CHAPTER IV.

SEPTEMBER, 1840-1841.

THE POE-SNODGRASS CORRESPONDENCE.1

[New York Herald, March 27, 1881.]

Poe's

THESE epistles, in their original shape, are almost worn out, having seemingly been exposed to the action of water. They are written upon foolscap, folded, sealed with wafers and have their address upon the back, the envelope not having come into vogue at that time. handwriting is very plain and uncharacteristic, and he forms every letter in a way which would make him a treasure in any newspaper office in the country and would induce city editors to condone a thousand minor offences on his part; but neither the text nor the signature has any of that flourish which appears in Poe's articles in Godey's Lady's Book, in one part of which, in a seemingly incidental way, he altogether demolishes Snodgrass by superimposing his own signature to the doctor's. The one is so small, mean and ineffective; the other so big, bold, round and manly, that Poe made the contrast stronger in this way between him and Snodgrass than if

1 Dr. Snodgrass was a Virginian who was co-editing the Baltimore Saturday Visiter in 1833 when Poe made it famous by his contribution of "A MS. found in a Bottle."

Dr. Snodgrass, who was present at Poe's death in 1849 and published "The Facts of Poe's Death and Burial in 1867, died in 1880. Poe's letters to him were copied, and printed by Mr. Edward Spencer of Baltimore, from whose communication of them to the The New York Herald, March 27, 1881, we are permitted by the courtesy of The Herald to reprint them.

The comments interspersed among the letters are Mr. Spencer's.

he had written a volume on the subject. There is none of this, however, in the correspondence, which is businesslike throughout.

The value of these letters seems to consist in the fact that they disclose Poe's honesty of character in the most undeniable light. The poorest of our authors and journalists, he is constantly striving to become the proprietor of a magazine. Not for his own emolument, however, or with the idea of increasing his income, but always and with the single idea of divorcing his work of criticism from all and every sordid consideration. He wants to be free, not to put money in his pocket, but in order to make criticism free. He wants to have opinions of his own to express and not those of his publishers. This trait alone in Edgar Allan Poe's character should entitle him to a monument in Central Park.

The first letter, dated September 11, 1839, and written from Philadelphia during the period when Poe was editor of Burton's Gentleman's Magazine, was in acknowledgment of an article in the St. Louis Bulletin which Snodgrass had sent to the editor. He says in regard to this:

"I was the more gratified, as the reception of the paper convinced me that you, of whom I have always thought highly, had no share in the feelings of ill will toward me, which are somewhat prevalent (God only knows why) in Baltimore."

After something more of this sort, which it does not seem needful to quote, Poe goes on in a way which appears to reveal his exigent honesty:

"I have now," he writes, "a great favor to ask, and think I may depend upon your friendship, it is to write a notice (such as you think rightly just, no more) of the September number of the Gentleman's Magazine, embodying in your article the passage concerning myself from the St. Louis Bulletin in any manner which your good taste may suggest.

"If you will do me this great favor depend upon any similar good office from me upon demand.'

In this letter and in others of the series Poe discloses the worst - the suspicious, mistrustful and invidious side of his character, in the manner in which he speaks of his cousin Mr. Neilson Poe at that time editor of a Baltimore daily paper, and now Chief Judge of the Orphan's Court, 1 It seems to have been Poe's rule of conduct to interpret everything which was not active and energetic friendship on his behalf as being prompted by envy and jealousy. The article in the Missouri paper to which Poe refers speaks of the general tone and character of the Southern Literary Messenger as imparting lustre to our periodical literature. It says:

"Let it never be forgotten, however, that the first impetus to the favor of literary men which it received was given by the glowing pen of Edgar A. Poe, now assistant editor of Burton's Gentleman's Magazine, and although since he has left it has well maintained its claims to respectability, yet there are few writers in this country

- take Neal, Irving and Willis away and we would say none- who can compete successfully in many respects with Poe. With an acuteness of observation, a vigorous and effective style, and an independence that defies control, he unites a fervid fancy and a most beautiful enthusiasm. His is a high destiny.'

