EXLIBRIS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA JOHN HENRY NASH <8> SAN FRANCISCO PRESENTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ROBERT GORDON SPROUL, PRESIDENT. <$> BY~ <> MR.ANDMRS.MILTON S.RAY CECILY, VIRGINIA AND ROSALYN RAY AND THE RAY OIL BURNERODMPANY SAN FRANCISCO NEWYORK- and of (Tontpositiotx aul JUur ana an %anri0co an6 of Composition Ouar to ~p Rotogravure nE6ition illustrated from 'paintings b? (BaUn 3. h? Will 3enklns an6 San Traticisco an6 Ohe initial intention of tfye publishers to present " tftaven" without preface, notes* or other extraneous mat ter that might detract from an undivided appreciation of the poem, Ijas been somewhat modified bv tl>e introduction of "jpoe's prose essay, " Ofye ";pl)llosopl)y of Composition/' ^f an ? justification were necessary, it is to be found botl) In the unique literary interest of the essay, and in the fact tl)at it is (or purports to be) a frank exposition of tbe modus operandl by which " ^?lje 31aven '* was written. 3t Is felt that no other introduction could be more Ijapplly con ceived or executed, doming from "Jloe's own b an &, It directly avoids the charge of presumption; and written in poe's most felicitous style, It entirely escapes tfye defect not uncommon In analytical treatises of pedantry. 3t Is Indeed possible, as some critics assert, that this supposed analysis Is purely fictitious. 3f so. It becomes all the more distinctive as a marvelous bit of Imaginative writing, and as such ranks equally with that wild snatch of melody, " "C?l)e 3\aven." t&ut tfyese same critics would lead us furtber to believe t^at "">!)* tftaven" itself is almost a literal translation of the work of a "Persian poet. 3f they be again correct, poe's genius as seen in the creation of ""Dfye^pbllosopby of Composition" Is far more start ling tljan it l)as otherwise appeared : and " robbed of l)i* bay leaves in tl>e realm of poetry," l)e is to be " crowned wlt^ a double wreatl) of berried Ijolly for ^l* prose." of (Tontposition of Composition (Tharles Sickens, lit a note now l?ing before me, alluding to an examination U once made of the mechanism of "Siarnab? kludge," sa?s " *&? tlje wa?, are YOU aware tljat <&odwin wrote tyis '(taleb Williams' backwards? Tfe first involved l)is fyero in a web of difficulties, forming tl>e second volume, and fyen, for tl)e first, cast about him for some mode of accounting for wfyat t)a6 been done," H cannot think tfyis tfye precise mode of procedure on the part of (Bodwin and indeed what l)e ^imself acknowledges, is not altogether in accordance witl) 5ttr, "Dickens' idea but tfye author of "Caleb Williams" was too good an artist not to per ceive tfye advantage derivable from at least a somewhat similar process. Nothing is more clear tl)an t^at ever^ plot, wortl) t^e name, must be elaborated to its denouement before an?tl)ing be attempted with the pen, Ut is onl? with the denouement con stantly in view tfyat we can give a plot its indispensable air of con sequence, or causation, bv making the incidents, and especially the tone at all points, tend to the development of the intention. 'Gfyere is a radical error, 3 tl)ink, in tfye usual mode of con structing a stor?. titter ^istor? affords a thesis or one is suggested b? an incident of tl)e da? or, at best, tfye author sets fyimself to work in the combination of striking events to form merely tfye basis of fyis narrative designing, generally, to fill in witt) description, dialogue, or autorial comment, wfyat- ever crevices of fact, or action, ma?, from page to page, render themselves apparent* 3 prefer commencing with the consideration of an effect* keeping originality always in view for tje is false to himself wfyo ventures to dispense witfy so obvious and so easily attain able a source of interest H say to myself, in tfye first place, " Of tfye innumerable effects, or impressions, of wfyicfy tl)e heart, the intellect, or (more generally) the soul is susceptible, what one $ hall DL on the present occasion, select?' Tfaving chosen a novel, first, and secondly a vivid effect, ~3 consider whether it can be best wrought by incident or tone wfyetfyer by ordinary incidents and peculiar tone, or the converse, or by peculiarity botfy of incident and tone afterward looking about me (or rather within ) for such combinations of event, or tone, as shall best aid me in the construction of the effect. *3 have often though* bow interesting a magazine paper might be written by any author wfyo would tfyat is to say wfyo could detail, step by step, the processes by which any one of his com positions attained its ultimate point of completion. Wh? such a paper fyas never been given to tfye world, *3 am much at a loss to say but, perfyaps, the autorial vanity has had more to do witl) tfye omission tfyan any one other cause. 