VOLUMEIContentsEdgarAllanPoe，AnAppreciationLifeofPoe，byJamesRussellLowellDeathofPoe，byN。P。WillisTheUnparalledAdventuresofOneHansPfallTheGoldBugFourBeastsinOneTheMurdersintheRueMorgueTheMysteryofMarieRog阾
TheBalloonHoaxMS。FoundinaBottleTheOvalPortraitEDGARALLANPOE
ANAPPRECIATION
CaughtfromsomeunhappymasterwhomunmercifulDisasterFollowedfastandfollowedfastertillhissongsoneburdenbore
TillthedirgesofhisHopethatmelancholyburdenboreOf“nevernevermore！”
THISstanzafrom“TheRaven“wasrecommendedbyJamesRussellLowellasaninscriptionupontheBaltimoremonumentwhichmarkstherestingplaceofEdgarAllanPoe，themostinterestingandoriginalfigureinAmericanletters。And，tosignifythatpeculiarmusicalqualityofPoe’sgeniuswhichinthrallseveryreader，Mr。Lowellsuggestedthisadditionalverse，fromthe“HauntedPalace“：
AndallwithpearlandrubyglowingWasthefairpalacedoor，Throughwhichcameflowing，flowing，flowing，Andsparklingevermore，AtroopofEchoes，whosesweetdutyWasbuttosing，Invoicesofsurpassingbeauty，Thewitandwisdomoftheirking。
BorninpovertyatBoston，January191809，dyingunderpainfulcircumstancesatBaltimore，October7，1849，hiswholeliterarycareerofscarcelyfifteenyearsapitifulstruggleformeresubsistence，hismemorymalignantlymisrepresentedbyhisearliestbiographer，Griswold，howcompletelyhastruthatlastroutedfalsehoodandhowmagnificentlyhasPoecomeintohisown，For“TheRaven。”firstpublishedin1845，and，withinafewmonths，read，recitedandparodiedwherevertheEnglishlanguagewasspoken，thehalf-starvedpoetreceived$10！Lessthanayearlaterhisbrotherpoet，N。P。Willis，issuedthistouchingappealtotheadmirersofgeniusonbehalfoftheneglectedauthor，hisdyingwifeandherdevotedmother，thenlivingunderverystraitenedcircumstancesinalittlecottageatFordham，N。Y。：
“Hereisoneofthefinestscholars，oneofthemostoriginalmenofgenius，andoneofthemostindustriousoftheliteraryprofessionofourcountry，whosetemporarysuspensionoflabor，frombodilyillness，dropshimimmediatelytoalevelwiththecommonobjectsofpubliccharity。Thereisnointermediatestopping-place，norespectfulshelter，where，withthedelicacyduetogeniusandculture，bemightsecureaid，till，withreturninghealth，hewouldresumehislabors，andhisunmortifiedsenseofindependence。”
AndthiswasthetributepaidbytheAmericanpublictothemasterwhohadgiventoitsuchtalesofconjuringcharm，ofwitcheryandmysteryas“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher“and“Ligea；suchfascinatinghoaxesas“TheUnparalleledAdventureofHansPfaall。”
“MSS。FoundinaBottle。”“ADescentIntoaMaelstrom“and“TheBalloonHoax“；suchtalesofconscienceas“WilliamWilson。”“TheBlackCat“and“TheTell-taleHeart。”whereintheretributionsofremorseareportrayedwithanawfulfidelity；suchtalesofnaturalbeautyas“TheIslandoftheFay“and“TheDomainofArnheim“；suchmarvellousstudiesinratiocinationasthe“Gold-bug。”“TheMurdersintheRueMorgue。”“ThePurloinedLetter“and“TheMysteryofMarieRoget。”thelatter，arecitaloffact，demonstratingtheauthor’swonderfulcapabilityofcorrectlyanalyzingthemysteriesofthehumanmind；suchtalesofillusionandbanteras“ThePrematureBurial“and“TheSystemofDr。TarrandProfessorFether“；suchbitsofextravaganzaas“TheDevilintheBelfry“and“TheAngeloftheOdd“；suchtalesofadventureas“TheNarrativeofArthurGordonPym“；suchpapersofkeencriticismandreviewaswonforPoetheenthusiasticadmirationofCharlesDickens，althoughtheymadehimmanyenemiesamongtheover-puffedminorAmericanwriterssomercilesslyexposedbyhim；suchpoemsofbeautyandmelodyas“TheBells。”“TheHauntedPalace。”“Tamerlane。”“TheCityintheSea“and“TheRaven。”Whatdelightforthejadedsensesofthereaderisthisenchanteddomainofwonder-pieces！Whatanatmosphereofbeauty，music，color！Whatresourcesofimagination，construction，analysisandabsoluteart！OnemightalmostsympathizewithSarahHelenWhitman，who，confessingtoahalffaithintheoldsuperstitionofthesignificanceofanagrams，found，inthetransposedlettersofEdgarPoe’sname，thewords“aGod-peer。”Hismind，shesays，wasindeeda“HauntedPalace。”echoingtothefootfallsofangelsanddemons。
