POE, EDGAR ALLAN, an American poet, born in Boston, January 19, 1809; died in Baltimore, October 7, 1849. His father and mother were both members of the theatrical profession, and appeared upon the stage in the principal towns of the United States. They died at Richmond, Va., at nearly the same time, leaving three orphans altogether unprovided for. Edgar, the younger son, was adopted by Mr. John Allan, a wealthy and childless merchant in Richmond. His adopted father took the boy to England in his fifth year, and placed him at a school near London, where he remained about five years. Some time after his return to Richmond he was entered as a student at the University of Virginia, where he gained notice for his marked ability, and, notwithstanding his slight figure, for his physical power and endurance. But he had formed irregular habits, and he was dismissed from the university. He went home for a while to Mr. Allan; then there was a quarrel, and Poe disappeared. It is said that he went to Europe with the design of taking part with the Greeks in their struggle against the Ottoman power. The story goes on to say that Poe, while on his way to Greece, found himself in great straits at St. Petersburg, where he was relieved by the American Minister, who furnished him with means of getting home again. One of his biograVOL. XVIII.-28 (435) phers tells us that Poe went abroad, and passed a year in Europe, the history of which would be a singular curiosity if it could be recovered. Whatever may be the truth in regard to this part of his life, one date and one fact may be set down as well authenticated. Poe still had his home with Mr. Allan, who succeeded in obtaining for him an appointment as cadet in the Military Academy at West Point. A year had not passed before he was expelled from the academy. Mr. Allan, now a widower past middle age, married again. Poe deported himself in a manner that led to a complete rupture between him and his adopted father. Here occurs an almost total blank of three years in our knowledge of the life of Poe. The one certain thing is that in 1829 he put forth at Baltimore a little volume entitled El Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems. In 1833 we find him living at Baltimore. The proprietor of a newspaper had offered a prize of a hundred dollars for the best prose tale, and another prize for the best poem. Both prizes were awarded to Poe. The tale was the MS. Found in a Bottle. The poem was the following on The Coliseum, which certainly bears very slight resemblance to any other production of the author. THE COLISEUM. Vastness! and Age! and memories of Eld! |