Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-10
MEMORIES OF POE.
a NEW EDITION OF THE works
OF THIS IMAGINATIVE GENIUS.
Votes OF HIS Life in Richmond-The
Necotlection of some of His
schooimatcs and othcrs--susan
Archer Talicy's Vivid Pen Portrait.

Newly Collected and Edited. with
Memoir Critical lntroductions. ard
Notes. BY Edmund Clarence Steadman
and George Edward Woodbury.. The
Illustrations by Albert Edward Steiner.
In Ten Volumes. Volume /. Chicago:
stone q kimban. 1884,
This is the initial volume OF the long
promised "donni,lve' edition OF Poe's
works. II bears the dedicatory: In
honor OF the University OF Virginia this
edition OF the wois>s OF her dtstinSuisiIed
Bon is dedicated" The fronuspiece Is
y mezzotint engraving 10y Sartain, based
pn the original oil painting. known as the
psgcod portrait. which was, we believe,
Tor some time IN the keeping of the
late DIR. George II. Moore. OF the L@nnox
Library, another engraving Of which was
published in 1875. with The Defence
Df Poe" by Dr. John J. Moran. the
attending physician at Poe's death. That
painting has never been regarded as
faithful portrait, and It is TO be regretted
that copy Of It should have been chosen
For this prominent position. instead OF
Nm engraving or what is known as the
rsteadman portrait" taken from
Haguerreoiype from life. and a faithful
likeness OF the man. An excellent en-
craving Of this aforementioned portrait
was published with the biography or FRO
ressor Woodberry in the American Men
pf Letters Series" IN 1855.
Since the three-volume edition OF Zoe
works published and copyrighted IN lS'''
within a year Of his death, and whlch
r.. w. Griswold. Poc's self-oonsttu'eu
sliterary executor" no attempt mas De'h
made TO give q critical, scholarly puo"-
ration OF the text of Poe's complete pro-
Auctions. The editors OF this new ed'''"h
nav in their introduction, that roe
fame has spread as widely through INC
.sorIA as that OF any imaginative authoF
=, America: and longer neglect OF tne
state Of his text would be discreil'tolo
% men of letters among us, now 'ta'
hIs works have PASSED 10y law INTO tnc
common property of mankind WIN 't',S
conviction. the present eGliloh h@9 -,
undertaken in order 10 ascertain o.
ss,ahlieh as accurate and compete
text OF his permanent WRITINGS
state Of the sources now peIini'S'
.Hundreds of errors have been coTre0teH,
- ,no,,.h the editors cannot hope tnat
o.. - ss
eli the original and accumulated iaul's
6ava been amended. they have sp@eu ~ ~
mains TO verify whatever was sus0'P'
OF any doubt. ...- vvoodberrv.
-hich follows the dedication - -
pointinC and unsatisfactory Al o0Oul ,i,..
NM S5 pages Of the volume ana - NJ -.
ly an abridgement or 0oHUe.'s', abov-
,he biography. by the same auluo' - -.
rafcrred TO. published in the ANY -"
~ ~ letters" series. II cannot TN.
sna Dlace Of that narrative. Whlch H'NSs
20, ssord as the best life OF Zoe !s'
,uhlished. though, having cohceueu ''''
much. one must yet retain the 0'','-
tion that "the biography or roe H. I'm,
haps. vet 10 be written. vi ,e..ssor
- yba, is new in the memoir tio.esSVl
Syoo5herry seems to be indebted TO suen
NJ Poe's PAPERS as were pTeserNen ~
- crssuolS to which NJ has had Access
since the death OF Or. Moore
EARLY LIFE IN RICHMOND
The following extract pages 10 IL
refers to Poe's early life IN hlCn Il.a..
nf,sr brief reference 10 his paren'ase
and birth at Boston January l'' 4>'' '"e
suthor says: <.,.,1. ~ III.
Mrs. Poe Joined her old friehus q, u"
southern circuit, ana AFTER IN IN"
- third child. Resale, she ieH INTO d
Sacl,ne. Early in the winter IN ISL NJ
yeicbmond the family became oDJects OF
charity: the actors played twice FOR theh
benefit addressing their card OF adNcl-
sisenent TO the Humane, ana on be-
rambler Sth the mother died, ieaNlns '"0
fhree young children destitute. w llhun'
was sent to his fathers kindred IN baIu-
more: Resale was received mo the
sarnilv OF Mrs. Mackenzie, and Edgar
INTO that OF Mrs Allan, both or INch-
mond. $1,000. .A,,.
.acured for Edgar was so great that IL
might seem worthy Of some GOOD iairy'
Ghe child Of the poor players nelOl7
hhom. Notwithstanding MS mo'hei ue>
rotion. there could have been Tor MS
routhful wears only the necessary cir
Sumstances Of a continual struggle with
beverly in the midst OF wandering NE
was given a place privileged win ior-
hume. education. and social breealhs'
where he should grow 10 manhoou. Mts'
Allan. who was a woman OF - year
Ihowed him while she lived true aHec-
Hon. and his precocity and beauty as
,hud Won unon the unwilling heart or
her husband so that he soon took prlde
h thu how 70 whom he had given his
name. Mr. John Allan was by bitth
Ecotchman. and by trade tobacco inel~
chant. and had already acquired wealth.
and social position in Richmond. lie was,
IL would appear. OF soIne"hat naIu
nature. even cold, perhaps, In anection'
hui he was not unjust or sparing In his
treatment OF the adopted child. Edgar
was brought up as son or the mousse
He was early sent 20 private school
kent by an old-fashioned dame. When y
years old he could read draw ana
dance; ne had talent for defamation
and is remembered standing between 'he
eoors OF some Richmond drawing-room
and reciting from the Lay OF the Last
Minstrel to a large company in sweet
voice and with clear enunciation. II Is
related also that Mr.. Allan taught the
boy 10 stand UP IN chair at dessert
and pledge the health OF the company
which he did with rOguish grace. lie
wore dark curls and had brilliant eyes
and those who remembered him In Rich-
uond or al the White Sulphur Springs,
where the family passed the summers,
smoke OF the pretty figure he made with
his pony and dogs and his yivacious
ways.
TAKEN ABROAD.
I'm the summer OF 1875 MI Allan took
his family abroad for long stay. AND
he placed Edgar at the Manor House
BchoOl, at Stoke Newlngton, near London
under DR. Bransby; but the hOmelessnes'
OF such a life was relieved by weekly
Sunday visits which the child made &c
the Allans. who lived at no great dis
tance and by the vacations, when M
spent with them In travelling, thus
seeing, according 70 his own statement
nearly all parts OF the United Kingdom
These five years OF English school days
have left little record OF themselves
though in later life he sketched the out
ward aspects OF the house and grounds
and drew a portrait Of the head-master
He was indicted into the manly sports
as n matter Of course. and began 10 b
athletic; he learned 10 speak French anC
construe easy Latin, and obtained
knowledge OF history and literature sale
10 have been beyond his years; and N
showed the scholarly spirit which Is no
ficeable In every account OF his youth
Dr. Bransby appears 20 have remembered
most clearly the extravagant amount o
his pocket-money. liked the boy h
said: poor fellow. his parents spoiled
him English school-life. in early years
always seems a kind OF orphanage; bu
such as II was. the boy had, perhaps
less 10 complain Of than others. In Au
gust. 1850. the Allsns returned TO Rich
mond, where they resided during Poe
later school-days on north Fifth stree
ell their removal. In 1925. 10 the estate OF
the corner OF Fifth and Main streets
u.ra poo couid haVa lived hut a rev