Episode 226 is the second part of a look at some of the high points of Celebrate Poe so far - from the Allans in England to Poe’s days at the University of Virginia, and at West Point. The episode takes a look at some secondary accounts of incidents of the time in the context of Poe’s life and career.
Episode 226 is the second part of a look at some of the high points of Celebrate Poe so far - from the Allans in England to Poe’s days at the University of Virginia, and at West Point. The episode takes a look at some secondary accounts of incidents of the time in the context of Poe’s life and career.
George - plain text
Ghost of Mr. Poe - bold text
Welcome to Celebrate Poe - Episode 226 - Poe Review, 2 My name is George Bartley, and this episode is the second in a series devoted to a chronological look at the first half of Edgar Allan Poe’s life.
GHOST ENTERS
Greetings, Mr. Bartley
Hello, Mr. Poe - let’s begin this episode with your thoughts about the year 1820. As I am sure you remember, were attending Stoke Newington then - approximately 5 miles from your resident in London.
During the Spring of 1820, John Allan became seriously ill with dropsy. To make matters worse, his finances were declining in a most worrisome manner owning to an unfortunate recession in the tobacco market.
After this most worrisome development, John Allan basically had no other choice but to wind up his business affairs in England. And that spring he father to leave England and return to the United States.
I left the Manor House school with mixed emotions on May 26. My family first traveled across the country to Liverpool - and then on June 14, we set sail for New York on the ship Martha. We had resided for five years in England and Scotland, and were glad to be returning to the United States.
On July 21- Friday - we arrived in New York. Then on August 2, we arrived in Richmond, where we stayed at the home of Charles Ellis- now remember Mr. Ellis was my father’s business partner - on the corner of Franklin and Second Streets.
That must have been quite an adjustment for you.
It certainly was. But the situation was made slightly better because that autumn, the Allan family moved to a new house on Clay Street. Here I learned to swim in Shockoe Creek, and I read Robinson Crusoe for the first of many times. I later reviewed the book in the Southern Literary Messenger 16 years later. I can even remember how it began -
Could you favor us with some of the introduction for your review for Robinson Crusoe -
I thought you would never ask - Daniel Defoe, The Life and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner: with a Biographical Account of Defoe. Illustrated with Fifty Characteristic Cuts, from Drawings, by William Harvey, Esq. and engraved by Adams. New York: Published by Harper and Brothers.
This publication is worthy of the Harpers. It is an honor to the country — not more in the fine taste displayed in its getting up, than as evincing a just appreciation of an invaluable work. How fondly do we recur, in memory, to those enchanted days of our boyhood when we first learned to grow serious over Robinson Crusoe! — when we first found the spirit of wild adventure enkindling within us, as, by the dim fire light, we labored out, line by line, the marvellous import of those pages, and hung breathless and trembling with eagerness over their absorbing — over their enchaining interest!
How was your life in Richmond at that time?
That September, I enrolled at the preparatory school of Joseph W. Clarke (of Trinity College) where I studied Latin, French, mathematics, and classical literature. Now remember I was just 11 years old at the time. I was a pupil at the preparatory school until March 1825, studying under Mr. Clarke and later his successor, Mr. William Burke.
And this was a most eventful year in my youth regarding a certain athletic accomplishment.
Yes, Mr. Poe - why don’t you tell our listeners about it.
I swam at least at least six miles up the James River, against a heavy tide.
Wasn’t that rather unsafe?
Oh, my schoolmaster followed in a boat in case I needed help.
Also regarding another incident - during his tour of American, General Lafayette visited Richmond, Virginia in October of 1824. The Richmond Junior Volunteers partook in the ceremonies welcoming him, and I am proud to say that I was a lieutenant of the Junior Volunteers.
I am sure that your early military experience meant a great deal to you - think of West Point and the Army.
There was also a literary side to me - around 1824 I wrote a two-line poem: “— Last night, with many cares & toils oppres‘d, Weary, I laid me on a couch to rest —.”
Yes, I believe this is your earliest surviving poem. It was never published during your lifetime, nor used as part of a longer poem.
Yes, and on March 26, a most momentous event occurred that literally changed the fortunes of the Allan family. John Allan’s uncle William Galt died in Richmond. John Allan was named in Galt’s will and inherieds a significant fortune. In fact, that summer, John Allan purchased an enormous brick mansion called “Moldavia” for $14,950 and moved his family there.
From what I understand, William Galt was a very rich man, and his wealth had the potential to improve your life significantly.
One would surmise that this is a truism - for example, on February 14, 1826 I entered the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The school was founded by Thomas Jefferson, and first opened its doors on March 7, of the previous year.
So one might say that things were looking up for you.
Ah, I wish that were true. I found myself in the position of feuding with John Allan regarding ambling debts of $2,000 that I incurred at the University of Virginia.
And John Allan would certainly be able to help you with all of his wealth.
Ah, I had a sense of honor and insisted that the debts be paid, however John Allan refused to help me. I left the university and traveled to my family in Baltimore.
Unless I am mistaken, you also seem to react to a renewed sense of independence from John Allan, and the following year you enlisted in the United States Army under the name Edgar A. Perry.
And my first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems was published in Boston by Calvin F. S. Thomas. I did not include my name - I was noted only as “A Bostonian.”
Perhaps that dedication had something to do with your mother’s love of Boston.
Perhaps.
