The Van Buren press., 1897-04-03
ARP SUSTAINS REED.
the Barlow Man Writes Of DR..
Thomas Holley Chivers Again.
etter from Mr.. j. T.. Gravcs-Phii-
esopher Now Certain That Edgar
Allan Poe Wrote "The Ra-
venv-Poets Discussed.


should have refrained from further
mention of Dr. Thomas Holley Chiv-
ers. 1t seemed to me that enough had
been written by outside parties to pro-
woke u clearer expose from his kindred
or more intimate friends.
There is still q shadow over his rela-
tons to Edgar A. Poe. That they were
personal friends is proven, but as to
who preceded in that peculiar style
of lyric poetry is not proven.
| have an interesting letter from a
cultured old gentleman of College Park,
Mr.. james p. Graves, father of John
Temple Graves, who says that while
college boy on his return home to Wash
ington, Wilkes county, he visited DR..
Chivers and had a conversation with
linn. He says:
"This conversation awakened in me
the liyelest interest. He spoke of an
essay or criticism he had just written
for the Southern Literary Messenger, of
Richmond, instituting a comparison of
the literary merits of the poets Byron
and Shelley. The impression made on
me was that ii was a masterful produc-
ton He spoke of his Lost Pleads and
other poems; said he had just received
letter from Poe, and | think he read
1t to ME, and he mentioned correspond
ence with other distinguished men of
the north.
1.-THE picture given of him in the
| Constitution is most accurate. His
complexion was dark, especially so UNI
der the eyes.
.The idea that DR.. Chivers inspired
The Raven or in any way aided in its
production was not in that day enter
tanned by anyone SO far as knew.
"Dr. Chiyers' style of talking was very
ornate, and he appeared familiar with
the arts and sciences and to be very
erudite scholar. | used to wonder why
he was not more recognized by the
learned of both sexes, but suppose it
was because he was something of q
reeluse, and preferred to revel in his
own dreamy and poetical thoughts.
| There was no show of wealth about him,
nor did he seem to care for any. Long
after that he removed to Decatur,
where he died and was buried. Mrs.
| Chivers was a cultured and most es-
Unable lady. For further information
! refer you to Dr. F. t. Willis, of Rich
mond, Va, who was half brother to
the late Samuel Barnett, Of Washing
ton, Ca, and also to Judge William
Reece and Rev. +. T. Simpson, of Wash
ington."
So it seems that if DR.. Chivers did
not himself bring charges of plagiar-
ism against Poe, but remained his friend
and correspondent, the bill should be
mol pressed" More especially is this
so since Mr.. Graves, himself then
young man of classical culture and
contemporary, never heard of such
charge, and Poe's biographer in Apple
ton makes mention of life OF Poe yet
to be published that was written by
DR.. Chivers.
When | last wrote on this subject it
was my impression that DR.. Chivers was
Mr.. Poe's senior not only in years, but
In poetical work, and as they were
bosom friends in New York, that Poe
| drew his inspiration from the doctor;
hut more mature reflection satisfies me
that Wallace Reed Is right.
My wife says he is. She has but little
patience with people who seek to rob
the dead, or who destroy the idols OF
her youth Ever since she used to re-
cite civilian Tell" the hero of the
lakes, as her Friday evening speech at
school she has been mad with the man
who first discovered that there was no
such hero, or il there was he never shot
an apple from o IF his boys head.
Poe was certainly gifted genius,
for his prose Is as marvellous as his
roetry. Both IRE artistic, ingenious,
dreamy and of the borders of fairy
land. But they live in the admiration
more than In the heart. For poems that
charm our human nature and linger
in the soul of memory / would rather
read Goldsmith, Gray, Cowper, Cole
ridge, Burns and Tom Hood than any
others. Byron's are grand and stately
in their beauty, but do not melt down
within us and make us better, kinder
and more loving.
The most beautiful lyric poem ever
written is, l think, Coleridge's Gene
We've" When l was a young man |
read It with supreme delight and it
has not yet lost it's charm. My sym
pathy for love and lovers is still alive
and glowing and my soul is thrilled
with ecstasy when / read how he won
his bright and beauteous bride" That
poem and Goldsmiths Hermit" | COM
mitted to memory more than half a
century ago and dearly love TO recall
them.
For solemn, serious meditation on the
vanity of earthly things there is no
poem equal to Gray's "Elegy."
For home and heart Burns leads all
in tenderness.
For exquisite pathos that appeals to
our charity and our pity there is moth
ing in the English language so affecting
as Hoods "Song Of the Shirt"
On this side of the water we have
some few poets whose works have stood
and will continue to stand the test OF
time. Marco Bozzaris is sublimiis
itself. In thought and execution as q
single poem it stands alone and un
rivaled. would rather have composed
It than to have been Wellington al
Waterloo.
Somehow have no taste for poetry
that has to strain for language or tha
has TO hunt the dictionary for unusua
or uncommon words, such as aiden
cleaning, sheen, etc. Nor for poetry
that has to strain for rhymes. il re