his son-in-law, Mr. Myer Myers, a house on a part of his garden, fronting on 5th Street, and at the corner below Mr. Myers', on the opposite side of the street, was Mr. William Munford's old residence. Mr. Edmund W. Rootes, at or about the time to which I refer, built the house, fronting east, on 5th Street, between Main and Franklin, in which Mr. John Enders lives; and Mr. (Scotch) James Brown owned and had long lived in the fine old frame house, which has recently been taken down, at the southwest corner of Franklin and 5th streets. APPENDIX 365 These gentlemen were of the highest social position in Richmond; they were the friends and associates of Chief Justice Marshall, Mr. Wickham, Colonel Ambler, Dr. Brockenbrough, Judge Nicholas, Judge Cabell, Judge Stanard, Mr. Leigh, Mr. Chapman Johnson, Mr. Ritchie, Mr. Lyons, and others who were well known in that com munity; Mr. Allan's relations to all whom I have named were of the most friendly character ; and the habits of hospitality among them — the habit especially of giving dinner and whist parties — was different from anything that I know of at this day. All of Edgar Poe's early associations were consequently among the most highly educated and agreeable people in that community. I am very respectfully yours, THOMAS H. ELLis.1 II. THE POE-DUANE LETTERS The postscript of Poe's letter to Mrs. Clemm, April 7, 1844, — "Be sure and take home the 'Messenger' to Hirst," - — though a matter of the most trifling detail, is worth explanation, since the circumstance to which it relates is yet remembered to Poe's discredit in Philadel phia, while the whole paltry affair furnishes a capital illustration of the mean though natural misconstruction to which he was sometimes exposed. The story is com pletely told in the following papers. William Duane, to whom the letters are addressed, was at one time Secretary of the Treasury. 1 Cf. "The Tabernacle Site," "The Home of Poe's Boyhood," Richmond Despatch, March 18, 1894; "Historic Homes of Rich mond. — The Allan House," by Louisa Allan Mayo, Richmond News Illustrated Saturday Magazine, July 28, 1900. 366 APPENDIX NEW YORK, October 28, '44. MY DEAR SIR, — Owing to my absence from this city (where I am now residing), I did not receive your letter of the 1 5th until this morning. I regret exceedingly that circumstances should have led you to think me negligent, or uncourteous, in not returning the volume of the " Messenger " — for one or the other (perhaps both) you must long since have consid ered me. The facts are these : Some eight months ago, I believe, I chanced to mention, in Mr. Hirst's hearing, that I wished to look over a particular article in the " Messen ger." He immediately volunteered to procure me the desired volume from you. I would much rather have borrowed it personally — but he seemed to make a point of the matter and I consented. Soon afterwards he handed me the book, which I retained a very short time. It is now certainly more than seven months since I returned it to Mr. Hirst, through my mother-in-law (Mrs. Clemm), who informs me that she left it at his office, with one of his brothers. Most probably it was deposited in a book-case, and thus overlooked and forgotten. May I trouble you to send for it. Very truly yours, EDGAR ALLAN POE. WILLIAM DUANE, Esqr. Endorsed by Duane: N. B. The statement contained in this letter that the volume of " The Southern Literary Messenger" in question was returned to Henry B. Hirst, Esqr. was pronounced by Mr. Hirst to be " a damned lie," and subsequent events showed that Mr. Hirst was right in denying it — Mr. Poe having sold the book — I APPENDIX 367 hope unintentionally — to William A. Leary, the book seller on Second St. NEW YORK, January 28, '45. SIR, — Richmond is the last place in which I should have hoped to find a copy of either the ist, 2d, or 3d vol umes of the " Messenger." For this reason I did not apply there. I have [been] putting myself, however, to some trouble in endeavoring to collect among my friends here the separate numbers of the missing volume. I am glad that your last letter relieves me from all such trouble in future. I do not choose to recognize you in this matter at all. To the person of whom I borrowed the book, or rather who insisted on forcing it on me, I have sufficient reason to believe that it was returned. Settle your diffi culties with him, and insult me with no more of your communications. EDGAR A. POE. MR. DUAXE. Endorsed by Duane: Bombastes Furioso Poe. Dated January 28, 1845. Received January 31, 1845. ^ot to t>e answered. N. B. The volume of " The Southern Literary Messenger" to which this letter, and that of October 28, 1844, refer, was lent by me to E. A. Poe, through Henry B. Hirst, Esq., and was sold by the said Poe among a lot of books belonging to himself to William A. Leary, a book seller on North Seventh Street. Mr. Leary sold it to a bookseller in Richmond, Va., who sold it to the publishers of the " Messenger," who sold it to a friend of mine who was visiting Richmond, and whom I had commissioned to purchase me a copy. My name was on the title-page during all these sales. 368 APPENDIX Poe had the grace to be ashamed of himself, when he heard of the manner in which I had had to repurchase my own book. He remarked to H. B. Hirst, Esqr., "What must Mr. Duane think of me," on hearing of which, I sent him word that I thought he ought to send me the five dollars which the repurchase had cost me. He died with out doing so, I suppose from inability. W. D.1 Poe's innocence in the matter seems to be proved by the postscript to Mrs. Clemm, nor is there any reason to believe that the original mistake, by which the volume was included in the sale of Poe's books, was anything but a natural blunder made in the confusion of the removal. The set of the "Messenger-' in question, now owned in Richmond, contains Poe's emendations in pencil, and shows that he used the volumes in his work of revision, and also for printing. The leaves of "Hans Phaal" were torn out and passed through the hands of at least three printers and have their "take" marks; they were then skillfully replaced. This fact and other indications point to the use of this volume in the publication of the " Tales of the Arabesque and Grotesque," 1840. III. LOWELL'S LETTERS TO BRIGGS "January 16, 1845. "I received this morning the two numbers of your ' Broadway Journal,' & am in haste to tell you how much I like it. ... The article upon Miss Barrett is extremely well written, I suppose by Poe. It is a good telling article, though I do not agree with it in its conclusion. From a paragraph I saw yesterday in the 'Tribune' I find that 1 Poe to Duane. MS. APPENDIX 369 Poe has been at me in the 'Mirror.' He has at least the chief element of a critic — a disregard of persons. He will be a very valuable contributor to you." " August 8, 1845. " I am glad to hear that the conduct of Poe and Biscoe about the B. J. was not so bad as I had feared." "August 21, 1845. " Poe, I am afraid, is wholly lacking in that element of manhood which, for want of a better name, we call char acter. It is something quite distinct from genius, — though all great geniuses are endowed with it. Hence we always think of Darite Alighieri, of Michael Angelo, of Will Shakespeare, of John Milton — while of such men as Gibbon & Hume we merely recall the works, & think of them as the author of this and that. As I prognosti cated, I have made Poe my enemy by doing him a service. In the last B. J. he has accused me of plagiarism, and misquoted Wordsworth to sustain his charge. 'Armor rustling on the walls, On the blood of Clifford calls,' he quotes, italicizing 'rustling' as the point of resemblance. The word is really ' rusting.' You will find the passage in Wordsworth's ' Song sung at Brougham Castle,' &c. My metaphor was drawn from some old Greek or Roman story which was in my mind, and which Poe, who makes such a scholar of himself, ought to have known. There is a similar incident in Chaucer's Knight's Tale, probably from the same source. Any one who had ever read the whole of Wordsworth's poem would see that there was no resemblance between the two passages. Poe wishes to kick down the radder by which he rose. He is welcome. But he does not attack me at a weak point. He probably 37o APPENDIX cannot conceive of anybody's writing for anything but a newspaper reputation, or for posthumous fame, which is but the same thing magnified by distance. I have quite other aims. . . . How can I expect to be understood, much more to have my poetry understood, by such a man as Poe. I cannot understand the meanness of men. They seem to trace everything to selfishness. Why, Brackett (' the sculptor,' as he is called,) actually asked Carter how much Poe paid me for writing my notice of him in ' Gra ham's Magazine.' Did such baseness ever enter the head of man? Why, it could not get into the head of a dog, even if had three heads like Cerberus." " November 25, 1849. " What a contemptible idea of me Willis must have to think that anything Poe might say of me would make any difference in my feeling pity for Kis poor mother-in-law. I confess it does not raise my opinion of Willis. I knew before, as well as I know now, that Poe must have been abusing me, for he knew that ever since his conduct towards you about the * Broadway Journal ' I had thought meanly of him. My 'pleasant letter' to W. was about ten lines, less rather than more, I fancy, & my ' generous donation ' was five dollars ! I particularly requested of him that it should be anonymous." l IV. UNPUBLISHED CORRESPONDENCE OF POE POE TO MINOR RICHMOND, February 5, 1836. DEAR SIR, — At Mr. White's request I enclose you the sheets of the " Messenger." In your article on " The Ne- 1 Lowell MSS. The third letter was published in Letters of James Russell Lowell, i, 99 (Harpers, 1894). APPENDIX 371 cessity of Selection in Reading," you will perceive that the original heading is abbreviated to " Selection in Read ing." This was necessary in order to preserve uniformity in the captions throughout — it being impossible to get in what you intended, and what, indeed, would have been most proper, except by making use of smaller type than what is used in other articles. Very respy. and truly yours, EDGAR A. PoE.1 It was thought better upon consideration to omit all in "Liberian Literature" at which offense could, by any possibility, be taken. We availed ourselves of your con sent to do so. Address: LUCIAN MINOR, Esq., Charlotteville, Va. Endorsed: EDGAR A. POE. Reed. i6th Feb. 1836. POE TO CAREY RICHMOND, July 30, 1836. D* SIR, — Your article on the " Study of the Learned Languages" was duly received, and is already "set up." I am much in hope that it will please the public generally as much as it had done myself. My object in writing you at present is to beg that you will allow us to alter the heading which you have affixed to it, from the words " A Looker-on in Venice, No. 2," to the words " On the Study of the Learned Languages, " or some similar caption. I have many reasons for requesting this favor. First, it would accord with all the other captions made use of in our magazine; secondly, it would prevent the necessity of making any explanation in regard to the heading of your last article, — and explanations are always inconvenient ; thirdly, your article would then stand by itself uncon- 1 Poe to Minor. MS. 372 APPENDIX nected with anything going before or to come ; fourthly, it would prevent our having a series of continued articles, which you must know by experience are the cause of some trouble; and fifthly, the "Looker-on in Venice" is a caption which has been very frequently been [sic] made use of before by essayists. I submit all, however, to your better judgment, merely saying that Mr. White would take it as a personal favor if you would allow us to make the alteration proposed. I am extremely sorry that the error should have oc curred in relation to your "Anthologia" and "The Sci ence of Life." We did not, however, suppose it neces sary to put the "Anthologia" as a selection — supposing ing the word Anthologia itself sufficiently significant. With high respect, Yr. ob. st. EDGAR A. PoE.1 I perceive that your article, "National Ingratitude," has attracted great attention and approbation. The " Charlottesville Jeffersonian " among other papers pay it a merited compliment. [Addressed] MATHEW CAREY, EsqE. Philadelphia, Pa. POE TO MAGRUDER RICHMOND, January 9, 1837. MY DEAR SIR, — Your kind letter of Christmas eve was duly received — with the Essay. I have read it with great pleasure and, I confess, some degree of surprise — never having suspected you of any literary designs. It shall certainly appear, entire, in the 1 Poe to Carey. MS. APPENDIX 373 February number of the "Messenger." Any supervision on my part, I perceive, would be altogether superfluous. I must apologize for not having made you a reply be fore. Ill health and a weight of various and harassing business \vill prove, I trust, a sufficient excuse. With sincere friendship and esteem, I am yours, &c., EDGAR A. PoE.1 ALLAN B. MAGRUDER, Esq. POE TO NEILSON POE NEW YORK, August 8, '45. MY DEAR SIR, — It gave me sincere pleasure to re ceive a letter from you — but I fear you will think me very discourteous in not sooner replying. I have de ferred my answer, ho\vever, from day to day, in hope of procuring some papers relating to my grandfather. In this I have failed. Mrs. C. has no memoranda of the kind you mention, and all of which I have any knowledge are on file at Annapolis. I thank you for the kind interest you take in my wel fare. We all speak very frequently of yourself and family, and regret that hitherto we have seen and known so little of each other. Virginia, in especial, is much pained at the total separation from her sisters. She has been, and is still, in precarious health. About four years ago she rup tured a blood vessel, in singing, and has never recovered from the accident. I fear that she never will. Mrs. Clemm is quite well : — both beg to be kindly remembered. I regret that I had no opportunity of seeing you during my last visit to Baltimore. Virginia and myself, however, will very probably spend a few weeks in your city during 1 Poe to Magruder. MS. 374 APPENDIX the fall, when we hope to be with you frequently. When you see any of Mr. Herring's family, will you say that we are anxious to hear from them? I rejoice to learn that you prosper at all points. I hear of you often. "The B. Journal" flourishes — but in January I shall establish a Magazine. Very cordially yours, EDGAR A. PoE.1 Addressed NEILSON POE, Esqr. Baltimore, Md. Postmarked New York, Aug. 8. POE TO PERCIVAL NEW YORK, January 3, '46. 85 Amity St. CHAS. G. PERCIVAL, Esq.: Dr. Sir, — A few moments of leisure leave me at lib erty to look at the cypher which you have done me the honor of submitting to my inspection. It is an illegitimate cryptograph — that is to say, the chances are, that, even with the key, it would be insoluble by the authorized correspondent. Upon analysis, however, independent of the key-solution, I find the translation to be the 3 first verses of the 2^ chapter of S? John. Very Resp? Y* Ob. ST EDGAR A. PoE.2 I should be happy to hear from you in reply. POE TO BAYARD TAYLOR June 15, 1848. I would feel greatly indebted to you if you could spare time to look over the lines [To Helen] enclosed and 1 Poe to Neilson Poe. MS. 2 Poe to Percival. MS. APPENDIX 375 let me know whether they will be accepted for "the Union" — if so what you can afford to pay for them and when they can appear. Truly yours, EDGAR A. POE.* P. S. I feel that I have been guilty of discourtesy in not sooner thanking you for your picturesque and vigorous " Views A-Foot," but when they reached me and long afterwards I was too ill to write, and lately I have been every day hoping to have an opportunity of making your acquaintance and thanking you in person. CAREY AND LEA TO POE February 20, 1836. EDGAR A. POE, Esq., Richmond, Va., — I received your letter this morning, having no knowledge of the MS. mentioned. I applied to Mess. Carey & Hart, who handed over the enclosed which I transmit agreeably to your directions and wish it safe to hand. November 29, 1836. MR. EDGAR A. POE, — I have called on Mess. E. L. Carey & A. Hart, who are the publishers of "The Gift," and they have examined among all the MS. and can not find the story to which you allude. They think it very probable that Miss L. returned it with others but it cannot now be found. Should it be hereafter they will return it.2 September 28, 1839. EDGAR A. POE, ESQ*, — As your wish in having your tales printed is not immediately pecuniary we will at our 1 Poe to Bayard Taylor. MS. 2 Letter Book of Carey & Lea. 376 APPENDIX own risk & expense print a small edition, say 750 copies. This number if sold will pay but a small profit, which if realized is to be ours. The copyright will remain with you, and when ready a few copies for distribution among your friends will be at your service. If this is agreeable will you have them prepared and Mr. Haswell will be ready to go in say by Thursday. They should make 2 vols. of a page like "Isabel," say 240 pages each. October 30, 1839. EDGAR A. POE, ESQ?, — The printing of a few extra copies of your tales on fine paper would be very trouble some to the printer. But if he is willing we have no ob jection to six copies being printed at your cost. We designed sending 20 copies of the edition to you on publication for private distribution. V. POE AND CHIVERS The renaissance of Thomas Holley Chivers is one of the latest incidents of the Poe legend, which puts forth such curious growths from decade to decade. His fame still lingered here in the seventies, but only as a burlesque survival. At that time Bayard Taylor diverted himself with it in the "Echo Club," recalling what is likely to prove his most immortal stanza : — "Many mellow Cydonian suckets, Sweet apples, anthosmal, divine, From the ruby-rimmed beryline buckets Star-gemmed, lily-shaped, hyaline; Like the sweet golden goblet found growing On the wild emerald cucumber-tree, Rich, brilliant, like chrysoprase glowing Was my beautiful Rosalie Lee." APPENDIX 377 Swinburne was kncnvn, among American friends, to ex ercise the divine right of inextinguishable laughter over such verses, scores of which he would repeat. The British Museum was fabled to have a complete set of Chivers, which seemed to clench the singularity of the poet, inas much as hardly any of his countrymen possessed even a single volume of his works. Collectors found them impos sible to buy. Their titles were the most preservative part of them. "Eonchs of Ruby," in particular, was itself antiseptic against time. It fascinated the mind it alarmed, and was eagerly but vainly sought. A few stanzas and lines might be heard quoted in literary small talk; and persons of long memory or deep delvers in our Lilliputian history recalled the fact that Chivers and the friends of Chivers stoutly asserted that he was the original owner from whom Poe conveyed " The Raven" ; but the poacher, if trespass there were, seemed to have got safe off with the bird. Mr. Benton, however, strikes beside the mark in saying, "The breadth of his territory of renown among scholars is indicated by the fact that Professor Gierlow, a Danish author, wrote a beautiful poem" on his death. Gierlow was a teacher of language in a school at Macon, Georgia. Things stood at this pass, with Chivers there in the British Museum, at the last bubble of Lethe, when there came a change, and his name began to brighten and grow frequent again. The fame of Poe had magnetized it, and it gave out new radiant energy. Fresh editions of his rare volumes may now fairly be expected. The late W. M. Griswold, in his edition of his father's correspondence,1 drew Chivers back from oblivion with a brief account, a 1 Passages from the Correspondence and Other Papers of Rufus W. Griswold. Cambridge, Mass. 1898. 378 APPENDIX letter to Poe, and a kindly word for his character. Joel Benton followed with a little sheaf of articles, "In the Poe Circle," l and resuscitated the controversy as to who originated "The Raven"; incidentally he reprinted Chivers's more extraordinary poems, and gave some from manuscript that had never seen light before. "The Virginia Poe " comes last. The editor publishes from the Griswold papers nearly all of Chivers's letters to Poe, and in an appendix he examines Chivers's claims to be the precursor of Poe and decides that Poe was the precursor of Chivers. These letters were in the hands of the present writer when he edited the Griswold papers, but in the absence of Poe's answers it seemed needless to give them at that time. The latter have now come to light, together with companion papers, having survived Sherman's march to the sea and other vicissitudes of the last half century in their nook in Georgia; they afford further illustration of Poe's character and career, and they also allow us to reconstruct somewhat more vividly the interesting figure of Chivers himself. Dr. Thomas Holley Chivers was born in Wilkes County, Georgia, at Digby Manor, near Washington, in 1807 ,2 the eldest of seven children. His father, Robert 1 The student of Poe should compare, beside the authorities named in the text, the most able defense of Chivers's originality and argument for Poe's indebtedness in a long article by Warfield Creath Richardson of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, "Who was Chivers ?" in the Boston Transcript, April 24, 1897. 2 The Virginia Poe corrects this date as follows : — "On page 90 of this volume (1837) he addresses a poem To my Precious Mother, on the anniversary of my Twenty-fifth Year, and subscribes it, 'Written at Philadelphia, October 18, 1834.'" The copy of the volume before the writer has a different poem on page 90. On page 89 there is a poem entitled To my Mother simply, and no date is subscribed. The phrase "To my Precious Mother" APPENDIX 379 Chivers, was a cotton-planter, rich in lands and slaves. His grandfather, Thomas H. Chivers, had emigrated from England in the middle of the seventeenth century and settled in Virginia, but afterward removed to Georgia. His mother, whose name was Digby, was of similar emi grant stock, her father having come from England and settled in Pennsylvania before finally transferring the family to Georgia, where she married the poet's father in 1806. He was religiously brought up, all the family being Baptists; and, as appears from his verses, his childhood was happy, his domestic affections were warm and tender, and his love for his mother was devotional. He began to write verse early, and with some mastery of metrical form, to judge by the stanzas entitled " Faith," which belong to his twentieth year, and which he afterward described as " showing that the two angels, Love and Adoration, were the twin Sisters who went hand in hand with him through the Eden of his youth, gathering the purple Violets of Heaven." He adopted medicine as a profession and stud ied at the Transylvania University, where he took the doctor's degree. He was, however, by his father's kind ness, independent of the necessity to practice, and he gave himself up to literary and especially poetical pursuits; later in life he was offered a chair of physiology in the university at Atlanta, which he declined, and this was his nearest approach to a medical or scientific career. While at the university he had continued to write verse, such as " Georgia Waters," and in 1834 he published a tragedy, " Conrad and Eudora," at Philadelphia; he con- occurs in the dedication. The copy used by the Virginia editors may belong to a different issue or have manuscript notes. In any case the year 1807 is the accepted family date, and occurs in a sketch of Chivers written apparently by himself late in life. 38o APPENDIX tributed the next year to the " Southern Literary Messen ger" while Poe was editor; and in 1837 he issued his first collection of verse, "Nacoochee; or, The Beautiful Star, with Other Poems," at New York. He spent much of his time at the North in these years, where he had a circle of relatives and friends, and to the end of his life he made long visits there and established connection with writers and scholars of distinction. It is interesting to record also that he was a painter as well as a poet, and that he added to his income as well as his versatility by inventing a ma chine for unwinding the fibre from silk cocoons. It was "Nacoochee," the volume of lyrics, which first attracted Poe's public attention to Chivers ; but at the age of thirty, when this appeared, Chivers had not developed those characteristics which constitute his originality. The ordinary critic would have found in the verses the metrical form of Moore and Coleridge, and perhaps little else at that time; now other qualities would be more apparent. Though there is no reason to believe that he ever read the poetry of Blake, the Blakeish suggestion in his imagina tion and diction is occasionally startling; partly because he deals with scriptural allusion and the material imagery of the Bible, his mind having been fed on them, but also because of some similarity in his irregular force of con ception and grandiloquent method. In the " Ode to the Mississippi" there are three lines that will serve as an illustration, describing the rivers flowing down to the great "Father of Waters": — "Like soldiers enlisted for Freedom to fight! Who started their marching ere Adam was born, And never shall stop till Eternity's morn." In the last stanza, too, there is a touch