The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-06

in the last 200 years hold its own In
literary achievement with tho rock
bound shores of New England" Mr.
Renshaw says most cmphsticaNy that
IT cannot lie compares thc work Of
Virginia in the world Of letters TO that
of New England greatly TO the dis
arrangement OF the former Opponents
to Mr. Renshaw's view have arisen.
However. Mr.. Renshaw's opponents
have not gone to the point" OF this
matter. The discussion has rambied
Into the field OF craftsmanship. There
need be no dispute here. The Hon
. Henry Clay Dean. Of Iowa, hit il of
exactly during reconstruction days
when he said:
"since Adam took possession Of
Eden. no part OF his heritage has given
Eto man such hundred years OF his
tory as that OF Virginia, beginning
with the public life OF George Wash
inGton and ending with the surrender
OF the armies OF General Robert =.
Lee
Everybody knows that virginia gaze
the world in Henry. Washington. LEFT
ferson. Madison, Marshall and Clay.
some slight statesmen. bu; this S
| not the question.
The question is, can Virginia, from
1913 to 1919. compare with New Eng
land In the field OF literature?
| Mr.. Renshaw is exactly. unaiterably
correct when he says that. in number,
| Virginia is outstripped seriously by
| the Plymouth Rock country. she is
away behind, in numbers.
Blu: what !s literature? Is It mere
volume? Is it sheets OF paper written
! on? What is 1t? Some dictionaries
4 conhna 1t 10 writings of superior
mcri,." some experts divide il into ten
/ divisions Or types. If you will. all
right: but let's set off the world
| literary figures OF New England against
the worlds literary figure OF Virginia.
This little controversy has done a
strange thing. 1t has resurrcctcd
Henry Ward Becchcr, whom fame and
! postcriiy have buried. lowered. forgot
/ ten and said green be the turf above
/ thee" IT has bclittled and bcmirched
/ Edgar Allan Poe. who Is destined to
/ become. If ne have not already done
so. the sun Of the planetary system OF
/ American letters. Strange!
/ Let us dispense with the vices OF
/ genius. That much more glory 20 him
VINO reaches the heights with the
burden OF his absolute self 10 bear.
/ Mr.. Renshaw is precisely, incontro-
yertihiy right In This view. which he
/ promulgates with profound Gusto and
at length in your issue OF September
! !. agree absolutely with the gentle
man in this view. Then let Poe be a
notorious drunkard" all his life, ac-
| cordng TO Dir. Rufus Grswold and
| James Ronshaw. and not according to
! " p Willis, than whom none knew
! him better and his works Let us
! marvel agape at the fantastic archi-
! lecture wrought by a brain great in
| spite OF it's vagaries; inimitablc,
| though weak. Ho. hero.
| To whom does ne belong? Born in
| Boston or Baltimorc---and defy any
| man TO prove absolutely Wilhelm
January or ACCOMPLISHMENTS lie
/ came to Norfolk. Va. when an infant
| and was left an orphan in Richmond
| Va. too, in 1911. Here he was adopted
| BY John Allan and his wife, and lived
! in their home in Richmond until they
! took him abroad in 1915. They re-
turned In 1920. Poe then went to the
academies in Richmond. and later &c
the university OF Virginia, and-but we
all know his life. L would like ia
have him placed. Mr. Renshaw and
! American literature give him to the
! South. The members OF the New Eng
land school never claimed him They
gave him to the South If he belong.
| to the South. he belongs to Virginia
Docs he belong to Virginia? Where
did he spend the, formative period OF
his life? Where was he educated? l
| Edgar Poe isn't n Virginia writer, he:
n nondescript To whose glory die
Napoleon add-Corsica's or Frances