Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-11-10

reer would give a darker hue to his character
than 1t has received from any of bis biogra-
piers. In fact, he has been more fortunate
than most poets in his historians Lowell
and Willis have sketched him with gentlencss
and a reverent feeling for his genius; and
Griswold, his literary executor, in his fuller
biography. has generously suppressed much
that he might have given. This is neither
the proper time or place to write full his
tory of this unhappy genius: those who scan
his marvellous poems closely may find there
in the man, for it is not possible for The tue
poet to veil himself from his readers What
he writes he is''
The biographer then gives brief memoir,
picture truly his connection with US Poe,
he says. was soon installed as editor of Gra-
hams Magazine. AS matter of course, he
quarreled with Graham, and then went to
New York, where be engaged as a sub editor
on the Mirror But he Did not
long remain at this employment, which was
wholly unsuited to him. aud he left the Mir
ror' without quarrolling with the proprietors
| do not think that the casual reader would
get from this passage, Gin which there is 40
positive lncorrectness,) an impression which
at all corresponds to the picture left, by the
same period, in your remembrance and mine.
PoE came to US quite incidental ly-neither of
US, if ! remember rightly, having been per-
sonally acquainted with him at that time
and his position towards US, and connection
with us, or course unaffected by claims Of
previous friendship, were fair average of
his general intercourse and impression. As
he was man who never smiled, aud never
said propitiatory or deprecating word, we
we're not likely TO have been seized with any
sudden Partially or wayward caprice in his
favor.
| should preface my avowal Of an almost
/ reverence for the man, as | knew him, by
. reminding the reader Of the strange double,
common to the presence and magnetism ot
man of genius. and the almost totally Differ
cnt estimate which may be thus formed Of
the same individual, By two strangers or ac-
quaintances Of equal intellectual acumen and
discrimination The mysterious electricity
of mind where it is negative, is more apt TO
be entirely antIpodal IN poets than in men
equally gifted in other ways. The nature of
the poet is wholly unrcvealed to those upon
whom his clectrlc influence is lost or amouuts
to .an antagopism. What could be more diff
/ fercnt than are often the two honest opinions
entertained by good judges, Of the nature Of
the same gifted man?
1t was rather step downward, after being
the chief editor Of several monthlies, as Poe
had been, to come into the Office of a daily
Journal as mechanical paragraphist. 1t
was his business to sit at desk, IN a corner
Of the editorial room, ready to be called upon
! for any of tie miscellaneous work of the mo-
uleut-anuouDcing news, condcnsipg state
ments, answering correspondents, noticing
usements-eveFything but the writing of
a ''lcador," or constructing any article which
! his peculiar idiosyncrasy of mind could be
! impressed. Yet you remember how abso-
! lutely and how good -humoredly ready be was
for any suggestion, how punclually and in
dustriously reliable, in the following out Of
the wish once expressed, how cheerful and
prescnt-minded in lis work when be might
excusably have been SO listless ard abstrac-
ted We loved the nan for the cntiVeness
Of fidelity for which he served us-himself,
or any vanity OF his own, so utterly put
aside When he left US we were very reluc-
tant to part with him, but we could not OBJ
iect, as ii was to better his fortunes. lie was
to take the lead in another periodical.
But, on one Of the pages Of the splendid
volume before me, is the key to an inner
chamber of tho heart Of that gifted man.
There is the SONNET TO HIS wIFE's MOTHER;
and, in my opinion, the exquisite heauty Of
the relationship between the two-EDG AE
PoE and Mrs GLENN, the saintcd woman who
SO devoted her entire existence to a tender
care and worship of her unhappy boy--will
mbalm him in the poetcal heart memory Of
mankind Let me here recall the picture,
which | have already drawn, Of her aud her
afection-writing of them at the time Of his
death -
But there is another, more touching, and
far more forcible evidence that there r2S
goodness in Edgar Poe. To reveal it, we are
obliged to venture upon the lifting Of the
veil which sacrcdiy covers grief and refine
ment in poverty; but we think it may be ex-
cused. if SO, we can brighten the memory of
the poet, even were there not more needed
and immediate service which it may render
to the nearest link broken by his death.
'Our first knowledge of Mr.. Poe's remov-
al to this city was by a call which we receiv-
ed from lady who introduced herself to us
as the mother of his wife She was In search
of employment for him, and she excused her
errand by mentioning that he was i'll, and
that her daughter was confirmed invalid
and that their circumstances were such a.
compelled her taking it upon herself. The
countenance Of this lady, made beautiful anc
sanity with an evidently complete giving uT
of her life to priYatlon and sorrowful teEder'
ness, her gentle and mournful voice urginl
its plea, her long forgotten but habitualll
and uncorsciously refined manners, and he
appealing yet appreciatiye mention OF th'
claims and abilities of her son, disclosed tht
presence of one of those angels upon eartl
, that women in adversely can be. 1t was
hard fate that she was watching over. Mr
Poe wrote with fastidious difficulty, aud in
style too much above the popular level to b
well paid. He was always in pecuniary diff
ficulty, and, with his sick wife, frequently i
want of the merest necessities of life. Win
ter after winter, the most touching sigh
to us in the whole city, has been that tireles
} minister to genius. thinly and Insufficient