of the same quality and tone : — APPENDIX 381 "We look on thy bosom, but cannot control The terror that strikes from the heart to the soul! We know thee unique in the East or the West, Who look'st in a calm like a lion at rest! We give thee the praise — then adieu to the wild That brought forth a son called Eternity's child." It is also a noticeable matter now that the new poet must have fed on that Philadelphia reprint of Galignani's edi tion of Keats, Shelley, and Coleridge in one large volume which first brought the immortal romantic fire to our coast and was for our grandfathers a great altar of the Muse. It was a distinction for a new poet in 1837 to quote " Alastor " and " Rosalind and Helen " ; and, in fact, Chivers was one of the first of Americans to be " Shelley- mad." The enthusiasm did not mount to his poetry, but it filled the man. Still a third trait worth pointing out is the fact, disclosed by the preface, that he had the Orphic conception of the nature of poetry and the poet's role, though he had not yet reached that Orphic egotism which was to belong to him later. Evidently he had the sensi bilities and intuitions that denote the poetic temperament, and he possessed instincts of metre and imagery. It is natural to find him soon that rare thing, a Southern tran- scendentalist, and soon also a Swedenborgian, and even an " associationist " at a later time. The son of a Southern slaveholder, a devotee of Shelley, a friend of Bostonian vagaries, Chivers had fallen on unlucky times; and as he grew older the unregulated elements in him gradually became most marked, till at last he became, not to speak it profanely, a kind of Southern Alcott. When in the summer of 1840 Poe endeavored to start the "Penn Magazine" in Philadelphia, Chivers was among those whose support he sought as a writer for magazines and as a collector of subscriptions. Chivers 382 APPENDIX promised his aid, but he found room to remonstrate against Poe's "tomahawk" criticism and to advise a milder method. Chivers appears next to have heard from Poe by an example of that "tomahawk" style, which he had deprecated, applied to himself. In the article " Auto graphy," in "Graham's" for December, 1841, Poe de scribed Chivers in few lines : — " Dr. Thomas Holley Chivers, of New York, is at the same time one of the best and one of the worst poets in America. His productions affect one as a wild dream — strange, incongruous, full of images of more than ara besque monstrosity, and snatches of sweet unsustained song. Even his worst nonsense (and some of it is horrible) has an indefinite charm of sentiment and melody. We can never be sure that there is any meaning in his words, — neither is there any meaning in many of our finest musical airs, — but the effect is very similar in both. His figures of speech are metaphor run mad, and his grammar is often none at all. Yet there are as fine individual pas sages to be found in the poems of Dr. Chivers as in those of any poet whatsoever." Chivers wrote in remonstrance against this, and a second time; and Poe replied, June 6, 1842, acknow ledging the three unanswered letters and apologizing for the " Autography " squib; and at the same time suggest ing that Chivers should join him in the " Penn," which enterprise he was just renewing, and bring financial aid. Chivers's father had died, and the estate was about to be divided, so it was quite possible that this offer might bear fruit; he wrote a polite and cordial reply, July 12, 1842, in which he explained the situation, but made no promise with regard to the " Penn Magazine" except that he would obtain subscribers for it. Poe wrote again, APPENDIX 383 September 27, 1842, stating that the sum requisite would be one thousand dollars, and estimating the expenses of the magazine at three thousand dollars, and its profits at ten thousand for each editor, on a list of five thousand sub scribers, of whom he felt sure of five hundred at once. There was, however, to be no result from any of these plans. Chivers lost a little daughter, and went South for the burial. There he received no answers to three letters; but he was a persistent correspondent, and in the spring of 1844 made another attempt, asking whether the " Penn Magazine" was abandoned, and saying that he would receive his part of his father's estate in July and would be glad to join Poe in the enterprise, " provided it would be to my interest to do so." Poe replied to this at once, saying that he still contemplated the " Penn" project, but had changed the name to the "Stylus, "and he suggested a conference in New York. This letter contained some metaphysical mysticism. Chivers replied, much delighted with the turn the correspondence had taken, August 6, and again September 24, without receiving any further lucubration from Poe ; but correspondence was now to be supplemented by personal acquaintance on the occasion of Chivers's visit to New York in the next summer, 1845, where he brought out his third volume of verse, "The Lost Pleiad." The story of the visit has been told in the text. Chivers's account of his walks and talks with Poe is wild and rambling, but it is not lacking in vividness. He wrote out these reminiscences and impressions, after Poe's death, for a life which he meant to publish in Poe's de fense ; but the reader must be referred to the magazine in which they were published, if he would know them. Chivers did not remain long in New York in the memo rable summer when he met his idol of genius face to face 384 APPENDIX and consorted with him in so mundane a fashion. " The Lost Pleiad," his last volume of verse, was now safely published. Poe noticed it in the "Broadway Journal," August 2, 1845 ; he describes the volume as the honest and fervent utterance of an exquisitely sensitive heart which has suffered much and long. "The poems," he goes on, " are numerous, but the thesis is one — death — the death of beloved friends. The poet seems to have dwelt among the shadows of tombs, until his very soul has become a shadow. ... In a word, the volume before us is the work of that ram avis, an educated, passionate, yet unaffectedly simple-minded and single-minded man, writing from his own vigorous impulses, — from the necessity of giving ut terance to poetic passion, — and thus writing not to man kind, but solely to himself. The whole volume has, in fact, the air of a rapt soliloquy." He then gives a long extract from the poem on Shelley, and ends by complimenting the volume as " possessing merit of a very lofty — if not of the very loftiest order." The correspondence was resumed in August and con tinued, as usual, with more frequency by Chivers than by Poe, whose main interest seems to have been the hope of obtaining money, of which he was in need for the " Jour nal." Poe wrote one letter of great biographical interest, July 22, 1846, describing his illness and professing warm friendship, but the correspondence languished after that ; Chivers, on his part, offered a home and support to Poe for the rest of his life if he would come South to settle. The later intercourse of the two is obscurely known. Chivers visited New York, it would seem, in the summer of 1847, and certainly in that of 1848. On the last occa sion he was invited to Fordham by Poe, but whether the two met is untold. Poe's last reference to his friend, as APPENDIX 385 has been seen, was ungenerous, — one of those words that often escaped him with regard to those with whom he had been intimate; but, by Mrs. Clemm's account, his friend ship and admiration had been warm toward his worshiper. It is apparent that Chivers was filled with an enthusias tic admiration for Poe and worshiped his genius. It is the more striking a tribute because he was of a religious cast of mind and not a sharer in Poe's weaknesses. He was not one of those who drank with Poe ; and in spite of what he knew and had seen, he maintained a high respect for his genius and a warm interest in his welfare. Chivers was a hero-worshiper, and he adored the spirit of poetry after that fashion that sees in the poet, whatever he may be humanly, only a great glory. When Poe died, and the trouble arose over Griswold's memoir of him, Chivers, like several others who had known Poe, was desirous to write a life of him and defend his memory. He made some collections for this purpose ; his reminiscences are a part of his material. He offered this life to Ticknor, October 27, 1852, as if it were completed; but it seems never to have passed a fragmentary state. The claim which Chivers here sets up is to an original ity in metrical effects independent of Poe's example; he asserts that he practiced these effects before Poe and that Poe borrowed from him, notably in the idea and the rhythm of "The Raven." It is only too obvious that what was styled at the beginning of these articles the "Orphic egotism" was now fully developed in Chivers. He had, in 1849, corresponded with W. E. Channing and proclaimed himself an associationist. He wras also in cor respondence with Professor George Bush on the candel abrum of the Tabernacle and cognate matters, and de- voted somewhat to Hebrew learning. He became, as has 386 APPENDIX been said, a Swedenborgian. His poetic self-sufficiency and illusions were a part of this seething mental state. But if it be thought that his mind had lost its balance in some degree, it is only just to observe that his claim to have developed originality in metrical effects was nothing novel. He maintained his originality in metre from the first. It was not an afterthought. A poem, "The Lady Alice," seems to me the fairest example of the rhythm which Chivers evolved; and the patient reader may welcome one entire poem from his pen. THE LADY ALICE i The night is serene with pleasure — Balmy the air — For the Moon makes the icy azure Argently clear; And the Stars with their music make measure To mine down here — My song down here — My beautiful song down here. 2 Pale light from her orb is raining On earth — the sea ; While I am on earth complaining Of one to me More fair than the Moon now waning — More pure than she — More fair than she — More womanly pure than she. 3 She lives in her golden palace Beside the sea; And her name is the Lady Alice — So dear to me ! And she drinks from her crystal Chalice Sweet wine so free — APPENDIX 387 White wine so free — Because her pure heart is free. 4 She sings while the Angels listen With pure delight! And the Stars with new glory glisten, And laughter bright; While my heart in its narrow prison Doth pine to-night — Pine all the night — For want of my Moon to-night. 5 She smiles while my soul is sorry With love divine; And the Stars hear in Heaven the story Which makes me pine! I would give all their crowns of glory If she were mine — Were only mine — Were only forever mine. 6 Oh! come from thy golden palace, Sweet Lady bright ! And fill up this empty Chalice With wine to-night ! — I drink to my Lady Alice! My soul's delight — Heart — soul's delight — My ever divine delight! The likeness to Poe is unmistakable; but in the poem as a whole there is to my ear a Celtic quality in the refrain which Poe never naturalized in his own verse. It may be allowed that, though overlaid with Poe's peculiar myth- names and vocal mystery, Chivers's verse had a music of its own. From the start he had sought the melodic effects of the refrain more markedly than Poe himself, and he had been bred on Coleridge and Shelley, the lyrical masters 388 APPENDIX of sound. He was in parallelism with Poe, so to speak, and was attracted to him till he coalesced. It is no wonder that he himself sincerely regarded his work as the primary one, and Poe's as the derivative, given his egotism. The claim he made in regard to " The Raven" can be denned precisely. He had employed an iambic metre with three feminine rhymes for elegiac verse in the poem " To Allegra Florence in Heaven," and he had developed the idea of the return of the dead woman's soul to her lover in " Uran- othen" — a title certainly pre-Poesque. If one chooses the marvelous lines from the first of these to illustrate the kind of metre, it is easy to give the impression of a reductio ad absurdum. No account of Chivers would be complete without them. "As an egg when broken, never can be mended, but must ever Be the same crushed egg forever, so shall this dark heart of mine Which, though broken, still is breaking, and shall nevermore cease aching, For the sleep which has no waking — for the sleep that now is thine!" But the absurdity of the substance is not one of the argu ments, after all, and the rest of the poem is not like this. It is not too much to grant that in the many atmos pheric influences that surrounded the germination of "The Raven" (and their number was a multitude) these two poems, familiar to Poe, and certainly the last of them, " Uranothen," had a place. The two poets were extraor dinarily sympathetic, but what was intense and firm in Poe was diffused and liquescent in Chivers, who was in truth a kind of double to him in what seems sometimes a spiritualistic, sometimes a grotesque way. He was, in deed, to Poe not unlike what Alcott was to Emerson, and the comparison helps to clarify the confusion of their APPENDIX 389 mutual relations, while it maintains Poe's mastery unim paired. Chivers continued to publish new volumes, and reissue the old, until he died in Georgia in 1858. Unfortunately, in attempting to reconstruct the image of Chivers it is impossible to escape that burlesque effect, though with the kindest intention in the world, which has proved the most enduring element in his works. He did not really change and lose his balance of mind in poetic egotism ; the lack of balance was always there, and only declared itself more spectacularly as time wrent on. The tumultuous vacuity of Blake is found in him from the start and at the finish ; it took the form of senseless sonor ity of diction and mindless rhyme-echo at the end, instead of visible chaotic things of line and color. But at the be ginning there was the germ. Here is a stanza from one of his early pieces, entitled "To a China Tree." "How gladly I looked through the suckle-gemmed valley, The grove where the washwoman filled up her tank — And stood by the well, in the green oakey alley, And turned down the old cedar bucket and drank. But farewell, ye oaks! and the trees of my childhood! And all the bright scenes appertaining to joy! I think of ye often, away in this wildwood, But never shall be as I was when a boy. Nor shoot with my cross-bow — my mulberry cross-bow — The robins that perched on the boughs near the gate." This is something that neither Moore, nor Coleridge, nor even Woodworth, would have been capable of; but in it are the imitative catch, the liking for the refrain,. the un conscious dips into bathos, that appear also in the later verses. Many poets have felt that Poe escapes these things only by a hair's-breadth, though his material is finer. The difference was that Poe was a genius, while Chivers only thought he was one. Poe, I think, played 39o APPENDIX with Chivers to make something out of him; but there was nothing to be made of him but a friend, and that was not Poe's game. Apart from Poe, Chivers was an inter esting illustration of his times: the vast, unfathomable ocean of American crudity was in Chivers, Alcott, Whit man. He was, without regard to his poetry, a most esti mable man in his intellectual sympathy, his ideals and labors, and kindly and honorable in all his relations with his fellows. VI. GRISWOLD'S WORLD1 The one distinguishing tribute paid to Rufus Wilmot Griswold, one that establishes his characteristic excel lence, was his selection by Poe to be his literary executor just before his death. Poe was a good judge of editorial capacity ; and, notwithstanding a history of personal rela tions that would seem to exclude the possibility of such a choice, Poe showed great sense in regard to his own inter ests when he engaged the best-known and best-equipped American editor to collect and publish his works. He thus secured, under favorable conditions, a form of publication which he had always failed in accomplishing himself. Griswold was in his day an important person in American literary life. His connection with Poe was incidental. To himself and others he was first of all the one man who had attempted to show the poetic accomplishment of our country in its first half-century, for the honor and encour agement of our literature, and had succeeded in the task, difficult and in many ways ungrateful, of a proper selec tion and just arrangement of the material. This work con- r 1 Passages from the Correspondence and other Papers of Rufus W. Griswold. Cambridge, Mass. W. M. Griswold. 1898. APPENDIX 391 stitutes his real claim to thankful remembrance ; it is, and for students of American literature it must remain, a land mark volume, which for their purposes cannot be dis placed. Whatever its demerits of substance may be, they faithfully reflect the time's qualities, and the editorial part is unexceptionable. Griswold was a born compiler, as Greeley saw from the start when he was employing him in the scissors work of journalism : " He [Raymond] has no judgment with regard to selections. There you are unrivaled"; and again, "In literary cooperism you were boss, decidedly." And in his book-work Griswold was putting to use the same ability that he had exercised in newspaper offices. The sort of labor involved and the kind of success he achieved are fairly stated in his own words : — " There had been published in this country about five hundred volumes of rhythmical compositions of various kinds and degrees of merit, nearly all of which I read with more or less attention. From the mass I chose about one- fifth, as containing writings not unworthy of notice in such an examination of this part of our literature as I proposed to make. I have been censured, perhaps justly, for the wide range of my selections. But I did not consider all the contents of the volume poetry. I aimed merely to show wrhat had been accomplished toward a poetical literature by our writers in verse before the close of the first half century of our national existence. With much of the first order of excellence, more was accepted that was compara tively poor. But I believe nothing was admitted inferior to passages in the most celebrated foreign works of like character. I have also been condemned for omissions. But on this score I have no regrets. I can think of no name not included in the first edition which I would now 392 APPENDIX admit without better credentials than were before me when that edition was printed." Apart from the merit of his work, his position as the Rhadamanthus of contemporary poetic ambitions, then perhaps more numerous even than now, made him the centre of much correspondence, and resulted in his papers becoming the repository of an unusual amount of literary information about books and their authors, biographical data at first hand, and other matters of transitory na ture. It is true that the world of letters depicted seems to have little to do with Longfellow, Lowell, and Hawthorne; it is the more populous world of the " Literati," the little New Englanders, the little Knickerbockers, and others of the gnomes and elves of Parnassus, if such small people have any abiding-place in the crevices and on the swards of that mystic place. It is the world of the magazines and journals and their brief and flimsy reputations, of coteries and circles in the city and visitants from the Southwest and the Illinois prairies — the world which seems now more malicious and now more humorous, but which was the environment, in taste, feeling, and culture, of the pur suit of letters here for a generation. The talk is " small- talk"; and the names of the speakers come like faint echoes of a "ruined Paradise." A Paradise, in some sort, it seemed to themselves. Here is a peep into it, on July 10, 1842, just after Griswold joined " Graham's": — " I have been to New York for a few days, and saw all the people — breakfasted with Willis, smoked with Hal- leek, took tea with Keese, dined with Maria 'del Occi- dente,' chatted with Hoffman, Balmanno, Mrs. Embury, Seba Smith, Miss Thayer (an old Boston friend of yours, who is one of the greatest of living characters), etc. Touch- APPENDIX 393 ing Maria Brooks — she is a wonderful woman — I have never seen her compeer. She talked as volubly as any woman, but not as women talk; but what I have to say of her must be addressed to Whipple, concerning whom, and Macaulay, we held appreciative converse. You have seen, I doubt not, the new arrangements for the magazine. I had little to do with the July No., as it was nearly all printed before I came hither; but the August is better, and the September will be better still. Cooper, Bryant, Longfellow, all the while ! besides Fields and Tuckerman ! — of course you will send me something in time for it. Speaking of Longfellow — the MS. of his ' Spanish Stu dent' I shall have bound in green and gold — would you not like to have it ? Such autographs are not to be picked up every day." Thus Griswold to Fields. More remote still — more redolent of the Elysian poppy in the burying-meadows of time — is this advice of Hoffman, December 28, 1844: — " I certainly would balance the florid style of Bancroft with the directness of Sparks — nor would your book be complete without quotations from Gouverneur Morris, whom the men of his day thought a master of elegant writing. In making my selections, I would choose the pas sages which are most characteristic of the writer (which in some instances are not the best that might be culled). Timothy Flint's description of Red River, for instance, in his 'Francis Berrien,' is happily the most Flintish as well as the finest passage you could quote from him. Irving's ' Bracebridge Hall ' has a passage which is the very tip- toppery of his elegance. In Frisbie's review of Byron there is a passage of rare musical cadence. In Gouverneur Morris you will find a blending of the epigrammatic style of Junius with much of the polished facility of the old 394 APPENDIX French memoirs — and in John Randolph you have more than the biting sarcasm of Wilkes." On the next page there is a grave-to-grave poll of the candidates, from the pen of a Cambridge divine. We rub our eyes as if we had reversed the legend of Sleepy Hol low and waked in a world of "lang syne" as unfamiliar, and as disproportioned to our recollection, as Rip Van Winkle's. But, after all, though humorous surprise will intrude upon the reader, there is a great deal of reality in this liter ary past. The sight of Longfellow reading the works of John Neal "straight through" is almost educative in the actuality it gives to boredom. Whipple's remark is brief but full as to certain aspects of the matter: "I have no patience with the New York literati. They are all the time quarrelling with each other. Why not kiss and be friends ? You have a precious lot of feuds on your own hands. ' A plague on both your houses, say I.'" Boston is sketched out a bit by Fields, who contributes to the volume two familiar epistles in verse to "Rufe," as the great editor is companionably called (or "Gris") throughout by his friends; but no quotation could do sufficient injustice to them — they must be read in order to be properly damned. The most interesting person who appears is Horace Greeley, whose letters are numerous and such as no other could indite. They are rapid notes, business notes, fa miliar in the extreme, and all strongly marked with the hard good sense, the activity, the homely directness, the excellent intellectual interests and friendly serviceable- ness of the restless and various writer. His desire to issue an edition of Praed, and his comments on the poet ("I will get it published somewhere if I have to run in debt for APPENDIX 395 it"), and still more his interest in Shelley's poems (" There is not a copy of them to be had here [New York: 1845], and I presume not in the country. You know they ought to be published"), are curious memoranda of his tastes. In the business of public notices he was sadly unscrupu lous: "Get a right notice in the 'Ledger,' if you can. Swain would like to do me a kindness. But pay for it rather than not get a good one." The advice was proof of the mercenary custom of criticism then, as is plain from many a line elsewhere, as where Epes Sargent sends his " little book " with this request : " Please keep the author ship a secret, and if you can get the accompanying notices published, one in the 'North American' and the other in the ' Evening Journal' without betraying it, do so. I shall be much obliged, and will cheerfully reciprocate the favor at any time." Greeley's characterizations are the shrewd est in the volume, often only hints, but effective, and to Griswold himself he sometimes uses a tell-tale frankness : " Now write me a few racy, spicy — not personal, far less malignant [letters] depicting society and life in Philadel phia. Soon, mind. . . . About half a column in length, spirited and lively, but not spiteful. Satirize Society and customs if you must, but don't touch individuals." Again, " The only principle I ever found you tenacious of is that of having your pay at least as fast as you earn it." There are several other unfavorable obiter dicta from different persons with regard to Griswold, who certainly had un- amiable traits and grave defects, concerning which the best statement is Leland's: "He was to his death so uni formly a friend to me and so untiring in his efforts to aid me, that I cannot