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And this was the tribute paid by the American public to the master who
had given to it such tales of conjuring charm, of witchery and mystery
as "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "Ligeia"; such fascinating
hoaxes as "The Unparalleled Adventure of Hans Pfaall," "MSS. Found in a
Bottle," "A Descent Into a Maelstrom" and "The Balloon Hoax"; such tales
of conscience as "William Wilson," "The Black Cat" and "The Tell-tale
Heart," wherein the retributions of remorse are portrayed with an awful
fidelity; such tales of natural beauty as "The Island of the Fay" and
"
The Domain of Arnheim"; such marvellous studies in ratiocination as the
Gold-bug," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," "The Purloined Letter"
"
and "The Mystery of Marie Roget," the latter, a recital of fact,
demonstrating the author's wonderful capability of correctly analyzing
the mysteries of the human mind; such tales of illusion and banter
as "The Premature Burial" and "The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor
Fether"; such bits of extravaganza as "The Devil in the Belfry" and "The
Angel of the Odd"; such tales of adventure as "The Narrative of Arthur
Gordon Pym"; such papers of keen criticism and review as won for Poe the
enthusiastic admiration of Charles Dickens, although they made him many
enemies among the over-puffed minor American writers so mercilessly
exposed by him; such poems of beauty and melody as "The Bells," "The
Haunted Palace," "Tamerlane," "The City in the Sea" and "The Raven."
What delight for the jaded senses of the reader is this enchanted domain
of wonder-pieces! What an atmosphere of beauty, music, color! What
resources of imagination, construction, analysis and absolute art! One
might almost sympathize with Sarah Helen Whitman, who, confessing to
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