The Washington herald., 1907-11-21
DR.. CONWAY ON POE
Author Was Interested in
Proposed Monument.
LAST LETTER TO HIS COUSIN
Touching Tribute Paid 10 Genius of
the POet-Compares His Imngina-
Declares Ii Was Never Bartered.
Wanted Memorial In Baltimore.

Baltimore, Nov. 2O.-The sudden death
in Paris last week of DR.. Moncure Daniel
Conway. the celebrated American author
who in his early days was a writer in the
Richmond Va.) Examiner, TO which
newspaper Edgar Allan Poe then con-
tribUted. makes doubly interesting the
following letter, written by DR.. Conway
to his cousin in Baltimore, Miss Lydia
Crane.
The missive is dated "5 Rue Villedo,
Paris. June 80. 1907" and is the last
received by her from him. at says:
Il am very grateful 10 you for sending
me the report of the general meeting of
the Poe Memorial Association In April
Apart from my warm interest In Poe.
my loving memories Of dear old Balti-
more-memories extending through sixty
years-render me always attentive 70
reports OF the city's growth and devel-
opment. The literary enthusiasm shown
in the formation Of ladies' clubs in Balti-
more is remarkably indicated IN their
union in working for a monument to a
poet. simply because he was real poet.
a man of unique genius. Some OF US
personally know that the traditions OF
the man are largely unjust Many years
ago ! had a conversation about Poe
with my dear friend Mrs Botta. who.
as Miss Lynch. was the autboress near
est perhaps TO his soul. and 1 discovered
that he was a much finer spirit than is
reflected in his legend.
Neglected by the Ravens.
''POe's genius-that is, his surplus in
tellect-was so entirely absorbed in the
sphere of ideas and ideals that he had
no hand TO lend to either section or
either party in the political tempests
OF his time. Maryland and Virginia were
storm centers, and l remember when
our cousin. John N. Daniel. was pub
fishing pieces by Poe in the Richmond
Examiner II was popularity supposed to
be from charity to the poet Some Jour
nalist Of the time remarked that the
ravens that fed the prophet sadly neg
lected their Poe IT,. But, alas. there
was the raven want that fed him with
despair 1t is pathetic. that frame OF
elegance and luXury-'the silken, sad.
uncertain rustling of each purple cur
tain surrounding the imagination of
Poe.
Literature Unsupported Here.
America does not support literature.
The great authors have earned their
living as professors, teachers. consuls.
ambassadors, editors. or becoming hus-
bands OF heiresses The two finest i'm
aginatlons born in this country were
Hawthorne and Poe. Hawthorne was
saved from starvation by writing a
campaign life OF Franklin Pierce, which
made Pierce President. and Pierce re-
paid him by the rich Liverpool consulate.
We were all so pleased that the Haw-
thornes should be rescued that we hardly
thought of the dark raven that brought
the relief-the raven OF pecuniary need
which had supplanted a bird Of paradise.
As for the other great imagination-that
Of POe-it calls for no apology. 1t was
never bartered.
Advised the Utmost Care.
Il am in h.pes that the utmost care
viii be taken to obtain a suitable design
for POes monument 1 will gladly sub
scribe. but would like TO feel sure that
the memorial VIII be nothing common
place. In our dear old Fredericksburg
1ht NH4iuc dlie CudIdCleIlsuc Old mOnu-
ment Of Mary Washington has been re-
placed by an o5elisk such as one may
see by the score in large cemeteries. It
is often found that in associations OF
even refined and cultured people the
average taste struck on any work Of art
is conventional 20 the verge OF vulgarity.
A monument TO Poe in Baltimore will
be also monument of the wonderland
no Of
and appreciation, but of their artistic