the works of edgar allan poe-1-第3章
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Having received a classical education in England； he returned home
and entered the University of Virginia； where； after an extravagant
course； followed by reformation at the last extremity； he was
graduated with the highest honors of his class。 Then came a boyish
attempt to join the fortunes of the insurgent Greeks； which ended at
St。 Petersburg； where he got into difficulties through want of a
passport； from which he was rescued by the American consul and sent
home。 He now entered the military academy at West Point； from which
he obtained a dismissal on hearing of the birth of a son to his
adopted father； by a second marriage； an event which cut off his
expectations as an heir。 The death of Mr。 Allan； in whose will his
name was not mentioned； soon after relieved him of all doubt in this
regard； and he committed himself at once to authorship for a support。
Previously to this； however； he had published （in 1827） a small
volume of poems； which soon ran through three editions； and excited
high expectations of its author's future distinction in the minds of
many competent judges。
That no certain augury can be drawn from a poet's earliest lispings
there are instances enough to prove。 Shakespeare's first poems；
though brimful of vigor and youth and picturesqueness； give but a
very faint promise of the directness； condensation and overflowing
moral of his maturer works。 Perhaps； however； Shakespeare is hardly a
case in point； his 〃Venus and Adonis〃 having been published； we
believe； in his twenty…sixth year。 Milton's Latin verses show
tenderness； a fine eye for nature； and a delicate appreciation of
classic models； but give no hint of the author of a new style in
poetry。 Pope's youthful pieces have all the sing…song； wholly
unrelieved by the glittering malignity and eloquent irreligion of his
later productions。 Collins' callow namby…pamby died and gave no sign
of the vigorous and original genius which he afterward displayed。 We
have never thought that the world lost more in the 〃marvellous boy；〃
Chatterton； than a very ingenious imitator of obscure and antiquated
dulness。 Where he becomes original （as it is called）； the interest of
ingenuity ceases and he becomes stupid。 Kirke White's promises were
indorsed by the respectable name of Mr。 Southey； but surely with no
authority from Apollo。 They have the merit of a traditional piety；
which to our mind； if uttered at all； had been less objectionable in
the retired closet of a diary； and in the sober raiment of prose。
They do not clutch hold of the memory with
the drowning pertinacity of Watts； neither have they the interest of
his occasional simple； lucky beauty。 Bums having fortunately been
rescued by his humble station from the contaminating society of the
〃Best models；〃 wrote well and naturally from the first。 Had he been
unfortunate enough to have had an educated taste； we should have had
a series of poems from which； as from his letters； we could sift here
and there a kernel from the mass of chaff。 Coleridge's youthful
efforts give no promise whatever of that poetical genius which
produced at once the wildest； tenderest； most original and most
purely imaginative poems of modem times。 Byron's 〃Hours of Idleness〃
would never find a reader except from an intrepid and indefatigable
curiosity。 In Wordsworth's first preludings there is but a dim
foreboding of the creator of an era。 From Southey's early poems； a
safer augury might have been drawn。 They show the patient
investigator； the close student of history； and the unwearied
explorer of the beauties of predecessors； but they give no assurances
of a man who should add aught to stock of household words； or to the
rarer and more sacred delights of the fireside or the arbor。 The
earliest specimens of Shelley's poetic mind already； also； give
tokens of that ethereal sublimation in which the spirit seems to soar
above the regions of words； but leaves its body； the verse； to be
entombed； without hope of resurrection； in a mass of them。 Cowley is
generally instanced as a wonder of precocity。 But his early
insipidities show only a capacity for rhyming and for the metrical
arrangement of certain conventional combinations of words； a capacity
wholly dependent on a delicate physical organization； and an unhappy
memory。 An early poem is only remarkable when it displays an effort
of _reason； _and the rudest verses in which we can trace some
conception of the ends of poetry； are worth all the miracles of
smooth juvenile versification。 A school…boy； one would say； might
acquire the regular see…saw of Pope merely by an association with the
motion of the play…ground tilt。
Mr。 Poe's early productions show that he could see through the verse
to the spirit beneath； and that he already had a feeling that all the
life and grace of the one must depend on and be modulated by the will
of the other。 We call them the most remarkable boyish poems that we
have ever read。 We know of none that can compare with them for
maturity of purpose； and a nice understanding of the effects of
language and metre。 Such pieces are only valuable when they display
what we can only express by the contradictory phrase of _innate
experience。 _We copy one of the shorter poems； written when the
author was only fourteen。 There is a little dimness in the filling
up； but the grace and symmetry of the outline are such as few poets
ever attain。 There is a smack of ambrosia about it。
TO HELEN
Helen； thy beauty is to me
Like those Nicean barks of yore；
That gently； o'er a perfumed sea；
The weary； way…worn wanderer bore
To his own native shore。
On desperate seas long wont to roam；
Thy hyacinth hair； thy classic face；
Thy Naiad airs have brought me home
To the glory that was Greece
And the grandeur that was Rome。
Lo！ in yon brilliant window…niche
How statue…like I see thee stand！
The agate lamp within thy hand；
Ah ！ Psyche； from the regions which
Are Holy Land ！
It is the tendency of_ _the young poet that impresses us。 Here is no
〃withering scorn；〃 no heart 〃blighted〃 ere it has safely got into its
teens； none of the drawing…room sansculottism which Byron had brought
into vogue。 All is limpid and serene； with a pleasant dash of the
Greek Helicon in it。 The melody of the whole； too； is remarkable。 It
is not of that kind which can be demonstrated arithmetically upon the
tips of the fingers。 It is of that finer sort which the inner ear
alone _can _estimate。 It seems simple； like a Greek column； because
of its perfection。 In a poem named 〃Ligeia；〃 under which title he
intended to personify the music of nature；； our boy…poet gives us the
following exquisite picture：
Ligeia ！ Ligeia ！
My beautiful one；
Whose harshest idea
Will to melody run；
Say； is it thy will；
On the breezes to toss；
Or； capriciously still；
Like the lone albatross；
Incumbent on night；
As she on the air；
To keep watch with delight
On the harmony there？
John Neal； himself a man of genius； and whose lyre has been too
long capriciously silent； appreciated the high merit of these and
similar passages； and drew a proud horoscope for their author。
Mr。 Poe had that indescribable something which men have agreed to
call _genius。 _No man could ever tell us precisely what it is； and
yet there is none who is not inevitably aware of its presence and its
power。 Let talent writhe and contort itself as it may； it has no such
magnetism。 Larger of bone and sinew it may be； but the wings are
wanting。 Talent sticks fast to earth； and its most perfect works have
still one… foot of clay。 Genius claims kindred with the very workings
of Nature herself； so that a sunset shall seem like a quotation from
Dante； and if Shakespeare be read in the very presence of the sea
itself； his verses shall but seem nobler for the sublime criticism of
ocean。 Talent may make friends for itself； but only genius can give
to its creations the divine power of winning love and veneration。
Enthusiasm cannot cling to what itself is unenthusiastic； nor will he
ever have di