32tost writers poets in especial prefer having it understood tfyat tfyey com pose by a species of fine pfyrensy an ecstatic intuition and would positively sfyudder at letting the public take a peep behind the scenes, at the elaborate and vacillating crudities of thought at tlje true purposes seized only at tfye last moment at tfye innumerable glimpses of idea tl)at arrived not at tfye maturity of full view at tlje fully matured fancies discarded in despair as unmanageable at tfye cautious selections and rejections at tl>e painful erasures and interpolations in a word, at tfye wheels and pinions tlje tackle for scene-shifting tlje step- ladders and demon-traps tfye cock's feathers, tlje red paint and tfye black patches, wljicl), in ninety-nine cases out of tfye hundred, constitute tlje properties of tfye literary fyistrio. "3 am aware, on the other l)and, that the case is by no means common, in which an author is at all in condition to retrace the steps by which his conclusions have been attained. If n general* suggestions, having arisen pell-mell, are pursued and forgotten in a similar manner. "Tor my own part, "3 fyave neither sympathy witl) tl)e repug nance alluded to, nor at any time the least difficulty in recall ing to mind the progressive steps of any of my compositions; and, since the interest of an analysis, or reconstruction, such as H have considered a desideratum, is quite independent of any real or fancied interest in tfye tfying analyzed, it will not be re garded as a breach of decorum on my part to show the modus operandi by which some one of my own works was put together. "3 select "^>l)e 3\aven," as most generally known. Ut is my design to render it manifest that no one point in its composition is referable either to accident or intuition tfyat tlje work pro ceeded, step by step, to its completion with the precision and rigid consequence of a mathematical problem. TLet us dismiss, as irrelevant to tlje poem, per se, tfye cir cumstance or say tfye necessity which, in tfye first place. gave rise to the intention of composing a poem that should suit at once the popular an6 the critical taste. commence* then, with tl)is intention* initial consideration was that of extent. *3f any literary work is too long to be read at one sitting, we must be content to dispense witl) the immensely important effect derivable from unity of impression for, if two sittings be required, the affairs of the world interfere, and everything like totality is at once destroyed. 3Jut since, ceteris paribus, no poet can afford to dispense witl) anything that may advance fyis design, it but re mains to be seen whether there is, in extent, any advantage to counterbalance the loss of unity which attends it. Tfere 3 say 5to, at once. What we term a long poem is, in fact, merely a succession of brief ones that is to say, of brief poetical effects. 1ft is needless to demonstrate that a poem is such* only inas- mucl) as it intensely excites, by elevating, the soul; and all in tense excitements are, through a psycljal necessity, brief. Tor tljis reason, at least one-fyalf of tlje " "paradise TCost " is essen tially prose a succession of poetical excitements interspersed, inevitably, witl) corresponding depressions tfye whole being deprived, through the extremeness of its length* of the vastly important artistic element, totality, or unity, of effect. "3t appears evident, then, that there is a distinct limit, as regards length* to all works of literary art the limit of a single sitting and that, although in certain classes of prose composition, such as "Robinson Crusoe*' (demanding no unity), this limit may be advantageously overpassed, it can never properly be overpassed in a poem. Within this limit, the extent of a poem may be made to bear mathematical relation to its merit in ottyer words, to tfye excitement or elevation again, in otl)er words, to tfye degree of tfye true poetical effect wfyicl) it is capable of inducing; for it is clear tfyat tfye brevity must be in direct ratio to tfye intensity of tfye intended effect: tfyis, witl) one proviso ttyat a certain degree of duration is ab- solutelv requisite for tfye production of anv effect at all. ^folding in view tl)ese considerations, as well as tfyat degree of excitement wfyicl) "3 deemed not above tfye popular, wfyile not below tl)e critical, taste, *3 reached at once wfyat ~3 conceived tfye proper lengtl) for mv intended poem a lengtl) of about one Hundred lines. "3t is, in fact, a fyundred and eigl)t. y&v next thought concerned the choice of an impression, or effect, to be convened : and fyere "3 mav as well observe tl)at, throughout ti)e construction, 3 Kept steadily in view the design of rendering the work universally appreciable. II should be car ried too far out of m? immediate topic were "3 to demonstrate a point upon which 3 have repeatedly insisted, and which, with the poetical, stands not in tfye slightest need of demonstration tfye point, *3 mean, tfyat ^fteautv is tfye sole legitimate province of tfye poem. ^& few words, tyowever, in elucidation of m? real meaning, which some of m? friends ^ave evinced a disposition