Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-28


f{SsM writings. called the Virginia
Edition." Is nevertheless In many
syavs the most valuable compilation OF siiis
writer's wonderful literary productions
that has yet been given to his Teaoe's,
md may we'll be received as authoritative
and FINAL.
This edition appears IN two forms. one
of them In ordinary library size with IL
Illustrations throughout. and the other one
with only rrontispicce for each DOCK.
In smaller pocket editions easy TO hafloie'
DELIGHTFULLY."- clear as TO print, and IN eFss1s
syay the more pleasing and acceptable o1
The TWO forms.
ms his urinary object the publication OF
sheso poerus. tales and criticisms exactly
ms they left their authors pen, anc ne
has shared no effort to carry OUT roe
own expressed wish, ST am naturally anN-
TONS that what ] have written shouio
circulate as 1 wrote IL II 1t circulate AZ
nll'' The accomplishment Of this OBJECT
fas o,+atlee AZ, immense amount OF long
md earnest research. involving the COM
s,a,.if;.r of nun berless manuscripts, the
i.,2t1.- of many and widely scattered old
,,,area2ires In which the writings made
Ihei- first appearance, the 1ejecuon OF an
such published forms as Poe hnseif al
Rewards revised and perfected. the eillh-
inatinn of all fraudulent additions TO the
criticisms used to bring further bitterness
10 the memory OF the dead poet. and the
cornparing Of innumerable letters ana
memoranda.
The work has been an enormous one,
but Professor Harrison has done II with
thoroughness earnestness and enthusiasm
md has brought shout results WHICH seem
astonishing when one considers the Popu-
aarity which Poe had ever since his death.
and the number Of times previous to this
shat his works have been edited Inc
present editor is not only convincing in
his proofs that now at last we have these
rnatchless tales and poems exactly as
their author wished that they be given to
the world. But he has also eliminated
from these fateful criticisms, with which
Poe so rrlerciiessly stabbed the vanity OF
his conteIn poraries and brought enICity TO
himself. all spurious additions that have
heretofore so greatly increased their ven
ON. And more Than this. by close stucy
of dates, records letters, and other eVl-
uence Of Poe's authorship Of numerous un-
Signed articles and papers, he has been
able to publish, Of the six volumes OF
criticisms here appearing, three and one
half volumes OF matter that has never
appeared since its publication in the maya
zines to which il was originally contr1-
buted And while these essays by no
means represent the best nor most I'M
portant work Of their author, yet they are
of unique interest In their illustration OF
the growth Of Poe's mental attachments
and the development CT his critical ideals
and faculties, and can but be received as
a valuable addition to his writings.
FIVE volumes Of the series are given to
the Tales each one carefully dated as
10 its various publications, annotated, and
given the form, as nearly as thorough re-
search can make possible, used by Poe
In his final version Of it.
The Poems" appear in a single volume
md are presented. not as GrisTold gives
them In the order Of their merit beginning
with the hest but as nearly as may be in
the order Of their production. SO that the
gradual growth Of their marvellous techni-
cal perfection and Of their exquisite nelo-
dv may be the more readily appreciated.
It seems worthy Of note that in an edi-
ton OF seventeen volumes but a single
one of them is necessary for the preSenta-
ton of the matchless verses, whose weird
and sweet music expresses the highest
and most perfect outcome of Poe's genius.
In fact. as will be remembered, there are
but forty-six of these poems. and the vol
urne devoted to them includes many notes,
explanations, and variants of the text,
critical estimate Of their beauties by
Charles ". Kent. as well as detailed dis
cussions of the Poe-Neal and the Poe
ehivers controversies.
Volume XIV is filled with "Essays' and
Einalia,'' and Eureka and Volume XVI
with 'Literati" and ''Autography," while
the concluding volume is made up Of
Letters" many Of them hitherto unpub-
tished. or published only in garbled form
These letters bring one to the very heart
) OF the poets life, and show from life 1T
self the conflicting aims and tendencies
she morli6ness pride, tenderness. arnbi-
lion, pain, and frailty, that made SO sad a
wreck Of this life of strange and COM
polling genius. In the perusal Of these
letters, however. one can but feel an
easy sense Of proclamation, as If even the
charitable desire to know the best that
could be OWNED of 1naligned life. had
invaded too ruthlessiy the privacy Of one
who for all he was poet, was also a man.
The Browning letters, even without Mrs.
Brownng's big-souied if unconscious, ap-
rroval of their publication, give ample
excuse for their publicity IN the atros-
phere OF sweetness and serenity which
pervadea them. But here in the Poe let
ters there is so much of pain and little
ness. and dire need, so much of failure,
Bnd hurt degradation and unfulflled
dreams and ambitions, l1eartache and
Indebtedness. that only the ia lse impress
eions created by a disloyal and jealous
biographer, and still lingering in the pub
He mind can justify our peering into the
secrets Of this tragic life to find the high
EssSich the letters disclose.
The initial volume of the edition is
Biography by Professor Harrison.
Ind is. perhaps. of all the work, the one
Of largest editorial value. 1t is true that
even with the helpof Professor Kent
and of Hamilton II. Mabie, whose criti-
cisms preceded the Poems and the
Tales respectively, Professor Harri-
hon has hade but small Improvement over
the critical estimate already established
by Stedrand and Woodbury.. vet his pic
ture OF the actual man that Poe was is
The most intimate and sympathetic that
has yet been given This new story of
Poe's life is a work that is both scholarly
and painstaking. and while but rarely
leaning too far towards charity in its
Judgment Of Poe's errors and frailties,
It presents the various affairs OF his life
IN a sane and unprecedented light, giving
adverse opinions and facts, yet present
Ing, too, the poets best defence of these
much-rnaligned deeds and intentions.
Many erroneous statements. heretofore
believed are corrected, anu. some new
facts are added the whole presenting
with seeming faithfulness. and much
rharity and appreciation. man OF
Rhom it might be said as another poet
has written of himself:
.s The course of study he went
Through was Of the soul-rack. The de-
gree he took was high. 1t was wise