Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-10-16

vantage. So it would have been IN this ca -,
but that one OF the Committee, taking up Nv.
lie book, in such exquisite caligrapry as "
seem like one of the finest issues OF Inc Fte''
of Putnam, was tempted to read several pages
and being interested, he summoned the auen-
tion of the company 10 the half dozen compo'
sitions in the volume. Ii was unanimously oe'
cided that the prizes should be paid to ibe nfs'
of eeniuses who had written legibly. Not ano'
Their MS. was unfo!ded. Immediately he 'con'
6den,ial envelop' was opened, and the success
FIJI competitor was found 10 bear the scarcely
known name of Poe.
The mex. day the publisher called 10 see .nr.
Kennedy, and gave him an account oil The an'hoi
that excited his curiosity and sympathy, ana
caused him to request that ne snouid os oiousn'
10 his office. Accordingly he was introduced
The prize money had not YET oeen palu, anu NC
was in the costume in which ne mao answered
The advertisement OF bis good fortune. Thin, anc
male even 10 ehas,iiness, his whole appearance ln-
dica,ed sickness and the utmost deslituioD.
tat,cred lrockcoat concealed the absence oil a
shirt. and theIuins Of boots disclosed more than
The want OF ockings. But The eyes oil The young
man were luminous with intelligence and !eeiine,
and his voice and conversation, ard manners, all
won upon the lawyers regard. Pue told his ms
tory, AMI his ambi ion, and il was determined
that he should not want means Tor suitable ap-
nearance in society. NOR opportunity for lu>l
DISPLAY of his abilities in literature. Mr.. Ken
nedy accompanied him TO clothing Store, and
purchase for hir, respectable sui, with chan>
ees OF linen, and sent him TO bath, from which
b. returned with the suddenly iegained bearing
OF gentleman
the lale Mr.. Thomas w. White had then re.
Gently established The Southern Literary Mes.
senger, al Richmond, and upon The warm recon
incubation OF Mr. Kennedy, Poe Was engaged,
al small salary-we believe OF S50o year-io
he lis editor. He entered upon his duties wi h
letters full of expressions OF The warmesl grail
indie 10 his friends in Baltimore Woo in five OF
sly weeks were astonished to learn that With
characteristic recklcssness OF consequences, he
was hurriedly married 10 girl as poor as him'
ser Poe continued in This situation abou, a
wear and hall, in which he wrote many brilliant
articles and raised The M.Ms1ger 10 The flrsirank
Of literary periodicals IS.
He pexl removed 10 Philadelphia, 10 assist
William E. Burton in the edltorship OF The
Genilsman's Magazine, a miscellany that in
1910 was merged in Gradams Magazine
OF which Poe became ons OF The principal
writer's, particularly 10 criticism, IN which
his naoers attracted much attention, BY
their careful AMI skillful analysis, and gene
ralIy causlic severity. AT This period, how
ever. he appears 10 have been more ambitious oil
securing distinction in romantic fiction, aud a
collection OF his compositions in this depart
meu,. published in l84l, under The title OF "Tales
OF The Groesque and the Arabrsque," establish
ed hi. reputation for ingenuity, imagination, and
extraordinary power in tragcal narration.
Near the END OF lS4i Poe removed 10 New
York. where he conducted for several months a
To-
naln In l6i5 he published volume OF Tales
in Wiley and Punam's Library OF American
Books. and in the same series collection OF his
poems Beside these volumes he was the author
OF "Arhur Gordon Pym,' romance: "A New
Theory OF English Versiiicaliop;" Eureka, /" an
ESSAY on the material and spiritual universe:
work which he wished 10 have "jrd.td as po-
en-" and several extended series OF papers 10 The
periodicals, the most noticeable Of which are
i.Marsinalia," embracing opinions OF books and
authors; "Secrel wiring "AuIosraphy," and
"Sketches OF The Li.erati OF New York"
His wife died in ls47, al Fordham, near This
Civ. and Sc ne Of our readers will remember The
paragraphs in the papers al The time, upon his
dfs!iiute condition. His wants were supplied oy
the liberality OF few individuals we remem
Der that Col Webb collected in few moments
fifty or sixty dollars Tor him at The Ualon Clu';
Mr. Lewis o iBrot kyn, sent similar sum rom
one Of the Courts, in whch ne was engaged
whan be saw the statement OF the peers poverty
and others illustrated IN the same manner me ei-
fect OF such an appeal ~ the popular heaH;
Since that time Mr. Poe had lived quietly and
win an income from his literary labors sufficient
for his support. A lew week; ago be proceeded
10 Rchmohd in Virginia, where he !ectured upon
The poe,ical character, &c; and il was under
stood by some OF his correspondents here that ne
was this week TO be married, most advan'a geous>
ly. 10 a lady OF that city, widow, 10 whom ne
had been previously engaged while student IN
The University.