“Noman。”Poehimselfwrote，“hasrecorded，nomanhasdaredtorecord，thewondersofhisinnerlife。”
Inthesetwentiethcenturydays-oflavishrecognition-artistic，popularandmaterial-ofgenius，whatrewardsmightnotaPoeclaim！
Edgar’sfather，asonofGeneralDavidPoe，theAmericanrevolutionarypatriotandfriendofLafayette，hadmarriedMrs。
Hopkins，anEnglishactress，and，thematchmeetingwithparentaldisapproval，hadhimselftakentothestageasaprofession。
NotwithstandingMrs。Poe’sbeautyandtalenttheyoungcouplehadasorrystruggleforexistence。WhenEdgar，attheageoftwoyears，wasorphaned，thefamilywasintheutmostdestitution。Apparentlythefuturepoetwastobecastupontheworldhomelessandfriendless。Butfatedecreedthatafewglimmersofsunshineweretoilluminehislife，forthelittlefellowwasadoptedbyJohnAllan，awealthymerchantofRichmond，Va。Abrotherandsister，theremainingchildren，werecaredforbyothers。
InhisnewhomeEdgarfoundalltheluxuryandadvantagesmoneycouldprovide。Hewaspetted，spoiledandshownofftostrangers。InMrs。
Allanhefoundalltheaffectionachildlesswifecouldbestow。Mr。
Allantookmuchprideinthecaptivating，precociouslad。Attheageoffivetheboyrecited，withfineeffect，passagesofEnglishpoetrytothevisitorsattheAllanhouse。
FromhiseighthtohisthirteenthyearheattendedtheManorHouseschool，atStoke-Newington，asuburbofLondon。ItwastheRev。Dr。
Bransby，headoftheschool，whomPoesoquaintlyportrayedin“WilliamWilson。”ReturningtoRichmondin1820EdgarwassenttotheschoolofProfessorJosephH。Clarke。Heprovedanaptpupil。YearsafterwardProfessorClarkethuswrote：
“Whiletheotherboyswrotemeremechanicalverses，Poewrotegenuinepoetry；theboywasabornpoet。Asascholarhewasambitioustoexcel。Hewasremarkableforself-respect，withouthaughtiness。Hehadasensitiveandtenderheartandwoulddoanythingforafriend。
Hisnaturewasentirelyfreefromselfishness。”
AttheageofseventeenPoeenteredtheUniversityofVirginiaatCharlottesville。Heleftthatinstitutionafteronesession。Officialrecordsprovethathewasnotexpelled。Onthecontrary，hegainedacreditablerecordasastudent，althoughitisadmittedthathecontracteddebtsandhad“anungovernablepassionforcard-playing。”
ThesedebtsmayhaveledtohisquarrelwithMr。Allanwhicheventuallycompelledhimtomakehisownwayintheworld。
Earlyin1827Poemadehisfirstliteraryventure。HeinducedCalvinThomas，apoorandyouthfulprinter，topublishasmallvolumeofhisversesunderthetitle“TamerlaneandOtherPoems。”In1829wefindPoeinBaltimorewithanothermanuscriptvolumeofverses，whichwassoonpublished。Itstitlewas“AlAaraaf，TamerlaneandOtherPoems。”
Neitheroftheseventuresseemstohaveattractedmuchattention。
SoonafterMrs。Allan’sdeath，whichoccurredin1829，Poe，throughtheaidofMr。Allan，securedadmissiontotheUnitedStatesMilitaryAcademyatWestPoint。AnyglamourwhichmayhaveattachedtocadetlifeinPoe’seyeswasspeedilylost，fordisciplineatWestPointwasneversoseverenorweretheaccommodationseversopoor。Poe’sbentwasmoreandmoretowardliterature。Lifeattheacademydailybecameincreasinglydistasteful。Soonhebegantopurposelyneglecthisstudiesandtodisregardhisduties，hisaimbeingtosecurehisdismissalfromtheUnitedStatesservice。Inthishesucceeded。OnMarch7，1831，Poefoundhimselffree。Mr。Allan’ssecondmarriagehadthrowntheladonhisownresources。Hisliterarycareerwastobegin。
Poe’sfirstgenuinevictorywaswonin1833，whenhewasthesuccessfulcompetitorforaprizeof$100offeredbyaBaltimoreperiodicalforthebestprosestory。“AMSS。FoundinaBottle“wasthewinningtale。Poehadsubmittedsixstoriesinavolume。“Ouronlydifficulty。”saysMr。Latrobe，oneofthejudges，“wasinselectingfromtherichcontentsofthevolume。”
DuringthefifteenyearsofhisliterarylifePoewasconnectedwithvariousnewspapersandmagazinesinRichmond，PhiladelphiaandNewYork。Hewasfaithful，punctual，industrious，thorough。N。P。Willis，whoforsometimeemployedPoeascriticandsub-editoronthe“EveningMirror。”wrotethus：
