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who for some time employed Poe as critic and sub…editor on the
〃Evening Mirror；〃 wrote thus：
〃With the highest admiration for Poe's genius； and a willingness to
let it alone for more than ordinary irregularity； we were led by
common report to expect a very capricious attention to his duties；
and occasionally a scene of violence and difficulty。 Time went on；
however； and he was invariably punctual and industrious。 We saw but
one presentiment of the man…a quiet； patient； industrious and most
gentlemanly person；
〃We heard； from one who knew him well （what should be stated in all
mention of his lamentable irregularities）； that with a single glass
of wine his whole nature was reversed； the demon became uppermost；
and； though none of the usual signs of intoxication were visible； his
will was palpably insane。 In this reversed character； we repeat； it
was never our chance to meet him。〃
On September 22； 1835； Poe married his cousin； Virginia Clemm； in
Baltimore。 She had barely turned thirteen years； Poe himself was but
twentysix。 He then was a resident of Richmond and a regular
contributor to the 〃Southern Literary Messenger。〃 It was not until a
year later that the bride and her widowed mother followed him thither。
Poe's devotion to his child…wife was one of the most beautiful
features of his life。 Many of his famous poetic productions were
inspired by her beauty and charm。 Consumption had marked her for its
victim； and the constant efforts of husband and mother were to secure
for her all the comfort and happiness their slender means permitted。
Virginia died January 30； 1847； when but twenty…five years of age。 A
friend of the family pictures the death…bed scene…mother and husband
trying to impart warmth to her by chafing her hands and her feet；
while her pet cat was suffered to nestle upon her bosom for the sake
of added warmth。
These verses from 〃Annabel Lee；〃 written by Poe in 1849； the last
year of his life； tell of his sorrow at the loss of his child…wife：
I was a child and _she_ was a child；
In a kingdom by the sea；
But we loved with _a _love that was more than love…
I and my Annabel Lee；
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me。
And this was the reason that； long ago；
In this kingdom by the sea。
A wind blew out of a cloud； chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee；
So that her high…born kinsmen came
And bore her away from me；
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea；
Poe was connected at various times and in various capacities with the
〃Southern Literary Messenger〃 in Richmond； Va。； 〃Graham's Magazine〃
and the 〃Gentleman's Magazine〃 in Philadelphia。； the 〃Evening
Mirror；〃 the 〃Broadway journal；〃 and 〃Godey's Lady's Book〃 in New
York。 Everywhere Poe's life was one of unremitting toil。 No tales and
poems were ever produced at a greater cost of brain and spirit。
Poe's initial salary with the 〃Southern Literary Messenger；〃 to which
he contributed the first drafts of a number of his best…known tales；
was 10 a week！ Two years later his salary was but 600 a year。 Even
in 1844； when his literary reputation was established securely； he
wrote to a friend expressing his pleasure because a magazine to which
he was to contribute had agreed to pay him 20 monthly for two pages
of criticism。
Those were discouraging times in American literature； but Poe never
lost faith。 He was finally to triumph wherever pre…eminent talents
win admirers。 His genius has had no better description than in this
stanza from William Winter's poem； read at the dedication exercises
of the Actors' Monument to Poe； May 4； 1885； in New York：
He was the voice of beauty and of woe；
Passion and mystery and the dread unknown；
Pure as the mountains of perpetual snow；
Cold as the icy winds that round them moan；
Dark as the eaves wherein earth's thunders groan；
Wild as the tempests of the upper sky；
Sweet as the faint； far…off celestial tone of angel
whispers； fluttering from on high；
And tender as love's tear when youth and beauty die。
In the two and a half score years that have elapsed since Poe's death
he has come fully into his own。 For a while Griswold's malignant
misrepresentations colored the public estimate of Poe as man and as
writer。 But； thanks to J。 H。 Ingram； W。 F。 Gill； Eugene Didier； Sarah
Helen Whitman and others these scandals have been dispelled and Poe
is seen as he actually was…not as a man without failings； it is true；
but as the finest and most original genius in American letters。 As