to misrepresent. ^l)at pleasure wl)icl) is at once tfye most in tense, tl)e most elevating, and tfye most pure, is, "3 believe, found in tl)e contemplation of t^e beautiful. Wljen, indeed, men speak of 3&eaut?, t^e^ mean, precisely, not a qualitv, as is supposed, but an effect: fyev refer, in sljort, just to fyat intense and pure elevation of soul not of intellect, or of fyeart upon wfyicl)!! l)ave commented, and wl)icl) is experienced in conse quence of contemplating 4 t^e beautiful/' 2low ^3 designate as the province of the poem, merely because it is an obvious rule of "3Vrt tljat effects should be made to sp ring from direct causes tfyat objects should be attained tfyrougl) means best adapted for tljeir attainment no one as ?et paving been weak enough to deny tl)at tlje peculiar elevation alluded to is most readil? attained in the poem* Mow tl>e object, Crutl), or the satisfaction of tl>e intellect, and tl)e object, 'passion, or the excitement of tl)e l)eart, are, although attainable, to a certain extent, in poetry, far more readily attainable in prose, ^rutl), in fact, demands a precision, and "passion a Comeliness (tfye trul? passionate will comprehend me) which are absolutely an* tagonistic to tfyat Beauty which- H maintain, is the excitement, or pleasurable elevation, of the soul. *3t bv no means follows from an?tl)ing ^ere said, t^at ^passion, or even ^rutl), ma^ not be introduced, and even profitably introduced, into a poem for tt>e? ma? serve in elucidation, or aid tt)e general effect, as do discords in music, by contrast but tfye true artist will always contrive, first, to tone tfyem into proper subservience to tlje pre dominant aim, and, secondly, to enveil ttjem, as far as possible, in tt)at ^eautv wl)icb is the atmosphere and the essence of the poem. 5\e3arding, t^en, i&eaut? as m? province, my next question referred to tfye tone of its l)igl)est manifestation and all ex perience fyas s^own tfyat t^is tone is one of sadness, ^fceaut? of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears. 5tlelancholv is thus the most legi timate of all the poetical tones. Ohe lengtt), the province, and the tone, being thus deter mined, 3 betook myself to ordinary induction, wit!) tl>e view of obtaining some artistic piquancy which might serve me as a Key note in tlje construction of tfye poem some pivot upon which tlje wljole structure might turn. "3fn carefully thinking over all tlje usual artistic effects or more properly points, in tlje tlje- atrical sense *3 did not fail to perceive immediately tljat no one Ijad been so universally employed as tl)at of tlje refrain. ^>l)e universality of its employment sufficed to assure me of its intrinsic value, and spared me the necessity of submitting it to analysis. "3 considered it, Ijowever, witlj regard to its suscepti bility of improvement, and soon saw it to be in a primitive con dition. *3Vs commonly used, tlje refrain, or burden, not only is limited to lyric verse, but depends for its impression upon the force of monotone botl) in sound and thought. Clje pleasure is deduced solely from tfye sense of identity of repetition. "3 resolved to diversify, and so Ijeigljten, tlje effect, by adhering, in general, to the monotone of sound, while U continually varied that of thought: that is to say.U determined to produce con tinuously novel effects, by tlje variation of the application of the refrain tlje refrain itself remaining, for tlje most part, un varied. Obese points being settled, ~3 next bethought me of the na ture of my refrain. Since its application was to be repeatedly varied, it was clear tljat tlje refrain itself must be brief, for t^ere would Ijave been an insurmountable difficulty in frequent variations of application in any sentence of length. *3n propor tion to the brevity of the sentence, would, of course, be the facility of tlje variation. Cljis led me at once to a single word as tlje best refrain. question now arose as to tlje character of tlje word. Tfaving made up my mind to a refrain, tlje division of tlje poem into stanzas was, of course, a corollary* tl>e refrain forming U)e close of eacl) stanza. C^at sucl) a close, to l>ave force, must be sonorous and susceptible of protracted emphasis, ad mitted no doubt; and fyese considerations inevitably led me to tfye long "o" as tlje most sonorous vowel, in connection witl) "r" as fye most producible consonant. Clje sound of tlje refrain being tljus determined, it became necessary to select a word embodying tl)is sound, and at tfye same time in tl)e fullest possible Keeping witl) tfyat melancholy wljic^H Ijad predetermined as tlje tone of tlje poem, ~3n sue!) a searc^ it would Ijave been absolutely impossible to overlook tl)e word "Stevermore." ^3n fact, it was tlje very first w^ic^ presented itself. "Dl)e next desideratum was a pretext for tfye continuous use of tfye one word "Mevermore." "3n observing tl>e difficulty wl)icl) "3 at once found in inventing a sufficiently plausible rea son for