Text: Sidney P. Moss, “Acknowledgements,” Poe's Literary Battles, 1963, pp. v-vi (This material is protected by copyright)

[page v, unnumbered:]

In going over the ground of Poe's first battle, I found that a significant portion of Poe's essays, reviews, lectures, and editorial comment was concerned with matters that we do not ordinarily associate with literary critics — namely, a preoccupation with the policies and practices of publishers, editors, and reviewers; and that this battle was fought over such policies and practices. A more exhaustive study of Poe as a working critic convinced me that much of Poe's criticism and comment was written under and shaped by the exigencies of attack and defense. Concerned as I was with Poe's critical career, I would have been dull not to see these battles as related campaigns, since the battles were made coherent by the recurrence of common issues, common principles, and common practices. I would have been even duller had I not recognized that these battles might serve as a kind of stereoscopic viewer by which I could see Poe's criticism in its contemporary and therefore three-dimensional context.

Although such a frame does not admit of an exhaustive analysis of Poe's reviews, it provides a means — the most dramatic one I could find — for discussing his characteristic critical views and the typical responses he made to his literary times, and therefore a way of getting at the essence of Poe as a working critic.

In writing this book, I have sought to satisfy two major conditions: first, to collect, assemble, and present every piece of available evidence pertinent to Poe's literary battles; second, to interpret that evidence, however that interpretation may differ from current opinion, not so much with the object of defending Poe as a critic but of understanding him in that capacity. In satisfying the first condition, I have received so many kindnesses from so many librarians that merely to list their names in acknowledgment of their services is prohibitive. I have tried in each case to thank them personally, and here I thank them again collectively. The very numerous debts I owe to scholars whose works I consulted or whose information I solicited, I have sought to acknowledge whenever possible in my notes.

But there are some people to whom I owe a special debt of gratitude which must be acknowledged here. Among them are the editors of American Literature and the American Book Collector for their double kindness to me — first, in publishing my articles; second, [page vi:] in granting me permission to draw upon them in writing this book; Dr. Hensley C. Woodbridge, Head Librarian at Murray State College, who assisted greatly in putting library materials at my disposal; Professor Clell T. Peterson who had the patience to listen to certain inchoate ideas; Mr. Carroll G. Bowen who gave me encouragement at a crucial time; Mr. and Mrs. David A. Page — for sentimental reasons; and my family — Rita, Laura, Colleen, and Philip — without whose presence there would have been little pleasure in the work.