Text: Anonymous, “Review of Arnheim Edition of Poe's Works,” Athenaeum (London, UK), whole no. 4151, May 18, 1907, p. 602

[page 820, column 3, continued:]

The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe, “Arnheim Edition.” Vols. I.-V [[X]]. (Putnam's Sons.)

The Complete Writings of Walt Whitman, “Camden Edition.” Vols.I-V [[X]]. (Same publishers.)

WHEN we recently reviewed a history of American literature we were unable to agree with many of the estimates offered of eminent men of letters overseas. We stated, however, that Poe and Whitman were generally recognized in this country as the writers of original genius whom the United States have produced, and indicated some reasons, not far to seek, why Poe had not been placed in his proper position. Poe attacked the dignity of Boston; he was at loggerheads with Longfellow and Lowell, even with the geniality of Holmes. The circumstances of his life gave his enemies, it must be admitted, an unfortunate hold over him, but we can afford to forget the untender autobiographic mercies of Griswold, while we can remember that an English critic, Mr. J. H. Ingram, was the man to rehabilitate, before the present generation of writers came to the front, a great, if misguided writer. Now a Poe cult is in full swing which will have a difficulty in adorning all the works of the master with superlatives, but with this we are hardly concerned, since the delight of discovery which forms a chief feature of these manifestations can hardly be ours at this date. It is some years since we pointed out that Poe's criticisms in the main, in spite of some facetiousness, which must amaze, and could not possibly amuse, are just and discriminating; that with all his bitterness towards contemporaries he was far before his time in praising Hawthorne; and that much of his scientific rhapsody anticipated the work of masters of discovery, like Lord Kelvin.

Suffice it to say that Poe and Whitman (though there are reservations to be made in the latter case) deserve the splendid form in which they are here presented, a form on which we may offer the house of Putnam, well known on both sides of the Atlantic, our hearty congratulations. We have not been always satisfied with éditions de luxe from overseas. We have had in such elaborate issues heavily loaded paper which emitted a distinct chemical odour, pages 1nsecurely bound, and vagaries of type which were more useful than beautiful — in fact, distressing to the book-lover who wants to see his classic a thing of beauty as well as a definitive edition. Here all is as it should be for the fortunate few who can secure one of these limited sets. The binding in each case is in a tasteful grey and white, backed with gold, which both look (we write with [page 821:] similar volumes on the shelf before us) and wear well. The page is easy to read and so disposed as to allow of ample margins. The Greek which the ambitious storyteller quoted, and occasionally, we fancy, put ill understood, is properly accented, which may seem a trifle, but is a trifle commonly neglected in these degenerate days; and due attention has been paid to minor details of bibliography.

The distinctive feature, however, claimed for the edition of Poe is the series of illustrations by Mr. F. S. Coburn, a Canadian by birth, who has illustrated ‘Rip Van Winkle’ effectively, and who painted in oil the numerous designs from which the photogravures offered are taken. Regarding the great difficulty of illustrating Poe's fantasies, we are able to say that the artist has succeeded in imparting a sense both of mystery and vision to many of his pictures. Metzengerstein on his furious horse, a ghastly scene in ‘The Mystery of Marie Rogét,’ the immured horror in ‘The Black Cat,’ are macabre without any grotesque exaggeration of figure or lighting. On more commonplace occasions Mr. Coburn is less effective, lacking, we think, like his author, the full endowment of humour. But altogether he has done better than his predecessors.

The set of Whitman is prepared under the editorial supervision of his literary executors, who have been able to supply hitherto unpublished material, and is likely to be the final edition for the book-lover for some time to come. Nineteen portraits of Whitman are promised for the entire set, a number of these being very rare, besides several other new illustrations. The frontispiece is a very striking reproduction of the good grey head, all the more characteristic because it is rather unkempt.

It should be added that introductions to each set are provided. Prof. C. F. Richardson, who writes of Poe as “world-author,” leans for a literary historian too much on the verdicts of others, and spends time in quotations which might be more profitably devoted to a direct study without reference to other authorities; but he is sound in essentials. Whitman's literary executors have, of course, a high view of his achievement, but they are free from the extravagances we have been led to expect, and write personal notes rather than criticism in their introduction. The volumes, as a whole, may fairly claim to rank among the more important publications of the season, and are the more significant because, as we have hinted, the proper standard of such work has not been always maintained.