its continuous repetition, "3 did not fail to perceive tljat tfyis difficulty arose solely from fye pre-assumption tfyat tfye word was to be so continuously or monotonously spoken by a human being *3 did not fail to perceive, in sljort, fyat fye difficulty lay in the reconciliation of tl)is monotony with the exercise of reason on tlje part of tfye creature repeating tfye word. 3fere, tl>en, immediately arose the idea of a non-reasoning creature capable of speecl); and, very naturally, a parrot, in tl)e first instance, suggested itself, but was superseded fortfywitl) by a 3\aven, as equally capable of speech* and infinitely more in keeping with the intended tone. 3 l>ad now gone so far as tl)e conception of a 3\aven tfye bir6 of ill omen monotonously repeating tfye one word, "3tev- ermore," at tl)e conclusion of eacl) stanza, in a poem of melan- cfyoly tone, and in length about one fyundred lines. 5tow, never losing sigfyt of tfye object supremeness, or perfection, at all points, "3 asked myself "Of all melancholy topics, wtyat, ac cording to tfye universal understanding of mankind, is tfye most melancholy?" IDeatl) was tfye obvious reply. ""^Vnd wfyen," 3 said, "is tfyis most melancfyoly of topics most poetical?" TFrom wfyat *3 fyave already explained at some lengtfy, tfye answer, fyere also, is obvious "Wfyen it most closely allies itself to i&eauty : tl>e deatl), t^en, of a beautiful woman is, unquestion ably, tl>e most poetical topic in tl)e world and equally is it be- vond doubt tl)at t^e lips best suited for sucl) topic are tfyose of a bereaved lover/* T l)ad now to combine tfye two ideas, of a lover lamenting l)is deceased mistress and a 3\aven continuously repeating the word "Mevermore." "3 l)ad to combine ttyese, bearing in mind mv design of varving, at ever? turn, tlje application of tfye word repeated; but tbe onl^ intelligible mode of sucl) combination is t^at of imagining tfye 3\aven employing tl>e word in answer to tl)e queries of tfye lover. *3Vnd tyere it was t^at"3 saw at once tfye opportunity afforded for tfye effect on wl)ic^ "3 Ijad been de pending tl>at is to say, tfye effect of t^e variation of applica tion. "3 saw ttyat "3 could make t^e first quer? propounded bv tl>e lover tfye first query to wl)icl) t^e !J\aven should reply "Nevermore" t^at"3 could make tt)is first query a common place one tfye second less so tl>e tl)ird still less, and so on, until at lengtl) tfye lover startled from l)is original nonchalance by tl)e melancholy character of tl)e word itself, by its frequent repetition, an6 by a consideration of tfye ominous reputation of tfye fowl tfyat uttered it is at length excited to superstition, and wildly propounds queries of a far different character queries wfyose solution l)e fyas passionately at fyeart propounds them half in superstition and half in that species of despair wfyicl) delights in self-torture propounds tfyem not altogether because he believes in the prophetic or demoniac character of tye bird (wl)icl), reason assures fyim, is merely repeating a les son learned by rote) but because l)e experiences a phrenzieo pleasure in so modeling l)is questions as to receive from tfye expected "5levermore," tfye most delicious because tfye most intolerable of sorrow, "perceiving tfye opportunity tfyus afforded me or, more strictly, tfyus forced upon me in tlje progress of tl>e construction "3 first established in mind tfye climax, or concluding query tfyat query to wfyic!) "Mevermore" should be in fye last place an answer tfyat in reply to wljicl) t^is word "Mevermore" should involve tl)e utmost conceivable amount of sorrow and despair. 3fere, tfyen, tl>e poem may be said to fyave its beginning at tfye end, w^ere all works of art should begin for it was Ijere, at tl)is point of my preconsiderations, tljat "3 first put pen to paper in the composition of the stanza: said 3, " tying of evil ! prophet still, if bird or devil! tfyat l^eaveit t^at bends above us by tfyat (Bod we botl) adore soul witl) sorrow laden if, within t^e distant ^idenn, 3t s^all clasp a sainted maiden whom fye angels nameTCenore Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom tye angels name ~Xenore." Ouotb tl>e Maven, " Nevermore." ~3 composed tl)is stanara, at tfyis point, first tljat, by establish ing tl)e climax, "3 might tye better vary and graduate, as regards seriousness and importance, the preceding queries of the lover ; and, secondly, tljat^J might definitely settle tl?e rfyytfym, tfye meter, and tlje length and general arrangement of tfye stanza, as well as graduate the stanzas which were to precede, so that none of tljem might surpass tfyis in rljytljmical effect. *3fad *3 been able, in the subsequent composition, to construct more vigorous stanzas. 