Text: Anonymous, “Edgar Allen [[Allan]] Poe,” New York Herald (New York, NY), whole no. 13,978, November 29, 1874, p. 6, col. 3

[page 6, column 3:]

Edgar Allen [[Allan]] Poe.

Richard Henry Stoddard has made a valuable contribution to English literature by a publication of a new edition of Poe's poems, with an original memoir. This book is handsomely printed, and contains some poems that now appear for the first time, with Poe's lecture on “The Poetic Principle,” and a letter written by him in 1831, criticising his own works.

POE'S LIFE AND LINEAGE.

It has always been a marvel that so little should have been known about Poe — In some respects the finest genius that our country has produced. There are many men living who must have known Poe, for he was born in 1809, and if he had still lived would have been in the vigor of ripe manhood. But none of his friends nave cared enough for his memory to give us the true account of his life. Griswold's memoir is simply a libel. There have been some publications in England and France, mainly the noble tribute of Charles Baudelaire, but as they were mostly based upon Griswold they cannot be accepted as authorities. Mr. Stoddard supplies this want to a certain extent. His memoir is interesting, but only indicates what might be done in the way of life of Poe if any of our young writers would really study the subject. We learn from Stoddard that Poe was the son of an actress, that he came from a Norman family, that his father was a law student and seems to have been shiftless being: who afterwards took to the stage — the father playing comedy parts badly, the mother appearing as Juliet or Ophelia. The mother died two years after the birth of Edgar, and the father having abandoned the family the children were left to drift. Edgar was adopted by Mr. John Allen, of Richmond, a friend of the family, was taken to England when child, and spent Ave years in Stoke-Newington, where he studied mathematics and the classics. He returned to Richmond, remained at home few years, entered the University of Virginia in 1826 and led rather wild life — drinking, playing cards and spending $2,000 on gambling, dress clothes and champagne. Through the influence of his adopted father he was admitted to West Point, General Scott and Chief Justice Marshall signing his application. Here he continued to lead the same wild life, “preferring brandy to champagne,” encouraging the report that he was “the grandson of Benedict Arnold,” and in 1831 was sent before a court martial for “gross neglect of all duty” and “disobedience of orders.” To these charges Poe pleaded guilty and was sentenced to be dismissed the service of the United States, the sentence being carried into effect March 6, 1831.

HARDSHIPS AND FOLLY.

Of course this led to his alienation from his benefactor, and in 1833 Poe began a literary career in Baltimore. He continued to write and drink and dissipate, flying from one mood to another until his death, which took place in 1849. His theory of editing was that the people “loved bravos, and accordingly he managed to quarrel with all his associates. In 1844 be came to New York and associated himself with Mr. Willis on the Home Journal, and afterwards with Charles F. Briggs, the Broadway Journal About this time he published “The Raven,” and when the editor of the Journal, Mr. Stoddard, made his acquaintance and describes his visit to him, and pale, with large, luminous eyes, and dressed in black.” Afterwards he called upon him again and bad quarrel about the authorship of “An Ode to Grecian Flute.” This terminated the acquaintance. “I had glimpses of Poe afterwards in the says Mr. Stoddard, “but we never spoke. The last time I remember to have seen him was In the afternoon of a dreary autumn day. A heavy shower pad come up suddenly and he was stand. under an awning. I had an umbrella, and my first impulse was to share it with nim, but something — not unkindness, certainly — withheld me. I went on and left him there in the rain, pale, shivering, miserable, the embodiment of his own

WILD, SAD DAYS.

In 1846 he removed to Fordham and lived in little cottage on the bull, which still stands. “The Bells” was published, as well as “Annabel Lee.” this year he visited Richmond. “when he got far as Philadelphia be fell in with some of his boon companions and was overcome by the temptation, being obliged to ask for charity as means of reaching Richmond.” He spent some time in Richmond, working for Mr. Thompson; but “the fit came upon and he disappeared a 1e days. “He was next heard of at a fashionable drinking saloon, where be Was found explaining ‘Eureka’ to a motley crowd of barroom loungers. He returned to his work again and made another effort to reform. He joined a temperance society and gave lecture, which was attended by the best people of Richmond. He renewed acquaintance with a lady whom be had loved youth — and who is now a widow — and became engaged to her. He had but two things to do before they were married. One was to go to Philadelphia and write a preface for a volume of feminine poetry, and the other was to go to Fordham and fetch Mrs. Clemm to the wedding.

DEATH OF POE.

“He started from Richmond on the 2d or 3d of October, 1849. He arrived at Baltimore safely, but, between trains, unfortunately took a drink with a friend, the consequence of which was that be was brought back from Havre-de Grace 10 state of delirium. It was the eve of an exciting municipal election, and as he wandered up and down the streets of Baltimore he was seized by the lawless agents of some political club aud shut up all night in a cellar. The next morning no was taken out in a state of frenzy, drugged, and made to vote in eleven different wards. The following day be was found in a back room of a political headquarters and removed to a hospital. He was insensible when found, and remained so until Sunday morning, October 7. The doctor and nurse were with him when he first stowed consciousness. “Where am I he asked. The doctor answered, are cared for by your best After a pause, during which he appeared to recall what bad occurred and to realize his situation, Poe replied, best friend would be the man who would blow out my Within ten minutes he was dead. He was buried on the 8th of October in the burial ground of the Westminster church. The funeral was attended by a cousin, a member of the Baltimore Bar, a classmate, and a Methodist minister, a relative by marriage. The spot onosen for his grave was near that of his grandfather, General Poe.”

Mr. Stoddard has done his work welL At the same time the true life of Poe remains to be written, and whoever will do it will make a contribution to literature equal to Moore's Life of Byron.