Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-11-03
Did Poe write the Raven ?

| E "Once upon midnight dfeary; while
pondered weak and weary" Thus
runs the opening line of one of the most
wonderful and celebrated poem pro
duced during our certainly the
most celebrated poem America has ever
produced. We mean, Of course, the
mouruful, weird, fantastic Raven" the
very parodies upon which form almost
special literature in themelves. Who
was the author of this sad and splendid
poem--from what broken heart came
forth this meodious wall It seems
rather absurd to ask the question -
''The Raven has been renowned all
over the world the name Of Edgar Allen
Poe, the unhappy master, whom un-
mercitul disaster followed fast and fol
lowed faster" till ''the dirge Of all his
hopes tie melancholy bore Of Never,
Never more Edgar Poe, unfortunate,
wrotched, ruined sot and castaway, was
unquestionably endowed beyond any of
his country's singers with the true i'm
mortal light Of poetic genius. Dying
immatureiy in hospital bed, and sleep
ing in a pauper's grave, he has left a
name and left many poems likely to be
remembered by all generations to come,
But was he after all the author Of The
Raven?' Such a question forms the
subject Of a rather astonishing literary
controversy now going on. An ingeni-
Gus gentleman has discovered that Poe
was but an impostor, "I,he Raven" we
are told, is a Persian poem. Poe au-
daciously adopted it, translated it word
for word, melancholy burden and all,
and palmed it off upon the world as his
own. A distinguished Orientalist (who
has not yet come forward in his own
person. can prove the plagiarism, and
has seen the original poem; several other
distinguished Orientalists (names un-
known can likewise bear witness against
| poor Poe. This is a heavy charge
against the memory Of one who had,
indeed, sad sins to answer for. 1t is
all the more serious because, as almost
everybody knows, Poe not merely pub
lisEed the poem as his own. but like
wise published most remarkable. and
elaborate essay, unfolding the whole Of
the gradual and singulan process of de-
velopement by which "The Raven" grew
up in his mind, and became at last an
accomplished piece Of poetic art. There
fore if Poe only. translated the. poem,
he was guilty not merely of plagiarism
and indirect lying, but Of an elaborate,
systemized and gross series Of falsehoods,
such as We are glad to say is as yet un-
paralelled' in the history Of letters.
Happily there is not the faintest ghost
Of an excuse for allowing such charge
forest upon the already darkened memo
ry ofpoor Poe. The whole story Of the
p1agiarismis is palpable absurdity, which
oughtto deceive nobody who had ever
read the poem. The testimony of dis
tinguished Orientalists has been IN
voked on both sides of the controversy
but as we think rather superfuousl y =
| We do not care 70 wait for the final and
| public procurement Of the learned men
who is accredited with the fame Of this
wonderful discovery. !" The Raven
speaks for itself. ANY one who having
reap it over once can believe, on the
faith Of any amount Of pathological tes-
timony, that the poem is Persian, nigh
believe that Hamlet" was the work Of .
ChickasaY Indian, that "Vanity Fair
was composed by native of Timbuctoo
OF that Friths Derby Day" is,a servile
copy from Apellesr The sentiments
the felin ga, the aspirations, the regrets