The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-06-12
Poe Corrects "The Raven."
A Letter Written Before the First
Publication.

10 The NEW YORK HERALD: The re-
luctant concession to Edgar Allan Poo
of a niche in that Temple of Fame built
with hands on the banks of the Hudson
recalls that some two years ago 1 was
able to communicate to THE SUN-then
published on Nassau street directly OPP
poste the site occupied as an Office by
Poe during the years of his largest
prominence in American letters and lit
erary affairs-certain statements made
to me by the late Chief Justice George
Shea Of this city.
These statements were to the inter-
esting effect that 1.-THE Raven" was born,
so far as masterpiece can be said to
have been born in any one spot, just
about there on Nassau. near the corner
OF Ann street. in Sandy Welsh's beer
cellar, called a "refectory' in the direc-
tories of the day, where Poe read 1t
aloud for suggestions-which he never
took-and whence he sent It by tho
hands OF John Augustus Shea, judge
Shea's father. to be printed in some
journal under the pseudonym of
"Quarles" that Mr. Shea placed it with
the American Reuieto, published by Col
ton, where it saw the light In Febru-
ary 1S45, being, by some means, antici-
pated in print by Williss Mirror, whencs
1t went everywhere until Poe awoke one
morning to find himself famous.
At the moment however, I was I'M
able to furnish copy of an autograph
letter from Poe to the elder Shea. of
the existence Of which I was aware
but which, for aught knew. might
have been the property of some repre-
sentative of Judge Shea's other than
his immediate family. These were all
dead. his last surviving daughter, Mrs.
Balastier, the wife Of Mr.. Rudyard Kips
l!ng's brother-in-law, having died sew
eral years before. The letter seemingly
proved that the elder Shea was not only
Poe's messenger but was trusted by Poe
to put the poem into that final shape
in which 1t became immortal. For the
intimacy of Poe and John Augustus
Shea had begun long before their accl-
dental juxtaposition in the Nassau-Ann
street newspaper precincts, Shea hav-
ing been commissary's clerk at West
Point during Poe's brief cadetship there.
from which circumstance and the fact
that Poe first began to write when at
West Point Judge Shea always claimed
that his father had something to do
with influencing Poe to a literary ca
reer. However that may have been.
here is copy of the letter:
DEAR SHEA: Lest should have made
some mistake In the hurry ! transcribe
the whole alteration. Instead OF the
whole stanza commencing
Wondering at the stiffness broken" &C.,
substitute this:
Startled at the stiffness broken by re-
ply so aptly spoken,
Doubtless, said /. what II utters Ia
It's only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master. whom
unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till
his songs one burden bore
Till the dirges of his hope the meian-
choly burden bore.
Nevermore; oh. nevermore' "
At the close OF the stanza preceding
this. instead of "Quoth the Raven.
Nevermore." substitute Then the Bird
said. 'Nevermore.' Truly yours
Poe.
This was folded In the custom of the
day and addressed: ~. Augustus Shea.
Esq, to be delivered as soon as he
comes in"
Although Poe mentions writing II In
haste. the letter is. like every other
extant specimen of Poes chirography.
in his elegant. precise copperplateliks
writing. every letter meticulously formed.
APPLETON MORGAN.
New YORK, Juno II.