find words to express his kindness nor the gratitude I feel. ... To the end of his life I was always with him a privileged character, and could take, if 396 APPENDIX I chose, the most extraordinary liberties, though he was one of the most irritable and vindictive men I ever met if he fancied he was in any way too familiarly treated." Griswold's personality is thus fully suggested. It would be an interminable task were one to try to survey all in detail. Strange and wonderful persons abound in the crowd, intellects manque and morals very much in the same deplorable state. Chivers is easily the first — no doubt an excellent man, but in verse the idiot form of Poe. No wonder that Poe abandoned him. Here, too, are the unlaid ghosts of H. W. Herbert and G. G. Foster, to the latter of whom Greeley and Griswold were truly friends at need: and among the female literati, Mrs. E. Oakes Smith, whose life was a remarkable one, and of course the Ellets and Osgoods, the Carys, and many more. George William Curtis's account of himself, ending " Voila tout! and Shelley died when he was no older than I am," is interesting; so is John Neal's. In the way of curious literature, those who remember Poe's " Valentine " to Mrs. Osgood in which he wove her name into the verse, will read the similar effusion she addressed to Griswold with a touch of surprise. It is an illustrative document in regard to the literary group. The italics show the inserted names. "For one, whose being is to mine a star, Trembling I weave in lines of love and fwn What Fame before has echoed near and /ar. A sonnet if you like, — I '11 give yow one To be cross-questioned ere it's truth is solv'd. Here veiled and hidden in a rhyming wreath A name is turned with mine in cunning sheath, And unless by some marvel rare evolved, Forever folded from all *dler eyes Silent and secret still it treasured lies, Whilst mine ^oes winding onward, as a rill APPENDIX 397 Thro' a deep wood in unseen joyance dances, Calling in melody's bewi/dering thrill Whilst thro' dim leaves its partner dreams and glances." Two things stand out. The first is the mean literary poverty of the time, its atmosphere of impecuniosity, of little pay for the best work, of a log-rolling and subsidized criticism and feeble product; its environment of gossip and scandal, its deficient integrity, its undeniable vul garity, its Grub-Street and Dunciad populace with the disadvantages of a large female immigration into these purlieus; and the second is the character and position of Griswold as a prince among his peers ; but what a prince dom and what a peerage! If oblivion could have been the lot of such literary mortality as is here disclosed, it would have been nothing to be sorry for; but we must accept a literary ancestry exposed to the full light that now beats upon the mob as hotly as once upon the throne. APPENDIX B FRAGMENTS OF POE'S TALE: THE LIGHT HOUSE ... the three that are usually put in. The duty is a mere nothing ; and the printed instructions are as plain as possible. It never would have done to let Orndoff accom pany me. I never should have made any way with my book as long as he was within reach of me, with his intol erable gossip — not to mention that everlasting meer schaum. Besides, I wish to be alone. ... It is strange that I never observed, until this moment, how dreary a sound that word has — " alone" ! I could half fancy there 398 APPENDIX was some peculiarity in the echo of these cylindrical walls — but oh, no ! — this is all nonsense. I do believe I am going to get nervous about my insulation. That will never do. I have not forgotten De Grafs prophecy. Now for a scramble to the lantern and a good look around to "see what I can see." ... To see what I can see indeed ! — not very much. The swell is subsiding a little, I think — but the cutter will have a rough passage home, never theless. She will hardly get within sight of the Norland before noon to-morrow — and yet it can hardly be more than 190 or 200 miles. Jan. 2. I have passed this day in a species of ecstasy that I find it impossible to describe. My passion for soli tude could scarcely have been more thoroughly gratified. I do not say satisfied; for I believe I should never be satiated with such delight as I have experienced to-day. . . . The wind lulled about day-break, and by the after noon the sea had gone down materially. . . . Nothing to be seen, with the telescope even, but ocean and sky, with an occasional gull. Jan. 3. A dead calm all day. Towards evening, the sea looked very much like glass. A few sea-weeds came in sight ; but besides them absolutely nothing all day — not even the slightest speck of cloud. . . . Occupied myself in exploring the light-house. . . . It is a very lofty one — as I find to my cost when I have to ascend its interminable stairs — not quite 160 feet, I should say, from the low- water mark to the top of the lantern. From the bottom inside the shaft, however, the distance to the summit is 180 feet at least : — thus the floor is 20 feet below the sur face of the sea, even at low-tide. ... It seems to me that the hollow interior at the bottom should have been filled in with solid masonry. Undoubtedly the whole would have APPENDIX 399 been thus rendered more safe : — but what am I thinking about ? A structure such as this is safe enough under any circumstances. I should feel myself secure in it during the fiercest hurricane that ever raged — and yet I have heard seamen say that, occasionally, with a wind at South-West, the sea has been known to run higher here than any where with the single exception of the Western opening of the Straits of Magellan. No mere sea, though, could accomplish anything with this solid iron-riveted wall — which, at 50 feet from high-water mark, is four feet thick, if one inch. . , . The basis on which the structure rests seems to me to be chalk. . . . Jan. 4 [The MS., from the Griswold Papers, is in Poe's hand, very clearly written, without alteration or erasure, on three narrow strips of blue paper such as Poe used in other MSS. of 1845.] APPENDIX C BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE TALES AND POEMS WITH NOTES I. THE TALES [The following abbreviations are used : S. L. M., Southern Literary Messenger ; A. Mo., American Monthly : G, M., Gentleman's Magazine ; Gra. M., Graham's Magazine; S. L. C., Snowden's Lady's Companion; God. L. B., Godey's Lady's Book; A. W. R., American Whig Review; B. J., Broadway Journal; A. M., Arthur's Magazine ; C. M., Columbian Magazine. The editions of 1840, 1843, 1845, are indicated by those dates only.] Poe was careful in composition and solicitous for the printed text of his works. He published nearly all his tales repeatedly, both in periodicals and in volumes; and, 4oo APPENDIX on each reissue, he revised the text, except when some particular tale appeared nearly simultaneously in two places. The extent of the revision varied; usually he shortened the tale, and simplified, moderated, and har monized the language, but in some instances while keep ing the incidents, dialogue, and ideas intact, he rewrote the tale verbally. " The Imp of the Perverse" and " The Tell-tale Heart" are examples of such minute correction. He seems never to have regarded any form as final, but made new changes on the margin of the last printed copy. The following list shows the date and place of publication of each tale, so far as known, in chronological order of composition, so far as can be conjectured on safe grounds. The three tales of which in respect to these points there is no certain knowledge were either from manuscript in Griswold's hands, an unlikely hypothesis except in one instance, or from periodicals of which no file exists, such as " The Flag of Our Union, " or from obscure publications which have escaped search. 1. MS. Found in a Bottle. Baltimore Saturday Visiter, Oct. 12, 1833 ; S. L. M., Dec. 1835 J The Gift, 1836 ; 1840; B. J. ii, 14. 2. The Assignation (The Visionary). God. L. B., Jan. 1834; S. L. M., July, 1835; l84o; B. J. i, 23. 3. Berenice. S. L. M., March, 1835; 1840; B. J. i, 14. 4. Morella. S. L. M., April, 1835; 1840; B. J. i, 25. 5. Lionizing. S. L. M., May, 1835; l84°; l8455 B- J- i, ii. 6. Hans Pfaall. S. L. M., June, 1835; 1840. 7. Bon-Bon. S. L. M., Aug. 1835; 1840; B. J. i, 16. 8. Shadow — A Parable (Fable). S. L. M., Sept. 1835; 1840; B. J. i, 22. APPENDIX 401 9. Loss of Breath. S. L. M., Sept. 1835; l84°J B- J- "» 26. 10. King Pest. S. L. M., Sept. 1835; 1840; B. J. ii, 15. 11. Metzengerstein. S. L. M., Jan. 1836; 1840. 12. Due de L'Omelette. S. L. M., Feb. 1836; 1840; B.J. ii, 14. 13. Four Beasts in One (Epimanes). S. L. M., March, 1836; 1840; B. J. ii, 22. 14. A Tale of Jerusalem. S. L. M., April, 1836; 1840; B. J., ii, ii. 15. Mystification (Von Jung). A. Mo., June, 1837; 1840; B. J. ii, 25. 16. Silence — A Fable (Siope). Baltimore Book, 1839; 1840; B. J. ii, 9. The " Tales of the Folio Club," submitted to the Com mittee on the Prize Tale for the Baltimore " Saturday Visiter," before Oct. 12, 1833, and sent to Carey & Lea, Philadelphia, before November, 1834, was made up out of the above titles. "Lionizing" and "The Visionary" are stated to have been among the tales submitted to the Committee, in an editorial note (S. L. M., Aug. 1835), and "Siope" and "Epimanes" are mentioned as among the tales in Carey & Lea's hands, Sept. n, 1835 (Poe to Kennedy). The note referred to adds, " The ' Tales of the Folio Club ' are sixteen in all, and we believe it is the author's intention to publish them in the autumn." The sixteenth tale of the Folio Club is in doubt. Latrobe mentions " A Descent into the Maelstrom" as among the " Tales of the Folio Club" in 1833, but he probably confused it with " MS. Found in a Bottle." When Carey & Lea returned Poe's manuscript, one tale was missing and seems not to 402 APPENDIX have been found (Carey & Lea to Poe). This may have been the sixteenth tale in question. The most satisfactory hypothesis is that the sixteen titles above made up the "Tales of the Folio Club." A brief introduction to these tales, found among the Griswold MSS., and entitled " The Folio Club," was published in " The Virginia Poe," ii, xxxvi-xxxix. The volume, not being published by Carey & Lee, was offered by Poe to Harper & Brothers through J. K. Paulding, and by them declined through him, March 3, 1836 (Paulding to White), and also di rectly, June, 1836 (Harper & Brothers to Poe). It was also offered to another New York house, and its London publication considered, but the documents in the case are unpublished. 17. Ligeia. The American Museum, Sept. 1838; 1840; B. J. ii, 12. 18. How to Write a Blackwood Article (The Signora Zenobia). The American Museum, Dec. 1838; 1840; B. J. ii, i. 19. A Predicament (The Scythe of Time). A Pendant to the preceding tale. The American Museum, Dec. 1838; 1840; B. J. ii, i. 20. The Devil in the Belfry. The (Philadelphia) Saturday Chronicle and Mirror of the Times, May 8, 1839; 1840; B. J. ii, 18. 21. The Man That Was Used Up. G. M., Aug. 1839; 1840; 1843; B. J. ii, 5. 22. The Fall of the House of Usher. G. M., Sept. 1839; 1840; 1845. 23. William Wilson. G. M., Oct. 1839; The Gift, 1840; 1840; B. J. ii, 8. 24. The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion. G. M., Dec. 1839; 1840; 1845. APPENDIX 403 25. Why the Little Frenchman Wears his Hand in a Sling. 1840; B. J., ii, 9. "Tales of the Arabesque and Grotesque," 2 v., Phila delphia, Lea & Blanchard, 1840, was published in Dec. 1839, and included all the above titles. 26. The Business Man (Peter Pendulum). G. M., Feb. 1840; B. J. ii, 4. 27. The Man of the Crowd. G. M., Dec. 1840; 1845. 28. The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Gra. M., April, 1841; 1843; 1845. 29. A Descent into the Maelstrom. Gra. M., May, 1841; 1845. Cf. supra, i, 284, Poe to Snodgrass, where he speaks of the tale as just written. 30. The Island of the Fay. Gra. M., June, 1841; B. J. ", 13- 31. The Colloquy of Monos and Una. Gra. M., Aug. 1841; 1845. Poe offered Lea & Blanchard, Aug. 13, 1841, eight later pieces to be added to the "Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque" in a second edition; "the later pieces will be eight in number, making the entire collection thirty-three" (Poe to Lea & Blanchard). The offer was declined Aug. 16, 1841 (Lea & Blanchard to Poe). 32. Never Bet the Devil your Head. Gra. M., Sept. 1841 ; B. J. ii, 6. 33. Three Sundays in a Week (A Succession of Sundays). The (Philadelphia) Saturday Evening Post, Nov. 27, 1841; B. J. i, 19. 34. Eleonora. The Gift, 1842; B. J. i, 21. 35. The Oval Portrait (Life in Death). Gra. M., April, 1842; B. J. i, 17. 404 APPENDIX 36. The Masque of the Red Death. Gra. M., May, 1842 ; B. J. ii, 2. 37. The Landscape Garden. S. L. C, Oct. 1842; B. J. ii, 1 1 . Afterwards incorporated with " The Domain of Arnheim." 38. The Mystery of Marie Roget. S. L. C., Nov., Dec., Feb. 1842-43; 1845. 39. The Pit and the Pendulum. The Gift, 1843; B- J- i> 20. 40. The Tell-tale Heart. The Pioneer, Jan. 1843 J B- J. ii, 7. The titles, 26-40, are given in a footnote to Hirst's Life of Poe (Phil. Saturday Museum, March 4, 1843) as a list of the tales written since the publication of the edition of 1840. The article, which was inspired by Poe and reflects his opinion, says: "All the best of Mr. Poe's prose tales have been published since the issue of the volumes," etc. "The Prose Romances of Edgar A. Poe," No. i (pp. 40), paper cover, Philadelphia, George B. Zieber & Co., 1843, was published in the summer, and included 20, 28. The edition is of great rarity. 41. The Gold Bug. The (Philadelphia) Dollar News paper, June 21-28, 1843; 1845. 42. The Black Cat. The (Philadelphia) United States Saturday Post, Aug. 19, 1843; ^43- 43. The Elk (Morning on the Wissahiccon). The Opal, 1844. 44. A Tale of the Ragged Mountains. God. L. B., April, 1844; B. J. ii, 21. 45- The Spectacles. (Sent to Home, April, 1844.) B. J. ii, 20. APPENDIX 405 46. Diddling Considered as one of the Exact Sciences. B. J. ii, 10. 47. The Balloon Hoax. The (New York) Sun, April 13, 1844. 48. Mesmeric Revelation. C. M., Aug. 1844; 1845. 49. The Premature Burial. The (Philadelphia) - — , Aug. 1844; B. J. i, 24. 50. The Oblong Box. God. L. B., Sept. 1844; B. J. ii, 23. 51. The Angel of the Odd. C. M., Oct. 1844. 52. Thou Art the Man. God. L. B., Nov. 1844. 53. The Literary Life of Thingum-Bob. S. L. M., Dec. 1844; B. J. ii, 3. 54. The Purloined Letter. The Gift, 1845; 1845. 55. The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether. Gra. M., Nov. 1845. The titles, 41-55, except 47 and 53, are given as the tales written since Hirst's list, and of these 48-50, 52, 54, 55, are marked as unpublished, May 28, 1844 (Poe to Lowell), — " about sixty altogether including the ' Grotesque and Arabesque.'" The titles, 45, 46, were, therefore, pub lished earlier than in the "Broadway Journal" or the failure to mark them as unpublished may have been due, certainly in the case of No. 45, to Poe's having sent them to England. The title, 49, was published not later than Aug. 1844, as extracts from it appeared in the "Rover" at the end of that month, and were introduced by the words, "A writer in one of the Philadelphia papers recently gave," etc. Poe must have had in mind more tales than he mentioned, as by June, 1844, he had pre pared a complete collection, which was even larger in number. He then wrote: "Setting aside, for the present, my criticisms, poems, and miscellanies (sufficiently nu- 4o6 APPENDIX merous) my tales are, in number, sixty-six. ... I have them prepared in every respect for the press" (Poe to Anthon). At that date, Poe had published forty-seven tales, 1-47 ; and, according to this statement, there were then unpublished nineteen tales, of which the titles of eight only, 48-55 are known. The remaining titles are, in all, thirteen only, of which eleven would be required to justify Poe's statement. In other words, unless there were tales that never appeared at all, the statement of Poe to Anthon would involve the conclusion that he wrote only two tales after June, 1844. It is obvious that he included some of his miscellanies under the term, "Tales." The collection was offered to Harper & Bro thers through Anthon, and declined Nov. 1844 (Anthon to Poe). 56. The Thousand and Second Tale. God. L. B., Feb. 1845; B. J. ii, 16. The titles, 26-56, except 46, are given as the tales written since the publication of the edition of 1840, in a footnote to Lowell's biography of Poe, Graham's Maga zine, Feb. 1845. "Tales," New York, Wiley & Putnam, 1845, aP~ peared about July of that year, and included 5, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, 31, 38, 41, 42, 48, 54. Poe wrote, Aug. 9, 1846, "The last selection of my tales was made from about seventy by Wiley & Putnam's reader, Duyckinck " (Poe to Cooke). It appears that the selection was made from the Anthon list, or else in the two years the number had not much increased. A reviewer of this volume, how ever, evidently inspired by Poe, says, — " To our own knowledge he has published at least seventy-five or eighty tales." APPENDIX 407 57. Some Words with a Mummy. A. W. R., April, 1845 ; B. J. ii, 17. The title, 57, was mentioned in the " Columbian Maga zine," January, 1845: "Notice to Correspondents. The following articles are accepted. . . . Some Words with a Mummy." 58. The Power of Words. Democratic Review, June, 1845; B. J. ii, 16. 59. The Imp of the Perverse. Gra. M., July, 1845; May flower, 1846. 60. The Case of M. Valdemar. A. W. R., Dec. 1845; B. J. ii, 24. 61. The Sphinx. A. M., Jan. 1846. 62. The Cask of Amontillado. God. L. B., Nov. 1846. 63. The Domain of Arnheim. C. M., March, 1847. The tale embodies and develops "The Landscape Garden." 64. Mellonta Tauta. God. L. B., Feb. 1849. 65. Hop-Frog. The Flag of Our Union, 1849. 66. X-ing a Paragrab. Unknown. 67. Landor's Cottage. Unknown. Sent to the Metropoli tan toward the end of 1848. 68. Von Kempelen and His Discovery. Unknown. Sent to Duyckinck about March i, 1849. Notwithstanding the discrepancy between the number of tales mentioned by Poe in his letters to Lowell, Anthon, and Cooke, and the number that can be traced as existing at the dates on which he wrote, there is little reason to believe that this is not well-nigh a complete list. The fragment entitled " The Light-house," given above in Ap pendix B, was the only manuscript relating to the tales, beside the Introduction to the Folio Club, found in the 4o8 APPENDIX Griswold MSS. The absence of any title, other than those included above, in his correspondence or the pub lications of the time, discredits the hypothesis that any important compositions were lost among his manuscripts, and it is incredible that any editor suppressed such manuscripts after his death, though unpublished matter exists in some collections. He probably included in his calculation all the tales he had written or was engaged upon, and possibly some of his miscellanies. It is clear that he found publication difficult and often long-delayed, and also that his productivity in this kind of composi tion almost ceased in the last four years of his life, as at other times it had shown a low degree of vitality. The average number of tales written each year, from 1833 to 1846, is between four and five, but it was higher at both the beginning and the end of the period, and from 1837 to 1841 fell to two, which is nearly as low as from 1846 to 1849; in the first of these periods Poe was other wise occupied in book-making and editing, and in the second in criticism and lecturing. Of these tales, the following were reprinted abroad in Poe's lifetime: "The Fall of the House of Usher," in "Bentley's Miscellany"; "The Purloined Letter," in Chambers' "Edinburgh Journal"; "Mesmeric Revela tion," in the "Popular Record of Modern Science," Lon don; "The Case of M. Valdemar," in the same, and in "Mesmerism 'In Articulo Mortis'" (paper"), London, 1846 ; and " The Murders in the Rue Morgue " and other tales, translated in La Commerce and La Quotidienne and collected in Les Contes d' Edgar Poe, 1846. Of Poe's original contribution to foreign periodicals no trace has been found. He was from the first anxious to publish in England; after the Harpers had declined the APPENDIX 409 "Tales of the Folio Club," he corresponded with a New York house, having a London agency, with respect to the issue of the book in both countries. The letters have not been shown to me, but I am allowed to say that such is their contents. In 1842, at Philadelphia, he enlisted the interest of Dickens in finding an English publisher for a volume of Tales (supra, i, 328), but without avail. Wiley & Putnam, by an arrangement with the Harpers pre sumably, issued "Arthur Gordon Pym" with a London imprint in 1838 and 1841, and a pirated edition appeared in 1844. The same firm, when they became Poe's Ameri can publishers, also regularly issued the "Tales," 1845, "The Raven and Other Poems," 1846, and "Eureka," 1848, with a London imprint. The account of Poe's connection with foreign periodi cals is less clear, but interesting, and comes wholly from himself. The first mention is in a letter to Snodgrass, September n, 1839: "I have made a profitable engage ment with 'Blackwood's Mag.,' and my forthcoming Tales are promised a very commendatory Review in that Journal from the pen of Professor Wilson." He returned to the subject, June 17, 1841 : "It was only six weeks since that I had the opportunity I wished of sending a copy to Professor Wilson, so as to be sure of its reaching him directly. Of course I must wait some time yet for a no tice, — if any there is to be." Meanwhile he mentioned a connection with D 'Israeli in a letter to Cooke, Septem ber 21, 1839: "You read my most intimate spirit 'like a book,' and with the single exception of D 'Israeli I have had communication with no other person who does." He spoke again of the subject of magazine publication in his manuscript memorandum furnished to Griswold, March 29, 1841: "Lately have written articles continuously for 4io APPENDIX two British journals whose names I am not permitted to mention." In Hirst's sketch of him in the "Saturday Museum," March 4, 1843, written from information fur nished by Poe, there is a more modified statement of his British connection, with new revelations; "Besides the works mentioned he is the author of ... a work of fiction in two volumes under a nom-de-plume, never acknowledged; also two papers on American topics for a Parisian critical journal, with one or two anonymous articles in a British periodical, and several also anony mous in an American Quarterly." In 1844 he sent one article to Home, in furtherance of his old ambition (supra ii, 50), without success. No article has been identified as by him in any English periodical or journal, but no sys tematic search has been made ; and there is no other indi cation that he contributed to a journal in Paris. II. THE POEMS Poe's revision of the poems was even more persistent and minute than in the case of the tales, and his republi- cation of them more often repeated. He was especially solicitous also to have them copied into newspapers. The following list shows the date and place of publication of each poem, so far as known, in the chronological order of their issue, with notes on the order of composition so far as can be conjectured on reasonable grounds. In several instances revision occurred very late during his life, notably in his marginal correction of the Lorimer-Gra- ham copy of 1845, anc^ a^so elsewhere; where GriswTold's text, 1850, differs from the last publication, known to him, there is no reasonable ground to doubt that he had manuscript authority in every case, among the Poe papers APPENDIX 411 given into his hands as literary executor; on the other hand, there were final printed texts unknown to Gris- wold. There is no such example in literature of poetic elaboration as is contained in the successive issues of these poems as here listed. [The following abbreviations are used : Y. L. G., The Yankee and Bos ton Literary Gazette ; B. J., Broadway Journal ; G. M., Burton's Gentle man's Magazine ; A. C., Atkinson's Philadelphia Casket ; S. L. M., Southern Literary Messenger ; S. M., Philadelphia Saturday Museum ; Gra. M., Graham's Magazine ; A. W. R., American Whig Review ; Pio., The Pioneer; S. V., Baltimore Saturday Visiter; S. E. P., Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post; God. L. B., Godey's Lady's Book; A. M., Bal timore American Museum; E. M., New York Evening Mirror; M. M., Missionary Memorial ; H. J., Home Journal ; C. M., Columbian Maga zine ; U. M., Union Magazine ; S. U. M., Sartain's Union Magazine ; F. U., Flag of Our Union; N. Y. T., New York Tribune; Gr. 1842, Griswold, " Poets and Poetry of America," 1842. The editions of 1827, 1829, 1831, 1845, are indicated by those dates only.] 1827. i. Tamerlane. 1827; extracts in Y. L. G., Dec. 1829; 1829; 1831; 1845. 2. Song (I saw thee on thy bridal day). (To ), 1827, with same title, and 1829; B. J. ii, n; 1845- 3. Dreams. 1827. 4. Spirits of the Dead. (Visit of the Dead), 1827 ; 1829; G. M., July, 1839. 5. Evening Star. 1827. 6. A Dream within a Dream. (Imitation), 1827 ; extract in Y. L. G., Dec. 1829; (To ), 1829 ; incorporated in Tamerlane, 183 1 . The title is Griswold's. 7. Stanzas. (No title), 1827. The title is Sted- man's. 8. A Dream. (No title), 1827; 1829; B. J. ii, 6; 1845. 4i2 APPENDIX 9. "The happiest day, the happiest hour." (No title), 1827. 