Text: Sarah J. Hale, “[Comment on The Raven and Other Poems],” Godey's Lady's Book (Philadelphia, PA), vol. XXXII, no. 1, January 1846, p. 48, col. 1

[page 48, column 1, continued:]

Messrs. Wiley & Putnam have added to their “Library of American Books,” No. 6, “Wanderings of a Pilgrim under the Shadow of Mont Blanc” By George B. Cheever, D. D. A delightful book, written with a true feeling of the beauties of natural scenery, and abounding with personal anecdotes of distinguished men, in his intercourse with whom the author discovers that reverence for high moral and religious traits which wins our sympathy and commands our esteem. No. 7, “Western Clearings,” by Mary Clavers, (Mrs. Kirkland,) author of “A New Home — who’ll follow?” &c. One of Mrs. Kirkland's most piquant and lively works, full of those inimitable touches of nature and traits of character which have won for the author so enviable a reputation among our native writers. No. 7, “The Raven and other Poems,” by Edgar A. Poe, a collection of fugitive pieces which fully sustain the high reputation which the author had previously gained by his prose works for power of imagination and command over the English language. Indeed, Poe's masterly facility in diction may be supposed to have occasioned the only fault which we perceive in any of these poems, an appearance of careless wantonness in rhythm, which, perhaps, after all, may be merely the independent freedom of one who cannot but feel his own power. All the publications of Messrs. Wiley and Putnam are to be found at the book-store of Mr. J. W. Moore, in Chestnut street below Fifth