the works of edgar allan poe-1-第6节

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sufficiently　prove　the　existence　of　the　very　qualities　denied　to　Mr。　
Poe…humility；　willingness　to　persevere；　belief　in　another's　
friendship；　and　capability　of　cordial　and　grateful　friendship！　Such　
he　assuredly　was　when　sane。　Such　only　he　has　invariably　seemed　to　us；　
in　all　we　have　happened　personally　to　know　of　him；　through　a　
friendship　of　five　or　six　years。　And　so　much　easier　is　it　to　believe　
what　we　have　seen　and　known；　than　what　we　hear　of　only；　that　we　
remember　him　but　with　admiration　and　respect；　these　descriptions　of　
him；　when　morally　insane；　seeming　to　us　like　portraits；　painted　in　
sickness；　of　a　man　we　have　only　known　in　health。　

But　there　is　another；　more　touching；　and　far　more　forcible　evidence　
that　there　was　_goodness　_in　Edgar　A。　Poe。　To　reveal　it　we　are　
obliged　to　venture　upon　the　lifting　of　the　veil　which　sacredly　covers　
grief　and　refinement　in　poverty；　but　we　think　it　may　be　excused；　if　
so　we　can　brighten　the　memory　of　the　poet；　even　were　there　not　a　more　
needed　and　immediate　service　which　it　may　render　to　the　nearest　link　
broken　by　his　death。　

Our　first　knowledge　of　Mr。　Poe's　removal　to　this　city　was　by　a　call　
which　we　received　from　a　lady　who　introduced　herself　to　us　as　the　
mother　of　his　wife。　She　was　in　search　of　employment　for　him；　and　she　
excused　her　errand　by　mentioning　that　he　was　ill；　that　her　daughter　
was　a　confirmed　invalid；　and　that　their　circumstances　were　such　as　
compelled　her　taking　it　upon　herself。　The　countenance　of　this　lady；　
made　beautiful　and　saintly　with　an　evidently　complete　giving　up　of　
her　life　to　privation　and　sorrowful　tenderness；　her　gentle　and　
mournful　voice　urging　its　plea；　her　long…forgotten　but　habitually　and　
unconsciously　refined　manners；　and　her　appealing　and　yet　appreciative　
mention　of　the　claims　and　abilities　of　her　son；　disclosed　at　once　the　
presence　of　one　of　those　angels　upon　earth　that　women　in　adversity　
can　be。　It　was　a　hard　fate　that　she　was　watching　over。　Mr。　Poe　wrote　
with　fastidious　difficulty；　and　in　a　style　too　much　above　the　popular　
level　to　be　well　paid。　He　was　always　in　pecuniary　difficulty；　and；　
with　his　sick　wife；　frequently　in　want　of　the　merest　necessaries　of　
life。　Winter　after　winter；　for　years；　the　most　touching　sight　to　us；　
in　this　whole　city；　has　been　that　tireless　minister　to　genius；　thinly　
and　insufficiently　clad；　going　from　office　to　office　with　a　poem；　or　
an　article　on　some　literary　subject；　to　sell；　sometimes　simply　
pleading　in　a　broken　voice　that　he　was　ill；　and　begging　for　him；　
mentioning　nothing　but　that　〃he　was　ill；〃　whatever　might　be　the　
reason　for　his　writing　nothing；　and　never；　amid　all　her　tears　and　
recitals　of　distress；　suffering　one　syllable　to　escape　her　lips　that　
could　convey　a　doubt　of　him；　or　a　complaint；　or　a　lessening　of　pride　
in　his　genius　and　good　intentions。　Her　daughter　died　a　year　and　a　
half　since；　but　she　did　not　desert　him。　She　continued　his　ministering　
angelliving　with　him；　caring　for　him；　guarding　him　against　
exposure；　and　when　he　was　carried　away　by　temptation；　amid　grief　and　
the　loneliness　of　feelings　unreplied　to；　and　awoke　from　his　self　
abandonment　prostrated　in　destitution　and　suffering；　_begging　_for　
him　still。　If　woman's　devotion；　born　with　a　first　love；　and　fed　with　
human　passion；　hallow　its　object；　as　it　is　allowed　to　do；　what　does　
not　a　devotion　like　this…pure；　disinterested　and　holy　as　the　watch　of　
an　invisible　spirit…say　for　him　who　inspired　it？　