10. TheLake. To . (The Lake), 1827; 1829; incorporated in Tamerlane, 1831, but not in 1845; 1845; M- M-> l846. The titles, i-io, represent Poe's work previous to his nineteenth year. The Wilmer MS. is intermediate be tween 1827 and 1829, and to the same period properly belongs the poem, "Alone," copied into a Baltimore album, March 17, 1829, and first published in " Scribner's Magazine," Sept. 1875; a poem of the same title occurs in the Wilmer MS., but it is half indecipherable, and wholly different in matter, being related to title 15. 1829. ii. To Science. (No title), 1829; A. C., Oct. 1830; 1831; S. L. M., May, 1836; B. J. ii, 4; 1845- The title is, Sonnet — To Science, in all. 12. Al Aaraaf. Extracts in Y. L. G., Dec. 1829; 1829; 183 1 ; extracts in S. M., March 4, 1843; 1845- 13. To . (The bowers whereat in dreams I saw.) 1829; B. J. ii, ii; 1845. 14. To the River . 1829; G. M., Aug. 1839; S. M., March 4, 1843 > B. J. ii, 9; 1845. 15. To . (I heed not that my earthly lot.) (To M ), 1829; 1845- 16. Fairyland. Extract in Y. L. G., Sept. 1829; 1829; 1831; G. M., Aug. 1839; B. J. ii, 13; 1845- 17. Romance. (Preface), 1829; (Introduction), 183 1 ; S. M., March 4, 1843 ', B- J- "> 8 ; 1845. The titles, 11-17, represent Poe's work during his army life and the summer following, that is, from the age of APPENDIX 413 eighteen to that of twenty-one. It may include earlier work not used in 1827, but this is unlikely. 1831. 18. To Helen. 1831; S. L. M., March, 1836; Gra. M., Sept. 1841 ; S. M., March 4, 1843 1 l845- 19. Israfel. 1831; S. L. M., Aug. 1836; Gra. M., Oct. 1841 ; S. M., March 4, 1843 ; B. J- "> 3 J 1845. 20. The City in the Sea. (The Doomed City), 1831 ; (The City of Sin), S. L. M., Aug. 1836; A. W. R. (sub-title, A Prophecy), April, 1845; B. J. ii, 8; 1845. 21. The Sleeper. (Irene), 1831, and with same title, S. L. M., May, 1836; Gr., 1842; S. M., March 4, 1843; B. J. i, 18; 1845. 22. Lenore. (A Paean), 1831, and with same title, S. L.M.Jan. 1836; Pio., Feb. 1843; S. M., March 4, 1843; B. J. ii, 6; 1845. 23. The Valley of Unrest. (The Valley Nis), 1831, and with same title, S. L. M., Feb. 1836; A. W. R., April, 1845; B. J. ii, 9; 1845. The titles, 18-23, represent Poe's work from the age of twenty-one to that of twenty-two and a few months; like the titles, 1-17, they are properly juvenilia, their present highly finished forms being due to repeated and mature revision. 1833. 24. The Coliseum. S. V., 1833; S. L. M. (with sub-title, A Prize Poem), Aug. 1835; and, also with sub-title, S. E. P. June 12, 1841; (Coliseum), Gr., 1842; S.M.,March4, 1843; B. J. ii, i; 1845- 1834. 25. To One in Paradise. (No title), God. L. B. (in The Visionary), Jan. 1834, and S. L. M. (in 4i4 APPENDIX the same), July, 1835; (To lanthe in Hea ven), G. M., July, 1839; Tales (in The Visionary), 1840; S. M., March 4, 1843 > B. J. i, 19; B. J. (in The Assignation), i, 23; 1845. 1835. 26« Hymn. (No title), S. L. M. (in Morella), April, 1845, and (in the same tale G. M., Nov. 1839, Tales, 1840, and B. J. i, 25; (Catholic Hymn), B. J. ii, 6, and with same title, 1845. 27. To F . (To Mary), S. L. M., July, 1835; (To One Departed), Gra. M., March, 1842, and with same title, S. M., March 4, 1843; B. J. i, 17; 1845. 28. To F s S. O d. (Lines Written in an Album), S. L. M., Sept. 1835; (To )> G. M., Aug. 1839; (To F ), B. J. ii, 10; 1845- 1836. 29. Scenes from Politian. (Scenes from an Unpub lished Drama), S. L. M., Dec. i835~Jan. 1836; 1845. 1837. 30. Bridal Ballad. S. L. M., Jan. 1837; (Ballad), S. E. P., July 31, 1841; (Song of the Newly- Wedded), S. M., March 4, 1843 ; B. J. ii, 4; 1845. 31. To Zante. S. L. M., Jan. 1837 ; S. M., March 4, 1843; B. J- », 2; 1845. The title is Sonnet to Zante, in all. The titles, 24-31, represent Poe's work for six years, up to the time of his going North. The order of composi tion may be conjectured as follows: 27, probably the same with the "poem of six or eight verses, addressed to Mary ," his inamorata, in a Baltimore paper, 1833, APPENDIX 415 but it should be noted that the title, To M , occurs as 15, in 1829; 25, 26, 24, 29, the tales and the drama having been written in Baltimore; 28, the lines having been originally addressed to Eliza White, of Richmond; with 30, 31, uncertain as to date. Both 27 and 28 were later addressed to Mrs. Frances Sargeant Osgood, of New York. The title, 30, seems an expansion of 2, and both were doubtless poetic growths from his early romance with Miss Royster; the poem given in S. L. M., Aug. 1835, as an unpublished Scotch ballad is connected with 30, prob ably the first draft of the theme, and if this conjecture be accepted, the date of 30 would naturally be later than Aug. 1835, and both 30 and 31 may have been written in Richmond; otherwise, there is nothing from Poe's hand, in poetry, except 28, during the year and a half of his residence there. 1839. 32. The Haunted Palace. A. M., April, 1839; (no title), G. M. (in The Fall of the House of Usher), Sept. 1839, and Tales (in the same), 1840; Gr., 1842; S. M., March 4, 1843; (no title), Tales (as before), 1845; l845- 1840. 33. Silence. (Silence. A Sonnet), G. M., April, 1840; (Sonnet — Silence), S. M., March 4, 1843, and» w^h same title, B. J. ii, 3; 1845. 1843. 34- The Conqueror Worm. Gra. M., Jan. 1843; S. M., March 4, 1843; B. J. i, 21 ; B. J. (in Ligeia), ii, 12; 1845. 1844. 35. Dreamland. Gra. M., June, 1844; B. J. i, 26; 1845- 1845. 36- The Raven. E. M., Jan. 29, 1845; A- w- R-> Feb. 1845; B. J. i, 6; S. L. M., March, 1845; 4I6 APPENDIX 37. Eulalie. A. W. R. (sub-title, A Song), July, 1845, and also with sub-title, B. J. ii, 5, and 1845- 1847. 38. To M. L. S . H. J., March 13, 1847. Ad dressed to Mrs. Mary Louise Shew. 39. Ulalume. A. W. R. (sub-title To - — ), Dec. 1847; H- J-> Jan- *> l848- The text is Griswold, 1850. 1848. 40. To- — . (To ), C. M., March, 1848. Addressed to Mrs. Shew. The text is Gris wold, 1850. 41. An Enigma. (Sonnet.) U. M., March, 1848. Sent to Mrs. Sarah Anna Lewis, Nov. 27, 1847- 42. To Helen. (To -), U. M., Nov. 1848. Addressed to Mrs. Helen Whitman. Sent to Bayard Taylor, June 15, 1848. The text is Griswold, 1850. 1849. 43. A Valentine. S. U. M., March, 1849; F. U., 1849. Addressed to Mrs. Frances Sargeant Osgood. MS. dated Feb. 14, 1846. 44. For Annie. F. U., April, 1849; H. J., April 28, 1849; sent to Mrs- Richmond, March 23, 1849. The text is Griswold, 1850. 45. To my Mother. F. U., 1849. Mentioned May, 1849. Tne text is Griswold, 1850. 46. Annabel Lee. N. Y. T., Oct. 9, 1849; S. L. M., Nov. 1849; s- U. M., Jan. 1850. 47. The Bells. S. U. M., Nov. 1849. 48. Eldorado. Griswold, 1850. The order of composition of the titles, 38-48, may be conjectured as follows: 43, 39, 38, 40, 41, 42, 47, 44, with APPENDIX 417 45, 46, 48, uncertain as to date. "Ulalume" is, by con jecture, the poem described by Mrs. Gove-Nichols, in the summer of 1846, but may have been rewritten. The Bells is mentioned in three states; the first draft, left with Sartain, probably in Sept., 1848, on Poe's return from Richmond, and 1848, representing the MS. written at Mrs. Shew's, apparently in the early summer of 1848; the second, mentioned February 8, 1849 (P°e to "Annie"), sent to Sartain about May, 1849; tne third, sent to Sartain about Aug. 1849. " Annabel Lee " is first mentioned May, 1849 (Poe to "Annie "), as if then recently written; but Rosalie Poe (Mrs. Weiss, p. 129) professed to have heard it many times at Fordham in 1846, and a gentleman names it ("The Virginia Poe," i, 312) as recited by Poe in Richmond, 1848; Mrs. Osgood believed it commem orated his wife, and Mrs. Whitman that it referred to herself. Poe sent a "perfect copy" to Griswold about June, 1849 (P°e to Griswold). "To my Mother," said (Mrs. Weiss, p. 134) to have been written in 1847, i§ firs^ mentioned May, 1849 (Poe to " Annie "). " Eldorado " is known only in Griswold's text. The late W. M. Griswold suggested to me that further authentication might be desired, though the copy was doubtless found among Poe's papers. Mrs. Richmond was sure that it did not appear in "The Flag of Our Union," and that Poe never mentioned it to her. NOTES MAINLY ON OBSCURE OR CONTROVERTED POINTS VOL. II Page 4. POE AND HIRST. A sketch of Henry B. Hirst is given by Griswold, " Poets and Poetry of America," 1855, and a biography of him is in preparation by Dr. Matthew Woods. He wrote "The Ante-Diluvians," "Endymion," " The Coming of the Mammoth," "The Penance of Poland," "A Book of Cage-Birds," and, writes Dr. Woods, "much miscellaneous matter in prose and verse, including a couple of novels and some of the book reviews ascribed to Poe. . . . He was a native of Philadelphia, and died here mad in 1874." (Woods to the author, Oct. 14, 1894 ) Dr. Woods adds (Oct. 29, 1894), "Poe and Hirst became intimate in Philadelphia, so Thomas Dunn English, who told me he introduced them, says. I know also that Mr Hirst took breakfast with Poe quite frequently Sunday mornings preliminary to their spending the day in country strolls." Theodore F. Wolfe, apparently on the same authority, wrote to the New York Times, Feb. 8, 1904: "Poe and Hirst were intimate friends and com panions during the greater part of the period of the residence of the former in the Quaker City, and were closely associated not only in the follies and dissipations to which both were more or less addicted, but also in their literary work. Unto his dying day Hirst solemnly affirmed that he and not Poe was the writer of 'The Raven,' and that, at most, Poe had written but one stanza and part of another of the poem, the remainder of that stanza having been plagiarized by Poe from a poem well known to students of poetry. I saw in the hands of Dr. 420 NOTES Matthew Woods of Philadelphia the materials for an as yet unpublished biography of Hirst, in which the doctor expects to substantiate Hirst's claim to the authorship of 'The Raven.' Several of the poems which were published in Hirst's first volume had previously appeared in periodicals of which Poe was editor, and Poe's harsh criticisms of Hirst were subse quent to a quarrel with him and a rupture of the boon relation ship which had existed between the two " Poe wrote a notice of Hirst (Broadway Journal, July 12, 1845), and during that year had a poem by Hirst accepted for the Southern Literary Messenger at the same time that he reprinted "The Raven " there It seems likely that he may have had some hand in revising Hirst's lines. Mr. J. H. Whitty informs me that "through his [Poe's] efforts poems were published in the Mes senger, 1843 to 1845, by Anna Marie Hirst, some relative of H. B. Hirst." The cause of the later coolness of the friends, says T. H. Lane, was Hirst's parodying two lines of "The Haunted Palace" thus:- " Never nigger shook a shin-bone In a dance-house half so fair." Page 18. The statement of the financial agreement with regard to the Pioneer is from the Carter MSS. Page 31- William Poe, formerly of Augusta, Ga., now resided in Baltimore, but soon removed South. Page 35. POE AND REID. The most accessible account of the association of Poe with Mayne Reid is that by Howard Paul (M unsey's Magazine, Sept. 1892). Paul was a nephew of T C. Clarke and saw Poe in his boyhood. The reminis cences contain several curious Poe "legends," such as the detailed narrative of the composition of "Israfel," in less than an hour, for the afternoon paper, on the quotation by Clarke "from the Mohammedan Bible " of the well-known text as a possible subject of "a telling poem." The writer also mentions an elsewhere unknown visit of Poe to the Harvard NOTES 421 Library to consult "Trithemius, Vignere, and Niceron" on cryptography, and says that Poe had but one cryptograph ("a single response") sent to him in answer to his challenge to contributors (cf. ii, 40). The paper is interesting as giving the only picture of Poe at dinner parties, "warmed with wine and in a genial, glowing mood," and of his conversation and manner on such occasions. He describes his appearance at this time (1843): "Poe was a slight, small-boned, delicate looking man, with a well-developed head, which, at a glance, seemed out of proportion to his slender body. His features were regular, his complexion pale ; his nose was Grecian and well-moulded, his eyes large and luminous, and when excited, peculiarly vivid and penetrating. He dressed with neatness, and there was a suggestion of hauteur in his manner towards strangers. He was impatient of restraint or contradiction, and when his Southern blood was up, as the saying goes, he could be cuttingly rude and bitterly sarcastic." Mr. Paul also mentions a sketch of a scenario of a tragedy to be worked out with Dr. Bird, of which there is no other hint, and tells an anecdote of Poe and J. B. Booth, father of Edwin Booth, — the twain, on their walk after the Jtheatre, seizing an offended Jew and suspending him "by his breeches on the spikes of a convenient area railing, where they left him kicking and howling while they pursued their torturous way in gladsome mood." Poe's friendship with Booth is not elsewhere men tioned ; but he seems to have been a playgoer both in Phila delphia and New York. Page 37. A Charleston, S C , correspondent of the New York Times (no date, 1890?) gives the source of "The Gold Bug" as certain affidavits with regard to the wreck of the brigantine Cid Campeador, Julian de Vega, Commander, in the summer of 1745, off the South Carolina coast, preserved in the Probate Court Records. "It was also discovered," says the writer, "that he [Poe] paid many a visit to the old books in the office 422 NOTES of the Probate judge, — certainly he paid one visit, and saw," etc. This was during Poe's soldier-days at Fort Moultrie. The papers were also published in Frank Leslie's and else where, but no evidence is alleged except copies of the affidavits of the burying of the treasure. Page 48. The Saturday Museum review was reprinted by Gill. Page 64. POE IN 1843-44. There is much obscurity in Poe's movements toward the close of his residence in Philadelphia. He seems to have sojourned at times in New York ; the only direct evidence, however, is contained in the reminiscences of Gabriel Harrison (New York Times, about March i, 1899). Mr. Harrison was a young actor who had then forsaken the stage for "general merchandise," and was later known as an artist, and was in his shop on Broadway when the acquaintance began: — "One chilly evening I happened to glance through my win dow and saw a small man with a large head looking in rather wistfully at some beautiful plugs of tobacco I had displayed In a moment he entered and asked the price of tobacco. When I had told him he made no niove to buy, and after a few general remarks started to leave. I was struck by a certain indefinite something in his manner, by his voice, and by his fine arti culation. ... So I offered the man a piece of tobacco. He accepted, thanked me, and departed. Two or three weeks afterward he came in again." On the second occasion Poe composed for him a campaign song, of which Mr. Harrison remembered these lines: — " ' See the WhiteEagle soaring aloft to the sky, Wakening the broad welkin with his loud battle cry ; Then here 's the White Eagle, full daring is he, As he sails on his pinions o'er valley and sea.' " Mr. Harrison continues: — "I was delighted and wanted to pay him something for his trouble, but the only thing he would accept was a bag of my NOTES 423 best coffee. As he was going I said that I should like to know his name. '" Certainly,' he answered, with a faint smile. 'Thaddeus Perley, at your service.' " On the next occasion Mr. Harrison, after a brief absence with Halleck, found Poe standing by the counter, and he describes the denouement : — '"Why, good evening, Mr. Perley,' I began. Halleck inter rupted me. ' Great heavens, Poe, is this you ! ' he exclaimed. 'Poe? This is Mr. Perley,' I broke in. "Poe looked at me and then at Halleck, and after an in stant's hesitation said: 'The fact of the matter is, Halleck, I have made this gentleman's acquaintance under the name of Perley; no harm was intended and none done. I knew that the facts would develop themselves. I have walked several miles through the sleet and rain, and, seeing a light in here, thought that perhaps Mr. Harrison would let me warm up some what.' " ' Why, of course,' I answered ; 'here is the stove behind the tea boxes almost red hot. Take off your coat and dry it. What will you have, some of this old port ? ' I spread out some crackers, an old English pineapple cheese, and we all nibbled and bent our elbows in homage to his crimson majesty the old port, and talked of pleasant things till my big clock struck the hour of midnight. Poe left with Halleck and stopped at his house that night. He returned to his home in Philadelphia the next day, I believe, but soon afterward came to New York to reside." Cf. Mrs. Weiss (p. 99) in regard to Poe's "sharing the bachelor life and quarters of his associates who were not aware that he was a married man." Du Solle, the informant, seems to be speaking of New York reminiscences of this pe riod. Mr. Harrison afterward saw Poe habitually in New York, and made a well-known portrait of him. Whether he properly 424 NOTES dates the occurrence is uncertain, but the only reason for doubt is that the presidential campaign was in 1844; it may, however, have been a local campaign to which reference is made. Poe had business in Philadelphia in the fall of 1844, when he super intended the issue of the third edition, 1845, of the "Con- chologist's First Book," taking his name from the title-page, but signing the prefaces E. A. P. It was this edition which occasioned the charge of plagiarism in the Philadelphia news papers. The fact of Poe's superintendence of this issue rests on Mr. Whitty's authority, who had the statement from the printers concerned in the work. Thomas Dunn English refers to the occasion of Poe's leav ing Philadelphia as follows ("Reminiscences of Poe," ii, The Independent, Oct. 22, 1896): "I happen to know why, and there were several others who knew all about it. They are all, I believe, dead. I am the sole possessor of the scandalous secret, and as its recital would do no good to any one, the whole affair shall be buried with me." The reference appears to be to the Saratoga story, mentioned in the text (ii, 43, 48). Whatever may be the truth as to his motives for leaving, Poe appears to have been making New York connections at this period, and an inquiring and speculative mind might readily find traces of his presence there, or of that of his "double," for example in the literary department of Brother Jonathan, 1843, Sept-Dec. There had been a favorable acquaintance between him and its editor, Park Benjamin, since 1841. Page 91. It is singular that no record remains of these " whole months" or of shorter periods of rambling. The early rambles at Charlottesville, where his recitations ended at nine o'clock in the morning, his walks with Wilmer at Baltimore and with Hirst at Philadelphia, and his solitary walks at Ford- ham by night, and his stay at Saratoga, comprise all that is known of these habits, except when he was irresponsible. Page 100. This letter from Lowell to Poe, as well as all ex- NOTES 425 tracts from Stoddard's Memoir, is reproduced by the courtesy of G. P. Putnam's Sons (Poe's Works, New York). Page 114. The story communicated to the New Orleans Times, about July 22, 1870, to the effect that "The Raven" was written by one Samuel Fenwick and came to Poe as a con tribution which he appropriated on the death of its author, is a plain hoax. It rests, professedly, on an alleged letter of Poe to Daniels, Sept. 29, 1849, which is quoted. Cf. Note on Poe's Death. Page 138. Mr. Saunders, librarian of the Astor Library, related (New York Evening Sun, no date) that he met Poe in Broadway after the publication of "The Raven," and describes him as "effusive" and "maudlin"; he gives a vivid anecdote of Poe's declaration of an intention to read the poem before the Queen, and says that "when he had been drinking, which was of frequent occurrence, he would talk of nothing but himself and his work, and the jealousy of other writers. . . . I knew him quite well in those days," he adds, and describes the next occasion. "The next time I saw him he was very much depressed, and was suffering from a fit of melancholia to which he was subject. He spoke of a conspiracy among the other authors of America to belittle his genius and to smother his work. 'But posterity shall judge,' he said, with a gleam of pride in his eye. 'Future generations will be able to sift the gold from the dross, and then " The Raven" will be beheld, shining above them all, as a diamond of the purest water.'" Page 144. The reference to "getting up books" is blind; he may refer to the proposed edition of his poems and to the "American Parnassus," which is a natural interpretation. Mr. Whitty, however, whose opinion in this matter is entitled to great weight, writes to me that he believes the reference is to compiling — such books as "The Conchologist's First Book" and Lemonnier's "Natural History" of Philadelphia 426 NOTES days; he thinks that Poe learned this art of compiling books with White, at Richmond, and did such hack-work more than has been thought, as a means of income, and some hints of such occupation may be found. Page 146. Cf. for Poe's conversation on authors the "Poe- Chivers Papers" (Century, Aug. 1903). The final expression of Briggs's view of Poe is contained in "The Personality of Poe by the late Charles F. Briggs " (The Independent, Dec. -13, 1877): "But his dissipations — which were not intentional, for he was extremely temperate both in his diet and drink, unless he was subjected to strong temptations — were not the repulsive traits of his character. What rendered him so obnoxious to those who knew him intimately were his treachery to his friends, his insincerity, his utter disregard of his moral obligations, and his total lack of loyalty and nobleness of purpose. He aimed at nothing, thought of nothing, and hoped for nothing but literary reputation; and in this respect he gained all he aspired to, and his friends should be satisfied to know that he accomplished all he labored for, and not en deavor to compel the world to award him a character which he never coveted and held in supreme contempt," Page 152. The comment on Greeley's remarks is a letter from Poe to Greeley, Feb. 21, 1847, on the occasion of some unfavorable notice in the Tribune. I know the letter only by the following fragment which is printed in a catalogue (Good- speed, Boston, 1905) : — "In the printed matter, I have underscored two passages. As regards the first : — it alone would have sufficed to assure me that you did not write the article. I owe you money — I have been ill, unfortunate, no doubt weak, and as yet unable to refund the money — but on this ground you, Mr. Greeley, could never have accused me of being habitually unscrupulous in the fulfillment of my pecuniary engagements. The charge is horribly false — I have a hundred times left myself destitute NOTES 427 of bread for myself and family that I might discharge debts which the very writer of this infamous accusation (Fuller) would have left undischarged to the day of his death. " The 2d passage underscored embodies a falsehood — and therefore you did not write it. I did not 'throw away the quill.' I arose from a sick-bed (although scarcely able to stand or see) and wrote a reply which was published in the Phil. 