Produced by Distributed ProofreadersïSELECTIONS FROM POEEdited with Biographical and Critical Introduction and NotesBYJ MONTGOMERY GAMBRILLHead of the Department of History and CivicsBaltimore Polytechnic InstituteINSCRIBED TO THE POE AND LOWELL LITERARY SOCIETIES OF THEBALTIMORE POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTEIllustration EDGAR ALLAN POE After an engraving by ColePREFACEEdgar Allan Poe has been the subject of so much controversy that he isthe one American writer whom highschool pupils not to mentionteachers are likely to approach with readymade prejudices It isimpossible to treat such a subject in quite the ordinarymatterofcourse way Furthermore his writings are so highlysubjective and so intimately connected with his strongly heldcritical theories as to need somewhat careful and extended studyThese facts make it very difficult to treat either the man or his artas simply as is desirable in a secondary textbook  Consequently theIntroduction is longer and less simple than the editor would desirefor the usual text It is believed however that the teacher can takeup this Introduction with the pupil in such a way as to make ithelpful significant and interestingThe text of the following poems and tales is that of theStedmanWoodberry edition described in the Bibliography p xxx andthe selections are reprinted by permission of the publishers Duffield Company this text is followed exactly except for a very few changesin punctuation not more than five or six in all My obligations toother works are too numerous to mention all the publications includedin the Bibliography besides a number of others have been examinedbut I especially desire to acknowledge the courtesy of Dr HenryBarton Jacobs of Baltimore who sent me from Paris a copy of ÃmileLauvriÃres interesting and important study Edgar Poe Sa vie et sonoeuvre Ãtude de psychologie pathologique  To my wife I am indebtedfor valuable assistance in the tedious work of reading proofs andverifying the textCONTENTS  PREFACE  INTRODUCTION  BIBLIOGRAPHY  POEMS    SONG    SPIRITS OF THE DEAD    TO     ROMANCE    TO THE RIVER    TO SCIENCE    TO HELEN    ISRAFEL    THE CITY IN THE SEA    THE SLEEPER    LENORE    THE VALLEY OF UNREST    THE COLISEUM    HYMN    TO ONE IN PARADISE    TO F    TO FS S OD    TO ZANTE    BRIDAL BALLAD    SILENCE    THE CONQUEROR WORM    DREAMLAND    THE RAVEN    EULALIE    TO ML S    ULALUME    TO      AN ENIGMA    TO HELEN    A VALENTINE    FOR ANNIE    THE BELLS    ANNABEL LEE    TO MY MOTHER    ELDORADO    THE HAUNTED PALACE  TALES    THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER    WILLIAM WILSON    A DESCENT INTO THE MAELSTRÃM    THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH    THE GOLDBUG    THE PURLOINED LETTER  NOTESINTRODUCTIONEDGAR ALLAN POE HIS LIFE CHARACTER AND ARTEdgar Allan Poe is in many respects the most fascinating figure inAmerican literature His life touched by the extremes of fortune wason the whole more unhappy than that of any other of our prominent menof letters His character was strangely complex and was the subjectof misunderstanding during his life and of heated dispute after hisdeath his writings were long neglected or disparaged at home whileaccepted abroad as our greatest literary achievement Now after morethan half a century has elapsed since his death careful biographershave furnished a tolerably full account of the real facts about hislife a fairly accurate idea of his character is winning generalacceptance and the name of Edgar Allan Poe has been conceded a placeamong the two or three greatest in our literatureLIFE AND CHARACTERIn December 1811 a wellknown actress of the time died in Richmondleaving destitute three little children the eldest but four years ofage This mother who was Elizabeth Arnold Poe daughter of anEnglish actress had suffered from ill health for several years andhad long found the struggle for existence difficult Her husbandDavid Poe probably died before her he was a son of General DavidPoe a Revolutionary veteran of Baltimore and had left his home andlaw books for the stage several years before his marriage The secondof the three children born January 19 1809 in Boston where hisparents happened to be playing at the time was Edgar Poe the futurepoet and storywriter The little Edgar was adopted by the wife ofMr John Allan a welltodo Scotch merchant of the city who laterbecame wealthy and the boy was thereafter known as Edgar AllanPoe He was a beautiful and precocious child who at six years of agecould read draw dance and declaim the best poetry with fine effectand appreciation report says also that he had been taught to standon a chair and pledge Mr Allans guests in a glass of wine withroguish graceIn 1815 Mr Allan went to England where he remained five years Edgarwas placed in an old English school in the suburbs of London amonghistoric literary and antiquarian associations and possibly wastaken to the Continent by his foster parents at vacation seasons TheEnglish residence and the sea voyages left deep impressions on theboys sensitive nature Returning to Richmond he was prepared in goodschools for the University of Virginia which he entered at the age ofseventeen pursuing studies in ancient and modern languages andliteratures During this youthful period he was already developing astriking and peculiar personality He was brilliant if notindustrious as a student leaving the University with highest honorsin Latin and French he was quick and nervous in his movements andgreatly excelled in athletics especially in swimming in characterhe was reserved solitary sensitive and given to lonely reverieSome of his aristocratic playmates