We　have　a　letter　before　us；　written　by　this　lady；　Mrs。　Clemm；　on　the　
morning　in　which　she　heard　of　the　death　of　this　object　of　her　
untiring　care。　It　is　merely　a　request　that　we　would　call　upon　her；　
but　we　will　copy　a　few　of　its　wordssacred　as　its　privacy　isto　
warrant　the　truth　of　the　picture　we　have　drawn　above；　and　add　force　
to　the　appeal　we　wish　to　make　for　her：　

〃I　have　this　morning　heard　of　the　death　of　my　darling　Eddie。　。　。　。　
Can　you　give　me　any　circumstances　or　particulars？　。　。　。　Oh！　do　not　
desert　your　poor　friend　in　his　bitter　affliction！　。　。　。　Ask　…Mr。　　
to　come；　as　I　must　deliver　a　message　to　him　from　my　poor　Eddie。　。　。　。　
I　need　not　ask　you　to　notice　his　death　and　to　speak　well　of　him。　I　
know　you　will。　But　say　what　an　affectionate　son　he　was　to　me；　his　
poor　desolate　mother。　。　。〃　

To　hedge　round　a　grave　with　respect；　what　choice　is　there；　between　
the　relinquished　wealth　and　honors　of　the　world；　and　the　story　of　
such　a　woman's　unrewarded　devotion！　Risking　what　we　do；　in　delicacy；　
by　making　it　public；　we　feelother　reasons　asidethat　it　betters　
the　world　to　make　known　that　there　are　such　ministrations　to　its　
erring　and　gifted。　What　we　have　said　will　speak　to　some　hearts。　There　
are　those　who　will　be　glad　to　know　how　the　lamp；　whose　light　of　
poetry　has　beamed　on　their　far…away　recognition；　was　watched　over　
with　care　and　pain；　that　they　may　send　to　her；　who　is　more　darkened　
than　they　by　its　extinction；　some　token　of　their　sympathy。　She　is　
destitute　and　alone。　If　any；　far　or　near；　will　send　to　us　what　may　
aid　and　cheer　her　through　the　remainder　of　her　life；　we　will　joyfully　
place　it　in　her　bands。　

~~~~~　End　of　Text　~~~~~~　

　


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Unparalleled　Adventures　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Hans　Pfaal　｛*1｝

BY　late　accounts　from　Rotterdam；　that　city　seems　to　be　in　a　high　　
state　of　philosophical　excitement。　Indeed；　phenomena　have　there　　
occurred　of　a　nature　so　completely　unexpected　　so　entirely　novel　　
so　utterly　at　variance　with　preconceived　opinions　　as　to　leave　no　
doubt　on　my　mind　that　long　ere　this　all　Europe　is　in　an　uproar；　all　
physics　in　a　ferment；　all　reason　and　astronomy　together　by　the　ears。

It　appears　that　on　the　　　day　of　　　（I　am　not　positive　about　
the　date）；　a　vast　crowd　of　people；　for　purposes　not　specifically　
mentioned；　were　assembled　in　the　great　square　of　the　Exchange　in　the　
well…conditioned　city　of　Rotterdam。　The　day　was　warm　　unusually　so　
for　the　season　　there　was　hardly　a　breath　of　air　stirring；　and　the　
multitude　were　in　no　bad　humor　at　being　now　and　then　besprinkled　with　
friendly　showers　of　momentary　duration；　that　fell　from　large　white　
masses　of　cloud　which　chequered　in　a　fitful　manner　the　blue　vault　of　
the　firmament。　Nevertheless；　about　noon；　a　slight　but　remarkable　
agitation　became　apparent　in　the　assembly：　the　clattering　of　ten　