But Mr. Bartley, from what I understand, the thin pamphlet that is Tamerlane sold less than 50 copies - and many of those were likely distributed free for reviews. After my earthly death, the existence or non-existence of this little book, then lost in obscurity, was offered by Griswold as an example of what he called “Poe’s lying nature.” This position was accepted until 1880, when John Ingram found a copy in the library of the British Museum. Today, only twelve copies are known to exist. As much as $172,000 has been paid at auction. Most copies are imperfect.
I would imagine that Tamerlane and Other Poems meant a great deal to you because it was your first publication.
Mr. Bartley, may I recite two selections from Tamerlane and Other Poems
Certainly, Mr. Poe - we would be delighted
First, my poem Dreams.
H! that my young life were a lasting dream!
My spirit not awakening, till the beam
Of an Eternity should bring the morrow.
Yes! tho' that long dream were of hopeless sorrow,
'Twere better than the cold reality
Of waking life, to him whose heart must be,
And hath been still, upon the lovely earth,
A chaos of deep passion, from his birth.
But should it be—that dream eternally
Continuing—as dreams have been to me
In my young boyhood —should it thus be given,
'Twere folly still to hope for higher Heaven.
For I have revell'd when the sun was bright
I' the summer sky, in dreams of living light,
And loveliness,—have left my very heart
In climes of mine imagining, apart
From mine own home, with beings that have been
Of mine own thought—what more could I have seen?
'Twas once—and only once—and the wild hour
From my remembrance shall not pass—some power
Or spell had bound me—'twas the chilly wind
Came o'er me in the night, and left behind
Its image on my spirit—or the moon
Shone on my slumbers in her lofty noon
Too coldly—or the stars—howe'er it was
That dream was as that night-wind—let it pass.
I have been happy, tho' [but] in a dream.
I have been happy—and I love the theme:
Dreams! in their vivid colouring of life
As in that fleeting, shadowy, misty strife
Of semblance with reality which brings
To the delirious eye, more lovely things
Of Paradise and Love—and all our own!
Than young Hope in his sunniest hour hath known.
And finally - Visit of the Dead
THY soul shall find itself alone—
Alone of all on earth—unknown
The cause—but none are near to pry
Into thine hour of secrecy.
Be silent in that solitude,
Which is not loneliness—for then
The spirits of the dead, who stood
In life before thee, are again
In death around thee, and their will
Shall then o'ershadow thee—be still:
For the night, tho' clear, shall frown;
And the stars shall look not down
From their thrones, in the dark heaven,
With light like Hope to mortals given.
But their red orbs, without beam,
To thy withering heart shall seem
As a burning, and a fever
Which would cling to thee for ever.
But 'twill leave thee, as each star
In the morning light afar
Will fly thee—and vanish:
—But its thought thou canst not banish.
The breath of God will be still;
And the mist upon the hill
By that summer breeze unbroken
Shall charm thee—as a token,
And a symbol which shall be
Secrecy in thee.
Now, Mr. Poe - I understand that in 1827, your battery arrived at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island off Charleston, South Carolina.
Yes, I was to later write a story by the name of The Gold Bug that became one of the most popular stories that I ever wrote - if my contemporaries can be believed. Notice my description in The Gold Bug regarding the area immediately surrounding Fort Moultrie - the island consists of little else than the sea sand, and is about three miles long. Its breadth at no point exceeds a quarter of a mile. It is separated from the main land by a scarcely perceptible creek, oozing its way through a wilderness of reeds and slime, a favorite resort of the marsh-hen. The vegetation, as might be supposed, is scant, or at least dwarfish. No trees of any magnitude are to be seen. Near the western extremity, where Fort Moultrie stands, and where are some miserable frame buildings, tenanted, during summer, by the fugitives from Charleston dust and fever, may be found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; but the whole island, with the exception of this western point, and a line of hard, white beach on the seacoast, is covered with a dense undergrowth of the sweet myrtle, so much prized by the horticulturists of England.
Did you stay in the Charleston area?
Oh no, Mr Bartley. During December of 1828, my battery arrived at Fort Monroe at Old Point Comfort, Virginia. And on the first day of 1829, I was promoted to Sergeant-Major of the Regiment of Artillery.
So it seems that you had become immersed in military life, Mr. Poe.
So it seems, but on Feb. 28 of 1829, Francis Keeling Allan, my doting foster mother, died in Richmond. She was buried in the Shockoe Hill Cemetery on March 2. I received the news of her death through a letter from John Allan. I must admit that the news was extremely difficult for me to accept. The loss of my foster mother deeply affected me, and many scholars believe that her death contributed to my already fragile mental state.
Yes, especially considered the fact that Francis Allan was so loving and so extremely supportive.
Then on April 15 of 1829 I was released from the Army and applied for an appointment to West Point. (To obtain my release, it was necessary for me to provide a substitute at no expense to the government.)
Well, thank you, Mr. Poe. This brings us to the final month of 1829, and would would generally be viewed as the beginning of the truly productive period of the second half of your earthly life. I am not going into your second book, Al Aaraf, Tamerane and Minor Poems in this episode - we will save that for the future .
Thank you, Mr. Bartley - I trust that this and the preceding episode have brought us up to date and prepared this podcast’s listeners for the more productive period of my literary life.
Join us for the next episode of Celebrate Poe - the first part of three episodes dealing with choices in Poe’s life.
Sources include: Sources include: Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Biography by Arthur Hobson Quinn, The Poe Log: A Documentary Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Dwight R. Thomas and David K. Jackson, Edgar Allan Poe: The Man by Mary E. Phillips, Edgar Allan Poe by George E. Woodberry from the American Men of Letters series, and Life of Edgar A. Poe by Eugene L. Didier.
Thank you for listening to Celebrate Poe.