The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-04
"s'oe and HIS Poetry.

apoe and His Poetry.
By Lewis n. Chase. Printed at thu
Ballantyne Press for George q. Har-
rap 6 Co, London. Is.
Tho above cameo-like edition forms
the seventeenth volume of the Poetry
and Life Series edited by Professor
William Henry Hudson, STAFF lecturer
in literature TO the University Esten-
sion Board of the University of London
The EDITORS effort is always TO il
work. and interpret the work in the
light of the poets life. Lowcli's poems
were brought out year or more ago
by Professor Hudson, and there re-
Gently appeared the poems of Long
fellow. edited by Professor O. Smeaton.
Tho latter is now followed by the
delightfully."- printed. tiny volume on
Zoe and His Poetry" Never before
nave so many interesting facts been
told about Poe in such little space. and
so much pleasure afforded reader for
the price OF shilling. 1t is aston
ishias TO and a volume so we'll edited,
and mechanically so we'll made. for
such q small sum.
Tho froutispiece is clear and we'll
executed engraving NJ Poe. While no
clue * given u the artist or portrait
from which ii is taken. ii most assured
Is Is :, reproduction from picturesque
aud dramatic likeness OF Poe, called
he stella daguerreotype." Copies Of
this daSUerreotSpe were At one time
in both Philadelphia and Baltimore.
zee is supposed 10 have sat for the
picture at Providence, Il, l.. in his
latter days, and * is probably the last
taken OF him.
The edition Of the book IS English.
Snt the editor pre- crnincntly American.
While Professor Chase has spent recent
wears in London and Paris, still he Is
better known in America lie has sure
j. shown mis- fitness 10 edit volume
ou POE in the hundred and ood page
nf this little book
Much that is new. throwing light
into dark cpochs of Poe's history has
been brought out during the past two
Years Professor Chase has well win
moved through all this, making 1t 1T
nicely into his narrative. With the
facts from the Ellis and Allan papers
now In the Library of Congress, first
published by Professor Kills Campbell,
the editor has been able to definitely
locate the two Allan residences IN
London while Poe was going TO school
there.
Professor Chase's selections are Poe's
best known poems, and he agrees with
those who share tho views of NJ. Gour-
mont in that "the thought, the mood,
the expression are so typical In these
verses that Poe is revealed COM
pletely."
IN referring W I-oS
himself rs n "Bostonian." In 1927, IL is
said NO single word could be more
misleading. since he was actually anti
pathetic to what Boston--that is. New
England--stood for in his day. and in
clear-cut contrast to it's group OF
writers individually and collectively
Unlike any OF them, ne was born of
obscure parentagc and under an evil
star. He early began TO speak of him
self as lost soul and his short life
Journey was through devious ways OF
misfortune and sorrow. They, with
out exception. had other means Of sup
port than authorship, but he was the
first professional American OF letters
/. who was devoted exclusively to his
pen and lived. or rather starved, by IT
The spiritual contrast between hin
and the New EnElanders is no less def
mite They were primarily concerned
with religious and ethical questions
waxing jealous over social, economic
and political issues for their owr
sakes Indifferent to these matters
the "Bostonian" (Poe) disapproved OF
loweirs antislavery utterances as ia
natical ridiculed Emerson and tran
scendentalism, and abhorred the didac-
tic note in I4ongfellow. His interest ir
writing was purely literary, and litera'
ture 10 him was an aesthetic and in
tellectuRl thing.
THE term group, or school, is APP