them they hint of something more than ere rhymes. The omissions from are as appy as the additions to those boyish poems. o regard for the relics of his youth withheld dgar Poe in after life from pruning away the xcrescences of his juvenile verse; the critic's swerving hand clipped or molded all into tistic unity. man, a Mr. Shelton probably resourcele again sought his 1 he returned to th more is uncertain, his proud spirit, it however, his stay his godfather's sec to a son was the de of succeeding to th Bankrupt in nea nate poet now tur of obtaining subs waters of Helicon Where he wande nearly two years, mystery, but it i finest stories wer and, although ace azine editors, wer 1833 he is heard prizes offered by Visitor for the poem. Here, the ferring, for a w which was not f Poe selected and his poem of " known literary upon the mass o careful consider tions, decided u unknown to th miums. Upon leaving West Point, Poe returned to r. Allan's residence at Richmond, and appears have remained there some time on sufferance. oon after his return home he became attached Miss Royster, and was ultimately, it is beeved, engaged to her. Mr. Allan, why it is ot known, was violently opposed to the match, nd without his pecuniary aid, matrimony was t of the question, as Poe was entirely dependt upon him. A violent quarrel took place etween the old man and his adopted son, and ɔe, unable to submit calmly to the course of ents, again left home, this time with the inntion of proceeding to Poland, to expend his ergies in aiding the Poles in their struggles ainst Russia. How far he got is not known, it it is supposed that he did not leave merica, having been stopped by the intellince that, on the 6th of September, Warsaw d_fallen, carrying with it the last hopes of e Polish insurgents. In the meanwhile, as if widen the estrangement at home, Mr. Allan d taken unto himself a young_wife_" the autiful Miss Paterson" whilst Miss Royster, getful of her faith, was married to a wealthy more than From are as oyish poens. ath withheld ng away the ; the critic's ded all into = returned to and appears on sufferance. me attached ely, it is bean, why it is to the match, atrimony was irely dependel took place pted son, and the course of e with the ino expend his heir struggles is not known, id not leave y the intelliber, Warsaw last hopes of eanwhile, as if me, Mr. Allan g wife-"the Miss Royster, l to a wealthy man, a Mr. Shelton. Once more aimless, an probably resourceless, the chivalric young poe again sought his native province. Whethe he returned to the home that was home n more is uncertain, but, from what is known o his proud spirit, it seems unlikely; if he did however, his stay was of short duration, an his godfather's second wife having given birt to a son was the death-blow to Poe's prospect of succeeding to the property. Bankrupt in nearly everything, the unfortu nate poet now turned to literature as a mean of obtaining subsistence, but he found th waters of Helicon were anything but Pactolian Where he wandered, and what he did, fo nearly two years, still remains, an unravele mystery, but it is alleged that some of hi finest stories were written during this epock and, although accepted and published by mag azine editors, were scarcely ever paid for. I 1833 he is heard of in Baltimore competing fo prizes offered by the proprietor of the Saturda Visitor for the best prose story and the bes poem. Here, then, was an opportunity of d ferring, for a while at least, the starvatio which was not far off. For the competition Poe selected and sent in six of his stories, an his poem of "The Coliseum." Some wel known literary men consented to adjudicat upon the mass of papers received, and after careful consideration of the various contribu tions, decided unanimously that Poe, who wa unknown to them, was entitled to both pr miums. Voc concented with this award, the adjudicaaven went out of their way to draw up gebnish the following dattering critique on oners of the writings submitted by Poe: "Ang the prose articles were many of various Nushed Hent. but the singular force and Les sit by the author of the Tales of the CAR IS TO "Wm be hesitation in that deNola e accordingly awarded the premium se United CN MN Dani in a bottle.” It would je writer of this collection ih ale we la e chosen is the best of the six T ZZANE ZACK from saying that the 2987 3 18 own Noutation as well as to the dhe smarunty publish the entire These tales are ¥28/mused wea wild, rigorous, and poetical oya et syik a fede vention, and varied JORN P. KENNEDY, * Zous H. MILLER,” Cisteid ells the story of the award thus:— * TES over unexamined e pe for fames in such a way as to It LA SA NE has one of the com- more be stoned the atpar e de datoren compositions & PalmSy decided that the XTER & geniuses who aske MS was unfolded. Immediately the co The above repo Mr. Kennedy, sary" Urged by the sought o at once found him, as Poe's wretched c author with pity 1. the adjudica ar force and These tales are reas, and poetical! Immediately the 'confidential envelope' was opene and the successful competitor was found to bear t scarcely known name of Poe." The above report, which was published the 12th of October, 1833, is of itself a con plete disproof of Griswold's dishonoring accus tion against the committee of having awarde the prizes to Poe because of his beautiful hand writing, without looking at a single MS. of an other competitor. When the story, it may 1 added, was brought to the notice of Mr. La robe and the honorable John P. Kennedy, tl two surviving adjudicators, they at once denic its truth. Mr. Kennedy, the well-known author, wa so interested in the successful but unknow competitor, that he invited him to his hous and Poe's response, written in his usual beaut ful and distinct caligraphy, proves the dept of misery to which he had sunk. How h heart bled to pen these lines few can probabl imagine : "Your invitation to dinner has wounded n to the quick. I cannot come for reasons of th most humiliating nature-my personal appea ance. You may imagine my mortification i making this disclosure to you, but it is nece sary." Ürged by the noblest feelings, Mr. Kenned at once sought out the unfortunate youth, an found him, as he declares, almost starvin Poe's wretched condition inspired the unselfis author with pity, as his genius did with a Not contented with this award, the adjudicars even went out of their way to draw up ad publish the following flattering critique on e merits of the writings submitted by Poe: Amongst the prose articles were many of various d distinguished merit, but the singular force and auty of those sent by the author of the Tales of the lio Club,' leave us no room for hesitation in that dertment. We have accordingly awarded the premium a tale entitled the 'MS. found in a bottle.' It would rdly be doing justice to the writer of this collection say that the tale we have chosen is the best of the six ered by him. We cannot refrain from saying that the thor owes it to his own reputation, as well as to the atification of the community to publish the entire lume (Tales of the Folio Club'). These tales are inently distinguished by a wild, vigorous, and poetical agination, a rich style, a fertile invention, and varied d curious learning. "JOHN P. KENNEDY, Immediately the co and the successful e scarcely known name The above repo the 12th of Octo plete disproof of G tion against the co the prizes to Poel Writing, without 1 other competitor. added, was broug robe and the hon two surviving adj its truth. Mr. Kennedy, So interested in t competitor, that and Poe's respons ful and distinct of misery to whi heart bled to pen imagine:"Your invitati to the quick. Ic most humiliating ance. You may making this discl sary" Griswold tells the story of the award thus:— Such matters are usually disposed of in a very offnd way. Committees to award literary prizes drink to e payer's health in good wines over unexamined SS., which they submit to the discretion of publishers, th permission to use their names in such a way as to omote the publisher's advantage. So, perhaps, it ould have been in this case, but that one of the comttee taking up a little book remarkably beautiful and stinct in calligraphy, was tempted to read several ges; and becoming interested, he summoned the attion of the company to the half-dozen compositions contained. It was unanimously decided that the izes should be paid to 'the first of the geniuses who d written legibly.' Not another MS. was unfolded. at once Urged by the m found him, as 1 sought ou Poe's wretched c author with pity |