'Sp. of the Times,' and a copy of which reply I enclose you. The * col umns of the Mirror' were tendered to me — with a proviso that I should forego a suit and omit this passage and that passage, to suit the purposes of Mr. Fuller." Page 161. Students of the sources of "The Case of M. Valdemar" and "The Imp of the Perverse" may compare "Rambles and Reveries of an Art Student in Europe" by Thomas T. Watts, Philadelphia, pp. 36, 37. Page 162. The demise of the Broadway Journal is narrated in detail by English (The Independent, Oct 15, 1896). He says that Poe applied to him for advice, and that he influenced Lane to join Poe. The agreement between Lane and Poe, drawn by the latter, Dec. 3, 1845, and witnessed by Colton and George Sweet, transferred one half interest to Lane and left Poe in editorial charge. The office was removed to 304 Broad way, where English and Lane occupied adjoining rooms and had one servant in common. After the issue of number 24, Dec. 20, Poe "went off on one of his fits of drunkenness, leaving the material for number 25 partly finished. . . . After vain attempts for several days to get Poe into sobriety, and failing in them, Mr. Lane determined to close the publication with the next number." English furnished two articles, and the last number, 26, was issued Jan. 3, 1846. Mr. Lane cer tifies to the truth of this account. (Lane to English, The Inde pendent, Nov. 5, 1896.) Page 177. Of the various ladies whose names occur prom inently in Poe's life, Miss Lynch (afterwards Mrs. Botta), 428 NOTES Mrs. Hewitt, Mrs. Ellet, Mrs. Osgood, Mrs. Locke, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Oakes Smith, Mrs. Gove-Nichols, some account is given by Griswold, "The Female Poets of America," 1854, and by Stoddard in his various articles and reminiscences. English gives (loc. cit. Oct. 29, 1896) the characteristic scene: "In the plainly furnished room at one corner stands Miss Lynch with her round cheery face, and Mrs. Ellet, decorous and lady-like, who had ceased their conversation when Poe broke into his lecture. On the sofa on the side of the room I sit with Miss Fuller, afterward the Countess Ossoli, on my right side, and Mrs. Elizabeth Oakes Smith on my left. At my feet little Mrs. Osgood, doing the infantile act, is seated on a footstool, her face upturned to Poe, as it had been pre viously to Miss Fuller and myself. In the centre stands Poe, giving his opinions in a judicial tone and occasionally reciting passages with telling effect." Cf. Stoddard's review of the "Memoirs of Mrs. Botta," The Independent, Feb. i, 1894. Page 185. "The Sphinx" appeared in Arthur's Magazine, Jan. 1846. Page 190. POE AND OPIUM. This account of the source of Poe's ill-health, together with his letters to Snodgrass (i, 254) and to Eveleth (Jaa 4, 1848, Ingram, i, 215), which are the same in substance, makes his own statement of the case. There was always, as here, something enigmatical in the matter. Thus in writing to Chivers (July 22, 1846, "Poe-Chivers Papers," Century, Feb. 1903) a declaration of his abandon ment of stimulants he expresses his desire to have a long talk some day, and adds, "there is much more in this matter than meets the eye." T. C. Clarke, the anonymous author of "The Late N. P. Willis and Literary Men Forty Years Ago" (The Northern Monthly, Jan. 1868), who states Poe was engaged in his office, says: "On this subject fmeaning apparently Poe's distress in general] I have some singular revelations which throw a strong light on the causes that darkened the life, and NOTES 429 made most unhappy the death, of one of the most remarkable of all our literary men." He does not further indicate the na ture of this knowledge. The earliest published statement, so far as I know, of the use of opium by Poe occurs in William Wallace's reply to John Neal, 1850 (no name nor date), where he uses this expression: "The poison, which, taken alternately with opium, kept him half his days in madness." The only direct testimony is that of Miss Herring (Miss Poe to the author, Aug. 28, 1884): "She told me that she had often seen him decline to take even one glass of wine, but says that, for the most part, his periods of excess were occasioned by.a free use of opium." At my request Miss Poe had another interview with Miss Herring, and wrote again, Sept. 13, 1884, with reference to Miss Herring's acquaint ance with the family at that time: "In 1840 or '41 her father, Mr. Herring, went to live in Philadelphia, and she was then a widow and lived with him. To her surprise one day she met Mrs. Clemm on Chestnut St., and then for the first time learned that the Poes were living in Philadelphia. After that she frequently went to see them, and had the misfortune to see him often in those sad conditions from the use of opium. . . . During these attacks he was kept entirely quiet, and they did all possible to conceal his faults and failures. After recovery his penitence was genuine, but he made good resolutions only to be broken." The occasions on which opium is mentioned in his life are in June, 1846, on his return to Fordham, when Rosalie Poe says he "begged for morphine" (Mrs. Weiss, p. 128); in November, 1848, when he wrote Mrs. Richmond that he had taken lauda num in Boston (ii, 277); and in July, 1849, when Sartain says he begged for laudanum when in Philadelphia. On the other hand, English says (The Independent, Oct. 15, 1896) : "Had Poe the opium habit when I knew him, I should, both as a physician and a man of observation, have discovered 430 NOTES it during his frequent visits to my rooms, my visits at his house, and our meetings elsewhere. I saw no signs of it." Dr. John Carter also wrote to me, June 16, 1884: "Poe never used opii in any instance that I am aware of, and if it had been an habitual practice, we certainly would have de tected it, as he numbered amongst his associates half-dozen physicians. ... I never heard it hinted at before, and if he had contracted the habit, it would have accompanied him to Richmond." These are all the facts known to me, bearing on the subject. I may state, in a matter of so leading importance, that I incline to the view that Poe began the use of drugs in Balti more, that his periods of abstinence from liquor were periods of at least moderate indulgence in opium, and that in 1846-47 under the advice of his physicians he abandoned the habit; that his physical state and mode of life in 1847 are connected with this attempt, and his "supposed success in it was the ground of his many statements that the "physical cause" of his fits of intemperance had ceased and the reiterated expres sions of the excellence of his health ; and that his begging for laudanum after his sprees was a sign of lapsing into an older habit, which he did not take with him to Richmond. This hypothesis seems to me to arrange the facts most harmoniously; but it is only a personal view, and may be erroneous. The stu dent of the psychology of Poe should consult the elaborate work of fimile Lauvriere, "Edgar Poe. Sa Vie et son ceuvre. fitude de Psychologic Pathologique." Paris, 1904. It is in teresting, also, to observe the effect of this aspect of his hero's life on Baudelaire, "LTnfluence d'Edgar Poe sur Charles Baudelaire," par Arthur S. Patterson, Grenoble, 1903. Page 191. English gave the following account of this incident (The Independent, Oct. 29, 1906) : — "Poe came to 304 Broadway . . . and entering Lane's room, adjoining mine, where I was chatting with John H. NOTES 431 Tyler, a nephew of the ex-president, asked of me to lend him a pistol. I told him I had none, but he still insisted; and when asked what he wanted with it said that Colonel Lummis had threatened his life unless he showed him Mrs. Ellet's imprudent letters. I asked him why, if he had such letters, he did not pro duce them; and he rejoined that he had them, but would n't produce them under compulsion. I told him plainly that he had no such letters in his possession, in my belief, and that the best thing he could do would be to acknowledge that he had used the expression in a moment of irritation, and to make retraction and apology. One word led to another, and he rushed toward me in a menacing manner." The fracas followed, the com batants were separated by Professor Ackerman "from the front room," and Poe was "led away" by him. On this Lane, in his letter to English, already cited, com ments : — "You had the capacity of being a perfect irritant to Mr. Poe, especially when the poet was lost in the inebriate. When en tirely himself ... he was gentle and respectful to you as to his other acquaintances and friends. How often he had rushed into my room, excitedly exclaiming, — 'Where is English? I want to kill him.' He goes on to speak of Poe's conduct in this instance as 'his maudlin desire to attack you.' English does not state that Poe was intoxicated; but this is implied in Mr. Lane's expressions, and it is agreed that Poe was never subject to such behavior except when so excited." Mr. Lane writes kindly of Poe, but the expression he uses in giving him the charity of silence is most unfortunate; to profess silence is at best a poor way of keeping silence, and in this case he certainly chose his words ill. He ascribes Poe's failings to his poverty, in similar terms to those used by Graham. English states that Poe's lapses were only occasional. "His offenses against sobriety were commited at irregular intervals. He had not that physical constitution that would permit him to be a 432 NOTES regular drinker. ... He was not even a frequent drunkard when I knew him." He testifies, as to two occasions, "that one glass of liquor would affect him visibly, and the second or third produce intoxication." This statement is repeatedly made by others, and restricted to the effect of one glass. On the other hand, it is accompanied by the equally frequent statement that the effects of drinking were not observable in him after at least some degree of indulgence, and often showed only in his talk. More than one person states that he required to be warmed with wine in order to talk in company, and there are many notices of his wine-drinking without serious results, so far as appears. Thompson tells amazing stories of his capacity to stand a " tumbler-full" of brandy or even (on Poe's word, it is true) a score of juleps before breakfast. It is plain enough that no hard- and-fast limit of " a single glass" will stand examination, further than to sustain the belief that he was easily and immediately exhilarated by wine, and rapidly intoxicated by drams, main taining a greater or less degree of concealing the fact ; and at different times of his life and on different occasions there was considerable variability in the matter. Page 219. The reminiscences of Mrs. Gove-Nichols as cribed to her, so far as I know, only on internal evidence, afford the only intimate portrait of the cottage at Fordham, and are both in vividness and tone so natural and true that I subjoin from the original the entire article, marking with asterisks the passages used in the text, in which these verbal errors occur owing to my imperfect copy, namely, — read almost before petite, p. 214; spread for counterpane, p. 218; first before saw, p. 219. (REMINISCENCES OF EDGAR POE (Sixpenny Magazine, Feb. 1863). Some sixteen years ago, I went on a little excursion with two others — one a reviewer, since dead, and the other a person NOTES 433 who wrote laudatory notices of books, and borrowed money or favours from their flattered authors afterwards. He was called unscrupulous by some, but he probably considered his method a delicate way of conferring a favour upon an author or of doing him justice without the disagreeable conditions of bargain and sale. It is certain that he lived better and held his head higher than many who did more and better work. The reviewer petted him, and relied upon him, and gave him money when he failed to get it elsewhere. We made one excursion to Fordham to see Poe. We found him, 'and his wife, and his wife's mother — who was his aunt — living in a little cottage at the top of a hill. There was an acre or two of greensward, fenced in about the house, as smooth as velvet and as clean as the best kept carpet. There were some grand old cherry-trees in the yard, that threw a massive shade around them. The house had three rooms — a kitchen, a sitting-room, and a bed-chamber over the sitting-room. There was a piazza in front of the house that was a lovely place • to sit in in summer, with the shade of cherry-trees before it. There was no cultivation, no flowers — nothing but the smooth greensward and the majestic trees. On the occasion of this my first visit to the poet, I was a good deal plagued — Poe had somehow caught a full-grown bob-o'-link. He had put him in a cage, which he had hung on a nail driven into the trunk of a cherry-tree. The poor bird was as unfit to live in a cage as his captor was to live in the world. He was as restless as his jailer, and sprang continually in a fierce, frightened way, from one side of the cage to the other. I pitied him, but Poe was bent on taming him. There he stood, with his arms crossed before the tormented bird, his sublime trust in attaining the impossible apparent in his whole self. So handsome, so im passive in his wonderful, intellectual beauty, so proud and reserved, and yet so confidentially communicative, so entirely a gentleman on all occasions that I ever saw him — so tasteful, 434 NOTES so good a talker was Poe, that he impressed himself and his wishes, even without words, upon those with whom he spoke. However, I remonstrated against the imprisonment of " Robert of Lincoln Green." "You are wrong," said he, quietly, "in wishing me to free the bird. He is a splendid songster, and as soon as he is tamed he will delight our home with his musical gifts. You should hear him ring out like a chime of joy bells his wonderful song." Poe's voice was melody itself. He always spoke low, even in a violent discussion, compelling his hearers to listen if they would know his opinion, his facts, fancies, or philosophy, or his weird imaginings. These last usually flowed from his pen, seldom from his tongue. * * * [See ii, 213-215.! It was very flattering. She told Poe that his "poem of the Raven had awakened a fit of horror in England." This was what he loved to do. To make the flesh creep, to make one shudder and freeze with horror, was more to his relish (I can not say more to his mind or heart) than to touch the tenderest chords of sympathy or sadness, On the book-shelf there lay a volume of Poe's poems. He took it down, wrote my name in it, and gave it to me. I think he did this from a feeling of sympathy, for I could riot be of advantage to him, as my two companions could. I had sent him an article when he edited the Broadway Journal, which had pleased him. It was a sort of wonder article, and he pub lished it without knowing the authorship, and he was pleased to find his anonymous contributor in me. He was at this time greatly depressed. Their extreme poverty, the sickness of his wife, and his own inability to write, sufficiently accounted for this. We spent half an hour in the house, when some more company came, which included ladies, and then we all went to walk. We strolled away into the woods, and had a very cheerful NOTES 435 time, till some one proposed a game at leaping. I think it must have been Poe, as he was expert in the exercise. Two or three gentlemen agreed to leap with him, and though one of them was tall, and had been a hunter in times past, Poe still distanced them all. But alas! his gaiters, long worn and carefully kept, were both burst in the grand leap that made him victor. I had pitied the poor bob-o' -link in his hard and hopeless imprisonment, but I pitied Poe more now. I was certain he had no other shoes, boots, or gaiters. Who amongst us could offer him money to buy a new pair? Surely not the writer of this, for the few shillings that I paid to go to Ford- ham must be economized somewhere and somehow, amongst my indispensable disbursements. I should have to wear fewer clean shirts, or eat a less number of oyster stews. In those days I never aspired to a broil. It is well that habit is a grand ame liorator, and that we come to like what we are obliged to get accustomed to. But if any one had money, who had the ef frontery to offer it to the poet ? When we reached the cottage, I think all felt that we must not go in, to see the shoeless unfor tunate sitting or standing in our midst. I had an errand, however — I had left the volume of Poe's poems — and I entered the house to get it. The poor old mother looked at his feet with a dismay that I shall never forget. "Oh, Eddie!" said she, "how did you burst your gaiters?" Poe seemed to have come into a semi-torpid state as soon as he saw his mother. "Do answer Muddie, now," said she, coaxingly. "Muddie" was her pet name with her children. I related the cause of the mishap, and she drew me into the kitchen. "Will you speak to Mr. ," said she, "about Eddie's last poem?" Mr. — — was the reviewer. "If he will only take the poem, Eddie can have a pair of 436 NOTES shoes. He has it — I carried it last week, and Eddie says it is his best. You will speak to him about it, won't you?" We had already read the poem in conclave, and Heaven for give us, we could not make head or tail to it. It might as well have been in any of the lost languages, for any meaning we could extract from its melodious numbers. I remember saying that I believed it was only a hoax that Poe was passing off for poetry, to see how far his name would go in imposing upon people. But here was a situation. The reviewer had been actively instrumental in the demolition of the gaiters. "Of course they will publish the poem," said I, "and I will ask C to be quick about it." The poem was paid for at once, and published soon after. I presume it is regarded as genuine poetry in the collected poems of its author, but then it bought the poet a pair of gaiters, and twelve shillings over. At my next visit Poe grew very confidential with me. "I write," said he, "from a mental necessity — to satisfy my taste and my love of art. Fame forms no motive power with me. What can I care for the judgment of a multitude, every individual of which I despise?" "But, Mr. Poe," said I, "there are individuals whose judg ment you respect." "Certainly, and I would choose to have their esteem un mixed with the mean adulation of the mob." "But the multitude may be honestly and legitimately pleased," said I. "That may be possible" said Poe, musingly, "because they may have an honest and legitimate leader, and not a poor man who has been paid a hundred dollars to manufacture opinions for them and fame for an author." "Do reviewers sell their literary conscience thus uncon scionably?" said I. "A literary critic must be loth to violate his taste, his sense NOTES 437 of the fit and the beautiful. To sin against these, and praise an unworthy author, is to him an unpardonable sin. But if he were placed on the rack, or if one he loved better than his own life were writhing there, I can conceive of his forging a note against the Bank of Fame, in favour of some would-be poetess, who is able and willing to buy his poems and opinions." He turned almost fiercely upon me, his fine eyes piercing me, "Would you blame a man for not allowing his sick wife to starve?" said he. I changed the subject and he became quiet, and we walked along, noting beauties of flowers and foliage, of hill and dale, till we reached the cottage. At my next visit, Poe said, as we walked along the brow of the hill, "I can't look out on this loveliness till I have made a confession to you. I said to you when you were last here, that I despised fame." "I remember," said I. "It is false," said he. "I love fame — I dote on it — I idolize it — I would drink to the very dregs the glorious intoxication. I would have incense ascend in my honour from every hill and hamlet, from every town and city on this earth. Fame! glory! — they are life-giving breath, and living blood. No man lives, unless he is famous ! How bitterly I belied my nature, and my aspirations, when I said I did not desire fame, and that I despised it." Suggestive that the utterance on both occasions might be true to the mood that suggested them (sic). But he declared that there was no truth in his first assertion. I was not as severe with him as he was with himself. The autumn came, and Mrs. Poe sank rapidly in consump tion, and * * * [See ii, 218, 219.] "My poor child," said Mrs. Clemm, "my blessed and beloved, who has gone before me. Mrs. was so good to her. She tended her while she lived, as if she had been her dear 438 NOTES sister, and when she was dead she dressed her for the grave in beautiful linen. If it had not been for her, my darling Virginia would have been laid in her grave in cotton. I can never tell my gratitude that my darling was entombed in lovely linen." It seemed to soothe the mother's sorrow in a wonderful way, that her daughter had been buried in fine linen. How this delicate raiment could add so much to her happiness, I was not able to see, but so it was. The same generous lady gave the bereaved mother a home for some time after the death of the poet. I think she only left her house to go to her friends in the South. Soon after Poe's death, I met the aged mother on Broadway. She seized me by both my hands, regardless of the passers by. "My Eddie is dead," she sobbed, hardly able to speak. "He is gone — gone, and left his poor Muddie all alone." And then she thought of his fame, and she clung to me, speaking with pathetic and prayerful earnestness. "You will take care of his fame," said she; "you will not let them lie about him. Tell the truth of my Eddie. Oh, tell the truth — tell the world how great and good he was. They will defame him — I know they will. They are wicked and envious ; but you will do my poor, dear Eddie justice." She pressed my hands convulsively. "Say that you will take my Eddie's part," said she, almost wildly. "I can never do him injustice," said I; "I assure you I never will." "I knew you never would," said she, seeming greatly com forted. I have said nothing of Poe's genius. His works are before the world. Those who are able to judge of them will do so. There is no need to manufacture fame for the poet now. He cannot be pleased or benefited by it. Poe has been called a bad man. He was his own enemy, it is true; but he was a gentleman and a scholar. His clear and NOTES 439 vivid perception of the beautiful constituted his conscience, and unless bereft of his senses by some poison, it was hard to make him offend his taste. People may be starved, so that they will eat coarse, disgust ing, and unhealthy viands, and a poet has human liabilities. We may be sure if Poe sold his poems, to be printed as the pro ductions of another, or if he eulogized what he despised, that the offence brought with it sufficient punishment. Poor Poe! If the scribblers who have snapped like curs at his remains, had seen him as his friends saw him, in his dire necessity and his great temptation, they would have been worse than they deem him to have written as they have concerning a man of whom they really knew next to nothing. Requiescat in pace ! The poem which is described above as sold to Colton, editor of the Whig Review, and soon published presents a difficulty. No poem was published in the Whig until "Ulalume"; the words apply to that poem ; but " Ulalume " has hitherto always been referred to a date later than the death of Poe's wife, in 1847. "Ulalume" was, therefore, if these facts be correctly stated, written before the summer of 1846, being a poem, like "The Raven," without reference to a real loss, or else the poem, like "The Bells," was rewritten after this. No other reference to Poe's selling poems to be published under an other's name is known. It is plain 'that the author confuses Mrs. Shew and Mrs. Lewis. Mrs. Clemm lived with the latter at one time after Poe's death. Other Fordham reminiscences are mainly by the neighbors, brief and simple annals of a poor family in need, and by a priest at Fordham, kindly in recognition of Poe's gentler na ture and the pathetic side of his temperament and charitable in mention of his failings ; these together with the recollections of the canal -boat boy (a companion piece with those of Poe's 440 NOTES > office-boy), are given in "Myths about Poe's Habits Refuted' (New York Press, April 4, 1897), and "Poe Not a Drunkard," byAppleton Morgan (New York Commercial Advertiser, Feb. n, 1899). Cf. also "Fordham Home of Poe," by T. Waters (New York Times, Feb. 14, 1897), and "Edgar Allan Poe" (North Side Board of Trade, Jan. 19, 1909), from which it also appears that Poe was accustomed to row on the East River and swim near the islands south of BlackwelPs in 1845-46. Page 226. POE AND VIRGINIA. The view that the devotion of Poe to Virginia was rather of the nature of family affection than of wedded love was held in his immediate circle and has been much emphasized by Mrs. Weiss; it is, in fact, the substance of her book. Such intellectual sympathy as Poe found in his home, he sought from Mrs. Clemm, to whom he seems to have read his writings habitually in the course of their composition ; Vir ginia, apparently, was not interested in such matters. Mrs. Clemm was credited with having made the marriage to keep the family united. Mrs. Phelps (Newark Courier, July 19, 1900) says, sustaining this view, — "Mrs. Clemm, his aunt, was my mother's dear friend ... I know something about that [the marriage], having heard my mother and Mrs. Clemm discuss it. He did not love his cousin, except as a dear cousin, when he married her, but she was very fondly attached to him and was frail and consumptive. While she lived he devoted himself to her with all the ardor of a lover." Mrs. Osgood expressed (Griswold, liii) her conviction that Poe's wife " was the only woman whom he ever truly loved." His own words to Lowell (ii, 104) should be noted. Yet the impression pre vailed among the relatives and family friends that the mar riage was originally one of arrangement and had not proved the best. The story of the accidental preservation of the remains of Virginia by Mr. Gill, when the tomb of the Valentines was abandoned, and of his keeping them in his room in a box, and NOTES 441 finally reinterring them in Baltimore by Poe's grave, after a night-visitation from a raven, is a characteristic Poe "legend" which in this case seems to be the truth. (Boston Herald, Jan. 20, 1909.) Page 236. The view of Poe held in New York at the time that he was engaged upon " Eureka" is indicated by two letters published byEveleth ("Edgar A. Poe," Portland Transcript, June, 1849). The first is from the editor of the New York Weekly Universe (Aug. 1847): "Mr. Poe, in our estimation, holds a high rank, regarded either as an elegant tale-writer, a poet, or a critic. He will be more fairly judged after his death than during his life. His habits have been shockingly irregular, but what amendment they have undergone within the past six months, we cannot say, for Mr. Poe, during that time, has been in the country. We know him personally — he is a gentleman — a man of fine taste and of warm applause, with a generous heart." The second is from Colton (Oct. 1847): "I hope Mr. Poe has done drinking. I don't think he has drank anything this long time. He is living in a quiet way in the beautiful county of Westchester." Poe, in a letter to Eveleth (Feb. 1848), quoted in the same article, denies any acquaintance with the editor of the Weekly Universe, and adds : "My habits are rigorously abstemious, and I omit nothing of the natural regimen necessary for health: i. e. I rise early, eat moderately, drink nothing but water, and take abundant and regular exercise in the open