“WiththehighestadmirationforPoe’sgenius，andawillingnesstoletitaloneformorethanordinaryirregularity，wewereledbycommonreporttoexpectaverycapriciousattentiontohisduties，andoccasionallyasceneofviolenceanddifficulty。Timewenton，however，andhewasinvariablypunctualandindustrious。Wesawbutonepresentimentoftheman-aquiet，patient，industriousandmostgentlemanlyperson；
“Weheard，fromonewhoknewhimwellwhatshouldbestatedinallmentionofhislamentableirregularities，thatwithasingleglassofwinehiswholenaturewasreversed，thedemonbecameuppermost，and，thoughnoneoftheusualsignsofintoxicationwerevisible，hiswillwaspalpablyinsane。Inthisreversedcharacter，werepeat，itwasneverourchancetomeethim。”
OnSeptember22，1835，Poemarriedhiscousin，VirginiaClemm，inBaltimore。Shehadbarelyturnedthirteenyears，Poehimselfwasbuttwentysix。HethenwasaresidentofRichmondandaregularcontributortothe“SouthernLiteraryMessenger。”Itwasnotuntilayearlaterthatthebrideandherwidowedmotherfollowedhimthither。
Poe’sdevotiontohischild-wifewasoneofthemostbeautifulfeaturesofhislife。Manyofhisfamouspoeticproductionswereinspiredbyherbeautyandcharm。Consumptionhadmarkedherforitsvictim，andtheconstanteffortsofhusbandandmotherweretosecureforherallthecomfortandhappinesstheirslendermeanspermitted。
VirginiadiedJanuary30，1847，whenbuttwenty-fiveyearsofage。A
friendofthefamilypicturesthedeath-bedscene-motherandhusbandtryingtoimpartwarmthtoherbychafingherhandsandherfeet，whileherpetcatwassufferedtonestleuponherbosomforthesakeofaddedwarmth。
Theseversesfrom“AnnabelLee。”writtenbyPoein1849，thelastyearofhislife，tellofhissorrowatthelossofhischild-wife：
Iwasachildand_she_wasachild，Inakingdombythesea；
Butwelovedwith_a_lovethatwasmorethanlove-
IandmyAnnabelLee；
WithalovethatthewingedseraphsofheavenCovetedherandme。
Andthiswasthereasonthat，longago；
Inthiskingdombythesea。
Awindblewoutofacloud，chillingMybeautifulAnnabelLee；
Sothatherhigh-bornkinsmencameAndboreherawayfromme，ToshutherupinasepulchreInthiskingdombythesea，Poewasconnectedatvarioustimesandinvariouscapacitieswiththe“SouthernLiteraryMessenger“inRichmond，Va。；“Graham’sMagazine“
andthe“Gentleman’sMagazine“inPhiladelphia。；the“EveningMirror。”the“Broadwayjournal。”and“Godey’sLady’sBook“inNewYork。EverywherePoe’slifewasoneofunremittingtoil。Notalesandpoemswereeverproducedatagreatercostofbrainandspirit。
Poe’sinitialsalarywiththe“SouthernLiteraryMessenger。”towhichhecontributedthefirstdraftsofanumberofhisbest-knowntales，was$10aweek！Twoyearslaterhissalarywasbut$600ayear。Evenin1844，whenhisliteraryreputationwasestablishedsecurely，hewrotetoafriendexpressinghispleasurebecauseamagazinetowhichhewastocontributehadagreedtopayhim$20monthlyfortwopagesofcriticism。
ThosewerediscouragingtimesinAmericanliterature，butPoeneverlostfaith。Hewasfinallytotriumphwhereverpre-eminenttalentswinadmirers。HisgeniushashadnobetterdescriptionthaninthisstanzafromWilliamWinter’spoem，readatthededicationexercisesoftheActors’MonumenttoPoe，May4，1885，inNewYork：
Hewasthevoiceofbeautyandofwoe，Passionandmysteryandthedreadunknown；
Pureasthemountainsofperpetualsnow，Coldastheicywindsthatroundthemmoan，Darkastheeaveswhereinearth’sthundersgroan，Wildasthetempestsoftheuppersky，Sweetasthefaint，far-offcelestialtoneofangelwhispers，flutteringfromonhigh，Andtenderaslove’stearwhenyouthandbeautydie。
InthetwoandahalfscoreyearsthathaveelapsedsincePoe’sdeathhehascomefullyintohisown。ForawhileGriswold’smalignantmisrepresentationscoloredthepublicestimateofPoeasmanandaswriter。But，thankstoJ。H。Ingram，W。F。Gill，EugeneDidier，SarahHelenWhitmanandothersthesescandalshavebeendispelledandPoeisseenasheactuallywas-notasamanwithoutfailings，itistrue，butasthefinestandmostoriginalgeniusinAmericanletters。Astheyearsgoonhisfameincreases。Hisworkshavebeentranslatedintomanyforeignlanguages。HisisahouseholdnameinFranceandEngland-infact，thelatternationhasoftenutteredthereproachthatPoe’sowncountryhasbeenslowtoappreciatehim。Butthatreproach，ifiteverwaswarranted，certainlyisuntrue。