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“Poe in His Own Time is a must for all who wish to trace Poe’s life without the embroidery of biography. Fisher’s judiciously selected excerpts provide the reader with a collection that would have taken years to access otherwise. Fisher’s general introduction and prefaces to the reminiscences attest to his forty years as a Poe scholar whose commitment to evidentiary research can be trusted, embraced, and enjoyed.”—Barbara Cantalupo, editor, Edgar Allan Poe Review

“Like its predecessors in this outstanding series, Poe in His Own Time succeeds as both a rich sourcebook for scholars and a fascinating read for nonspecialists. Selected, arranged, and annotated with exemplary skill by its editor, Benjamin Fisher, this chronological collection of primary materials evokes its subject with a wonderful immediacy, transporting us back into the very thick of Poe’s turbulent life and times.”—Harold Schechter, author, Nevermore

“It is very useful to have such a striking array of verbal portraits and snapshots of Poe in one handy volume. One would have to consult letters, biographies, and dozens of other sources in order to obtain such a concise yet moving picture of Poe. This collection reminds us why Poe cut a controversial figure in his day. Poe’s friends and enemies alike can be heard in their own embattled voices.”—Stephen Rachman, Michigan State University, and president, Poe Studies
Association

Introduction xi

Chronology xxvii

John Allan, [Letter about Poe’s West Point Matriculation] (1829) 1

Allan B. Magruder, [Letter about Poe at West Point] (1884) 2

John P. Kennedy, [Letter about Commencement of Poe’s Professional Literary Life] (1835) 3

Thomas W. White, [Letter about Poe’s Drinking and the Messenger] (1835) 4

John P. Kennedy, [Letter about Mixed Modes in Poe’s Early Tales] (1836) 6

Edgar A. Poe, [Epistolary Response with Comment on Humor] (1836) 7

James Kirke Paulding, [�Ჹ������’s Rejection of “Tales of the Folio Club”] (1836) 8

James Kirke Paulding, [Letter Advising Poe to Compose a Novel] (1836) 9

Lydia H. Sigourney, [Letter Justifying Poe’s Critical Practices] (1836) 10

Edgar A. Poe, [Letter Seeking Political Appointment] (1841) 11

Frederick W. Thomas, [Letter Encouraging Poe’s Political Desires] (1841) 12

Edgar A. Poe, [Additional Comments on Political Aspirations] (1841) 13

Frederick W. Thomas, [Letter about Poe’s Political Qualifications] (1841) 14

[Anonymous], “Autographs” (1842) 15

Frederick W. Thomas, [Letter about Poe’s Possible Custom House Appointment] (1842) 16

Edgar A. Poe, [Letter about Reasons for Leaving �Ұ����󲹳�’s] (1842) 18

Rufus W. Griswold, From The Poets and Poetry of America (1842) 20

[Edgar A. Poe and Henry B. Hirst], From “Poets and Poetry of Philadelphia . . .” (1843) 23

George Lippard, “Mr. Poe’s Lecture” (1843) 41

Academicus, “For the Delaware State Journal” (1844) 43

George Lippard, “Lecture by Mr. Poe” (1844) 46

Edgar A. Poe, [Letter Detailing Life in New York City] (1844) 47

Lawrence Labree, [Early Criticism of Poe’s Works] (1845) 49

Cornelia Wells Walter, From “A Failure” (1845) 52

P., From “Edgar A. Poe” in Boston Evening Transcript (1845) 54

[Anonymous], “Quizzing the Bostonians” (1845) 56

[Anonymous], “Mr. Poe’s Poem” (1845) 57

M. B. Fields, From Memories of Many Men and of Some Women (1875) 59

[Anonymous], From “Hints to Authors” (1848) 60

[Evert A. Duyckinck], [Untitled Headnote to Reprint of “Ulalume”] (1849) 66

[Anonymous], From “Mr. Poe’s Lecture” (1849) 67

John M. Daniel, From “Edgar A. Poe” in Semi-Weekly

Examiner (1849) 68

Joseph P. Wilson, [Note Requesting Assistance for Poe] (1849) 70

John J. Moran, [Letter from Poe’s Attending Physician] (1849) 71

“Ludwig” [Rufus Wilmot Griswold], “Death of Edgar Allan Poe” in New York Daily Tribune (1849) 73

[C. F. Briggs], From “Topics of the Month” (1849) 81

Maria Clemm, “To the Reader” (1850) 84

James Russell Lowell, “Edgar A. Poe” (1850) 86

Nathaniel P. Willis, “Death of Edgar A. Poe” (1850) 94

Rufus Wilmot Griswold, “Memoir of the Author” (1850) 100

Henry B. Hirst, “Edgar Allan Poe” in McMakin’s Model American Courier (1849) 154

John M. Daniel, From “Edgar Allan Poe” in Southern Literary Messenger (1850) 159

John R. Thompson, “The Late Edgar A. Poe” in Southern Literary Messenger (1849) 161

John R. Thompson, From “Editor’s Table” (1850) 167

[John R. Thompson], Editorial Note to “Poe on Headley and Channing” (1850) 168

Nathaniel P. Willis, “Estimates of Edgar A. Poe” in Home Journal (1850) 169

Anonymous, From Athenaeum (1852) 173

“Apollodorus” [George Gilfillan], “Authors and Books. Edgar Poe.” (1854) 174

Rufus Wilmot Griswold, “Preface” to Works of the Late Edgar A. Poe (1856) 187

William Moy Thomas, “Edgar Allan Poe: A Letter to the Editor of The Train” (1857) 188

Bryan W. Proctor, From “Edgar Allan Poe” in Edinburgh Review (1858) 195

[Anonymous], “Editorial Etchings” (1858) 208

[Anonymous], From “Nathaniel Hawthorne” (1860) 209

Mary Gove Nichols, “Reminiscences of Edgar Poe” (1863) 210

John Frankenstein, From American Art (1864) 217

Elizabeth Oakes Smith, “Autobiographic Notes. Edgar Allan Poe.” (1867) 219

Joseph E. Snodgrass, “The Facts of Poe’s Death and Burial” (1867) 236

Margaret E. Wilmer, “Another View of Edgar A. Poe” (1867) 245

William Gowans, From Edgar Allan Poe (1891) 249

John Henry Ingram, “Edgar Poe” in Temple Bar (1874) 251

Francis Gerry Fairfield, “A Mad Man of Letters” (1875) 266

F. R. M., From “The Poet Not an Epileptic” (1875) 285

Sarah Helen Whitman, From “Poe, Critic, and Hobby. A Reply to Mr. Fairfield . . .” (1875) 286

[Anonymous], From [Editorial Notice of Reply to Fairfield] (1875) 290

Francis Gerry Fairfield, From “Edgar Allan Poe. A Letter . . .” (1875) 291

Charles Frederick Briggs, From “The Personality of Poe” (1877) 294

Bibliography 301

Index 305

Patrick F. Quinn Award for best book on Poe published in 2010