Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-10-20
How ''The Raven, was Written.

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In discussion of the mental condi-
ton OF Edgar A. Poe, in Scribner for
October, under the title of ga Mad Man
OF Letters, Mr.. F. G.. Fairfield gives
the following conflicting accounts of the
composition of '"The Raven"
Another fact that seems to witness to
his eplleptic condition is constituted by
the habitual lying that marked the later
and best-known part of his career. One
instance must illustrate the many. I
shall take it for granted that the gener-
81 reader is familiar with that remarka-
Die analytic paper in which he describes
the composition of '"The Raven" and
the plan upon which it was construct
ed American literature contains moth
ing cleverer in it's way, and its clever
ness is manifold enhanced when il is
understood that it is simply and I'M
equivocally fiction, as the actual cir
cumstances under which the poem was
written conclusively show.
Foe then occupied cottage at Ford
hama kind of poets nook just out of
hearing OF the busy hum of the city.
He had walked all the way from New
York that afternoon, and, having taken
cup OF tea, went out in the evening
and wandered about for an hour or
more. His beloved Virginia was sick
almost unto death; he was without
money TO procure the necessary medi-
clnes. lie was out until about ten
o'clock. When he went in he sat down
at his writing table and dashed off
1.-The Raven" He submitted it to
Mrs. GLENN for her consideration on
the same night, and it was printed sub
stantlally as it was written.
This account of the origin of the
poem was communicated to me in the
fall OF 1865 by gentleman who pro-
fessed to be indebted to Mrs. GLENN
for the facts as he stated them: and in
the course OF saunter in the South in
the summer of 1867, took occasion to
verify his story by an interview with
that aged lady. Let me now drop Mrs.
Clemms version for paragraph to con-
slider another, resting upon the testi-
mony OF Colonel du Sole, who was in
innate with Poe at this period, and
concurred in by other literary coptem-
poraries who used to meet him of a
midday for budget of gossip and a
glass OF ale at Sandy Welsh's cellar in
Ann street.
Du Sole says that the poem was pro-
duced stanza by stanza at small inter
walls, and submitted by Poe piecemeal
to the criticism and emendation of his
lntlmates, who suggested various alter
atoms and institutions. Poe adopted
many OF them. Du Sole quotes par
ticular instances of phrase thai were
Incorporated at his suggestion, and thus
"Ihe Raven" was kind of joint-stock
affair IN which many minds held small
shares Of intellectual capital At length
when the last stone had been placed in
position and passed upon, the structure
was. voted complete.
The reconciliation of these conflicting
versions lies, possibly, in the hypothe-
SIS that he wrote the poem substan-
TALLY, as stated by Mrs. GLENN, and
afterward, With the shrewd idea of
stimulating expectation little, or by
way of subtle and delicate fattery, sub
hitting it to his friends stanka by stan.
"a, adopting such emendationsand sub
stltutions of phrase as tickled his ear or
suited his fancy. Such alterations
would scarcely affect the general tenor
OF the text, as Mrs. GLENN first heard
it, and, considering the length of the
poem, appear to have been very few and
OF small importance, granting all that
Colonel du Sole claims. Besides: it,
was like him to amuse himself III this
way, hoaxing his friends, and. then
laughing in his sleeve at them,9 :" s''ii|
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