Text: George Lippard, “Mr. Poe’s Lecture, “ Citizen Soldier (Philadelphia, PA), vol. I, no. 40, November 29, 1843, p. 316, col. 4

[page 316, column 4:]

MR. POE’S LECTURE. — It was our desire, and we confidently expected, to lay before our readers the excellent Lecture of Edgar Allan Poe, Esq., delivered before the Wirt Institute, on Tuesday evening week. Other arrangements of the Author prevented us from the accomplishment of the design. But we must say a few brief words, concerning the subject of the lecture, how it was managed, and how received by the audience. The subject, “American Poetry,” was handled in a manner, that placed all the pseudo-critics, the Rev. Mr. Rufus Griswold, Esq. among others, to the blush, and showed the audience, how a man born a poet, could describe the true nature and object, as well as the principles of poetry. The sentences of the Lecturer were vigorous, energetic and impassioned, his criticisms scathingly severe in some cases, and desrvedly [[deservedly]] eulogistic in others. Ex-Judge Conrad, received a merited compliment from Mr. Poe, who recited the whole of his version of the Lord’s Prayer, and Mr. Morris of the Inquirer, was noticed with cordial approbation. As a general thing, the Lecture was received with the most enthusiastic demonstrations of applause, and it was agreed by all, that it was second to none, if not superior to all lectures ever delivered before the Wirt Institute.