Text: Anonymous, “[Comment on Poe's Tales],” Wiley & Putnam's Literary News-Letter (New York, NY), vol. IV, no. 47, October 1845, p. 366, col. 2

[page 366, column 2, continued:]

[[. . .]] The very striking and powerful sketches of Poe have had less justice done them, simply for the reason that because they are tales merely, by a writer here but little known, the critics have not taken the trouble to read them. One literary man of high abilities as cool as a cucumber in his temperament, was induced, by my special request, to cut all the leaves and begin; next day he said, “a clever book — a very clever book — it made me hold my breath ‘till I finished it at a sitting.” The Purloined Letter was copied some time since by Chambers as a remarkable and original paper. By the way, has this or the Gold Bug any other basis than the writer's imagination? There is an air of what one might call incredible truth about several of these sketches; and the writer owns a pen of much more than ordinary power. [[. . .]]