air. But this is my private life — my studious and literary life — and, of course, escapes the eye of the world. The desire for society comes upon me only when I have become excited by drink. Then only I go — that is, at these times only I have been in the prac tice of going among my friends; who seldom, or, in fact, never having seen me unless excited, take it for granted that I am always so. Those who really know me, know better. But enough of this : the causes which maddened me to the drinking 442 NOTES point are no more, and I am done drinking forever. My health is better — best — I was never so well." Page 258. Another tradition of "The Bells," current several years ago, was revived in "Poe, the Weird Genius" (Cosmopolitan, Feb. 1909): — "On one of these Baltimore visits he wrote the world-fa mous poem, 'The Bells.' Perhaps Mrs. Houghten had in spired him with the germ of the poem in New York, but the house where it was written in Baltimore still stands, a mute testimony of its Baltimore birth. Tradition treasures this story of 'The Bells': One winter night Poe had been to the public library and was walking home down Saint Paul's Street. It was snowy, and sleigh-bells made merry music. Their lilt and swing got into his brain, and he searched his pockets for pencil and paper. He had none. Stores were closed, and mean while exquisite phrases were being lost. He rushed up the steps of Judge A. E. Giles's residence, and rang the bell. The judge himself opened the door, and Poe requested paper and ink. The judge saw that he was a gentleman, invited him into the library, and courteously withdrew. After a time he looked in after his strange guest, only to find him gone; but there, lying on the table, were the first three stanzas of 'The Bells,' which the judge afterward had framed and hung in his of fice." Page 273. Some glimpses of Poe's life in "bachelor quarters" are afforded by Col. John H. Montague (Richmond Times- Despatch, Jan. 17, 1909), a gentleman some ten or twelve years his junior, who hearing one evening a great noise there near nightfall, entered. He says: — "I went through the first entrance, and, as the sound came from above, I started up the stairway. I had not gone many steps before I saw Poe standing at the top landing, half dressed, and with a gun in his hand, which he was leveling at me. NOTES 443 "I was almost paralyzed with apprehension, but dared not turn and run back. Being very young and active, I dived under the gun, and embracing him, said : — " 'Mr. Poe, can you give me a drink?' The question and my expression touched his heart, and he replied : — ' 'Certainly, my boy, come in; we are glad to see you.' "On another occasion my old schoolmate, John R. Thomp son, the poet, suggested a call on Mr. Poe, who was then well known as a sometime contributor to the Southern Literary Messenger. He invited us in with politeness, and for a time his conversation was most brilliant and interesting. After a while he lapsed into a wild, unearthly, and wonderful rhap sody, while his great eyes glared and scintillated, and he seemed to be talking more to a peopled atmosphere than to a brace of youngsters." Mr. John W. Ferguson (ditto], the old employee of the Messenger, who knew Poe from 1835 in that office, says very succinctly: "Mr. Poe was a fine gentleman when he was sober. He was ever kind and courtly, and at such times every one liked him. But when he was drinking he was about one of the most disagreeable men I have ever met." The story of the challenge to Daniels is told by J. H. Whitty (Richmond Times-Despatch, Jan. 1909), who kindly allows me to reprint the material portion of it: — (Copyright, I9o9, by J. H. Whitty.) "While in Richmond during the summer of 1848, Poe spent most of his time in the company of newspaper writers or about resorts frequented by them. He roomed most of this time with a Richmond newspaper editor. Among others he had met John M. Daniel, of the Examiner, and bad blood was shown between them from the start. They had talked about literary matters and did not agree. There also had been a debt transaction, which was a disputed matter. Daniel was also acquainted with some member of the Whitman family and made dis- 444 NOTES paraging allusions to Poe and his intentions toward Mrs. Whitman, which came to the poet's ears. "He became infuriated and at once sent a challenge to Daniel to fight a duel. Judge Robert W. Hughes, who wrote for the Examiner and had a personal acquaintance with Poe, remem bered the affair well and told the particulars. The newspaper friends of Poe did not regard the affair as serious, and knew that it would soon blow over. Poe's challenge, written on the letter head of a sheet of one of the Richmond newspaper offices, was taken to Daniel, who also regarded the matter lightly. An arrangement was effected by which Poe was to seek satisfaction from the fiery editor in his sanctum. Poe was informed that Daniel would not meet him on the outside in the usual way, but preferred to settle matters between them alone in the Examiner office. While Poe was hardly in any condition to fight a duel, he was induced to go to the Examiner office, where Daniel awaited him alone by appointment. "When he entered and saw Daniel he drew himself up to full height and demanded, in his haughty manner, why he had sent for him. Daniel was sitting near a table on which was displayed two very large, old-fashioned pistols, which the quick glance of Poe soon espied. Daniel in a cool and quiet manner asked Poe to be seated. Then he told him that he did not care to have the matter get to the police authorities, and suggested that instead of the usual formalities of the code they settle the dispute between them then and there. They were alone, the room was large and he pointed to the pistols ready for use. The quietude of the place, Daniel's demeanor, and this strange request tinged something of the grotesque. Poe began to sober up. He asked some questions about their difficulty and soon became convinced that matters were ex aggerated. "Then he told Daniel, in his characteristic way, of the chal- enge sent by the Maryland poet, Edward Coate Pinkney, NOTES 445 to his former early benefactor, John Neal, editor of the Boston Yankee, and how the young poet had walked for a week before Neal's office in order to meet him. Daniel evinced much inter est in the story, and Poe remarked to him that he hoped that he would not turn matters into ridicule in the next issue of the Examiner, like Neal did in his journal. " Friends who had stood not far away, knowing there was little likelihood of any bloodshed, then broke in upon the scene. Matters were explained in a friendly way, and Poe was called upon by Daniel to finish his story about Pinkney, which he did, and recited as he only could : — " I fill this cup to one made up Of loveliness alone ; A woman, of her gentle sex, The seeming paragon ; To whom the better elements And kindly stars have given A form so fair that like the air, 'T is less of earth than heaven.' "After this they all repaired to a nearby popular resort, where there were more * healths.' " Mr. Whitty maintains that it was to this incident that Poe referred in writing later to Mrs. Whitman that her lines reached him when he was "about to enter upon a course that would have borne me far, far away from you, sweet, sweet Helen, and the divine dream of your love," — words that have hitherto been referred to his intention to offer his hand to Mrs. Shelton. It falls in with this view that Mr. Daniels was an acquaintance of the Whitmans, and that Mrs. Shelton in her reminiscences does not speak of meeting Poe before the next year, 1849, and then speaks as if she met him for the first time. It is, nevertheless, proper to observe that the affair with Mrs. Whitman had not gone beyond an anonymous exchange of her valentine and his lines to her privately, though the former had been published by Willis in the Home Journal; that it is singu lar that he should not have met Mrs. Shelton in his stay in the 446 NOTES city; that she is said by Mrs. Weiss (on hearsay) to have at tended the public reading in the Exchange Hotel, and that the latter states positively that Poe came to Richmond in 1848 to make the match with Mrs. Shelton at the suggestion of Mr. MacKenzie, who told her so. There is, however, except the last statement, nothing first-hand told by Mrs. Weiss, and Poe should have the benefit of any doubt. Page 293. The only facts that might be held to support Poe's words are the publication by Mrs. Whitman of her poem, "The Island of Dreams," in February, 1848, and of her "Song" ("I bade thee stay") in June, 1849. Page 316. Of George Lippard and C. Chauncey Burr only brief bibliographical notices have come under my observation. Lippard was the more intimate with Poe; he wrote some novels and a revolutionary history, and contributed to the first number of Burr's Nineteenth Century an article, "The Heart Broken," a story of Charles Brockden Brown's career. Page 325 , POE AND MRS. LEWIS. Mrs. Lewis was one of the ladies who relieved Poe in 1847 (Poe to Mrs. Lewis, Nov. 27, 1847), and he gave much attention to noticing her poems in 1848-49. Stoddard writes ("Edgar Allan Poe," 1889), in connection with a curious account of visiting her home while Mrs. Clemm lived there, that Mrs. Lewis "paid him (Poe) one hundred dollars to review one of her books" and that "on his neglecting to do so" she "very naturally complained of him. He did not deny her charges, but simply remarked that if he reviewed her rubbish it would kill him. Nevertheless he did review it in the Southern Literary Messenger [Sept. 1848] and in Graham's Magazine, sending his notes to Bayard Taylor with the request that he would insert as his own production." Stod dard possessed this note. Taylor, temporary editor of the Union, 1848, held only a nominal editorship of Graham's for a brief time in the late fall of that year. Besides these notices Poe sent one to Thomas in Louisville, Feb. 14, 1849 (ii, 300), NOTES 447 and apparently also to the Western Quarterly Review (ii, 327), and one to Griswold (Poe to Griswold, June 28, 1849). With regard to the latter, cf. Mrs. Lewis to Griswold, Sept. 20, (Century, Oct. 1894). Stoddard does not specify the source of his information with regard to the alleged payment. Stoddard was a frequent writer on Poe, and, besides his memoir, originally written for the English edition of Poe's poems (Routledge, 1874) and republished in America (Widdle- ton, 1874), and the articles already noted in the text, wrote papers in The Independent ("Some Myths in the Life of Poe," June 24, 1880: "Ingram in re Poe et al.," ditto, editorial un signed), and occasional editorials in the New York Mail and Express during his long association with that journal. Page 342. POE'S DEATH. Griswold, whom later writers have followed, derived his information, obviously incorrect as to dates, probably from Neilson Poe, who, at least, offered it (Neilson Poe to Griswold, Nov. i, 1849, MS. copy): "The history of the last few days of his life is known to no one so well as to myself, and is of touching and melancholy interest as well as [of] the most admonitory import. I trust that I can demon strate that he passed, by a single indulgence, from a condition of perfect sobriety to one bordering upon the madness usually occasioned only by long continued intoxication, and that he is entitled to a far more favourable judgement upon his last hours than he has received. All this I will make the subject of a deliberate communication." It is open to conjecture that Poe did not leave Richmond on the boat, as Mrs. Shelton and other friends were told, but this hypothesis has never been put forward, nor is there anything substantial to sustain it. The tale (generally regarded as a hoax) that Poe ascribed the authorship of "The Raven" to Fenwick rests on his alleged letter, which is given, to Daniels, dated Sept. 29, 1849. If there was ever an original for that letter, this date would indicate that he remained in some 448 NOTES resort in the vicinity, and wrote the letter under such circum stances. The only account of Poe's last days not referred to in the text is an interview with "a former Baltimorean recently living in San Francisco" which was widely published in 1889 by Didier and others, in the press. It contains the description of the "widow Meagher's *' place, said to have been a resort of Poe, and a detailed narrative of his being drugged and taken from one polling-place to another. It is full of impossible statements of fact. The same interview reappeared in new form and again went the rounds of the press, especially in St. Louis, San Francisco, and the southwestern states. The "Baltimorean" is variously described as residing in Dakota and on the Pacific coast, and is named as Dr. Snodgrass. This interview found its last victim in Mrs. Weiss (p. 205), who takes from it her account of Poe's last days. The Dr. Snodgrass, who was Poe's friend and found him, died long before 1889, and whoever the reminiscent Bohemian may have claimed to be, the story appears merely a fabrication on the basis of the old rumor. Page 349. POE'S GRAVE. On the occasion of the erection of the Baltimore monument to Poe, in 1875, Mr. Henry Herring wrote to the Baltimore American as follows: "He was buried in his grandfather's (David Poe) lot near the centre of the graveyard, wherein were buried his grandmother and several others of the family. I furnished a neat mahogany coffin, and Mr. Nelson Poe the hack and hearse. Mr. Nelson Poe, Judge Nelson and myself, together with Mr. Charles Suter, the undertaker, were the only persons attending his funeral." A headstone was provided by Neilson Poe, but was broken by accident before it was set up, and the grave remained unmarked except by a fragment of sandstone used for number ing lots, with the figure "80" on it, placed there by the sexton, George W. Spence. This was the only memorial, if it can be NOTES 449 called so, for twenty-six years. Mrs. Clemm was buried beside Poe. When the new monument was erected it was necessary to remove the remains to the grave of Mrs. Clemm; the dis- interment was made, the bones examined by a curious group, and the coffin enclosed in another and reinterred (Baltimore American, Oct. i, 1875). The new monument was dedicated Nov. 17, 1875. Page 340. POE AND GRISWOLD. The letters of Poe to Gris- wold, prefixed to the latter's Memoir of Poe, are the main source of information as to their personal relations. Of these letters two originals only were among the Griswold MSS., and both varied materially from the printed text (cf. " The Virginia Poe," xvii, 200, and 169, 202) ; but, however garbled the letters, the relations of the two men are plain. The story of these has been told in the text to the time of the breach of their acquaint ance in 1843. Poe made advances toward reconciliation in 1845. He desired to be represented in Griswold's new com pilation, "Prose Writers of America," and wrote with regard to that subject ; their personal relations were renewed, and their correspondence was confined to the business of Poe's texts in Griswold's new work and in his revision of his former work on the American poets, and to a loan of fifty dollars in 1845, when Poe applied in all quarters for money to carry on the Broadway Journal ; these business communications contain expressions of regard for Griswold's work and apologetic expressions for censure, which may or may not be garbled or interpolated, but which are sustained by Poe's public notices of Griswold in the press. Griswold had great control over literary reputation through his compilations and other publish ing connections, and also Poe's pen, critically, was to be feared. The two lived on terms of worldly amity, but each had a pri vate opinion of the other in reserve. Outside of literary affairs, it has been charged that they were rivals in the favor of Mrs. Osgood (cf. Potter's American Monthly, July, 1877, in reply 450 NOTES to an article by Mrs. M. (Hewitt) Stebbins in the New York Tribune of about the same date) ; but it is plain from the Memoir that the influence of her friendship with Griswold was thrown in defense of Poe, and this intimacy appears to have been of a date somewhat later than 1845. She died May 12, 1850, and was buried at Mt. Auburn. The letters, it should be noted, cease after 1845, with the business of the "Prose Writers" and the Broadway Journal, and begin again 'only in 1849 with the business of the new edition of the "Poets and Poetry of America." There is no mention of any request of Poe to Gris wold to serve as his literary executor; but Poe is said to have written to Griswold, and also to have expressed the request verbally through the Lewis family, and Mrs. Weiss says that he showed her a letter in which Griswold accepted the duty. The last letter of Poe to Griswold, June 28, 1849 ("The Vir ginia Poe," xvii, 362) was printed by Griswold, unless it be regarded as the original of the letter on the same subject given by him, to which it bears the faintest resemblance. Griswold, so far as Poe's judgment was concerned in selecting him as literary executor, was by far the best man in the country for the work. Horace Greeley, in an editorial note in the Tribune, 1850, says: "We learned by telegraph the fact of Poe's death at Baltimore, in the afternoon following its occurrence and soon after, meeting Dr. Griswold, and knowing his acquaintance with Poe, asked him to prepare some account of the deceased for the next morning's paper. He immediately and hastily wrote in our presence his two columns or more." This was the obituary notice, signed "Ludwig" (New York Tribune, Oct. 9, 1849). Griswold maintained that he did not become the literary executor of Poe until after this was written. He received the papers of Poe from Mrs. Clemm and Neilson Poe. The latter writes (Neilson Poe to Griswold, Nov. i, 1849, MS. copy), referring to Poe's trunk which had been forwarded from NOTES 451 Richmond by Thompson : "I have opened his trunk and find it to contain very few manuscripts of value. The chief of them is a lecture upon the poetic principle and some paragraphs pre pared, apparently, for some literary journal. There are, how ever, a number of books, his own works, which are full of cor rections by his own hand. These ought, undoubtedly, to be placed in your hands." These volumes were the copies of the Tales and Poems, now known as the Lorimer-Graham copies, the copy of "Eureka," now known as Hurst's copy, and pos sibly others, all afterwards sold with Griswold's library. J. C. Derby, in "Fifty Years Among Authors, Books, and Pub lishers," 1884, gives the account of the publication: "Dr. Griswold had offered the works to nearly all the leading pub lishers, who declined to undertake the publication. He finally persuaded Mr. Redfield to try the experiment of issuing two volumes first, which were published and had a fair sale — then the third, and finally the fourth, volume were added to com plete the works. The sale reached about fifteen hundred sets every year." The two volumes appeared early in 1850, with Lowell's article from Graham's, revised, and the obituary notice by Willis from the Home Journal, Oct. 13, 1849, as prefatory matter. Willis had quoted in this article from the Tribune notice, and remonstrated against it. The Tribune notice had been widely reprinted in the press, but Griswold's remarks were first read by Graham, says the latter, in these volumes. Graham addressed an open letter to Willis (Graham's, March, 1850) on the subject of Poe's career and Griswold's notice, since often republished as "Graham's Defence of Poe." John Neal wrote a characteristic review of the two volumes, 308, 351, 416, 417, 439. Benjamin, Park, i, 239, 247; ii, 424. Berenice, i, 123 note, 125, 126; ii, 131 note 2, 206. "Bibliotheque des Memorabilia Literaria," i, 179. Bielfeld, Baron, ii, 247. "Biographia Literaria," i, 176. Bisco, John, ii, 116, 141, 142, 144, 146, 151. Black Cat, The, ii, 2, 38, 70, 95, 148 note i, 404. Blackwell, Anna, ii, 266, 268, 269. "Blackwood's Magazine," i, 220. Bliss, Elam, i, 78. Bodine, Polly, trial of, ii, 83, 85. Bon-bon, i, 123 note, 130; ii, 131 note 2. Booth, Mrs. Martha Thomas, i, 46 note. Letter of, to the author, i, 368. Boscovich, ii, 255. "Boston Gazette," i, ii, 12. Boston Lyceum, ii, 56-57. "Boston Mammoth Notion," i, 3435 ii, 28, 97. " Boston Miscellany, i, 343, 346, 347- Boston "Transcript," ii, 378 note i. Botta, Mrs. See Lynch, Anne Charlotte. Bowen and Gossler, editors of "The Columbian Spy," letter of P. to, ii, 81-87. Bradbury & Soden, i, 348. Brainard, J. G. C., i, 308. Bransby, Dr. E. A., P.'s teacher at Stoke Newington, i, 23. Breckenridge, Judge, i, 320. Brennan, Mrs., ii, 113 and note 2. Brewster, Sir David, "Letters on Natural Magic," i, 178. Bridal Ballad, The, i, 167 and note, 308; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 414. Briggs, Charles F., i, 379; ii, TOO; introduced to P. by Lowell, 107, 108; P. associated with, in "Broadway Journal," 115; his impressions of P., 123-124; P. co-editor of "Broadway Jour nal" with, 125; contemplates separation from P., 141; de scribes P.'s habits, 142-143; de preciates P.'s talent, 143; trou- INDEX 459 bles of, with Bisco and P., 142- 144; calls P. "utterly deficient of high motive," 145; finally breaks with P., 146-147; de scribed by P. in The Literati, 187; "The Personality of Poe," 426. Letters of, to J. R. Lowell, ii, 115-116, 123-124, 125-128, 141-147. Broaders, Otis& Co., i, 286. " Broadway Journal," founded by C. F. Briggs, ii, 106, 107, 115; P. contributes to, 116; P. be comes co-editor of, 125; and the "Longfellow War," 129 seqq.; temporary suspension of, 146; P. sole editor of, 146; P. sole proprietor of, 151 seqq.; P.'s tales reprinted in, 161 and note; increased circulation of, 162; sudden demise of, 162-163, 427 ; mentioned, 120, 121, 127, 134, 139, 140 seqq., 160, 179, 180. Brooklyn "Daily Eagle," ii, 36 note. Brooks, Nathan C., i, 67 and notes, 89, 97, 198, 201, 218, 270; letter of P. to, 194. Brown, Capt. Thomas, P.'s alleged plagiarism of his "Concholo- gist's Text-Book," i, 194, 196, 197-198. Browne, Dr. William Hand.i, 217 note 2. Browning, Mrs. E. B. See Bar rett, Elizabeth B. Browning, Robert, ii, 164. Bryant, William Cullen, i, 234, 312, 349; ii, 122, 185, 197. Buchanan, Dr., i, 16. Buckingham, Joseph T., i, 10, 13. Buckler, Dr., i, 114. Buckler, Mrs., i, 113. Bulwer.Sir Edward (LordLytton), copied by P. in Lionizing, i, 130; mentioned, i, 125, 174, 308. Burk, William, P.'s school-teacher, i, 25. Burr, Charles Chauncey, quoted, ii,232; assists P. in Philadelphia, 310; his "Character of Edgar A. Poe," 312 note; P.'s gratitude to, 315, 316; 446, 454. Burton, William Evans, and the "Gentleman's Magazine," i, 200-202; employs P., 203; P. quarrels with, and closes his engagement, 236-259; adver tises "G. M." for sale without advising P., 258; 264, 270. Letters of, to P., i, 202-203, 240-242. " Burton's Gentleman's Maga zine," i, 198 note, 220 seqq.; P.'s connection with and con tributions to, 232-236; P. severs connection with, 236 seqq.; sold to Graham, and merged in "Graham's," 265; P. contrib utes to, after sale, 266. And see also Burton, William Evans. Business Man, The, ii, 149 note, 403. Byron, Lord, ii, 46. Calderon, "El Embozado," i, 232 note. Campbell, Major John, i, 51. Carey, Henry C., i. 222; his book on slavery, 250. Carey & Lea, i, 100, 101, up, 123 note, 140, 142, 156. Letters of, to P., ii, 375, 376. Carlyle, Thomas, {,133; "Sartor Resartus," P.'s criticism of, 172. Carpenter, W. H., i, 97, 198. Carter, Dr. John, ii, 341. Letter of, to author, ii, 322 note, 430. Carter, Robert, and the failure of "The Pioneer," ii, 18; 44, 45. Letter of, to P., ii, 28-31. Carter, Dr. William G., ii, 322, 323- Case 0} M. Valdemar, The, ii, 161, 164, 205, 230, 302, 407, 408, 427. Cask of Amontillado, The, ii, 231, 407. "Casket, The," i, 264, 377. Cass, Lewis, i, 165, 188. Catholic Hymn, ii, 149 note, 163 note. "Century Magazine," ii, 96 note, 138 note 2, 265 note, 291 note 2, 426. Channing, William E., ii, 38. "Charivari," ii, 230. 460 INDEX Charleston "Courier," ii, 193. Chateaubriand, "Itineraire de Paris a Jerusalem," i, 64, 167 note; Le Genie du Christian- isme"; ii, 258, 259 and note i. Chatterton, Thomas, "Minstrel Song in Ella," ii, 100. Chivers, Thomas Hplley, criticised in Autography, i, 334; urged to furnish capital for "Penn Magazine," 334; his "The Lost Pleiad," ii, 138 ; meeting of, with P., 138-139; renaissance of, 376 seqq.; sketch of his life and character, 378-390; his relations with P., 381 seqq.; his admira tion for P., 385; desires to write biography of P., 385; his poem "The Lady Alice," 386; was to P. what Alcott was to Emerson, 388; mentioned, i, 260, 261; ii, 153, 154, 159, 216 note, 328, 428. Christie, Robert, i, 2. Church Hall, home of Mrs. Shel- ton, ii, 317. City in the Sea, The (The Doomed City), i, 80 note 2; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 413. City of Sin, The, i, 166. Clark, Lewis Gaylord, ii, 139; in The Literati, 187. Clark, W. Gaylord, denounces P. in "Philadelphia Gazette," i, 172; 283. Clarke, Joseph H., P.'s teacher, i, 24 seqq., 40. Clarke, Thomas C., forms partner ship with P. for publishing "The Stylus," i, 355; blamed by P. for the failure of "The Stylus," ii, 33; describes P.'s home in Philadelphia, 36-37; "The late N. P. Willis," etc., 428; mentioned, ii, i, ii, 12, 13, 20. Clarke, Mrs., quoted, ii, 271. Clay, Henry, i, 323. Cleland, Thomas W., i, 163. Clemm, Mrs. Catherine, i, 147. Clemm, Henry, brother of Mrs. P., i, 147. Clemm, Mrs. Maria, mother of Mrs. P., statements of, unsup ported, not trustworthy, i, 55 note; in Richmond with P., 146, 147; her position in P.'s house hold, 296-297; described by Mayne Reid, ii, 35-36; solicits employment for P., 101 ; N. P. Willis quoted concerning, 226- 227; her reminiscences of P. during the Eureka period, 236; destitution of, 323; death of, 355; in Mrs. Gove-Nichols's reminiscences, 433 seqq.; men tioned, i, 55, 86, 89, 93, 102 note 2, 122, 123, 136, 137, 139, 161, 162, 193, 257, 326, 338, 364, 375' 377; ii. ii. 12, 64 and note, 65, 184 note i, 213, 214, 215, 217, 218, 219, 225, 229, 260, 281, 285, 291, 300, 308, 309, 3*8, 333. 