3 should, without scruple, have purposely en feebled fyem, so as not to interfere witl) tlje climacteric effect. ^Vnd l)ere ~3 may as well say a few words of tlje versifica tion* 3tty first object (as usual) was originality* Ohe extent to which this has been neglected, in versification, is one of the most unaccountable things in the world* Admitting that there is little possibility of variety in mere rfyytljm, it is still clear that the possible varieties of meter and stanza are absolutely infinite and yet, for centuries, no man, in verse, fyas ever done, or ever seemed to think of doing, an original thing. Ohe fact is, that originality ( unless in minds of very unusual force) is by no means a matter, as some suppose, of impulse or intui tion* Un general, to be found, it must be elaborately sought, and although a positive merit of the l)igl)est class, demands in its attainment less of invention than negation. Of course, "3 pretend to no originality in either tl)e rfyytfynt or meter of "I5l)e 3\aven." Clje former is trochaic tfye latter is octameter acatalectic, alternating witl) l)eptameter catalectic repeated in tfye refrain of tfye fiftl) verse, and terminating witl) tetrameter catalectic* TCess pedantically tfye feet employed throughout ( trochees ) consist of a long syllable followed by a sljort: fye first line of tlje stanza consists of eigl)t of tfyese feet tl)e second of seven and a l)alf (in effect two-tl)ir6s) tlje tl)ir6 of eigljt tlje fourfy of seven and a l>alf tlje fiftl) tlje same tlje sixty, tfyree an6 a fyalf. 3tow, eacl) of tyese lines, taken individually, Ijas been employed before, an6 wfyat originality "Clje 3^aven" Ijas, is in tl)eir combination into stanza; nothing even remotely approaching tl)is combination Ijas ever been attempted. "C^e effect of tl)is orlginalitv of com bination is ai6e6 b^ ot^er unusual an6 some altogether novel effects, arising from an extension of tlje application of tfye principles of rfyvme and alliteration* ^l)e next point to be considered was tfye mode of bringing together tlje lover and t^e 5\aven and tlje first branc^ of tl)is consideration was t^e locale. Tor tljis t^e most natural sug gestion migl)t seem to be a forest, or tye fields but it Ijas al- wavs appeared to me tljat a close circumscription of space is absolutely necessarv to tlje effect of insulated incident: it fyas t^e force of a frame to a picture. "3t fyas an indisputable moral power in Keeping concentrated tlje attention, and, of course, must not be confounded witl) mere unitv of place. "3 determined, tljen, to place t^e lover in fyis chamber in a chamber rendered sacred to l)im bv memories of fyer w^o ^ad frequented it. ^>l)e room is represented as ricfylv furnished tt)is, in mere pursuance of fye ideas U ^ave alreadv explained on tlje subject of beautv as tfye sole true poetical thesis. ^?l)e locale being t^us determined, 3 fyad now to introduce fye bird and t^e thought of introducing l)im t^roug^ t^e win dow was inevitable. ^>l>e idea of making tl)e lover suppose, in tlje first instance, tl)at tl)e flapping of tlje wings of tl)e bird against tl)e scatter is a "tapping" at tfye door, originated In a wlsl) to increase, b? prolonging, tl)e reader's curiosity, an6 in a desire to admit tfye incidental effect arising from tfye lover's throwing open the door, finding all dark, and thence adopting tfye fyalf-fanc? tfyat it was tfye spirit of l)is mistress fyat Knocked, T made tfye nigl)t tempestuous, first, to account for tfye 3\aven's seeking admission, and, secondly* for tfye effect of con trast witl) tfye (pl)?sical) serenity within tfye chamber. 3 made tfye bird alight on tfye bust of "pallas, also for tlje effect of contrast between tfye marble and tl)e plumage it be ing understood tfyat tfye bust was absolutely suggested by tlje bird tlje bust of Dallas being chosen, first, as most in keep ing witl) tfye scholarship of tlje lover, and, secondly, for tlje sonorousness of t^e word, Dallas, itself. *3Vbout t^e middle of tye poem, also, 3 ^ave availed myself of tl>e force of contrast, witl) a view of deepening tlje ultimate impression. Tor example, an air of tfye fantastic approaching as nearly to tlje ludicrous as was admissible is given to tlje 5\aven's entrance. 3fe comes in "witl) many a flirt and flutter." Mot tl) least obeisance made l)e: not a minute stopped or staged b^- . with mien of Ior6 or lad?, perched above mv chamber 6oon the two stanzas which follow, the design is more ob viously carried out: n. this ebon? bir6 beguiling m? sad fane? into smiling, t^e grave and stern decorum of tl>e countenance it wore, ugb tb? crest be sljorn an6 shaven, tyou," 3 said, " art sure no craven, (Beastly grim and ancient 3\avcn wandering from the ^tightly shore Oell me what thy loroly name is on the 3tigl>t's'plutonlan shore!" Quoth tlje ^aven, " Nevermore." marvelled this ungainly, fowl to hear discourse so plainly, o hough its answer little meaning little relevancy bore; -for we cannot help agreeing that no living human being ~ver yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, sucl> name as " Nevermore." Obe effect of the denouement being thus provided for, If immediately drop tlje fantastic for a tone of tfye most profound seriousness this tone commencing in the stanza directly fol lowing the one last quoted, with the line: t&ut the 3\avcn, sitting lonely on that placid bust spoke only, etc, Trom tfyis epoch tlje lover no longer jests no longer sees anything even of tfye fantastic in tfye 5\aven's demeanour. 