This letter of Poe's has two postscripts, one of which is in reference to newspaper praises of his "Fall of the House of Usher." In the other he writes: :- "I have made a profitable engagement with Blackwood's Magazine, and my forthcoming tales are promised a very commendatory review in that journal from the pen of Professor Wilson. Keep this a secret, if you please, for the present." This profitable engagement with Blackwood's will be found explained further in this correspondence, and it does not seem altogether likely that even so enthusiastic an editor as Professor Wilson would pledge Blackwood's to a highly commendatory notice in advance of a volume which he had not seen.

1 Judge Poe has since died. — ED.

Poe's next letter to Snodgrass is dated October 7, 1839, and is also written from Philadelphia. In this his enmity to Mr. Neilson Poe crops out in epithets such as, it must be said to his credit, our poet very seldom indulges. It is not worth while to repeat the language, of which the injustice is transparent. At the same time Poe is profuse in his acknowledgment of some friendly acts toward him on the part of Snodgrass. "I sincerely thank you, he writes, “for the interest you have taken in my well-doing. The friendship of a man of talent, who is at the same time a man of honorable feeling, is especially valuable in these days of double dealing. I hope I shall always deserve your good opinion." My book," Poe adds, "will be out in the beginning of Nov.' This was the volume of tales published by Lea & Blanchard, "Tales of the Grotesque and the Arabesque,' which, while it secured a succès d'estime, put no money in the pockets of either author or publisher.

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The third letter, which is headed " Philadelphia, 12, and directed to "Dr. J. Evans Snodgrass," bears the postmark of December 13. It accompanied a copy of Poe's volume, apparently just out. "In the same package," writes poor Poe, "is a copy for Mr. Carey, of the American, which I must beg you to deliver to him, with my respects. I have not the pleasure of knowing him personally, but entertain a high opinion of his talents. Please write his full name in his copy with the author's respects.' I forget his praenomen. Was Grub street ever more forcibly illustrated since Goldsmith wore his "peach blossom velvet coat out at elbows?

In the next letter (Philadelphia, December 19, 1839), after mentioning again the fact that he had recently sent on two copies of the "Tales of the Grotesque and the Arabesque," he enters into some explanations in regard to premiums advertised by Burton for matter for his magazine. Poe's reasons for leaving this magazine have been grossly and infamously perverted by Griswold. The present letters enable the writer to show that the reason

for Poe's leaving originated in his disgust at Burton's "prize list " and the freedom with which he expressed his dislike for that sort of "humbug." "Touching the premiums," says Poe in this letter, "the advertisement respecting them was written by Mr. Burton, and it is not, I think, as explicit as it might be. [This letter, by the way, is the worst preserved and the most defective of the entire series.] The object of Poe's letter seems to be, while preserving his loyalty to his publisher, to save Snodgrass from the labor of writing articles in competition for prejudged prizes. "The truth is," he says to Snodgrass, “I object, in toto, to the whole scheme, but merely follow the B. J. make-up upon all such matters of business."

Apparently Dr. Snodgrass had been sending some rather extensive instalments of poetry to Mr. Poe at any rate he explains that "if you look over our columns you will see that we only put in poetry in the odds and ends of our pages; that is, to fill out a vacancy left at the foot of a prose article, so that the length of a poem often determines its insertion. Yours could not be bro't to fit in, and was obliged to be left out." Poe seems to be anxious in this letter to find out what the Baltimore papers have to say of his book. As to the Philadelphia papers, their encomiums suit him exactly. They have given me," he writes to Dr. Snodgrass, "the very highest possible praise. I c'd desire nothing farther. In Alexander's Messenger, says Professor Frost, which I forward The Star and the Evening

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Poe, "is a notice by you, to-day, with this.

Post have both capital notices. There is also a promise of one in the New World Benjamin's paper which I am anxious to see, for, praise or blame, I have a high opinion of that man's ability." This is evidence that, in spite of the large quantity of it which he himself furnished, Poe understood criticism, was vulnerable to it, and was anxious about what just and competent critics should say of his performance.