Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-08-24
LITERARY MYSTERY.
Did Doe Write 1.The Raren 2,


The following strange letter is pub
lished in the New Orleans Times.-
Our readers will judge for themselves
how much trust to repOse in it:
NEW ORLEANS, July p, 1870.
To the Editor NelD Orleans Times:
I enclose herewith some interest
ing extracts from private letter, re-
Gently received by me, from the Rev.
J. Shaver, of Burlington, New jersey
formerly of this city. Comment on
my part, is unnecessary; and II you
think it worth inserting in your yalu-
able Journal, you are at liberty 70 DO
so. Your obedient servant,
G. c. MACON.
PINE HEIGHTS HERMITAGE
BURLINGTON, July 2, 1870. J
Clement c. Macon, Esq. Nelg orleans,
Louisiana:
DEAR FRIEND:
This place is just now attracting q
great deal OF attention from antigua
rians and literateurs generally, on
account Of a discovery lately made by
me. I happened to notice I'm Lit
tells Living Age" Of January Sth,
page 100, the following paragraph:
1T has Just come to light that in
an old barn in one Of the villages Of
New Jersey is a valuable collection
of books and manuscripts, formerly
/ forming q part of the library Of Nah
Ion DiekersOn, an American states
man. They are all in possession of
/ the rats, and Of a man who VIII not
let them be touched, because Of some
family quarrel abOut property"
Having often heard that such dOeu-
ments existed in Burlington, and
were in the hands of Mr.. John T.
/ Tompkins, 1 requested and obtained
permission to examine them, and
| among them found and copied a pOr-
ton Of letter from Edgar A. Poe, to
Mr.. Daniels, of Philadelphia, dated
/ Richmond, September %, 1919, in
which an admission is made that viii
to a certain extent upset that per-
sons claim to the authorship Of THE
Raven" I could not make out all
| the writing, on account Of its age and
/ neglected condition, but what could
deeipher was in these words:
Shortly before the death Of our
good friend, Samuel Fenwick, he sent
me from New York, for publication,
a most beautiful and thrilling poem,
which he called The Raven wish
Z ing me before printing it, to see If 1t
| had merit and to make any altera-
tions that might appear necessary.
| So perfect was it in all its parts that
the slightest improvement seemed to
me impossible. But you know a per
son very often depreeiates his own
/ talents, and he even went so far as to
suggest that in this instance, or in
any future pieces he might contrib
ute, I should revise and print them
in my own name, to insure their cir
culation.
"This proposal I rejected, Of course,
/ and one way or other delayed print
ling THE Raven until, as you know,
fit came out in the ReUielD, and -.
/ 1t was published when / was, unfor-
| tunately, intoxicated and not know
| ing what I did, I signed my name to
/ it, and ahus it went to the printer and
was published.
1.-THE sensation it produced made
me dishonest enough to conceal the
name Of the author, who had died, as
YOU know, sometime before it came
out. and by that means now enjoy all
( the credit and applause myself. 1
simply make this statement to you
for the -. I shall probably 60 to
New York tomorrow, but viii be
back by October 18th, I think"
J As YOU are fond of such matters,
IT send YOU the above as something
I interesting and important
I am, as ever, your friend,
]. SHAVER.