senger, published in Richmond, Va. Poe
    now began to contribute reviews, and short
    stories to that periodical and was finally
    invited in 1835 to come to Richmond as an
    assistant editor. In the meanwhile Mr.
    Allan had died, in 1834, and there was no
    mention of Poe in his will. Two ill-advised
    trips to Richmond by Poe himself between
    1832 and 1834 had only succeeded in
    further estranging his former guardian and
    the Allan family. They remained embittered
    to the last. In July, 1835, Poe left Baltimore
    to take up his new editorial duties in
    Richmond.
      As an editor, considered purely from the
     aspect of the desk and chair, Poe was a
     decided success. Subscriptions began to
     mount for* the Southern Literary
     Messenger. Mr. White might well have
     been satisfied. He was a kindly man and
     well disposed. It is significant of Poe's
     inability to let stimulants alone that within
     a few weeks after arriving in Richmond he
     found himself discharged. He returned to
     Baltimore and there married secretly on
     September 22, 1835, his first cousin
     Virginia Clemm. She was only about
     thirteen years old at the time and the secret
     marriage was caused by the opposition of
     relatives to so early a union. Poe now
     applied again to Mr. White with promises
     to abstain, and was reinstated in his old
     position upon good behavior and with a
     fatherly warning. Mrs. Clemm and her
     daughter Virginia followed Poe to
     Richmond and took up their residence with
     him in a boarding house on Capitol Square.
      Poe remained in Richmond as assistant
     editor to Mr. White on the Southern
     Literary Messenger from the autumn of
    1835 to JgEnuary, 1837.During his
    connection with the paper its circulation
    increased from 700 to 3500. It attracted
    national attention, and it is safe to say it
    was initially due to Poe that it became the
    most influential periodical of the South. Its
    reputation was afterward maintained and
    increased by other men of considerable
    journalistic ability.
      The task of the young editor ranged from
     purely hack work of a frankly journalistic
     nature to contributions to literature. He
     wrote poems, book reviews, general and
     particular literary criticism, and short
     stories both serial and complete. The book
     reviews varied from comment on Coleridge's
     Recollections to references about others
     such as Mrs. Sigourney's Letters to Young
     Ladies, in short from well reasoned and
     often trenchant critiques to mere notices
     with a slight critical comment. Some of the

    




     poems which had previously appeared in
     the volumes of poetry already alluded to
     were republished considerably revised. This
     was following out a policy of more or less
     constant revision and republishing in
     redacted form which Poe continued
     throughout his career. Among the most
     notable of the new poems to appear at this
     time were, "To Helen ... .. Irene," or the
     "Sleeper," "Israfel," and "Zante."
      The general tone of literary criticism in
     the United States at the time Poe began to
     write for the Southern Literary Messenger
     was either perfunctory, fulsome, or dull.
     The comment of the young man in
     Richmond was interesting, disturbing and
     refreshing. His frequent severity elicited
     reply and remark, and though he aroused
     antagonism in some quarters, his presence
     on the scene and the trenchancy of his