Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-10-24

entered upoa his duties with letters full ofexpressions
Oh the warmest gratitude to his friends in Baltimore
VINO IN i've or six weeks were astonished to learn
that with characteristic reckessness of consequen
ces, ne was hurriedy married 10 girl as poor as
himself Poe continued in this situation about
year hall, in which he wrote many brilliant ar
tcles. and raised the Messenger to the first rank of
literary periodicals.
tie next removed to Philadelphia, TO assist WIN.
~. Burton IN the ediorshp of the Gcntteman's
.Mdgd>tne miscellany that in 1910 was merged
in Grdtdm's Juagasine, of which Poe became one
of the principal writers, particularly in criticism, in
which his papers attracted much attention by their
careful and skful analysis, and generally caustic
severity. AT this period, however, he appears to
nave been more ambitious of securing distinction in
Romantic fiction, and collection of his compost
tons in this department. published in 1871 under
the title OF Tales of the Groiesque and the Ara
besque," established his reputation for ingenuity,
! imagination, and extraordinary power in tragical
narration.
7 Near the end of 1914 Poe removed to New York
where he conducted, for several months literary
miscellany called "The Broadway Journal" In
lS45 he published a volume of "Tales'' in Wiley
and Pninam's Library of American Books, and
in the same series collection of his poems Besides
these volumes he was the author of 'Arthur Cor
don Pym," romance: "a New Theory of Eng-
llsh Nersfication ;""Eureka," an essay on the ma
teria and spiritual universe; work which he
wished TO have '.judged as a poem !" and several
extended series of papers in the periodicals, the
most noticeable OF which are "Nlarginaa," embra-
cling opinions of books and authors "Secret Writ
Inc" "Autography," and '.Skeiches of the Litera-
ii of New York"
His wife died in lS47, at Fordham, near this
city, and some of our readers will remember the
paragraphs in the papers of the time upon his des-
iitute condition. His wants were supplied by the
liberality Of few individuals. We rememberthat
Col. Webb collected in few moments fifty or six
ty dollars for him al the Union Club; MIR. Lewis,
OF Brooklyn, sent a similar sum from one of the
Courts in which he was engaged when he saw the
statement OF the poets poverty; and others illus
trated In the same manner the effect Of such an ap
peal TO the popular heart. Since thai time Mr.. Poe
had lived quietly and with an income from his lite
rary labors sufficient for his support. Afew weeks
ago he proceeded TO Richmond. in Virginia, where
he leciured on the poeiical character, SC. and it
was understood by some of his correspondents here
that he was this week 10 be married.
The character of Mr.. Poe we cannot attempt TO
describe in this very hastily written article. We
can but aIlude TO some of lis more striking phases
His conversation was at times aImost super-mor-
tai in lis eoquence. His voice was modulaIed with
astonishing skill and his large and variabIy express
slve eyes looked repose or shot fiery tumut into
theirs Who'liscned, while his face olowed or WAS
changelcss in paor, as his Imagination qnickened
his blood or drew ii back frozen 20 his heart His
imagery was from the worlds which no mortas can
see but with the vision OF genius. Suddenly start
ing from proposition exactly and sharply defined
In terms of utmost simplicity and c!earness, he re-
Jecied the forms Of customary logic, and by crysia-
line process of accreion, built up his ocular demon
STATIONS in forms of gloomiest and ohaslliesi gran
deur, or la those OF The most airy and delicious beau
ty-so mlnuiey, and distinctly, YET SO rapidly that
the attention which was yielded To him was chain
ed Till it stood among his wonderful creations-till
he himself dissolved The SPELL and brought his hear
ers pack 10 common and case existence, by vulgar
fancies or exhibitions of the icnoblest passion
He was at all times Misunderstanding in ideal
reams-in heaven or hell-peopled with The crea-
lures and tile accidents of his brain. He walked
The streets, In madness or melancholy, with lips mo-
wing in indstinc curses, with eyes uplurned in
passionate prayer, (never for himself for he felt or
proieSsed TO feel, that he already damned y but
Tor their happiness who at the moment We're objects
of his idolalry; or, with his glances nrovered to
heart gnawed with anguish, and with a face
shrouded in gloom, he would brave the widest
storms and al! night, with drenched garments and
arms beating the winds and rains, would sneak rs
1t TO spirits that at such times only could be evoked
by him from the Aldenn close by whose portals his
disturbed soul sought to forget the ills to which his
constitution subjected hm-close by the Aidenn
where were those he loved-ihe Aidenn which he
might never see, but in fijful gmpses as lis gates
opened 10 receive the less fiery and more happv na
lures whose destiny sin did not involve The doom
of death.
He seemed except when some Giful pursuit sub
Jugated his will and engroSsed his faculties always
to bear the memory OF some controlling sorrow.-
! The remarkable poem of Tie Racen was probably
much more nearly than has been supposed, even by
those W no were very intimate with him, a reflex
ion and an echo Of his own history. He was that
birds
-Unhappy master.
Whom unmcTciul disaster
Followed fast and follow ed faster
Till his songs the burden bore
Till the dirgcs oil his hope, the
Melancholy burden bore
OI"Ncvcrmorc," of "Nevcrmorc
Every genuine author in greater or less decree
leaves in his works, whatever their desirn traces
OF his personal character elements of his immortal
being, IN which he individual survives the persop
W bile we read the pages Of the FM of The House
Of Usher, or Of 1csmerc RCUciaiionS we see in the
solemn and stately gloom which invests one. and
In the subtle metaphysical analysis of BOTH indica.
lions oil the idlosyncracies-of what was most
remarkable ard peculiar-in the auihor's Intellect
uai nature. But we see here only the better nho
seS OF this nature, only the symbols of his ulster ac
tlon, Tor ms harSh experience had deprived him OF
all la'th Ia man or woman. He had made up his
mind upon the numbercss complexities of The soci-
al world, and the whole system with him was an
lIDp0sture. ihls conviction gave direction 10 his
shrewd and naturally unamiablc character. Sill
though he regarded society composed altore ihcI
OF Villains, the sharpness Of his intellect was moi o
that KIND which enabled him 10 cope with valionv
while 1t continually caused him by overshots 10 fail
OF the success Of honesty Tic ,,.o- - ra,,.. .