Text: Killis Campbell, “Poe and the Southern Literary Messenger in 1837,” The Nation (New York, NY), vol. LXXXIX, July 1, 1909, pp. 9-10

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NATION:

SIR: The year 1837 is one of the obscurest in all Poe's history. Prof. G. E. Woodberry, in his recent revised life of Poe, holds that “less is known of Poe at this period than at any other.” Of the poet's movements and activities for this year only this is known: that he resigned as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Messenger in January, the formal announcement of his resignation being made under the date January 3; that he was, however, despite this announcement, discharging some of the functions of the editor on January 9 (compare the letter to Gen. A. B. Magruder recently brought to light by Professor Woodberry), and that

he was still in Richmond on January 17 (see the letter of that date to T. W. White); that he was in New York city late in May and early in June (see the letter of Prof. Charles Anthon of date

June 1, 1837); that he republished his “Mystification” in the number of the American Monthly Magazine; that he contributed a lengthy review of Stephens's “Travels in Arabia Petræa” to the October number of the New York Review; and that he was living in New York in the latter part of the year at No. 113 1/2 Carmine Street the reminiscences of William Gowans in the New York Evening Mail for December 10, 1870). There is also a tradition of long standing that Poe left Richmond in January, proceeded at or by slow stages, as one biographer has it — to New York city, where he hoped to establish a with the New York Review, and that he city for the rest of the year this nothing has been nothing conjectured, so far as I am aware — concerning Poe's career during this year. There is, however, in a collection of letters long treasured up in this city, a letter of Poe's which makes one or two additions to our scanty stock of information, and which has been kindly placed at my disposal for publication This letter was written to Mrs. Sarah J. Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book, and is now in the possession of Mrs. R. H. Connerly a granddaughter of Mrs. Hale. It reads as follows:

Richmond

Oct: 20, 1837

Dear Madam,

I was somewhat astonished to-day at receiving a letter addressed to “W. G. Simms, Esqr., Editor of the S. L. Messenger,” and hesitated about my right to open it, until I reflected that, in forwarding it to Mr. S., I should place him in a similar dilemma [page 10:] I thereupon broke the seal — but the address, even within, was “W. G. Simms.” I could arrive, therefore, at no other conclusion than that, by some misapprehension, you have imagined Mr. S. to be actually editor of the Messenger, altho’ I wrote you, but lately, in that capacity myself. Of course, under the circumstances, it is difficult to reply to one portion of your letter — that touching the prose article desired. If, however, it was your wish that I should furnish it, I am grieved to say that it will be impossible for me to make a definite promise just now, as I am unfortunately overwhelmed with business, having been sadly thrown back by late illness I regret this the more sincerely as I would be proud to find my name in any publication you edit, and as you have been so kind as to aid the Messenger so effectually in a similar manner yourself. To send you a crude or hastily written article would be injurious to me, and an insult to yourself — and I fear that I could, at present, do little more

As Editor of the Messenger I can however say that it will afford me sincere pleasure to do you any service in my power. I shall look anxiously for the ‘Ladies’ Wreath.”

I am surprised and grieved to learn that your son (with whom I had a slight acquaintance at W. Point) should have been vexed about the autographs.* So mere nonsense it was hardly worth while to find fault with. Most assuredly as regards yourself, Madam, I had no intention of giving offence — in respect to the “Mirror” I am somewhat less scrupulous.

With the highest regard,

I am

Yr obdt

EDGAR A. POE

Mrs. Sarah J. Hale

This letter establishes at least two things: one, that Poe was back in Richmond in the autumn of 1837; the other, that he was again posing as editor of the Southern Literary Messenger. That was again editor-in-chief of the Messenger is not to be believed, since Mr. White advertised himself as editor in each number of the Messenger for after February: besides, Poe himself asserts in an article on Judge Beverly Tucker in his “Autography” that he “retired from the Messenger” in January. The probable explanation of his statement to Mrs. Hale is that he was again holding the post of assistant editor, as had been the case the 1835. There is nothing in the contents of the Messenger of this that either contradicts or proves this but the October and November numbers apparently lend some support to it. In the October number is a review of N. C. Brooks's “Scriptural Anthology” which may very well have come from Poe's pen — Brooks had befriended Poe, and Poe was in the habit of repaying debts of friendship in this manner. And in the November number there are several articles that were perhaps written by him: the notice of “The American Almanac for 1838,” the brief comment on the “Eclipse of the Sun in 1838,” the review of Miss Sedgwick's “Live and Let Live,” and the article on the “Exploring Expedition to the South Seas.” Poe had noticed the “American Almanac” for 1837 in the Messenger for October, 1836; he was interested in things astronomical: he was an extravagant admirer of Miss Sedgwick and had reviewed several of her books in the Messenger; and he had already contributed two articles to the South-Sea Expedition. There is nothing in December Messenger that can be [column 2:] credited to Poe — which falls in very well with Mr. Gowans's testimony that the poet was making his home in New York at the end of the year.

At what time Poe returned to Richmond for his last editorial service on the Messenger, it is impossible as yet to say. The September Messenger contains nothing that can be assigned to him. The article entitled “Helen Defended,” though it deals largely with verbal inaccuracies and improprieties, is nevertheless not in Poe's manner; and the review of “Pickwick Papers” not only takes an attitude to Dickens at variance with that habitually taken by Poe, but was emphatically disavowed by him in the article on Beverly Tucker referred to above. In the July and August issues there is, in like manner, nothing that the peculiar stamp of Poe's critical work, the only thing in these numbers that can with any likelihood be traced to him being, in my judgment, the flimsy review of Motherwell's poems in the issue for August It is also impossible to say how long Poe remained in Richmond after his resignation as editor-in-chief in January. In the February and April numbers of the Messenger there are, to be sure, sundry articles not hitherto associated with which were probably from his pen; the review of Mrs. Ellet's “Marco Visconti” and the notes “To Our Readers” in the February number, and the review of Bird's “Nick of the Woods,” the notes “To Our Readers,” and the brief “Critical Notices,” in the April number. But in order to give these to Poe it is not necessary to assume that he was in Richmond and on the staff of the Messenger at the time they were published; for it will be remembered that the January number, in announcing Poe's resignation, also announced that Poe would continue to contribute to the Messenger from time to time. Still it may yet be shown that Poe did not leave Richmond until several weeks — possibly several months — later than has heretofore been generally held.

KILLIS CAMPBELL.

University of Texas, Austin, June 20.