3fe speaks of fyim as a "grim, ungainly, g^astlv, gaunt, and omi nous bird of yore," and feels tfye "fiery eyes'* burning into fyis "bosom's core," ^>l)is revolution of thought, or fancy, on tfye lover's part, is intended to induce a similar one on the part of tl)e reader to bring tfye mind into a proper frame for ttye denouement wfyicl) is now brought about as rapidly and as directly as possible, Witl) tfye denouement proper witl) fye haven's reply, "Mevermore," to tfye lover's final demand if l)e s^all meet fyis mistress in another world fye poem, in its obvious phase, tfyat of a simple narrative, may be said to have its completion. So far, everything is within tl)e limits of tfye accountable of tl>e real, ^\ 3\aven, paving learned by rote tlje single word, " Clever- more/' and paving escaped from tfye custody of its owner, is driven at midnight, through tfye violence of a storm, to seek admission at a window from wl)icl) a ligfyt still gleams, tfye chamber-window of a student, occupied fyalf in poring over a volume, fyalf in dreaming of a beloved mistress deceased. Ohe casement being thrown open at tl)e fluttering of the bird's wings, tl)e bird itself perches on the most convenient seat out of the immediate reach of the student, w()0, amused bv the incident and the oddity of the visitor's demeanour, demands of it, in jest and without looking for a reply, its name. ^>l)e 3laven, addressed, answers witl) its customary word, " 3tevermore," a word wl)icl) finds immediate echo in the melancholy. fyeart of the student, who. giving utterance aloud to certain thoughts suggested by the occasion, is again startled by the fowl's repetition of "Stevermore." ^>l)e student now guesses tfye state of tfye case, but is impelled, as 3 fyave before explained, by tlje human thirst for self-torture, and in part by superstition, to propound such queries to tl)e bird as will bring fyim, tfye lover, tfye most of tfye luxury of sorrow, through fye anticipated answer, "5levermore." Witl) tfye indulgence, to tlje extreme, of tl)is self-torture, t^e narration, in what 3 have termed its first or obvious phase, has a natural termination, and so far tfyere fyas been no overstep ping of the limits of the real. 3Jut in subjects so Dandled, fyowever skilfully, or witl) l)ow- ever vivid an array of incident, tfyere is always a certain fyard- ness or nakedness which repels the artistical eye. Z5wo things are invariably required: first, some amount of complexity, or, more properly, adaptation; and, secondly, some amount of suggestiveness some under-current, tyowever indefinite, of meaning. 3t is ttyis latter, in especial, wt)icl) imparts to a work of art so mucl) of ttyat richness (to borrow from colloquy a forcible term) wtyicty we are too fond of confounding witty ttye ideal. "3t is ttye excess of ttye suggested meaning it is ttye rendering ttyis ttye upper instead of ttye under-current of ttye ttyeme wtyicty turns into prose (and ttyat of ttye very flattest Kind) ttye so-called poetry of ttye so-called transcendentalists. Tfolding ttyese opinions, *3 added ttye two concluding stanzas of ttye poem ttyeir suggestiveness being ttyus made to pervade all ttye narrative wtyicty tyas preceded ttyem. Ot) under-current of meaning is rendered first apparent in ttye lines : ""Dake fyy beak from out my heart, and take tfyy form from off my door!'* Quoth tfje 3\aven, " Nevermore." will be observed ttyat ttye words, " from out my tyeart," involve ttye first metaptyorical expression in ttye poem. Ctye?, witty ttye answer, "5tevermore," dispose ttye mind to seek a moral in all ttyat tyas been previously narrated, ^tye reader be gins now to regard ttye 5\aven as emblematical but it is not until ttye very last line of ttye ver? last stanza, ttyat ttye intention of making tyim emblematical of MZournfut and Clever-ending Remembrance is permitted distinctly to be seen: , never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On tt)e pallid bust of~p alias just above my chamber 6oor; l)is eyes have all tl)e seeming of a demon's that Is dreaming, tye lamp-llg^t o'er tym streaming throws t)ls shadow on t^e floor; my soul from out tl)at shadow that lies floating on tl?e floor Shall be lifted nevermore! rt.ce upon a midnight wl)ile3 ponoerefc, weak an6 wear?, Over man? a quaint an6 curious volume of forgot ten lore no66e6, nearly nap ping, su66enl? tbere came a tapping, of some one gently rap ping, rapping at m? cl)am- ber 6oor. ^is some visitor," ~3 muttered, "tapping at m? chamber 6oor Onl? tl)is an6 nothing more." Vl I), distinctly "3 remember it was lit tfye bleak Decem ber, eacl) separate ember wrought its upon tbc floor. l^Tf wished tl>e morrow; vainly "3 t)a6 sought to borrow "3From m? books surcease of sorrow sorrow for tl)e lost TCettore tl)e rare ano ra6iant mai6en wl>om tt>e angels name TCenore Blameless Ijere for evermore. ;wu)wntmiin^jr6rfarj,ml)il J JMmtortt.MnJi |^trr manu a quaint ano curious (rolurar of for- gettrtlow- .nn cunt a some ant some liisitar,"3muttfrri>,"taj))jim| at mu rliamkr boor- an6 notjin morf." r arl) 3fj>aratf biiinq rmGrr utrou^ its ugntV floor. uiisl|f6 HF nrroui.