340, 368, 370, 429, 439, 440, 449, 454. Letters of, to William Poe, i, 378 ; to J. R. Lowell, ii, 137-138; to Mrs. Richmond, 307, 310- 311; to R. W. Griswold, 323- 325; to N.P.Willis, 355-356. Clemm, Virginia, becomes en gaged to P., i, 136; her age, 137; engagement of, opposed by Neilson Poe, 137; privately married to P., 143 ; in Richmond 146, 147; publicly married, 163; age of, stated falsely, 163; mentioned, 86, 90, 91, 161. See also Poe, Mrs. Virginia. Clemm, Rev. William T. D., officiates at P.'s funeral, ii, 349. Cobb, Palmer, "Influence of E. T. A. Hoffmann on the Tales of E. A. Poe," i, 232 note, 379- 381. Coleridge, S. T., "the guiding genius of P.'s early intellectual life," i, 177; ii, 196; mentioned, i, 74; ii, 94, 198, 250. Coliseum, The (from Politian), i, 99, 103, 166, 308, 352; ii, 94, 149 note, 163 note, 413. Colloquy of Monos and Una, The, i, 306; ii, 148 note i, 403. Col ton, G. H., author of "Tecum- seh," ii, 107, 108; editor of "American Review," ii, 210; 114, 439, 441. "Columbia," ii, 306. INDEX "Columbian Magazine, "ii, 95, 96, 109. Comte, Auguste, "Philosophic Positive," ii, 255. CONCHOLOGIST'S FIRST BOOK, THE, alleged plagiarism in, i, 194-195; ii, 424. Conqueror Worm, The, ii, 39, 94, 131 note 2, 163 note, 174, 415- Conrad, Mr., ii, 60. CONTES D'EDGAR POE, LES (Paris, 1846), ii, 231 note, 408. Conversation 0} Eiros and Char- mion, The, i, 204; ii, 148 note, 402. Converse, Rev. Amasa, i, 163. Converse, Mrs. F. B.,i, 163 note 4. Cooke, John Esten, i, 379. Cooke, Philip P., i, 208, 379 ; ii, 91 ; his "Rosalie Lee," 206, 210. Letters of, to P., i, 208; ii, 204- 207. Cooper, J. Fenimore, i, 165, 277, 349; ii, 197; his "Wyandotte" reviewed by P., ii, 38. Cosmogony 0} the Universe, The, P.'s lecture on, ii, 238. "Cosmopolitan, The," i, 358; ii, 442. Crane, Alexander T., ii, 121, 136; reminiscences of P., in " Broad way Journal " days, 139-140. "Critic, The," ii, 180 note. " Critical and Biographical Sketches of American Writers," series of, promised for "The Stylus," ii, i. " Critical History of American Literature," announced by P., ii, 96, 97. Critics and Criticism, ii, 295, 351. Crocker, Rev. Dr., ii, 285. Cryptography, 1,303-304; ii, 39- " Curio, The," ii, 272 note i. Curtis, George William, ii, 396. Gushing, Caleb, ii, 150. Cuvier, i, 197. Dailey, Charlotte F. See Harrison, James A. "Daily Telegraph," publishes English's attack on P., ii, 198. Dana, Richard H., ii, 122. Daniels, John M., quarrel of, with P., ii, 273, 443 seqq. Darley, F. O. C., agrees to fur nish designs for "The Stylus," ii, 2 ; makes designs for The Gold Bug, 2. Letter of, to author, ii, 2-3. Darwin, Charles, ii, 252. Davidson, The Misses, i, 308; ii, 122. Dawes, Rufus, i, 97, 241; P.'s article on, 343, 345. Del Occidente, Maria, "The Bride of Seven," ii, 177. "Democratic Review," i, 353; ii, 29, 109, 123, 161, 306. "Democratic Pacifique," ii, 231 note. Derby, J. C., "Fifty Years among Authors," etc., ii, 451. Descent into the Maelstrom, A, i, 123 note, 284, 306; ii, 95, 148 note i, 205, 403. Devil in the Belfry, The, i, 199; ii, 161 note, 402. Dew, Mr., i, 165. Dewey, Dr. Orville, ii, 176. "Dial, The," i, 286. Dickens, Charles, "Barnaby Rudge," i, 304, 319, 324, 326; "Old Curiosity Shop," 320; "Pickwick Papers," 320; "Sketches by Boz," 320; P.'s acquaintance with, 326; ac cuses P. of imitating Tennyson, ii, 61; "Barnaby Rudge," P.'s review contains germ of The Raven, ii, 111-112; men tioned, i, 308, 323 ; ii, 71, 89, 94, 196, 197 Letters of, to P., i, 327-329. Diddling considered as One oj the Exact Sciences, ii, 70, 149, 405. Disraeli, Benjamin, his "Vivian Grey" followed in King Pest and Metzengerstein, i, 130; mentioned, 125, 174. D'Israeli, Isaac, "Curiosities of Literature," i, 180; ii, 409. "Dollar Newspaper," ii, 32, 37, 38, 61. Domain o) Arnheim, The, ii, 303, 407. 462 INDEX Doomed City, The. See City in the Sea, The. Dow, J. E.f i, 237; ii, 15, 17, 99, 133, 134. Letter of, to T. C. Clarke, ii, 9- ii. Drake, Joseph Rodman, i, 173. Dream, A, \, 60 note 2; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 411. Dream within a Dream, A, first published as To , i, 60 note 2; ii, 411. _ Dreamland, ii, 94, 109, 163 note, 415- Dreams, i, 39 note i; 11, 411. Duane, William, Secretary of the Treasury, ii, 365 seqq. Due de I' Omelette, The, i, 123 note, 130; ii, 149 note. "Duel, The," attributed to P., i, 134 note. Duncan Lodge, home of the MacKenzies, ii, 271, 317, 340. Du Solle, Colonel, i, 338; ii, 114 note i. Duval, P. S., i, 265 note 2. Duyckinck, Evert A., editor of P.'s Tales (1845), ii. X48; P-'s appeals to, for help, 156-159; mentioned, 184, 191, 209, 301. Eames, Mr., ii, 299. "Eastern Herald and Gazette of Maine," i, 5. Eaton, John H., Secretary of War, i» 52, 53» 54- "Edgar A. Poe and his College Companions," i, 33 note. El Dorado, ii, 296, 416, 417. Eleonora, discussed, 299-301 ; ii, 131 note 2, 304, 403. Elk, The, ii, 70, 404. Ellet, Mrs. Elizabeth F., inter feres between P. and Mrs. Os- good, ii, 183; letters of, to P., returned, 183; mentioned, i, 173; ii, 188,428. Elliot, Commodore, ii, 15. Ellis, Charles, i, 18, 24. Ellis, Powhatan, i, 66. Ellis, Thomas H., "Edgar Allan Poe," i, 36 note; 74 note, 96 note, 102 note i. Letter of, to author, ii, 395. Embury, Mrs. Emma C., i, 317. Emerson, Ralph Waldo, i, 313; ii, 197. English, Thomas Dunn, i, 354 note, 381; ii, 163; relations of with P., ii, 188 seqq.; in The Literati, 188; answers P. in the "Evening Mirror," 188-189; charges P. with false pretenses and forgery, 189-190; "Remi niscences of Poe," 424, 427, 428 ; concerning P.'s use of opium, 429 ; his quarrel of, with P., 430, 431- Enigma, An, ii, 257, 416. Entre Acie, L', ii, 231 note. Epimanes. See Four Beasts in One. Estelle. See Lewis, Sarah Anna. Eulalie, ii, 149 note, 161, 163 note, 416. Eureka, ii, 235, 236, 238, 269, 274, 451; discussed, 239-257. Eveleth, G. W., i, 195 note, 302; ii, 148, 253 note; "Edgar A. Poe," 441. Letter of, to author, ii, 288- 289. "Evening Mirror," P. employed on, as "mechanical paragraph- ist," ii, 101; The Raven pub lished in, no; copies English's attack on P., from "Daily Tele graph," 193; P. recovers dam-, ages against, 193; mentioned, ii, 114, 126, 129. Evening Star, i, 39 note i ; ii, 411. "Examiner," ii, 340. "Express," ii, 220. Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, The. See Case of M. Valdemar, The. Fairfield, F. G., ii, 114 note i. Fairyland, i, 56, 60 note 2, 65, 80 note 2, 81 ; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 412. Fall of the House of Usher, The, discussed, i, 229-231; 204, 220, 380 ; ii, 95, 123, 148 note i, 206, 402, 408. Faraday, Michael, ii, 252. Fay, Theodore S., author of " Nor man Leslie," i, 169, 309. INDEX 463 "Federal Gazette and Baltimore Daily Advertiser," i, 55, 368. Fenwick, Samuel, reputed author of The Raven, ii, 425, 447. Ferguson, John W., ii, 443. Fijty Suggestions, ii, 257. Fisher, E. Burke, i, 199-200, 284. Flaccus (review of the poetry of Thomas Ward), ii, 38. "Flag, The," ii, 301. "Flag of Our Union, The," ii, 296, 417. Flint, Mr., i, 165. For Annie, ii, 296, 341, 416. Fordham, P.'s cottage at, ii, 213 seqq.; P.'s life at, described by Mrs. Gove-Nichols, 432-439. _ "Foreign Quarterly Review," ii, 89. Forgues, E.-D., ii, 231 note. Forster, John, ii, 89. Foster, Mr., editor of the "Aurora," i, 355. Fouque, F. H. K., "Undine," i, 233- Four Beasts in One, i, 123 note, 140; ii, 161 note. Frailey, Dr., ii, 40. Francis, Dr., ii, 177, 190. "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Weekly," ii, 113 note 2. Franklin Lyceum, Providence, ii, 283, 284. Frost, Dr., i, 238, 263. Fuller, Margaret, ii, 177, 183, 298, 299 ; in The Literati, 187 ; 428. Fuller, Mr., ii, 14. Gallagher, William D., i, 173. Gait, William, i, 18, 27. "Gentleman's Magazine." See " Burton's Gentleman's Maga zine." "Gentleman's Magazine" (Cin cinnati), ii, 295. "Gift, The," i, 140, 299, 343; ii, 87, 95, 109. Goddard, William, i, 2. Godey, Louis A., ii, in, 113, 187, 202, 203. " Godey "s Lady's Book," i, 134 note, 286, 287; ii, 95, 109, in, 185, 231, 232, 296, 306; The Literati published in, ii, 185 seqq. Godwin, William, author of "Caleb Williams," i, 174, 327. Gold Bug, The, illustrated by Dar- ley, ii, 2; wins prize offered by "Dollar Newspaper," 32, 37; alleged plagiarism in, 37 ; 70, 94, 123, 135, 148 note i, 205, 404, 421. Gould, Hannah Flagg, i, 173. Gove, Mrs. Mary (Mrs. Nichols), ii, 177-178; describes the Poe home at Fordham, 213-215, 218-219; her "Mary Lyndon," 306 note; her "Reminiscences of Edgar Poe," 432-439. Gowans, William, i, 193, 257. Graham, George R., buys "Bur ton's Gentleman's Magazine" and founds "Graham's," i, 264-265; .offers P. editorship of "Graham's," 275; writes concerning P.'s character, ii, 351-353; mentioned, i, 270, 277, 278, 280, 281, 290, 299, 317, 319, 325, 329, 330, 331, 332.352,355»38i; 11,37.58,60, 70, 95, 103, 109, in, 113, 123, 316. "Graham's Magazine," formed by merging "Burton's Gentle man's Magazine" and the "Casket," i, 265; P. editor of, 277; prosperity of, 316 seqq., P.'s share in success of, 317 ; the leading American magazine, 317; end of P.'s connection with, 325 seqq.; mentioned, ii, 38, 45, 47, 49, 52, 55, 76, 86, 109, in, 161, 185, 204, 231, 257, 306, 343 note, 351, 353 note, 392, 406. Grant, James, "Random Recol lections of the House of Lords," and "The Great Metropolis," ii, 82-83. Gravitation, Newtonian law of, ii, 254. Greeley, Horace, and P.'s note of hand, ii, 152; " Recollections of a Busy Life," 152 note; 162, 391, 394, 426, 450. Letter of, to , ii, 152. Green, Mr., i, 7, 9, 14. 464 INDEX "Green Mountain Gem," i, 376. Grey, Edward S. T., name as sumed by P., ii, 274, 334. Griffis, W. E., ii, 112 note. Griswold, H. W., certificate of, concerning P.'s service, i, 50. Griswold, Rufus Wilmot, succeeds P. as editor of "Graham's," i» 325, 327, 331 ; his "Poets and Poetry of America," 334, 350, 353. 379; ii. 39i. seqq., 419; P-'s early relations with, i, 350 seqq. ; describes P.'s home in 1843, ii, 35, 43, 47; his "Poets and Poetry" attacked by P., 48; quarrels with P., 49; retires from "Graham's," 49; his "American Series of the Curi osities of Literature," 87; his memoir of P., 259; P.'s literary executor, 390, 450; his "Female Poets of America," 428; rela tions of, with P., 44 seqq. ; men tioned, i, 100 note i, 351, 354; ii, 86, 87, 89, 122, 123, 128, 194, 231 note, 308, 447. Letter of, to J. T. Fields, ii, 392. Griswold, W. M., i, 134 note; his " Passages from the Corre spondence and Other Papers of Rufus W. Griswold," ii, 377 note, 390 seqq. Gwynn, William, {,55,87,88,368. Hale, Mrs. Sarah J., ii, 86. Halleck, Fitz-Greene, i, 165, 173, 277; ii, 38, 122; in The Literati, 187; 423. Hans Pfaall, i, 100 note 2, 119, 121, 123 note, 128, 129; and Locke's "Moon-Hoax," 142. Harker, Mr., i, 219. Harper & Brothers, decline to pub lish Tales o) the Folio Club, i, I57~I58. ii. 4°2; P- solicits Anthon's influence with, ii, 79; mentioned, i, 156, 159, 160, 161 ; ii, 80, 406. "Harper's New Monthly Maga zine," i, 69 note, 90 note 2; 64 note, 271 note i. Harris, Amanda B., in "Hearth and Home," i, 297 and note, 382- Harrison, Gabriel, reminiscences of P., ii, 422-423. _ Harrison, James A., ii, 138 note i. Harrison, James A., and Charlotte F. Dailey, "Poe and Mrs. Whit man," ii, 265 note. Harrison, William Henry, Presi dent U. S., i, 288, 290. "Harry Franco." See Briggs, Charles F. Haswell, Barrington & Haswell, i, 194. Haunted Palace, The, i, 351; iif 94, 163 note, 173, 174, 415. 420. Hawks, Rev. Francis L., i, 186, 187, 188, 378. Hawthorne, Nathaniel, his "Howe's Masquerade" praised by P., but charged with pla giarism, i, 314; "Browne's Wooden Image," ii, 97 ; " Mosses from an Old Manse," 211; P.'s review of his works, 232 ; men tioned, i, 308, 349; ii, 22, 23, 25, 196. Letter of, to P., ii, 211-212. Hawthorne, Mrs. Sophia, ii, 24. Heath, James E., i, 109, 378. Letter of, to P., i, 205-208. Hemans, Mrs. Felicia, i, 173. Herring, Miss, i, 87, 89-90, 302- 303, 367; concerning P.'s use of opium, ii, 429. Herring, Henry, ii, 344, 348, 349 448. Herron, James, i, 336. Herschel, Sir John, ii, 255. Hewitt, John H., i, 66, 94, 97, 99^ 103. Hewitt, Mrs., ii, 185, 283, 284 note. Letter of, to Mrs. Osgood, ii, 219-220. Hirst, H. B., "Edgar A. Poe," i, 66 note 2, 365-366; concerning P. at West Point, 372-374; 3?8, 379; writes biography of P. for the "Saturday Museum," ii, 4-5, 70; claimed that he wrote The Raven, 419; mentioned, i, 296; ii, 47, 68-149, 366. 367, 404, 410, 419, 420. "History of a Hat, The," attrib uted to P., i, 134 note. Hoffman, C. F., ii, 274. INDEX 465 Letter of, to R. W. Griswold, ii, 303- Hoffmann, David, i, 268. Hoffmann, E. T. A., influence of, on P.'s early genius, i, 132- J34; 379-381; his "Serapions bruder," and "Doge und Do- garessa," 133, 380; "Das Ma- jorat," 223; "Elixiere des Teu- fels," 232 note. Holmes, John, ii, 29. Homans, Mr., ii, 142. "Home Journal," ii, 101, 112 note, 220-222, 233, 267 and note 2, 451. Hop-Frog, \i, 295, 296, 407. Hopkins, C. D., as "Tony Lump- kin," i, 6, 7; marries Elizabeth Arnold (afterward Mrs. David Poe), 7; death of, 9. Hopkins, Mrs. Elizabeth. See Arnold, Elizabeth. Hopkinson, Judge, i, 165. Home, Richard Hengist," Orion," reviewed by P., ii, 49-50; intro duction of, to "Chaucer Mod ernized," 54; "Orion," "Greg ory VII," etc., 56, 118-119, 145, 197. Letters of, to P., ii, 50-55, 116- 119. House, Col. James, letter of, re specting P.'s discharge from the army, i, 48-49. How to write a Blackwood Article, i, 199; ii, 149 note, 402. Howard, Lieut. J., certificate of, concerning P.'s military service, i, 49-50- Hoyt, Rev. Ralph, ii, 149- Hughes, Robert W., i, 366; ii, 444. Hymn (in Morella}, i, 167, 414. Imitation, i, 39 note i. Imp 0} the Perverse, The, ii, 161, 407, 427. In youth have I known one with whom the earth, i, 39 note i. " Independent, The," ii, 420, 426, 427. "Independent Chronicle and Uni versal Advertiser," i, 4. Ingram, J. H., ii, 258, 265 note. Ingram, Susan, reminiscences of P., ii, 329-333. Introduction. See Romance. Irene, i, 81, 166. See also Sleeper, The. Irving, Washington, "Astoria," i, 191; Life and Letters of, 232 note; mentioned, 213; ii, 197. Letter of, to P., on William Wil son, i, 216. Island of the Fay, The, a study for Eleonora, i, 306; ii, 149 note, 303, 403. Isra/el, i, 80 note 2, 82, 166, 180 note, 308; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 413- Tames, G. P. R., i, 308. Jerrold, Douglas, ii, 51. " Jerrold 's Illustrated Magazine," ii. Si- Johns, Rev. John, i, 143. Jones, Timothy P., concerning P. at West Point, i, 369-372. Jones, William Gwynn, i, in. Journal of Julius Rodman, etc., i, 235-236. Junior Morgan Riflemen, i, 25. Keats, John, ii, 94. Keese, Mr., ii, 86. Keith, Alexander, on Prophecy, i, 188. Kennedy, John P., relieves P.'s distress, i, 108; P.'s "first true friend," 109; quoted by Cooke, ii, 205; extracts from diary of, concerning P.'s life and charac ter, 349-351; mentioned, i, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100 and note 3, 107, III, 112, 119, I2O, 122, 123, 138-141, 146-147, 150, 183, 260, 270, 277, 280-282, 291, 292, 293; ii, 153, 247. Letters of, to P., i, 105-106, 141-143, 148-149; ii, 154-155; to T. W. White, i, 109-110. Kepler, ii, 253. Kettell, Samuel, "Specimens of American Poetry," i, 40. King Pest, i, 123 note, 130; ii, 149 note. "Knickerbocker, The," i, 168, 172, 286; ii, 139. 466 INDEX Lacey, Dr., ii, 14. Lafayette, Marquis de, i, 25, 79. Lake, The, i, 39 note i, 44, 60 note 2, 80 note 2; ii, 163 note, 412. Lambert, Eliza, ii, 326. Landor, author of memoir of N. P. Willis, ii, 60, 86. Landor, " Walter or William," ii, 31- Landor's Cottage, ii, 275, 295, 303, 307, 407. Landscape Garden, The, i, 343; ii, 149 note, 404. Lane, T. H., ii, 162, 431. Letter of, to T. D. English, ii, 431- Laplace, ii, 253, 274. Last Days of M. Valdemar, The. See Case of M. Valdemar, The. Latrobe, J. H. B., i, 98, 100 and note 2, 191, 120. Lauvriere, Emile, "Edgar Poe, sa vie et son ceuvre," ii, 175 note, 43°- Lawson, James, ii, 176. Lea & Blanchard, i, 222, 294; ii, 403- Letters of, to P., i, 225, 295. Leary, William A., and the Poe- Duane controversy, ii, 367. Lee, Z. Collins, ii, 349. Leland, Annabel Lee, i, 376. Leland, C. G., "Memoirs," quoted, ii, 454. Lenore, first version of, published as A Pcean, i, 80 note 2, 81 ; re vised version of, ii, 38, 94, 149 note, 163 note, 205, 413. Leslie, Eliza, i, 106, 140. Letter to Mr. , i, 80 note 2, 83. " Lettres edifiantes et curieuses," i, 179. Lever, Charles, i, 308. Lewis, Mrs. Sarah Anna, P.'s verses to, ii, 257; P.'s relations with, 446; 300, 308, 309, 310, 317. 325. 327» 334, 427- Life in Death, i, 306. See also Oval Portrait, The. Ligeia, P. P. Cooke's opinion of, i, 210; discussed, 226-229; men tioned, 43, 198, 204; ii, 94, 206. Lemonnier, "Natural History," i, 198. Light-house, The, Fragments of, ii, r .397-399; Lionizing i, 119, 123 note, 150; 11, 131 note 2, 148 note i. Lippard, George, ii, 310, 446; P.'s gratitude to, 316. "Lippincott's Magazine," ii, 313 note 2. "Literary Examiner and Western Monthly Review," i, 199. Literary Life of Thingum Bob, The, ii, 109, 149 note, 405. Literary Small Talk, i, 199. "Literary World, The," ii, 274. LITERATI OF NEW YORK, THE, published in "Godey's Lady's Book," 185 seqq.; character of sketches in, 186; not a prose "Dunciad," 193; discussed, 193 seqq.; not serviceable to P., 198; 181, 199, 210. Locke, Richard A., " Moon- Hoax, "i, 129; and Hans Pjaall, 140. Locke, Mrs., ii, 223, 269; relations of, with P., 304-306, 428. "London Foreign Quarterly," ii, 61, 71. Longfellow, H. W., "Hyperion," criticised by P., i, 233; "Voices of the Night," P.'s charge of plagiarism in, 234; "Ballads and Other Poems," reviewed by P., 315-316; "The Beleaguered City," alleged plagiarism from The Haunted Chamber in, 351- 352; "The Spanish Student," 45, 161; alleged plagiarism in, 95, 130; "Hymn to the Night," 46; "The Waif" (compilation) attacked by P., 115, 129; further charges of plagiarism against, 125, 130, 131 ; mentioned, i, 277- 280, 308, 312, 313; ii, 86, 122, 127, 128, 145, 196, 197, 199. "Longfellow War, The," ii, 115, 125, 127, 129. Lord, W. W., alleged plagiarism by, ii, 132. Loss of Breath, i, 123 note, 130, 150; ii, 161 note. Loud, Mr., ii, 327. Loud, Mrs. St. Leon, ii, 327, 334. Lowell, James Russell, corre- INDEX 467 spondence with P. concerning contributions to the "Pioneer," i> 345-35o; and the failure of the "Pioneer," ii, 18; abandons legal profession, 24; sends P. memoranda concerning his life, 26-27; his "Prometheus," 29; his "A Year's Life," 45, 47; offers to write life of P. for "Graham's," 69; introduces C. F. Briggs to P., 107; his biography of P. published, in, 406; plagiarism by, hinted at by P., 125; ceases to correspond with P., 129; interview of, with P., 137, 138; continuation of sketch of P. by, 237; "A Fable for Critics," reviewed by P., 296, 298; abused by P., 299; mentioned, i, 347-350, 354; ii, 13, 114, 115, 194, 196, 204, Letters of, to P., i, 345-347; ii, 19-20, 23-28, 56-59, 87-89, 100, 106-108; to author, 137; to C. F. Briggs, 368, 369, 370. Lummis, Mr., ii, 188, 190. Lynch, Anne Charlotte, ii, 177, 193, 268, 427, 428. Macaulay, Lord, i, 308. MacBride, John, i, 3. Macjilton, Mr., i, 97, 283. MacKenzie, John, ii, 270-271. MacKenzie, Mrs., i, 16. MacKenzies, The, i, 28, 29, 95, 96, 135; »t3I7i3I9 and note I>322, Mclntosh, Maria, ii, 269, 274. McMichael, Morton, ii, 113. "Madisonian, The," ii, 134. Maelzel's Chess Player, P.'s arti cle on, i, 178, 378. Magruder, Gen. A. B., i, 182, 184. Letters of, to author, i, 70, 72-73. 78. Man oj the Crowd, The, i, 266; ii, 148 note i, 403. Man that was Used Up, The, i, 204; ii, 39 note, 149 note, 402. "Maniac's Story, The," attributed to P., i, 134 note. Marginalia, ii, 109, 162, 185, 231, 257, 295. Marryat, Captain, i, 308. Marshall, John, Chief Justice, i, 66 note 2. "Martinsburg Gazette," i, 118. "Mary," P.'s early flame, ii, 224, 225. Masque oj the Red Death, The, i, 306; ii, 149 note, 404. "Massachusetts Mercury," i, 5. Matthews, Cornelius, i, 308; ii, 52, 185, 191, 194, 299. Mayo, Louise Allen, "Historic Homes of Richmond," i, 74 note, 96 note; ii, 365 note. Medwin's Shelley, i, 232 note. Meek, Mr., ii, 39, 40, 41. Mellen, Grenville, i, 173. Mellonta Taula (revision of intro duction to Eureka), ii, 296, 407. Mesmeric Revelation, ii, 70, 95, 96, te i, 230, 405, 408. IN ARTICULO MORTIS he Case of M. Valdemar), ii, 0, 408. etropolitan Magazine," ii, 295, 306. elzengerstetn, i, 123 note, 126, 380. Meunier, Isabella, translator of some of P.'s tales, ii, 231 note. Michael Angelo, ii, 97. Meller, Dr. James H., i, 98, 100; 119, 138. "Minerva and Emerald, The," i, 66. Minor, Benj. B.,of the "Southern Literary Messenger," i, 187 note, 378. Montague, John H., ii, 442. "Monthly Record of Science" (London), ii, 230. Moore, Thomas, imitated in Al Aaraaf, i, 61, 63, 64, 65; "Al- ciphron," 233; ii, 46; 197,338, 339. Moran, Dr. J. J., attends P. in his last illness, ii, 345 seqq.; his "Defense of Edgar Allan Poe," etc., 347 note. Letter of, to Mrs. Clemm, ii, 345-347. Moran, Mrs. J. J., ii, 344, 345- Morell, Benj., "Narrative of Four Voyages," i, 191 and note. 468 INDEX Morella, i, 123 note, 126, 204; ii, 131 note 2, 206. Morgan, Appleton, "Poe not a Drunkard," ii, 440. Morning on the Wissahiccon, ii, 38, 303. See Elk, The. "Morning Post" (London), ii, 230. Morris, George P., ii, 60, 225. Motherwell, William, ii, 130. Moxon, Edward, publisher, i, 328. MS. Found in a Bottle, i, 123 note, 128, 140; ii, 149 note, 205, 206, 400. Murders in the Rue Morgue, The, i, 284, 304-305; ii, 39 note, 94, 148 note i, 205, 208, 230, 231 note, 403, 408. Murdock, James E., reads The Raven to "Broadway Journal" office force, ii, 121. Mystery 0} Marie Roget, The, i, 343, 382; ii, 148 note i, 404. Mystification (Von Jung, the Mystific), i, 189; ii, 161 note. "Myths about Poe's Habits Re futed," ii, 439. NARRATIVE OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM, THE, publication of, be gun in " Southern Literary Mes senger," i, 181-182; published by Harper & Bros., 190 and note; analysis of, 191-193; suc cess of, 193; reprinted in Eng land, 193; mentioned, i, 199, 243; ii, 29-30, 409. Neal, John, i, 55, 349, 368; "Ed gar A. Poe," ii, 451. Never Bet the Devil your Head, i, 306; ii, 149 note, 403. "New England's assumption of 'All the decency and all the talent,' " i, 333. "New Englander," i, 168. "New Mirror," ii, 85, 103 note; name of, changed to "The Evening Mirror," which see. New Orleans "Picayune," ii, 193. New Orleans "Times-Democrat," i, 33 note; ii, 425. "New Spirit of the Age," ii, 118. "New World," i, 239. New York "Commercial Adver tiser," ii, 440. New York "Evening Post," i, 238. New York "Evening Star," i, 119, 220, 238. New York "Herald," ii, 333 note, 344 note. New York Historical Society, ii, 121. New York "Mail and Express," ii, 113 note 2. New York "Mirror,"' attacks the " Southern Literary Messenger," i, 169-170; publishes parody of Lionizing, 169; "Penn Maga zine" announced in, 335. New York "Press," ii, 440. ' "New York Review," i, 186, 188, 234- New York "Sun,"i, 129, 369-371; publishes The Balloon Hoax, ii, 69; 425. New York "Times," I, 365; ii, 419, 422, 440. New York " Tribune, "ii, 351,451. New York "Weekly Universe," ii, 441. Newark "Courier," ii, 440. Newbern "Spectator," hostile to P., i, 172. Newton, Sir Isaac, ii, 254. Nichols, Dr., "Architecture of the Heavens," ii, 255. Nichols, Mrs. See Gove, Mrs. Mary. "Nineteenth Century," ii, 312 note, 355 note 4. "Norman Leslie." See Fay, Theodore S. "North American Review," 1,39 note 2 ; ii, 58, 61 ; P. criticises the "clique" of, i, 313. "Northern Monthly," ii, 428. Norton, Mrs. Caroline E. S., ii, 178. Notes on English Verse, ii, 38, 294. Oakie, Dr. O. H., ii, 280, 281. O'Beirne, James R., "Poe and the Raven," ii, 113 note 2. Oblong Box, The, ii, 70, 95, 109, 161 note, 405. Old Christ Church, Baltimore, i, 143- Old Exchange Hotel, Richmond, ii, 272. INDEX 469 Omaha "World-Herald," ii, 121 note, 136 note, 140 note. On Critics and Criticism. See Critics and Criticism. One Thousand and Second Tale, The, ii, in, 406. " Opal, The," ii, 38, 86. Oquawka, 111., suggested as place of publication of "The Stylus," ii, 3°7- Osgood, Mrs. Frances S., P.'s re lations with, ii, 178 seqq.; her description of P., 179; pub lishes verses addressed to P., 179; describes P.'s home and family, 180-182; correspond ence of, with P., rouses Mrs. Ellet, 183; ceases to see P., 184 and note i ; in The Literati, 187 ; writes of P. on her deathbed, 354-355; acrostic poem of, to R. W. Griswold, 396; men tioned, 122, 185, 188, 219, 266, 287, 293, 306, 428, 449, 450. Letter of, to R. W. Griswold, ii, 180. O'Sullivan, Mr., i, 353; ii, 123. "Outes," defends Longfellow, ii, 127, 130; P.'s reply to, 130. Oval Portrait, The, i, 380; ii, 131 note 2, 403. Pabodie, William J., ii, 283, 284 and note, 286. P his manner of life in Philadel phia, 64; goes to New York, 64 seqq. ; his Balloon Hoax in N. Y. "Sun," 60; Lowell's offer