the years go on his fame increases。 His works have been translated
into many foreign languages。 His is a household name in France and
England…in fact； the latter nation has often uttered the reproach
that Poe's own country has been slow to appreciate him。 But that
reproach； if it ever was warranted； certainly is untrue。
W。 H。 R。
~~~~~~ End of Text ~~~~~~
EDGAR ALLAN POE｛*1｝
BY JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL
THE situation of American literature is anomalous。 It has no centre；
or； if it have； it is like that of the sphere of Hermes。 It is；
divided into many systems； each revolving round its several suns； and
often presenting to the rest only the faint glimmer of a
milk…and…water way。 Our capital city； unlike London or Paris； is not
a great central heart from which life and vigor radiate to the
extremities； but resembles more an isolated umbilicus stuck down as
near as may be to the centre of the land； and seeming rather to tell
a legend of former usefulness than to serve any present need。 Boston；
New York； Philadelphia； each has its literature almost more distinct
than those of the different dialects of Germany； and the Young Queen
of the West has also one of her own； of which some articulate rumor
barely has reached us dwellers by the Atlantic。
Perhaps there is no task more difficult than the just criticism of
contemporary literature。 It is even more grateful to give praise
where it is needed than where it is deserved； and friendship so often
seduces the iron stylus of justice into a vague flourish； that she
writes what seems rather like an epitaph than a criticism。 Yet if
praise be given as an alms； we could not drop so poisonous a one into
any man's hat。 The critic's ink may suffer equally from too large an
infusion of nutgalls or of sugar。 But it is easier to be generous
than to be just； and we might readily put faith in that fabulous
direction to the hiding place of truth； did we judge from the amount
of water which we usually find mixed with it。
Remarkable experiences are usually confined to the inner life of
imaginative men； but Mr。 Poe's biography displays a vicissitude and
peculiarity of interest such as is rarely met with。 The offspring of
a romantic marriage； and left an orphan at an early age； he was
adopted by Mr。 Allan； a wealthy Virginian； whose barren marriage…bed
seemed the warranty of a large estate to the young poet。
Having received a classical education in England； he returned home
and entered the University of Virginia； where； after an extravagant
course； followed by reformation at the last extremity； he was
graduated with the highest honors of his class。 Then came a boyish
attempt to join the fortunes of the insurgent Greeks； which ended at
St。 Petersburg； where he got into difficulties through want of a
passport； from which he was rescued by the American consul and sent
home。 He now entered the military academy at West Point； from which
he obtained a dismissal on hearing of the birth of a son to his
adopted father； by a second marriage； an event which cut off his
expectations as an heir。 The death of Mr。 Allan； in whose will his
name was not mentioned； soon after relieved him of all doubt in this
regard； and he committed himself at once to authorship for a support。
Previously to this； however； he had published （in 1827） a small
volume of poems； which soon ran through three editions； and excited
high expectations of its author's future distinction in the minds of
many competent judges。
That no certain augury can be drawn from a poet's earliest lispings
there are instances enough to prove。 Shakespeare's first poems；
though brimful of vigor and youth and picturesqueness； give but a
very faint promise of the directness； condensation and overflowing
moral of his maturer works。 Perhaps； however； Shakespeare is hardly a
case in point； his 〃Venus and Adonis〃 having been published； we
believe； in his twenty…sixth year。 Milton's Latin verses show
tenderness； a fine eye for nature； and a delicate appreciation of
classic models； but give no hint of the author of a new style in
poetry。 Pope's youthful pieces have all the sing…song； wholly
unrelieved by the glittering malignity and eloquent irreligion of his
later productions。 Collins' callow namby…pamby died and gave no sign
of the vigorous and original genius which he afterward displayed。 We
have never thought that the world lost more in the 〃marvellous boy；〃
Chatterton； than a very ingenious imitator of