The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-05-08

his dream at this time to establish 1
magazine Of his own, and for many years
one project after another with this objec,
In view was tried and abandoned.
He was never able to start the maya.
zine, and felt the disappointment keen,
ly' always. Through all his disappoint
ments, he had many, he still livei
much in that dream world which hat
| always been so real to him, and much
| of his best work found there its inspira.
| ton.
His exquisite story of Ligeia came tt
him first in dream. This world, Sc
unreal to many, was to Poe as real al
his actual life. Like Coleridge in En-,
glish literature, he had the power Of
presenting the visions which came t
him in sleep or in his waking dreams
surrounded by their own atmosphere OIL
| mystery and unreality, thus producing
an effect which awed as we'll as fasci
| mated
No other American writer has ever
brought from the dream-world such
beautiful creations, which charm and
mystify at the same time and force the
| most unimaginative reader to believe fol-
the time in the existence of this elusive
realm.
While engaged in editorial work ir
New York, Poe wrote his first great
poem, 1.-THE Raven" which was first
published under an assumed name II
was not until he recited the poem by
request at gathering of the literary
workers of New York, that his author.
ship was suspected. Immediately after.
ward the poem was published under his
| name
From this time, Poe, who had hither.
TO been ranked among the best prose
writer's of his native land, now took
precedence among the poets 1t is in
deed as poet that he Is always thought
of first.
The Bells the original draft O.
which consisted of only IS lines, is per-
hapes next to ''The Raven" the poem
That has brought him the most fame
But the number of exquisite shorter
poems which he produced would in
themselves give him the highest rank
as poet
While engaged in literary work In
New York, Poe for the first part resided
In the suburb Of Fordham in an unpre-
tentious but charming cottage powered
In trees and surrounded by the flower
garden which was the especial pride OF
the poet and his wife,
O"OA IAIo OtAcI w lSc Happy existence
hung always the clouds of poverty and
sickness, his wife having been an in
valid for many years.
1t was in this little cottage at a time
when Poe's fortunes were at their low
est ebb that his wife died amid poverty
so extreme that the family could not
even afford fire to heat the room ir
which she lay dying.
Poe remained at Fordham a little
over two years after his wife's death,
leaving it only few months before his
own death in October, 1849.
Poe is undoubtedly to be ranked
among the greatest writer's of American
literature. His prose work would grace
any literary period; his poetry is alive
with the fire and beauty of genius, and
his criticisms marked new era in crit
ical writing in America.
Twenty-six years after his death e
monument was erected to his memory
in the city of Baltimore, mainly through
the efforts Of the teachers of the pub
lie schools; some of the most disting-
uished men Of America were present at
the unwilling to do honor to the poet
whose work was such a noble contribu-
tion to the art of his native land. -
Boston Herald.