The New York herald., 1874-12-21


are "How We Hung John Brown" by Colonel
oicott; Edgar Allan Poe and his Biographer" by
Mr.. Gill; '.Players in Large Drama" by J. Il.
Bromley" and Liberty" by Colonel hay.
Colonel Hays poem, in fact, is one OF the most
striking works Of that gifted writer. 1t Is Injured,
however, by wood engraving showing Liberty
as an angel, standing on gufotlne. the axe OF
which has fallen, taking with II the head OF q
king. There is something repusive in this picture
but the drawing Is SO pad that 1t becomes amusing
There s nothing IN 1t ut all resembling that tear-
iul machine. Mr.. Hays poem IS as lollows:-
LIBERTY.
What man is there so bold that he should say,
thus and thus only would have the sea f''
Siasp,nE ihs l5 love: s and throwing back
s f % Dy ,Ss ssv
1 bears the trade and nayles Of the world
t. elemental ury. howls and rcars
p rum drinks the he blood blood Of Of EH living thing.
And srews It's wrecks DER leagues Of desoate shore
SSsyi il s.s e. ssa ssr vs1sd snS Fl Sswn
60 60 al in in vain viii timorous men essay
ro SCI sae acne me!es .. and d.. bounds Of Liberty.
Or cai@ alike T faldis the anerrns rna WIZ iCrm
s as as os neR ahsslss on wae Mhss swsr% ss
o When sGne m maS aSuaf asnsa IL times.
4 Il shakes l,, the torch OF M terror r. and It's cry
q riot and war wa see its awful iom m the name
down kings
FoT always Y u thine eyes, Q Liberty
Ana though thou say US we s trust IN thee. saved
The sketch "How We Hung John Brownn is an
account OF the experience OF Colonel Olcott as
volunteer IN the southern militia who surrounded
the scaold OF that extraordinary fanatic. Colonel
Olcott was one OF the guard that accompanied the
wagon bearing the victim to the gallows, ian old
man OF erect figure seated on q box OF fresh cut
DEAL clad in black suit with black slouch hat
ana with blood-red worsted slippers on his feet,v
Mr Bromley describes the inauguration OF Presi-
dent Lincoln, and his work Is an exceedingly dne
bit OF writing, with little tendency to leave the
narrative and preach which lengthens the sketch
but weakens 1t. Mr.. Gill, the publisher OF the
book has written valuable contribution to the
literature OF the life OF Edgar Allan Poe 1t leads
us to hope that the time may come when some OF
our ambitious authors viii study the life OF Poe
and tell US the truth about him. few days
ago we had occasion to review Mr.. Stod.
DARTS sketch. Mr.. Gill adds some additional
Information to what we learned from Mr.. Stod-
dard. He denies that Poe was gambler and rake
In his university, and contradicts the stories Of
DR.. Grlswod, which are the basis OF much or what
Is known OF the poets life. There has always
been an unpleasant legend that Poe be fore he
died, went to the house or lady to whom ne was
engaged to be married, In Providence r. l., and
behaved SO badly that the engagement was broken
on. This story Mr.. Gill destroys completely, and
quotes q letter from Mrs. Whitman, the lady In
question, written last year, an extract from winch
Is worth publishing mo such scene as that de.
scribed by Dr. Griswold," she writes sever
transpired IN my presence. No one certainly no
woman, who had the slightest acquaintance with
Edgar Poe could have credited the story for an
instant lie was essentially and lnstinctively Q
gentleman, utterly incapable, even In moments
OF excitement and derium, OF sucn an outrage
a. Dr. Griswold has attributed TO him. During
the last years OF his unhappy life, when-
ever he yielded to the temptations that were
drawing him into the fathomless abyss, he always
lost himself in sublime rhapsodies on the evolution
OF the universe, speaking as from some imaginary
platform to vast audiences OF rapt and atten.
tive listeners. During visit to the city in the
autumn of 1s4s once saw him after one OF those
nights OF Wild excitement before reason had fully
recovered It's throne. Yet, even then, In those
frenzied moments when the doors OF the minds
haunted palace were left all unguarded his words
were the words OF princely intellect over
wr"ugnt-a heart only too sensitive and too
nneiy strung. l repeat that no one acquainted
with Poe would have given DR.. Griswold's scan
dalous anecdote moments credence" The
Grlswold story, which Mr.. Gill thus destroys, is as
iollows:-'Poe's name was frequently associated
with that OF one OF the most brilliant women OF
New England. and 1t was publicly announced
that they were to be married. He had
nrst seen her on his way from Boston,
when ne visited that city to deliver Q
poem before the Lyceum there. Restless,
az midnight he wandered from his hotel near
where she lived, until he saw her walking in
garden. He conceived instantly one OF hls most
exquisite poems, worthy Of himself OF ner and of
the most exalted passion. They were not mar
ried, and the breaking OF the engagement snords /
striking illustration or the strangeness OF his
character He said to an acquaintance In New
YORK, who was congratulatlng him on the pros.
pect OF his union with person of so much genius
and 80 many virtues, "It is Q mistake; / am not
ROina to be married. Why. MIR. Poe, under.