Text: Anonymous, “Indecent Self-Exposure,” Morning Express (Buffalo, NY), vol. I, no. 79, April 16, 1846, p. 2, col. 2

[page 2, column 2, continued:]

A certain ineffable admixture of self-conceit, stupidity and puppyisum, who upon some possible consideration has been permitted to defile the pages the last Democratic Review, by the name of EDGAR A. POE, writes thus of CARLYLE:

“I have not the slightest faith in CARLYLE. In ten years — possibly in five — he will be remembered only as a butt for sarcasm” — Mr. POE'S for instance. Poor CARLYLE, how utterly used up and doomed he will consider himself when this terrible judgment reaches him. Taking all things into consideration we never heard of anything so cruel. The man has really no bowels of compassion.

Again, this King of Olympus shakes his ambrosial curls and continues: “The book about ‘Hero Worship’ — is it possible that it ever excited feeling beyond contempt! No hero worshiper can possess anything within himself.” “Your hero worshippers — your SHAKESPEARE worshipers for example, what do they know about SHAKSPEARE” — and ME. And then as to CARLYLE again he, “has rendered one important service (to posterity at least) in pushing rant and cant (and CANT” God save the mark) to that degree of excess which inevitably produces reaction. Had he not appeared, might have gone on for yet another century, EMERSON-izing in prose and WORDSWORTH-izing in poetry,” &c. Not certainly, Mr. Poe. Nobody ever thought of accusing him of EMERSON-izing or WORDSWORTH-izing, either in prose or verse. POE-izing is certainly at an infinite distance from either — of a totally different lineage and order.

We have before thought that we saw some evidences of deterioration in the Democratic Review — some falling off in the originality, cogency and style of its articles, but most certainly we never remember to have read in the pages before, any utter trash and drivel as is contained in the last number under the head of “Marginalia.” — No Magazine, however high or well established its reputation, can stand up under such empty and witless Poe-izing. And as to Mr. Poe himself he must be a very stout gentleman indeed, if he can stand many such instances of indecent self-exposure, as is contained in that article.