-(Minlu J bail jtoiymtttborroui j boq^s .siirrrnsr of jorroiu-sor r oin/or tfimSpgn- or tl)f rarr turi) raoiant maiorn iitliom ll)r nanir nurr- rtir rmorr. n6 the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of eacl) purple curtain I3l)rilled me filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So t^at now, to still the beat ing of m? h^art, ~$ stood repeating " '^Hs some visitor entreat ing entrance at m? cham ber door Some late visitor entreating entrance at m? chamber door; it is and nothing more. " m? soul grew stronger; Imitating fyen no longer, Sir," sai&3, "or 3tta6am, trul? ?our forgiveness 3 implore ; fye fact isU was nap ping, and so gently ?ou came rapping, so faintly ?ou came tapping, tapping at m? ooor ' scarce was sure 3 I)ear6 opened wi6e tl>e 6oor; darkness t^ere an& nothing more, no tljr siljim sail uncertain rustling of arfj jiurjJf rnrtain mr^/ilU mt mirt)J'anta;5fir trrroi? rtrrjVlt before ; tfjat now. to jstill rlje bratin c q of mji fyrart, is some 6J0itor rnlrfalinj rnfranrr af HIJI rl)iimbt'r onor- larr W^ifor rnfrrafliy rnfranrr af mjj rUmbcr ooor; it is anO nuflii mnrr wnl^rw stron^rr; leafing n no Io0arr, oam.fnilij yourjforoiftr- J[ implore; tl)Kjarr is J[ was jinti ramr rnj)j)iiti|, Sni) 50 Jainrfu you ramr tabbing, tabbing at 11111 u lto -' ^^^ P ti '' G * rljambrr boor, srarrr tuaa 5unr J[ Ijrarii jiou- I'^nnl ttui'if tljc Ouor- tljrrr and no more. into tfyat darkness peer ing, long 3 stood tfyere wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; tfye silence was un broken, and tfye stillness gave no token, tfye onl? word tfyere spoken was tfye wfyispered word, "TLenore ! " wfyispered, and an ecfyo murmured back tfye word, "TLenore ! " tfyis and notfy- ing more. ack into the chamber turn ing, all my soul within me burning, Soon again 3 h^ard a tap ping somewhat louder than before. "Surely," said*3, "surely that is something at my window lattice; TLet me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore TLet my h^art be still a moment and this mystery explore; s the wind and noth ing more.' ftj> into fl)at Onrjmess Jirrrinij, loiuj stum) ttjrrr numdrrinj|. /Vnrinif, i^j, iirraminij dreams no mortal ebrr oarro to dream brfor?; rl)f silfnrr was uiwqbrn.and tl)f nrw ff6r no fukn>, the only word H)rrr sbnhni mns utljisprrrd Yd.ano anrno murtmurrd uiord."^fnorr!" tliTa and nutiiinij morr. into f lir rf)ainlirr turning, all mjj gotil initliin mr burning., onn aqain 3 Iward a tabbing snmrthjng *^ v ^^L/ ^ j* * ' ^ *-^ loudrr tnan brforr. /'aaid J[,"3HrfIy.tIjat is 9omrtt)in^ at mu utinboiu lattirr; rt mt sn, tytn, tuljat tl;rrfat ij,and mjistrrg r^iloit- t my lienrt or still n momrnt and tljis mystrry ryblorr;- l)ere 3 flung fye sput ter, wl)en, will) man? a flirt and flutter, tfyere stepped a stately 3\aven of tfye saintly da?s of vore. t^e least obeisance made ; not a minute stopped or staged l)e; , witl) mien of lord or lad?, perched above chamber door upon a bust of Dallas just above mv chamber door r cb^ QB& ^at, and nothing more. tt)is ebon? bird beguil ing m? sad fane? into smiling, tl)e grave and stern de corum of tfye countenance it wore, crest be $l)orn an6 shaven, tljou," If said, "art sure no craven, grim an6 ancient 3\aven wandering from ^tigfytl? sfyore me wfyat fyy lordly name is on tfye "Plutonian s^ore! Ouotl) tl)e < ^levermore* \>tn hrrrJLflunq rfc sbtittrr, mljrn, mirij nmnji a flirt anUjfhtHrr. f hf rr arr^r a sfaf rljj 3\afern of H)f saint ly days of gorr. f iKast nbr isanrr nuior hf : nor a nunulir or srnnr 6 tit, itiitl) mini n/ lord of lm\ii, Jirrrlirii abolif my rhamhr r Oimr- trrlifO tijjnn a btist of alias Jus I ado6r my rhambrr 5oor- and saf, and nothing more. rhis rbony binl bri|itilini| nin sail jancjj into smilinq, and strm drrorum of tljt rqunfrnanrr it wore, Tf5t Sf sfyorn anb 5l;abrn, f(jou," J[5aid,"artBarr no rralirn, rim and anrirnt ifcabrn tuandrr- ing jVom mr mhat fhij_lorola namr is on fjjr lutonian shorr!" thf ucl) 3 marvelled tl)is ungainly fowl to fyear dis course so plainly, "C>l)ougl) its answer little meaning little relevancy bore ; we cannot fyelp agree ing tljat no living fyumau being yet was blessed witl) seeing bird above l)is chamber door or beast upon t^e sculptured bust above chamber door, sucl) name as Nevermore." ut tl)e 3\aven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only one word, as if t)is soul in fyat one word fye did outpour. otl)in$ further tfyen t)e uttered not a feather H)ea fluttered scarcely more tfyan muttered, ''Ot^er friends l>ave flown