Text: Edgar Allan Poe and Thomas Ollive Mabbott, “Epes Sargent” The Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Vol. IV: The Literati of New York City (2026), pp. 113-115 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 113:]

EPES SARGENT.(1)

Mr. Sargent is well known to the public as the author of “Velasco, a Tragedy,”(2) “The Light of the Light-house, with other Poems,”(3) one or two short nouvelettes, and numerous contributions to the periodicals.(4) He was also the editor of “Sargent's Magazine,”(5) a monthly work, which had the misfortune of falling between two stools, never having been able to make up its mind whether to be popular with the three or dignified with the five dollar journals. It was a “happy medium” between the two classes, and met the fate of all happy media in dying, as well through lack of foes as of friends. In medio tutissimus ibis(6) is the worst advice in the world for the editor of a magazine. Its observance proved the downfall of Mr. Lowell and his really meritorious “Pioneer.”(7)

“Velasco” has received some words of commendation from the author of “Ion,”(8) and I am ashamed to say, owes most of its home appreciation to this circumstance. Mr. Talfourd's play has, itself, little truly dramatic, with much picturesque and more poetical value; its author, nevertheless, is better entitled to respect as a dramatist than as a critic of dramas. “Velasco,” compared with American tragedies generally, is a good tragedy — indeed, an excellent one, but, positively considered, its merits are very inconsiderable. It has many of the traits of Mrs. Mowatt's(9) “Fashion,” to which, in its mode of construction, its scenic effects, and several other points, it bears as close a resemblance as, in the nature of things, it could very well bear. It is by no means improbable, however, that Mrs. Mowatt received some assistance from Mr. Sargent in the composition of her comedy, or at least was guided by his advice in many particulars of technicality.

“Shells and Sea Weeds,” a series of brief poems, recording the incidents of a voyage to Cuba,(10) is, I think, the best work in verse of its author, and evinces a fine fancy, with keen appreciation of the beautiful in natural scenery. Mr. Sargent is fond of sea pieces, and paints them with skill, flooding them with that warmth and geniality which are their character and their due. “A Life on the Ocean Wave” has attained great popularity, but is by no means so good as the less lyrical compositions, “A Calm,” “The Gale,” “Tropical Weather,” and “A Night Storm at Sea.” [page 114:]

“The Light of the Light-house” is a spirited poem, with many musical and fanciful passages, well expressed. For example —

There is something of the Dibdin(12) spirit throughout the poem, and, indeed, throughout all the sea poems of Mr. Sargent — a little too much of it, perhaps.

His prose is not quite so meritorious as his poetry. He writes “easily,” and is apt at burlesque and sarcasm — both rather broad than original. Mr. Sargent has an excellent memory for good hits and no little dexterity in their application. To those who meddle little with books, some of his satirical papers must appear brilliant. In a word, he is one of the most prominent members of a very extensive American family — the men of industry, talent and tact.

In stature he is short — not more than five feet five — but well proportioned. His face is a fine one; the features regular and expressive. His demeanor is very gentlemanly. Unmarried, and about thirty years of age.

[[Notes]]

[page 115:]

1. Epes Sargent, September 27, 1813 - December 30, 1880, was a prolific writer.

2. Velasco, produced successfully by the Harpers, New York, 1839.

3. Light of the Lighthouse with other Poems was issued in New York, 1844; the review in Graham's for June, 1844 [[p. 295]] is probably not by Poe, although it may be a source for some of his “Literati” sketch. The title poem was printed in Sargent's Magazine, May 1843. [[Initially, Mabbott seems to have attributed the review to Poe, but later inserted “not” and adding the pencilled note that Poe may have drawn on the review for this sketch. W. D. Hull does not note or discuss this review. He does note that Poe had an article on “Our Contributors — No. XIII. Robert T. Conrad” in this same issue. That article is unsigned, but acknowledged, some humorously, as by Poe in his “Doings in Gotham” letter II of May 21, 1844 — JAS]]

4. The “nouvelettes” must be Wealth and Worth, New York, 1840 and What's to be Done?, New York, Harpers, 1841 — Duyckinck calls the latter a juvenile.

5. Sargent's Magazine ran in New York, January to June 1843, and is discussed in Poe's article on the “Magazines” in the New World, March 11, 1843. [[Authorship of the article on “Our Magazine Literature” has been disputed. — JAS]]

6. “In the middle you will go most safe” is from Ovid's Metamorphoses, II, 136.

7. Lowell's Pioneer ran only from January to March 1843.

8. Thomas Noon Talfourd's Ion, 1835, is one of the few pseudo-Shakespearean dramas of the day with considerable merit. His praise of “Velasco” I have not found. [[There is a letter at the University of Virginia, in the papers of Epes Sargent, from Talfourd to Wiley, Long and Putnam, January 24, 1839, discussing the possibility of publishing “Velasco” in England. Poe may have been aware of the letter and its contents through his own connections to Wiley & Putnam — JAS]]

9. Mrs. Mowatt is among the Literati.

10. The language is close to the Graham's review.

11. The quotation is stanza xii of the poem named.

12. Thomas Frognall Dibdin (1776-1847), was the most popular English author of nautical songs.