New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-15

L he uTtlClt Ou DiCO
Aey, In Tie -Orerland Mont
evidently been paraphras
L. q. stedlnan on Poe
printed in Scytbaer's Monbs
latter In The Century for NJ
low Will show the nietnG
by the Overland writer
From Mr.. Stedmdn's Essay on
Poe.
/.
Upon the roll OF American
authors a few names are
written apart from the rest.
With each of these Is asso-
riated some accident OF con.
titiOu, some memory OF
original or eccentric genius.
through which it arrests at
tention and claims our
special wonder. The light,
OF none among these few has
been moro fervid and reeur-'
rent than that OF Edgar Al
Ian Poe. But as / III turn
pronOunce mis- name, snu ID
nv turn would estimate the
man and his writings, l am
at once confronted by the
question: IL tAis poet, as
now remembered. as nov
portrayed TO us, the real
Poe who lived and sung anu
suffered, ana who died but
little more than q quarter
century agoi
The great heart OF the
world thobs warmly over
the struggles Of our hng
the imagination of the world
dwells upon and enlarees
the glory and the shame OF
human action in the past
Year after year the heart
beats are more warm, the
conception grows more dis
tinot with light and shade.
The person that was Is maze
the framework of an image
10 which the tender. the TO
mantle. the thoughtful, the
simnle and the wise add
each his own folly or WIS
dom, his own Joy and sor-
row and uttermost yearn-
ing. Thus not only true
heroes and poets. but many
who have been conspicuous
through force OF circtlin-
stauces, become idealized as
time goes by. The critics
first labor often is the task
of distinguishing between
men as history and t1eir,
works display them, and the
ideals which one and an
other have cOnspired TO-
urge upon MS accepIanOo'
Some analysis Of Poe's
general equipment Will not
Be out OF place. only In the
most perfect tales can his
English style be called cx-
ccllent, however significant
his thought. His manner
isins-cOnstant employment
OF tne dash for suggestive
ness, ana a habit Of itallciz-
ing 10 make "a point OF
strengthen an illusion-arc
wearisome. ana betray u
lack Of confiience IN his skill
TO use plain methods. q
HisprOse Is inferior TO a"-
thorne's; but sometimes ne
excels Hawthorne IN quail
ties of form aud proportion
which are specially ct the
service of authors who are
also poets. MS
imagination was not OF the
highest order, tor he never
dared to trust To II lmpllc-
itly; certainly not IN his
poetry, since be could do
nothing VITA q measure IKE
blank verse. -
His intellectual strength
aud rares imagination are
10 be found IN his =" Tales"
To them, aud TO literary
criticism, his main laoors
were devoted.
As with his poems, so with
the Tales,"-tbeir dates
are of little importance.
In estimating him as q
poet, the dates of these Tyr
les are of minor conse-
quence. They mako but a
thin volume, smaller than
one which might hold the
verse OF Collins or Gray.
Their range Is narrower
still.
From his father he inner
tied Italian, French and
Irish blood; the Celtic pride
of disposition and certain
weaknesses that were his
bane.
FROM Mr.. Stedmaa's Essay ca
James Russell L>t0eH. |
In u liberal sense, and
somewhat as Emers0n
stands for American
thought, the poet Lowell
has become our representa-
tive man OF letters. i
The Biglow Papers
ended all question OF Mr..
Iowell's originality. They
are q masterw0rk, III which
bis ripe genius fastened the
spirit OF its region ana
period. Their strength lies
IN qualities which, rs here
combined, were no mans
save his own. They declare
the faith Of o sincere and
Intelligent party with re-
epect to war-a sentiment
called out by the invasion
OF Mexico, unjust In Itself,
but now seen to DO q his 4
torical factor In the worlds
progress. This wss . MI
nority faith, held in vulgar
contempt, and there was I
boIdness In declaring II.
xgain, the {" Biglow Papers"I
we're the first, and are thel