to write biographical sketch of, for "Graham's," 69- 71, 87-93; list of "tales" still unpublished, 71 ; suggested cause of discouragement, 71-72 ; correspondence with Anthon, and with Bowen and Gossler, concerning his own career, and literary matters in general, 72- 87 ; discusses his own qualities and faults, and the value of his work, in letter to Lowell, 90-95; his treatment of metaphysical subjects in Mesmeric Revela tion, 95-96; correspondence with Chivers, 96; at work on "Critical History of American Literature," 97 ; becomes Wil lis's assistant on the "Evening Mirror," 101; praises poetry of Miss Barrett (Mrs. Browning), 102; translations from French in the "New Mirror" wrongly attributed to him, 103 note; reviews project of a new maga zine company, 104-106; pub lished work of, in 1844, 109; resells clippings from old book reviews with new tales, 109-1 10 ; publishes The Raven under pseudonym (June, 1845), no; his authorship of The Raven revealed, no; effect of publi cation on his fame, in; his review of "Barnaby Rudge " contains the true germ of the poem, 111-112; various tradi tions concerning its composition, 112-114 and notes, 388, 419, 425; leaves the "Mirror," 114; contributions to the "Mirror" of slight importance, 115; attacks Longfellow's compilation, "The Waif," 115; associated with Briggs in "Broadway Journal," 115; reviews Miss Barrett's work in the "Journal," 116; sends The Raven to Home, 116; Miss Barrett's reception of his review, 120; relations of, with Briggs, 120; lectures on Ameri can Poetry to New York His torical Society, 121; Brigg's impression of him, 123-124; associate editor of "Broadway Journal," 124, 125; relations with Briggs, 125 seqq.; renews charges of plagiarism against Longfellow, 125; suggests simi lar charges against Lowell, 125; plagiarism a "ticklish hobby," 126, 127, 128; his po sition on the "Journal," 128; the "Longfellow War," 129 seqq.; replies to "Outis," 130; contributions to the "Journal," 131 and note 2, 132; his " bait ing" of W. W. Lord, 132 ; has too many irons in the fire, 133; has made no money, 133; improved habits, 135; relapses, 136, 138 note, 139; second lecture aban doned, and result, 136; personal interview with Lowell, 137, 138 and note i ; his meeting with Chivers, 138-139; described by Alexander T. Crane, 139-140; relations with Briggs, 141 seqq.; becomes sole editor of "Broad way Journal," 146; disapproves 474 INDEX Duyckinck's selection of "Tales" for publication, 148; reprints again, in "Journal," his old tales and poems, 148, 149 note; reads before Boston Lyceum, 150-151; sole pro prietor of "Journal," 151; Greeley's experience with, 151- 152; lacks capital to run the "Journal," 152; begging letters to Chivers and others, 153 seqq. ; obtains loan from Hal- leek, 161 ; other works reprinted in "Journal," 161 and note; new works published in 1845, 161-162; issues valedictory of "Journal," 162; publishes THE RAVEN, AND OTHER POEMS, dedicated to Miss Barrett, 163; his preface to the volume, quoted, 165-166; value of his poems discussed, 166-176; a careful artist rather than an in spired poet, 171; music an es sential element of his art, 171, 172; relations with the New York poetesses, 176 seqq.; his fascination for women, 178; relations with Mrs. Osgood, 178 seqq. ; exchanges verses with her, 179; his home and family described by her, 180- 182; consequences of their cor respondence, 183, 184 and note i ; unsuccessful attempt to ar range 'for publication of more tales, 184; "Godey's" his main support, 185; publishes THE LITERATI, 186 seqq.; relations with T. D. English, 188 seqq.; replies to E.'s attack, admitting errors and frailties, 189-190; explains E.'s charge of forgery, 191, 430; his reply published, 191; recovers damages from "Mirror" for English's libel, 193 ; The Literati discussed, 193- 195; character of P.'s criticism, 195-198; a disciple of Cole ridge, 196; first to submit criti cism to laws of literary art, 198; personal feeling in his critical writing, 199; W. G.Simms's ad vice, 199-204; the "Stylus" still the great purpose of his literary life, 21 1 ; Hawthorne's opinion of him, 212 ; his fortune at a low ebb, 212; his home at Fordham described by Mrs. Gove, 213 seqq., 432-439; in poor health, 217; his necessitous condition made public, 220 seqq.; writes open letter in reply to Willis, 222; effect upon him of Mrs. Poe's death, 225; dictates to Mrs. Shew the imaginary story of a voyage to France, etc., 226; relations with Mrs. Shew, 228; his life after Mrs. Poe's death, 228-229; vogue of his tales in Europe, 230; some tales trans lated, 231 note; few new works published in 1847, 231 seqq.; publishes Ulalume, 232; re quests publication of Ulalume in "Home Journal," with "a word of inquiry" as to authorship, 233; sets about Eureka, 235; Mrs. Clemm's account of him, 236; appears in the world again, 237 ; revives project of the "Sty lus," 237; lectures on the "Cos mogony of the Universe," 238; publishes EUREKA: A PROSE POEM, 239; reviews Macaulay's "Essays," 240; Eureka dis cussed, 240 seqq.; other meta physical speculations, 249 seqq. ; new works published in first half of 1848, 257; end of intimacy with Mrs. Shew, 257 seqq.; first suggestion of The Bells ascribed to a visit to her, 2 58 ; first sight of Mrs. Whitman, 265; exchanges verses with her, 267-268; lec tures on " The Poetic Prin ciple, ' ' 269; in Richmond, 270; his condition described by J. R. Thompson, 270-271; his life in Richmond, 271 seqq.; quarrels with Daniels, 273, 443 seqq.; Mrs. Whitman's verses, 273; re turns to Fordham, 274; court ship of Mrs. Whitman, 274- 286 ; conditional engagement be tween them, 281; final breach with Mrs. Whitman, 285-286; his letters to women, 287 ; new INDEX 475 publications in 1849, 294? corre spondence with Mrs. Richmond, 292, 294-295; the Domain o) Arnheim, 303; relations with Mrs. Locke and the Richmonds, 304-306; discouraging literary prospects in 1849, 3°6 seqq. ; ne gotiations with Patterson con cerning the "Stylus," 307; de spondency, 307, 308; with John Sartain in Philadelphia, 309; ill ness and hallucination, 3 1 1-313; in Richmond, 313; his life in Richmond, 317 seqq.; offers marriage to Mrs. Shelton, 318- 319; lectures in Richmond, 319; joins the Sons of Temperance, 321 and note i; physical condi tion, 321, 322; Mrs. Weiss and Mrs. Clemm, concerning his health, 322-325; Miss Ingram 's reminiscences, 329-333; lec tures in Norfolk, 333 ; engaged to Mrs. Shelton, 335; described by Mrs. Weiss, 336, 338; relations with his sister Rosalie, 337 ; pre parations for marriage, 340 ; last days in Richmond, 340-342; in Baltimore, 342; uncertainty concerning his experiences there, 342-343; found unconscious, 343; last hours and death, 343- 349, 447-448; post-mortem ap preciations of, 349-356; differ ent homes of, in Richmond, 359 seqq. ; alleged theft of volume of "Messenger," 365 seqq.; char acterized by Lowell, 369; rela tions of, with Chivers, 381 seqq. ; influence of Chivers's poems in germination of The Raven, 388; connection of, with foreign peri odicals, ii, 408, 410; and H. B. Hirst, ii, 419-420; and Mayne Reid, 420-421; in 1843-44, 422-424; proposes to read The Raven before the Queen, 425; his use of opium, 428 seqq. ; na ture of his devotion to Virginia, 440; in bachelor quarters, 442; and Mrs. Lewis, 446; grave of, 448; relations of, with Griswold, 449-454. Letters (and extracts) from, to his wife, ii, 217; Charles Anthon, ii, 72 ; Bowen and Goss- ler, ii, 81 ; Daniel Bryan, i, 330 ; W. E. Burton, i, 242; Matthew Carey, ii, 371 ; T. H. Chivers, ii, 1 53 ; T. Clarke, ii, 8 ; Mrs. Maria Clemm, ii, 65, 311, 313, 314, 315, 326, 333; P. P. Cooke, i, 212, ii, 207, 409; William Duane ii, 366, 367; E. A. Duyckinck, ii, 156, 157, 229, 301; G. W. Eveleth, i, 195, 302, ii, 257, 441 ; L. A. Godey, ii, 191; Horace Greeley, ii, 426; R. W. Gris' wold, i, 351, 354, ii, 34; W. Gwynn, i, 88; Miss Ingram, ii, 331; J. P. Kennedy, i, 104, 107, 108, 138, 146, 164, 266, 280, ii, 153; Lea & Blanchard, i, 294; H. W. Longfellow, i, 277; J. R. Lowell, i, 344, 347, 348, ii, 20, 33, 44, 60, 69, 90, 96, 103; Allan B. Magruder, i, 184, ii, 372; Lucian Minor, ii, 370; John Neal, i, 369; E. H. N. Patterson, ii, 320; C. G. Percival, ii, 374; George Poe, i, 161, ii, 159 ; Neil- son Poe, ii, 373; William Poe, i, 377; Mrs. Richmond, ii, 277, 292, 294, 307 ; Mrs. Shew, ii, 223, 261 ; J. E. Snodgrass, i, 183, 218, 221, 222, 237, 239, 248, 252, 267, 283, 285, 409; Bayard Tay lor, ii, 374; S. Thayer, i, 79; C. F. S. Thomas, i, 109; F. W. Thomas, i, 262, 290, 292, 324, 335- 337,339>352> ".6,98, 133; F. W. Thomas and J. E. Dow, ii, ii ; John Tomlin, ii, 39; T. W. White, i, no, 114, 118; Mrs. Whitman, ii, 266, 275, 290, 292 ; N. P. Willis, ii, 233. Poe, Mrs. Elizabeth (Arnold), i, 9; her stage career, 10 seqq., 358- 364; last illness, and death, 15. Poe, Elizabeth E., "Poe, the Weird Genius," etc., i, 358; ii, 442. Poe, George, i, 55, 161, 163, 376; ii, 159, 162. Poe, John, P.'s great-grandfather, i, 2; descendants of, 374-375^ Poe, John P., letter of, to author, i, 7 note. Poe, Neilson, P.'s cousin%i, 55, 87, 476 INDEX 137, 144, 219, 358, 379; ii, 153, 344, 447. 448. Letters of, to Mrs. Clemm, ii, 348; to R. W. Griswold, 447, 4S1- Poe, Mrs. Neilson, i, 137. Poe, Robert, i, 161, 162, 376. Poe, Rosalie, P.'s sister, birth of, i, 14; taken charge of by Mrs. MacKenzie, 16; death of, ii, 336; mentioned, i, 135; ii, 184 note i, 216, 217, 271, 272, 326, 429. Poe, Mrs. Virginia (Clemm), age of, at marriage, i, 164; relations with P., 185, ii, 440; described by Miss Harris, i, 297 ; and by Mrs. Weiss, 298; serious illness of, 298-299; in ill health, ii, 10- 12, 37, 217-219; her death, 225; mentioned, i, 320, 325, 338 ;ii, 34, 35, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 98, 135, 181, 182, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 220, 223, 224. See also Clemm, Virginia. Poe, Washington, i, 335. Poe, William, i, 161, 162, 375, 377; ii, 420. Letter of, to P., ii, 31. Poe, William H. L., P.'s brother, birth of, i, 13; in Baltimore, 16; 31; death of, 86. "Poe-Chivers Papers, The," ii, 96 note, 138 note 2, 139 note, 341 note, 426, 428. Poe-Duane Letters, The, ii, 365 seqq. "Poe Memorial," i, 100 note 2. Poe versus English, i, 102 note 2. POEMS (1831), i, 80 and note 2. Poetic Principle, The, ii, 351. Poitevent, Schuyler, i, 33 note. Poitiaux, Mr., ii, 326. Polilian, i, 31, 166, 167; alleged plagiarism of, by Longfellow, ii, 130; scenes from, 163 note. 414. "Polyanthos, The," i, 10. Portland "Advertiser," i, 368; ii, 45i- Portland "Transcript," ii, 441. Post, Mr., ii, 219. Power, Mrs., mother of Mrs. Whit man, ii, 280, 281, 284, 286. Power of Words, The, ii, 149 note, 161, 407. Predicament, A., i, 199; ii, 402. Preface. See Romance. Premature Burial, The, ii, 70, 132, 405. Preston, James P., letter of, to Secretary of War, i, 51-52. "Prima Donna, The," attributed to P., i, 134 note. PROSE ROMANCES OF EDGAR A. POE, ii, 39 note, 404. Purloined Letter, The, ii, 70, 95, 109, 148 note i, 405, 408. Putnam, George P., concerning Eureka, ii, 238, 239. PYM, ARTHUR GORDON. See NARRATIVE OF ARTHUR GOR DON PYM, THE. "Quarles," pseudonym under which P. published The Raven, Rationale of Verse, The, ii, 294. Raven, The, published in "Even ing Mirror" under pseudonym, and in "American Whig Re view" under P.'s name, ii, no; immediate success of, no-in; history of composition of, in seqq.; sent to Home, 116; Miss Barrett's opinion of, 117, 164; and Home's, 118; reprinted in "Broadway Journal," 120; read by Murdock, 121; reputed au thors of, 388, 419, 425; men tioned, i, 231; ii, 135, 150, 163 note, 172, 173, 179, 185, 205, 330, 415, 419, 420, 425, 439. RAVEN, THE, AND OTHER POEMS, ii, 163 and note. Rawlins, Dr. George, ii, 321. "Receuil des Bon Pensees," i, 179. Reid, Mayne, i, 297, 381; de scribes Mrs. Clemm, ii, 35-36; P.'s association with, 420-421. "Revue des Deux Mondes," ii, 231 note. Reynolds, J. N., i, 191. Richard, John, i, 16. Richardson, Warfield Creath, "Who was Chivers?" ii, 378 note i. INDEX 477 Richmond, Mr., "Annie's " hus band, ii, 269, 305. Richmond, Mrs. "Annie," ii, 269, 276, 277, 281, 282, 283, 286, 290, 294, 304, 305, 307, 308, _3io, 328, 329. Richmond "Despatch," i, 66 note i. Richmond "Enquirer," i, 163 note 3. Richmond Junior Volunteers, i, 25- Richmond "News," i, 74 note. Richmond "Standard," i, 36 note, 102 note i. Richmond "Times-Despatch," i, 366, 372 ; ii, 293 note 2, 442, 443. Richmond "Whig," i, 142. Ricker, Mr., ii, 86. Robinson, F. W., "The Library of George W. Childs," i, 295 note. "Robinson Crusoe," ii, 302. Romance (Preface), i, 60 note 2. (Introduction to POEMS, SECOND EDITION), 80 note 2 ; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 412. Rosenbach, Mr., describes breach between P. and Burton, i, 242 ; 2S7.259.38i; ii, 113- Royster, Mr., i, 37. Royster, Sarah E., i, 30, 37, 89. See also Shelton, Mrs. Sarah E. Sailer, Joseph, ii, 37. Sallengre, "Literary Memoirs" of, i, 179. Sartain, John, cares for P. in Philadelphia, ii, 309, 313; P.'s gratitude to, 316; 344, 417, 429. "Sartain's Magazine," ii, 296, 306, 351. "Sartor Resartus." See Carlyle, Thomas. "Saturday Evening Chronicle and Mirror of the Times," i, 197 note 2, 199. "Saturday Evening Post," i, 265, 276, 304, 377. "Scenes of Childhood," i, 238, 239. Schlegel, lesson learned by P. from, i, 177-178; "Lectures on the Drama," 179; 250. Science, ii, 149 note. Scott, Sir Walter, i, 133, 174. Scott, Gen. Winfield, i, 66 note 2. "Scribner's Magazine," ii, 114 note i, 323 note, 339 note, 340 note. Sedgwick, Miss, i, 165. "Senex," i, 12. " Sentinel of Freedom," ii, 453. Shadow, i, 123 note, 127; ii, 131 note 2. Shapley, R. E., i, 257. Shaw, Charles B., i, 116. Shea, George, ii, 114 note 2. Shea, John Augustus, ii, 114. Shelley, Percy B., i, 232 note; ii, 94- Shelton, Mrs. Sarah E., an early flame of P., ii, 317; P. offers marriage to, 318, 319; becomes engaged to P., 335; mentioned, 326, 327, 328, 333, 334, 355, 445, 446. Letters of, to Mrs. Clemm, ii, 335 and note 2, 341 and note. See also Royster, Sarah E. Sherburne, Miss, "Imogene," al leged plagiarism from, in The Gold Bug, ii, 37. Sherley, Douglass, "The Valley of Unrest," etc., i, 124 note i. Shew, Mrs. M. L., ii, 218, 219, 223, 224, 225, 226, 232, 257 seqq., 268, 269, 417. Signora Psyche Zenobia, The — The Scythe of Time (How to write a Blackwood Article), i, 198-199. Sigourney, Mrs. Lydia H., i, 151, 165, 173; ii, 122. Silence (Siope), i, 123 note, 140, 198; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 415. Simms, William Gilmore, ii, 185. Letter of, to P., ii, 199. Siope. See Silence. "Sixpenny Magazine," ii, 215 note, 432. Sleeper, The (Irene), i, 80 note 2; ii, 94, 131 note 2, 163 note, 413. Smith, Mr., i, 339, 340, 341, 342. Smith, Mrs. Elizabeth Oakes, "The Sinless Child," ii, 177; 185, 396, 428. Smith, Seba, i, 308; ii, 122. Smyth, Albert H., "The Phila- 478 INDEX delphia Magazines and their Contributors," i, 265 note. Snodgrass, Dr. J. E., i, 184, 200 note, 217-222, 237-240, 248- 251, 252-256, 268-271, 277, 283-287, 379; ii, 343, 344, 349, 448; his "Facts of Foe's Death and Burial." 344 note. Snowden, Mrs., i, 6. "Snowden's Lady's Companion," i> 343- Solee, Mr., i, 6. Some Words with a Mummy, ii, 161, 407. Song ("I saw thee"), ii, 149 note, 411. Sonnet — To Zante, ii, 163 note. "Southern Literary Messenger," Berenice published in, i, 109; P.'s letters to White concerning, 112-121; temporary suspension of, 146 ; P. in editorial charge of, 146; contributors to, 165; at tacked by New York "Mirror" on account of P.'s criticisms in, 169-170; close of P.'s editorial connection with, 181-185, 187; mentioned, i, 100 note, 102 note, 123 note, 161, 191, 320, 378; ii, 68, 74, 76, 80, 109, 131 note i, 270, 294, 295, 296, 299, 306, 327. "Southern Religious Telegraph," i, 163. "Souvenir, The," i, 106. Sparhawk, Mr., i, 377. Spectacles, The, ii, 50, 53, 70, 161, 404. Spencer, Herbert, ii, 252. Sphinx, The, ii, 406, 428. Spielhagen, F., "Edgar Poe gegen Henry Longfellow," ii, 131 note i. Spirits of the Dead, i, 60 note 2 ; ii, 411. " Spirit of the Times, The," ii, 37. 191- Sprague, Charles, ii, 122. St. Louis "Bulletin," i,-2i9, 262. Stannard, Mrs, Jane S., i, 29. [Stanzas], ii, 411. Stephens,}. L., "Travels in Arabia Petraea," reviewed by P., i, 185. Stephens, Mrs. Ann S., i, 317; ii, 60, 225. Stevenson, Andrew, i, 51. Stoddard, R. H., ii, 269 note 2; his reminiscences of J. R. Thompson, 271 note i; review of " Memoirs of Mrs. Botta," 428. Stoke Newington, Manor-House School at, i, 20, 21; village of, 20-21. Stone, Col. W. L., denounces P. in New York " Commercial Advertiser,"!, 172. Story, W. W., ii, 126. Strobia, Mr., ii, 326. "Stylus, The," P. and T. C. Clarke form partnership to publish, i, 355; prospectus of (1843), ii> J» 6'> project of, iden tical with that of "Penn Maga zine," i; plans for, 2, 6; an nounced in letter to Lowell, 21 ; project of, abandoned, 33 ; pub lication of, "only postponed," 96; project, revived, 237, 238, 282, 294; mentioned, 207, an, 307, 320. Suard and Andr6, "Melanges Lit6raire," title bungled by P., i, 179. System of Doctor Tarr and Profes sor Fether, The, ii, 70, 162, 4°5- Succession of Sundays, A, i, 306. See also Three Sundays in a Week. Sully, Robert, ii, 317. Swinburne, A. C., and T. H. Chivers, ii, 377. Talavera, home of the Talleys, ii, Tale of Jerusalem, A, I, 123 note; ii, 149 note. Tale of the Ragged Mountains, A , i, 380; ii, 70, 109, 161 note, 404. "Tales of the Folio Club" (never published as such), i, 98, 119, 123 note, 131, 140, 142, 198; offered to Harpers, 156, and de clined by them, 157-158; prob able make-up of, ii, 402. TALES OF THE GROTESQUE AND ARABESQUE, published, i, 222 and note; an expansion of INDEX 479 "Tales of the Folio Club," 224; 204; ii, 403. Talley, Miss. See Weiss, Mrs. Talleys, The, ii, 320. Tamerlane, i, 39 note i, 39-40, 59, 60 note 2, 64, 368; ii, 163 note, 411. TAMERLANE AND OTHER POEMS, P.'s first volume, i, 39 and note i, 40; autobiographical passages in, 41-45; speedy oblivion of, 45- Tarr, Doctor, and Professor F ether. See System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether, The. Taverner, Mr., ii, 327, 328. Taylor, Bayard, Life and Letters of, ii, 267 note 2; and T. H. Chivers, 376. T ell-Tale Heart, The, i, 343, 346; ii, 38, 95» T49 n°te, 404. Tennyson, Alfred, "Death of the Old Year," plagiarized by Longfellow, i, 234; P. accused of imitating, ii, 61, 71; 94, 118, 196. Thomas, Calvin F. S., publishes TAMERLANE AND OTHER PO EMS, i, 39 and note i ; mentioned, 38, 45, 46, 368- Thomas, Frederick William, "Howard Pinckney," "East and West," and "Clinton Brad- shaw," i, 262; suggests govern ment office to P., 289, 291, 293; obtains office himself, 290; de clines to write biography of P., ii, 3; on P.'s habits, 15-16; his "Beechen Tree," 98-99; men tioned, i, 260, 261, 262, 276, 290, 292, 296, 335, 337, 339; ii, 70, 133, 3°°- Letters of, to P., i, 289, 291, 293, 3l8« 322; ii, *7- Thompson, J. R., i, 102 note 2; ii, 270, 271 note i, 299, 320, 321, 327- Letter of, to Patterson, n, 270. Thomson, Sir William, ii, 252. Thou art the Man, ii, 70, 95, 109, 405. Thousand and Second Tale, The. See One Thousand and Second Tale, The. Three Sundays in a Week, i, 306; ii, 131 note 2, 403. To ("I heed not that my earthly lot")- See To M . To ("I saw thee on thy bridal day"), i, 60 note a. To - - ("Should my early life seem "), i, 60 note 2, 80 note 2. See also Dream within a Dream, A. To ("The bowers whereat in dreams I see"), i, 60 note 2; ii, 149 note, 412. To , i, 1 66, 167 note. See also To One in Paradise. To , to commemorate his first sight of Mrs. Whitman. See To Helen II. To — — , i, 39 note i ;ii,4i6. To Eliza, i, 167 and note. See also To F s S. O d. To F (To Mary), i, 167 note; ii, 131 note 2, 149 note, 170, 414. To F s S. O d (To Eliza), i, 167 note; ii, 163 note, 414. To Helen I, i, 80 note 2, 8x, 166, 308; ii, 163 note, 413. To Helen II, ii, 268, 294; 416. To M , i, 60 note 2; ii, 412. To M. L. S , ii, 232, 416. To Mary. See To F . To my Mother, ii, 296, 416, 417. To One Departed, i, 308. To One in Paradise, i, 167 note; ii, 131 note 2, 163 note, 205, 413. To the River , i, 60 note 2 ; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 412. To Science, i, 60 note 2, 70, 80 note 2, 166, 377; ii, 163 note, 412. See also Science. To Zante, i, 167 and note; ii, 149 note, 414. Tomlin, John, i, 260, 261, 276. Letters of, to P., ii, 42, 55. Wi N. P. "Tortesa," review of. See Willis, N. P. Tubbs, Mr., marries Mrs. Arnold, Tubbs, Mrs., i, 358, 359. See Ar nold, Mrs. Tucker, Beverley, i, 151, 213. Letters of, to T. W. White, i, 151, 154; to P., 154. Tucker, Thomas G., i, 33 note. 480 INDEX Tuckerman, Henry T., i, 346, 347. Tyler, John, President U. S., i, 288, 290, 291, 293; ii, 8, 9, 10, i7- Tyler, John, Jr., ii, 17. Tyler, Robert, i, 318, 322, 325, 336, 340, 34i, 342; ii, 4, 7. 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 99. Letter of, to P., i, 321. Tyson, J. W., i, 336. Ulalume, published in "American Whig Review," and in "Home Journal," ii, 233; discussed, 2^4-235; mentionec^, i, 2.31; ii, X7fci U3> 2$2» 3^. 33°> 4ifc, 4*7 1 439\. "Union, The," ii, 257, 268, 294, 306. "United States Gazette," i, 220, 238. "United States Military Maga zine," i, 265. "United States Review and Liter ary Gazette," i, 39 note 2. "United States Saturday Post" ("Saturday Evening Post"), ii, 38- University of Virginia, P. a student at, i, 32-36; gambling at, 34- Upshur, Judge, ii, 7, 9. Usher, Mr., i, 6, 9, 12. Valdemar Case, The. See Case of M. Valdemar, The. Valentine, A, ii, 296, 416. Valentine, Edward, ii, 282. Valentine, Miss, i, 95, 96. See also Aunt Fanny. Valley Nis, The, i, 166; ii, 149 note. See also Valley of Unrest, The. Valley of Unrest, The (The Valley Nis), i, 80 note 2, 82; ii, 149 note, 163 note, 413. Veal, Mrs., story of, ii, 302. "Virginia Patriot," i, 15. "Virginia Poe, The," i, 95 notes i and 2, 102 note 2, 354 note; ii, 103 note, 114 note 2, 138 note i, 271 note i, 321 note 3, 335 note 2, 342 note, 343 note, 344 note, 345 note, 378 and note 2, 402. "Virginia University Magazine, The," i, 33 note. Visionary, The, ii, 205. See also Assignation, The. Visit of the Dead, i, 39 note i, 44- 45. See also Spirits 0} the^ Dead. Von Jung, the Mystific, i, 199. See also Mystification. Von Kempelen article, The, "a quiz," ii, 301. Wallace, William, i, 336; ii, 429, 452 ; 407. Ward, Thomas. See "Flaccus." Waters, T., " Fordham Home of Poe," ii, 440. Watson, Henry L., co-editor of "Broadway Journal," ii, 125, 126. Watts, T. T., "Rambles and Reveries of an Art Student in Europe," ii, 427. Weiss, Mrs. (Miss Talley), "The Home Life of Poe," i, 96 note, 102 note i, 298, 358, 365; ii, 37, 43, in, 114 note i, 184 note i, 282, 319 note i, 322-323, 417, 429, 448, 450; describes P. in his last Richmond days, 336, 338-339; conversation with P., 340. Welby, Mrs. Amelia B., ii, 122. "Western Quarterly Review," ii, White, Eliza, ii, 180, 328. White, T. W., and the "Southern Literary Messenger," i, 112- 121 ; his attitude toward P., 184, 185, 187 ; mentioned, i, 109, 136, 138, 140, 142, 147, 149, 150, 164, 165, 181, 182, 206, 320, 326; ii, 70. Letters of, to P., i, 144, 182. Whitman, Sarah Helen, " Edgar Poe and his Critics," i, 29 note, ii, 265 note; "Poems," 265 note, 267, 286; her "Raven," 267, 268; "A Night in August," 273; P.'s courtship of, 274-286; conditional engagement to P., 281; final breach with P., 285; character of, 287-288; P.'s let ter to, 292; 304, 305, 306, 355. 445, 446. INDEX 481 Letters of, to R. H. Stoddard, ii, 269 note; to G. W. Eveleth, 279; to Mrs. Clemm, 318. Whitney, W., i, 199. Whitty, J. H., i, 366-367, 377; ii, 293 note 2, 420, 424, 443, 445- Why the Little Frenchman wears his Hand in a Sling, i, 224; ii, 149 note, 402. Wiley, Mr., ii, 158, 159. Wiley & Putnam, ii, 124, 126, 148 and note i, 156, 163, 269. William Wilson, discussed, i, 232 and note 204, 380; ii, 95, 149 note, 403. Willis, Nathaniel P., "Tortesa," i, 200, 215, ii, 161 ; first relations with P., i, 287; memoir of, ii, 60; his "Unseen Spirits," 60; employs P. on the "Mirror," 101 ; on P.'s lecture, 122; "too Willisy" for P., 126; on the "Longfellow War," 129-130; in The Literati, 187; writes of P.'s destitution, in the "Home Journal," 221; writes of Mrs. Clemm, 226, and of Ulalume, 234; writes of P. after his death, 354; mentioned, i, 213, 312; ii, 38, 85, 86, no, 114, 135, 179, 225,231,233,238,267,356,370, 45i Le tter of, to P., i, 287. Wilmer, Lambert A., " Recollec tions of E. A. Poe," i, 92-93, 265 note 2; "Our Press Gang," 94 note; "Quacks of Helicon," 309-312; acquaintance of, with P-.3775 11,41-42; his letter to Tomlin sent to P., 42-43; one of P.'s warmest defenders after his death, 43, 453; mentioned, i, 98, 103, 182, 199, 201, 257, 308; ii, 55,424. Wilson, Joseph W., letter of, to J. E. Snodgrass, ii, 344. Wintergreen, ii, 86. Wirt, William, i, 54. Wolfe, T. F., ii, 419. Wordsworth, William, ii, 146. Worth, Lt. Col. W. J., certificate of, concerning P.'s military service, i, 50-51. Wyatt, Thomas, "Manual of Con- chology," P.'s indebtedness to, i, 196 and note; 197, 198; ii, 7. X-ing a Paragrab, ii, 407. "Yankee and Boston Literary Gazette," i, 56, 57-60. "Young Men's Paper," i, 119. Zante. SeeToZante. THE END Of THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE . MASSACHUSETTS U . S . A OF UNIVERSITY OF &UFORJ 14 DAY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED HUMANITIES GRADUATE SERVICE This book is doe oa the last date stamped below, or oo the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 8EC.C& KCll'80 <^» •••; CIRCULATE DEC 1 7 897 — Ge«er»I Library . -_•• ~- H506TS1-: BERKELEY LIBRARIES