The Washington herald., 1909-01-20
Special TO Tie w.ss,nz.oa Herald.

SPECIAL 70 Tie Washington Herald.
Charlottesville. Va. Jan. 1s.-As to-day
was 100 years TO a day after the birth Of
Poe. the celebration Of the centenary OF
the great American poet reached its cu-
max and assumed an international I'm
portanee- The day was the grand finale
Of the centenary.
Poe's influence. not only On American
literature and letters. but OF foreign 1T
erature. VIII be the subject of addresses
on the day At the morning exercises IN
Madison Hall. Dr. Charles ". Kent pre-
siding. Prof George Edward. Of North
western University. recently Of Munich.
Germany, delivered an address on Poe
and German Literature. while Dr.. klcea
Fortier. Of Tulane University. New Or
leans. spoke IN French on ''Poe's InAu-
ence on French Literature" In addition
TO these two speeches there were CONT
mental tributes, both IN prose and poetry.
Prof Edwards Tribute.
Prof. George Edward. OF the Northwest
ern University GIlinois). formerly OF
Munich, Germany. in his tribute said:
The purpose OF ny brief address Is to
recall TO memory the tribute which
German literature, and accordingly. the
German people as a whole, has rendered
and Is still rendering 70 the genius whose
hun6redth birthday We are celebrating
al this time Il Is ny purpose merely
TO show how highly priced Poe is in Ger
many and why ne is regarded there as
the typical and Characteristic American
author
Germany IS the very home of what
Goethe called cosmopolitan Literature
There exists in Germany 81 almost 1iar-
velous familiarity with the nteratures
Of other nationaiities. In the Eight Of
these assertions. the fact that the Ger
mans regard Poe as q most prominent
American vriter-nsy, in general, as the
greatest OF American aCthors-sssumes
an unusual significance"
An Artist TO the Last.
Professor Edwards suggests that the
Germans regard Poe as thoroughly
American Even when compelled 20
write tales merely n order 20 secure the
barest necessities Of life he IS bound 10
continually invent wnat IS new and %
be aba 70 show interest and curl
osity where his heart was not directly en-
gagged
Even 20 the last he never parted com
pauy with his Own self-he remained the
artist that he was IN the beginning. the
pilgrim who. with bleeding heart. IS stil
searching for the land OF undiscovered
beauty"
Harvard'S Tribute 10 Dead Poet.
The exercises tonight were held il
Cabeu Hall The president OF the uni
versity. DR.. Edwin A. Alderman. made
a brief Introductory address and present.
ed 10 the audience Prof. Barrett Wen
deI. Of Harvard University. well known
in America and Europe as an scc0m-
pfished scholar and interesting speaker.
Dr. Charles Alpnonso Smith. Of the Uni
versity OF North Carolina. a distinguished
Southern student CT Poe's life and letters.
also spoke on "Poe's influence on South
ern literature"
so long as the name of America shall
endure the name Of Poe shall persist in
serene certainty said Prof Barrett
Wencen. in his address on ''Poe's na-
tfOnalism-
In addition 10 the many tributes 90 Poe
IN prose. read by Prof WilIoughby Rsade.
there were three original poems by Judge
Walter Malone. Of Tennessee: Robert
Burns Wilson. Of Kentucky, and Charles
" Hubner. Of Atlanta
Memorial Medals Awarded.
A fitting close TO the exercises was the
award OF memorial medals 10 those. who
by their letters. have added materially
TO the furthering Of Poe's reputation as
a man OF letters
The list. containing seventy-fve names,
includes Thomas Nelson Page. Of Wash
ington; Miss Amelia F Poe, and Henry
E. Shepherd. Of Baltimore; Hamilton V.
Maybe and George Julian zoluay. %
New York: William A Clark. il. OF Mon
tana: Arthur Christopher Benson and
John II. ingram, Of England: NJ Lou
vriere and Abel Lefranc. Of Greece;
George z WoOdbeTTy. Of Massachusetts:
Edward Dowden. OF ireland; Father
Tabb. OF Maryland, and John Phelps
Fruit. Of Missouri.