before On tfye morrow ^e will leave me, as my t>opes ^ave flown before," n t^e bird said, Nevermore." urli J[marhrlr{) this ttnjjainlg fuutl hi lirnr Oisrottrsr so Jjlntnlji, it? misuttT iittir nieaninq-liftlr rrlr- 6anrg oow; tttf rnnnut brl)j ni|rrrinij Hjr no littituj hunmn bciiii| yrt tuns blrssfO mill) seeing birii ftbuti? Ms rljambrr iionr- or bwf tibuo. tliK -ul))turru bust rlmnibrr door, fl)c Jtidrn, siftina (onrly on ()liu irt bust, sbo^r only unr word, ns i[ !)b suul in tliat onr moro hr did iiufjjuttt . goring jfurt^ff rijrn |)f tUfmro; not a aftyrr lljrn Ijr flutfrrro- srarrely nuirr rl)n nwtrrrrO. rnojs tl;r mornmt Ijr mil! itaUtt mt, 05 uin brforf." tar tU6 at fye stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, "doubtless," said~3, it utters is its only stock J l\ and store om unmerciful /^4 disaster ollowe6 fast an& followed /-O^\ f as t er till I)* 5 songs one fjVJk bur6en bore ~ tl)e dirges of ^SfSxn tl^at melanc^ol? burden JF*& ;v^iKH bore Of 'Clever never more. fye 3\aven stilt beguil ing all mv sa6 soul into smiling, Straight If wheeled a cusl)- ioneo seat in front of bird an6 bust an6 6oor; , upon t^e velvet sink ing, 3 betook mvself to Unking anq? unto fancv, thinking wljat tl)is ominous bir6 of vore t^is grim, ungainlv, g^astlv, gaunt, and omi nous bir6 of vore Mleant in croaking "Mevermore." tarflrt at tlif stillnrsa Intern by : T f filjj so ajitljl 3J u ,' said J^"talwt it attars its imlji aturjj am) stnrr sumr itniin^n nwstrr uiliom tinmrrrifttl anrplotari ^ 3iuu|3 onr burOf n bnrr- ill tlir liirif ra iif his ^ojir flint mrltmrljo- bttrOrn bonr llif ntrn st 't-ti ^^ i t< until tnrn amilinij, t! iih|lit Jf tttlirrlfb a ntaljiimrrt drat in j^onTof bird and bust and door; , tt|)on t^r br!6ff tnnsrlf to linljini} y, tiding tuW tlji utuinnua bird ii jiurr- tljisjrim. and utninnus bird of 11 HIT in croaking. "' -*^> Q r> IV l)is "3 sat engaged lit guess ing, but rto satiable ex pressing U)e fowl wfyose fier? e^es now burne6 into m^ bosom's core; an6 more"3 sat divin ing, witt) m? t)ea6 at ease reclining On tfye cushion's velvet lin ing t^at t^e lamp-lig^t gloated o'er, w^ose velvet violet lin ing witl) t^e lamp -ligl)t gloating o'er, sl)all press, nevermore ! , metfyougtyt, tfye air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim w^ose foot- falls tinkled on tt)e tufted floor. "3 cried, "tfyy (Bod lent tfyee by these angels fye fyatt) sent tfyee Respite respite and nepen- tl)e from tl>y memories of TCenore ; Ouaff, ol) quaff tl)is Kind nepenthe and forget tl)is lostT^enore!" ^ t^e ^\aven, Nevermore. iinjf. but no - ^"^ ajilluWf ff prr ssina - tbr^/otul ttibosr Jlrm rjjrs noui barnri) into my bosom's rorr; ami tnarr J^sat Oibininij, mitli nin t;rad at raar rrrlininq in ti}t rnsljiun's iirlurt liniig that tbr lamb- iinlit jlnnti'ii o'rr, ,ut od)09rftrl6rt liiolrt lininij mitl; tlji- sljall brt. al, nrurrnwrr! , mftl)ought, tb,c air nmtt iWnscr, |jpr- friim an unarm rrnarr - e^ / / fmit-fall0 ifrt on rtjr ttiftri) floor. srnt rlir. jVnm nrjjrnH^r ani for- r! r&prmorr. saidl, "thing of evil! prophet still, if bird or devil! tempter sent, or tempest tossed tl)ee l)ere ashore, esolate ?et all undaunted, chanted I)aunte6 tell me trul?, implore "3s fyere is fyere balm in ? soul batl) spoken! TCeave m^ loneliness un broken! quit tl)e bust above m? door! t^? beak from out fyeart, and take tl)v form from off m? door!" Guotl) tl>e M,aven, "Mevermore." n6 the 3\aven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sit ting On the palU6 bust of Dallas |ust above m? chamber IS 6oor; \ "^*7V V l_* K It wL. j ^r\ tici ni < (>\>(> IV1V& Al ln(? I w- mmii ^^ VIW +1+^ *L'j r ^i& *fV*T%* V^VV V^fw V\\i\\ ir v iV /7 seeming of a oemon s '*sJ/i tbe lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his on the floor; _., _ ,.~ ... t soul from out that V/M shadow that lies floating on the floor be Iifte6 never more! Jumnr ns a tol^fti of tijnt tir thti ?mil IwJh s[)iilirn: nbobr inn Ounr: rliy bra^ ^rom out mg l)f art, and tiVJjr tlijj fnrm from of'f mg doofl ) fl)f "" rlir ^ndrn, nrilrr [lifting, still ig sir- tint;. still is sittinq n tlir finllii) bust of f\ alias Just abo6r m& rljambrr ioor; ni bis rurs lindr all fl)r arrmin^ of' a ilrmnna ttmt is Oratininq, nd tlir lam()-liql)t o'rr l)ini strrnming throuia liis almdnut on tljr f Inor; ml my suul from out tlmr .-ihaOiira tlmt lira flimtini} on fhr flour br rtr / - Tfere ends CRe 3\aven, a poem, and ^>l)e~pl)ilosopl)v. of (Tomposition, a prose essa? ; tRe poem and tRe essa? b? "Edgar ^llan "JJoe, t^e photogravure illustrations from paintings b? (Balen 3. "JJerrett, t^e initials an6 decorations b^ Will Jenkins, tlje t^posrapl)^ designed bp 3. If. Mas!). Of t^is first Quar to ~jJ Rotogravure 6ition one thousand copies Rave been issued* printed on ^rcRes Randmade paper. "JpublisRed bY"P au t^toer and (Tompanv and done into a book for tRem at the "press, Stew j^ork Cit^. TFtnisRed tRis "CentR of ^ulY* in tRe ^ear Nineteen Tfundred and Seven