The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1895-06-26
ALLEGED NEGLECT or roe.
Griswoidl Estimate Of the Man n
S,hanee.I nv Years.

Criswolda Estimate OF the Man Not
Changed by Years.
Tho English public never tires Of
praising Edgar A. Poe. He is very
like the pet American author there.
English writer's have an increased
profession of admiration for him, be-
cause they seem to regard him as in
a sense their own discovery. The
theory is over there that the Ameri,
can people were incapable Of appre-
ciating Poe's genius, because it had
attracted less attention at home than
that of some of his contemporaries.
We are inclined to think that this
foreign recognition of Poe began in
France rather than in England, and
that 1t came from his prose writings,
which had something of the French
manner of construction, more than
from his poetry, upon which the
English place most stress in their
commentator. 1t is not true that
Poe was essentially moderated on
either of these points by his coun-
trymen. His poetry which is read
and quoted is confined to very few
pieces, and these received the atten.
ton which they merited when they
appeared in American periodicals, if
it was not equal to that given to q
more sustained and healthier line of
work from other American sources.
The studies in Poe's prose which
came in the form of stories had the
full measure of popularity which
was accorded to productions in o
similar vein. 1t was largely ques-
ton of taste as to whether they
should awaken more enthusiastic
feeling. Poe's criticisms of his fell
low authors, to which so much of
his writing was devoted, were so i'm.
bued with prejudice as to prevent
their general acceptancs as enlight-
ened and authoritative.
Rufus w. Griswold's brief biogra.
ply of Poe is particularly the sub.
ject of reproach. It must b? con-
fessed that it reads very much like q
philippic against the man. But IL
loes not disparage his work. and for
its severity in treating his character
we are inclined TO hold Poe response
BILE as much as Mr.. Griswold. Mr..
Griswold was not a vindictiye man.
ae was well disposed toward Amer
lean authors His tendency was
rather to overestimate them than
otherwise. We remember no charge
# prejudice ON his part except in the
;ase of Poe. He knew Poe very in
timately. He apparently felt it q
luty to tell something like the truth
shout the man. There is abundant
evidence in what he quotes fromPoe
himself that he has told it. Nothing
that has been said against Poe has
been disproved. He wrote of the
nan as he saw him and had expert
snce Of him in personal intercourse.
dis opinion is not favorable, and he
seems not to have been equal to max
ng it 50 appear. He might have
ioftened some of its harshness, but
I is much easier for later biogra-
pliers odo this than for one who had
tho man as he was freshly in mind.
No onequestions Poe's genius. No
one has ever questioned It. But the
nan Poe was devoid Of moral prin.
2iple. He was deficient in a sense Of
ruth and a sense Of justice. Proba.
bly, no man of genius whoever lived
made this more constantly apparent
to his contemporaries. They could
not disregard it; neithr could the
American people generally, who
knew it quite as well. They could
not take Poe to their hearts as they
took Longfellow and Whittier and
Holmes. The English writers are
disposed to reproach them because
Of this. II is largely due to their
ignorance of the facts IN the case
that they do so.-Minneapolis Jour.