The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-27
Background of Poe's University L. life
PHILIP ALEXANDER BRUCE, LII.

(From the South Atlantic Quarterly
1t was one of the most singular
contrarieties of Poe's career, so che
quered by situations foreign to his ma
tive tastes and sympathies, that his
only experience OF collegiate life was
obtained In a university that had Just
thrown open its doors for the first
time. Instead of passing to the pro-
fession of man of letters from an
institution hoary with age. he passed
from one which physically was a mere
pile of fresh bricks. without any
scholastic history whatever. Instead
OF passing from an Institution in
vested with all the inspiring Influences
Of tradition. he passed from one that
did not possess n single tradition. In
stead of passing from an institution
that venerated the then conventional
system OF collegiate education and dis
cipiine. he passed from one that
boosted of its rejection of that sys-
TENN part at least-as its highest
claim to respect.
Here was Poe, who. II his romantic
instincts were to be properly nursed
and his romantic longings gratlfied.
In these early years. should have
closed his academic life In the shadow
of turreted halls. decorated chapels.
and gray quadrangles. rich with all
the intellectual spoils of immemorial
tin'c-here was this youthful student
sensitive. susceptible. and responsive
10 the last degree. with his brain
tteming with half-formed unearthl,-
poems and mystical tales harmony
only with spots haunted by the spirit
OF stored past and adorned with
the accumulated glorics Of centuries
here was this extraordinary young
man set down in a perfectly raw col
lege. which, while faithful to the hest
models OF antiquity in its architec-
ture. was consciously dlsloyal to ira
dition. II not In its scholastic ideals.
certainly in Its practical methods Of
instruction and discipline
The architecture of the University
OF Virginia at least must have been
both satisfying and inspiring to the
luxurious spirit and sensuous eye Of
Poe Mr.. Jefferson had the sound
judgment to recognize that the novel
ideas which he desired the new uni
versity to represent in American life
would be strengthened. not crippled,
by classical architectural setting. In
that particular at least however revo-
lutionary he may have been in his or
binary frame of mind. he exhibited an
extraordinary reverence for the teach
ings OF the past. He understood the
high Importance. both moral and in
teilectual of an appropriate architec-
tural background for his projected in
sttution. He could not import build :
ings from Oxford or Cambridge as he
could do Observation-Disclosures conse-
Grated by the scholastic associations
of centuries-but he could raise struc-
lures. which. In their style at least,
would be remindful OF all the intel
lectual glories OF ancient times. The
buildings themselves would not be old
to make them SO was beyond his
power-but their appearance at least
could be an adumbration OF the. no.
blest antiquity; and to that extent
certainly, they would be constant
inspiration to the youths who would
daily walk In their shadow. The
beauty OF that model was expected
TO serve as substitute, for the COM