New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-01-19
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS.


xTrH so1icLI ~ us LUI 40 GESies ~ : = n
LoSELI- p WILLS AID r " GAIsT9L0 II w
Nn.Ga-s Se~YOrk J. kedSe4a
II We were DISPOSED % point rn1rs- WIN %
exhibition Of the errors Of wasted genius "e oc-H
10. be furnished with more fruitful materials tIaa
are ,,resented X thee vo1nles J1dging from thssr
oon.AD.s. which u the or.y means re possess n
forrainr an estimate # Mr Poe. NJ vas man -
ex.raorainary bo.duess sod origna-iiy Of lnter
Ice. with q power n sharp and suite analysis
thai has seldom been surpassed. and "a magma
ton sl1-r4.ry pr &c bota Il creations Of beauty and
oftsrror. The ingenuity with which ne oouabnes
toe ds,icst. Eanen.s Of thought into VIA. seems
a compact asd substantial texture, is ? perpetual
surprso ability IN he sphere Of s-tis-iciHycn-
ton was sufficient 70 have insgred him permanent
fame IS wTi.er q romance Or dramatic poetry, had
the trurhiuiness Il hs intellect been IN proportion
20 is energy. The Sail with which he throws 40
air of probability o1cr the most sD~urt AMI nieI
tie 10 - horrioe and revo.tinz siiustlo-s-tae ap
parent nod fsith vith which ne weayes up tissue
u complicated details into y.ot which be27nes mo
reader. until ne arrives a. The ANALOGOUS dc-'nS
ment. j. equsled only by toe exquisite propr9''
AZ ao.ce o. TIC ,aneusee winch he always s.e,''
With the useTiag instinct ot genus " ''n "I'
rare s.as d iayct..on snd expression A'. roe
might have attained en- eminent Tanh 10 Literature,
ard even have been c.ssscd sniolg the intellectual
bsnefactors Of society
I-,hapr1v 10 had 10 earnostnsss NJ character
10 sincerty Cd conviction, 10 faith IN human exoe'
,e,ce no devotion to hish purpose not even NE
desire 70 prodSoo oonsumuate WORK Of ari-sA1
hence ii. writings fail sppean- 70 universal pFr
cpe. oftsste. and arc destitute Of 20 truth and "a
,nrslno.s. which arc the oay passports to az endur
i.~ reputation IN literature He regarded toe word
81 an eaor7no,.s hrobue s'-d "a revenge. wonif r.
pay II ia Kind His mind was haunted with terrific
,otcor'.ors. which he delighted 70 em5elish an
work m. by The aid Of his pretena'ura ANALYSIS into
the strangely plausible lctions, whcn al length dig
gus. the reader with their horrible uonstrosl'les -
Thu cgcc, Of his writings i like bro l'hiuG he a' a
4 chane,Lousc The walls seem 70 sweat with
bood ,yc stumble ca s. aas and dead men bones
snd grinnng specres mock Ia the din, sePuioural
!igb, There Is no smell o. TIE fresh earth, We see
no sprne blossoms or autumn fruits, we hear no
cattle loving on the hTs the song Of 'rest birds
il hushcd. all the blersel sights aud sounds Of
Nature are 10 more and some iouL accursed demon
IS throttling us with his nier1a, grasp Even the
title of many Of Mr Poe 5 tales IS nightmare
II these grim. ghss,ly creations contributed b
sav true usthetic efedif they were redeemed
bv any touches Of humanity their lund black
ness were intended 10 highten the spleDdor Of any
celestial dawn, ono might forgive such = horrible
play Of tie imagination 70 the purposes Of ne az
tist. But thore is no such apology Mr.. Poe lux
O.. q
eyokes the most terrific spectres merely for terror
sake Tbs would be fatal IN any kindred spheres
of Ant Conceive Of one Of those Economical
scenes being embodied IN painting or sculpture
Il IS equally fatal 10 literature. And hence these
writings we refer particularly 10 the prose articles
bear the seal OF early death upon their face
Many Of the poeiicai pieces contained In these
volumes are Of u different character Some Of them /
are remarkable Tor their hmpid snoothuess and /
sweetness But they arc destitute Of the Freedom !
tho gushing sponteneity the inspired ecsiatlo burst
Of soul. which are essential TO immortal song.
They show a profound study OF the theory and re-
sources Of versliic alton, bat seem TO DC composed
as an intellectual experiment, not the expression
Of the rapi spirit, to which poetry IS as natural as
the wood notes wiz to the bird. Their prevail
my characteristic is extreme artiiicIahty Ger
tain cunning skin IN construction. and displays cf
artistic force which have no merit but their inee
nu,tv. like the singular conceit Of enveloping the
name Of a iayorto IN the mazos of sonnet No
one eau fnd i, I'LL he knows The tn"k, and when
Known, il loses lis interest
Mr. Poe's own account O: NE composition N his
most popular piece. The Rsvon' lets MS into the
secret al his methods unless kdecd tbs very ron
iosSion is a quiz which, with his IDonomaniacd love
of nvslhcaton. IS very likely to he The case At
all events. howover, II is too curious specimen o.
snalvsis to characteristic oi poe's refining, ha-r
splitting intellect, no, To reward a moments stten
ton.
No enc point in the composition OF that poem Is
refersblo either to accident ~ intuition the work
proceeded step by step To ITS completion. with the
precision and rigid consequence Of 6 mathematical
problem" The FIRST pom, IN be settled was the
length @; the intended poem. This should not be
much over oae hundred lines N ordorthai Il might
he reed NJ a single sitting. \ break IN tho reading
would destroy the continuity OF the impression
The province Of the poem wac 70 BE- Nho express slon
ol beauty not OF Truth. the sarsiscto6Vi the intel
beauty demands tho tone o. sadness for rs hiyhes,
mamie station Thus Tar the artist has the length
the pnvince. sad the ZONE Of the poem Next be
wishes for some artistic piqSsncy to serve as KEY
note IA is constructions pivot on Which the whole
structure may tu1l The use OF Toe rrirats WAS az
once suggested. But this was susceptible Of in
,rovcmeut Is comnsoply employed II depends FIR
its Impression on the .uqoc 81 monotone, both ia
sound ard thouSht Tie resolved 20 divers, Az sud
hghten the eject by adher.us 20 the monotone 81
sound, while hi Continually Vsrisd thsi Of thought
that is. he determined &c produce continually novel
effects. by VARYING the Application Of the refrain
while the refrain itseb Cor the part remained
unchanged lie was then % decide o. tire nature
4 his refrain l, must 10 bret, for tho sake OF f.
c,,.ty Of variation II must form the clnse Of each
s,snzs. and IN order "a have frce must b. sonrpus
aid csYshle q; psotEscied emphasis This led To-
the selection oi the long as the most sonorocs
vowel n conncction With - To- nf'ss rrodscro.s
colsonaut. Now to se.ec; word cmhody.us this
S,.,,il su1 ID kecplAc with the PREDETERMINED mc.