The character CT Mr.. Poe we cannot attempt
10 describe in this very h,sily written article
We can but alIude 10 some ul IT'S more striking
phases
His conversation was al times almos, supra
mortal in its ell: Q1enCc. Ills voice was mo ~
lated with astonishing skill, and hts large and
yaliably expressive eyes looked repose Or saot
fery ,umu. into theirs who listened, While his
own face glowed, or was changeles' IN rallor, as
his imagination quickened his blood or drew il
back frozen 10 his heart. His i'm gerry was from
The worlds which no mortal can see but with the
vision OF genius. Sud .enly starting from pro-
position exactly and sharply defined in terms Of
utmost simplicity aud cIearness, nc rejected The
forms Of customary logic, and by Crystalline
process OF accreliun, built uph's ocular demon
STATIONS in forms Of gloomiesl and ghastliest
or in those OF the most airy ana deli.
cious beauly-so minuley, aud distinctly, yet so
ra pdy, that the attention which was yirl!ed 10
him was chained ill II stood among his wonder
fn creations ill he himself dissolved The spell,
and brought his hearers back 10 common and
base existence, by vulgar tancies or cxhiohions
Ut The ignoblesl passion.
~. Iraa amor
ideal realms-in heaven or hell peopled with
the creatures and the accide6ls Of his brain. de
walked the streets, in Madness or melancholy,
with lips moving IN indislinct curses, or wIthcyes
up'urned in passionate prayer, (neyer t"r him
self for he felt or pIoessed To feel, that he vas
already damned but Tor their happiness who al
the molnen, were objects Of his 'doiafy; or, win
his gisnces inlroverted iL heart snawed WIN
anguish, and with lace shrouded in gloom, he
would brave The widest stams; ard all night
with drenched garments and arms beaIin. the
winds and rains, would speak as f'o s,niIs tha! al
such times only could b. evoked ty him from The
A denn dose by whose portals his disturbed suGi
sought 10 forget The ills 10 which his constitution
subjected him-close by the Aidcnn where were
those he loyed-lhe Aidenn which lie might nev-
er see, but in i,ul glimpses, As lis gates opened
10 receive The less fiery anu more happy natures
whose destiny 10 sin dbl not involve The doom ct
death.
He seemed, eIcep, when some fiful pursuit
subuga,ed his Will and engrossed his faculties,
always 10 bear The memory oil some controlling
sorrow. The remarkable poem Of III: Raven
was probably much more nearly Than has been
supposed, even by hose who were very intimate
win him. reflection and an echo ol his own
history. he was that birds
-Unhappy master,
Whom unmefciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster,
Till his songs the burden bore
Till the drges of his hope, The
Melancholy burden bore
or "Nevennore," OF "Nevermofe.'
Every genuine author in a greater or less de-
gree leaves in his works, whatever their design,
traces Of his personal characie.i elements OF his
immortal being, 10 which The iniividual survives
the person. While We read The pages Of The F"H
Of he H3u,c Of Usher, or of Mssmere Rsptintions,
We see in the solemn and stale y gloom which in
ves.s one, ana in the subtle metaphysical analysis
OF both, indications OF the idiosyncracies of
what was most remarkable and peculiar-in the
authors Intellectual nature. Bul We see here