thousand　tongues　succeeded；　and；　in　an　instant　afterward；　ten　
thousand　faces　were　upturned　toward　the　heavens；　ten　thousand　pipes　
descended　simultaneously　from　the　corners　of　ten　thousand　mouths；　and　
a　shout；　which　could　be　compared　to　nothing　but　the　roaring　of　
Niagara；　resounded　long；　loudly；　and　furiously；　through　all　the　
environs　of　Rotterdam。

The　origin　of　this　hubbub　soon　became　sufficiently　evident。　From　
behind　the　huge　bulk　of　one　of　those　sharply…defined　masses　of　cloud　
already　mentioned；　was　seen　slowly　to　emerge　into　an　open　area　of　
blue　space；　a　queer；　heterogeneous；　but　apparently　solid　substance；　
so　oddly　shaped；　so　whimsically　put　together；　as　not　to　be　in　any　
manner　comprehended；　and　never　to　be　sufficiently　admired；　by　the　
host　of　sturdy　burghers　who　stood　open…mouthed　below。　What　could　it　
be？　In　the　name　of　all　the　vrows　and　devils　in　Rotterdam；　what　could　
it　possibly　portend？　No　one　knew；　no　one　could　imagine；　no　one　　not　
even　the　burgomaster　Mynheer　Superbus　Von　Underduk　　had　the　
slightest　clew　by　which　to　unravel　the　mystery；　so；　as　nothing　more　
reasonable　could　be　done；　every　one　to　a　man　replaced　his　pipe　
carefully　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　and　cocking　up　his　right　eye　
towards　the　phenomenon；　puffed；　paused；　waddled　about；　and　grunted　
significantly　　then　waddled　back；　grunted；　paused；　and　finally　　
puffed　again。

In　the　meantime；　however；　lower　and　still　lower　toward　the　goodly　
city；　came　the　object　of　so　much　curiosity；　and　the　cause　of　so　much　
smoke。　In　a　very　few　minutes　it　arrived　near　enough　to　be　accurately　
discerned。　It　appeared　to　be　　yes！　it　was　undoubtedly　a　species　of　
balloon；　but　surely　no　such　balloon　had　ever　been　seen　in　Rotterdam　
before。　For　who；　let　me　ask；　ever　heard　of　a　balloon　manufactured　
entirely　of　dirty　newspapers？　No　man　in　Holland　certainly；　yet　here；　
under　the　very　noses　of　the　people；　or　rather　at　some　distance　above　
their　noses　was　the　identical　thing　in　question；　and　composed；　I　have　
it　on　the　best　authority；　of　the　precise　material　which　no　one　had　
ever　before　known　to　be　used　for　a　similar　purpose。　It　was　an　
egregious　insult　to　the　good　sense　of　the　burghers　of　Rotterdam。　As　
to　the　shape　of　the　phenomenon；　it　was　even　still　more　reprehensible。　
Being　little　or　nothing　better　than　a　huge　foolscap　turned　upside　
down。　And　this　similitude　was　regarded　as　by　no　means　lessened　when；　
upon　nearer　inspection；　there　was　perceived　a　large　tassel　depending　
from　its　apex；　and；　around　the　upper　rim　or　base　of　the　cone；　a　
circle　of　little　instruments；　resembling　sheep…bells；　which　kept　up　a　
continual　tinkling　to　the　tune　of　Betty　Martin。　But　still　worse。　
Suspended　by　blue　ribbons　to　the　end　of　this　fantastic　machine；　there　
hung；　by　way　of　car；　an　enormous　drab　beaver　bat；　with　a　brim　
superlatively　broad；　and　a