Page 49 - Four Famous American Writers: Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, James Russell Lowell, Bayard Taylor

Science! True daughter of Old Time thou art! Who alterest all things with
thy peering eyes. Why preyest thou upon the poet’s heart, Vulture, whose

wings are dull realities? How should he love thee? or how deem thee wise,
Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering To seek for treasure in the

jeweled skies, Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing? Hast thou not
dragged Diana from her car? And driven the Hamadryad from the wood To
seek a shelter in some happier star? Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her

flood, The Elfin from the green grass, and from me The summer dream
beneath the tamarind tree?

CHAPTER VIII

POE’S CHILD WIFE

While Poe was in Baltimore, after he had begun to earn something by his
pen, he went to live with his aunt, Mrs. Clemm. She was very poor, and

whatever Poe earned went toward the support of the whole family, which
included not only Poe and his aunt, but her young daughter Virginia, at this
time only eleven years of age.

Virginia was an exceedingly delicate and beautiful girl. She had dark hair

and eyes, and a fine, transparent complexion. She was very modest and
quiet; but she had a fine mind, and a very sweet and winning manner. She
had also a poetic nature, and became an accomplished musician.

Mrs. Clemm, on the other hand, was a large, coarsely formed woman, and

it seemed impossible that she could be the mother of so delicate and
graceful a girl. She was very faithful and hardworking, however, and
sincerely devoted to Poe as well as to her daughter. She had the business

ability to manage Poe’s small income in the best way, and made for him a
home that would have been extremely happy had it not been for poverty

and other misfortunes.

While Poe lived in Baltimore he would go out to walk nearly every day

with the editor of the _Saturday Visiter_; but he sometimes walked alone or