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orhellpeopledwiththecreaturesandtheaccidentsofhisbrain.
Hewalkedthestreets,inmadnessormelancholy,withlipsmoving
inindistinctcurses,orwitheyesupturnedinpassionateprayer(never
forhimself,forhefelt,orprofessedtofeel,thathewasalready
damned,but)fortheirhappinesswhoatthemomentwereobjects
ofhisidolatry;orwithhisglancesintrovertedtoaheartgnawedwith
anguish,andwithafaceshroudedingloom,hewouldbravethe
wildeststorms,andallnight,withdrenchedgarmentsandarmsbeating
thewindsandrains,wouldspeakasifthespiritsthatatsuchtimes
onlycouldbeevokedbyhimfromtheAidenn,closebywhoseportals
hisdisturbedsoulsoughttoforgettheillstowhichhisconstitution
subjectedhim—closebytheAidennwherewerethoseheloved—the
Aidennwhichhemightneversee,butinfitfulglimpses,asitsgates
openedtoreceivethelessfieryandmorehappynatureswhosedestiny
tosindidnotinvolvethedoomofdeath.
“Heseemed,exceptwhensomefitfulpursuitsubjugatedhiswilland
engrossedhisfaculties,alwaystobearthememoryofsomecontrolling
sorrow.Theremarkablepoemof‘TheRaven’wasprobablymuch
morenearlythanhasbeensupposed,evenbythosewhowerevery
intimatewithhim,areflectionandanechoofhisownhistory.Hewas
thatbird’s
“‘UnhappymasterwhomunmercifulDisaster
Followedfastandfollowedfastertillhissongsoneburdenbore—
TillthedirgesofhisHopethatmelancholyburdenbore
Of‘Never—nevermore.’
“Everygenuineauthorinagreaterorlessdegreeleavesinhis
works,whatevertheirdesign,tracesofhispersonalcharacter:elements
ofhisimmortalbeing,inwhichtheindividualsurvivestheperson.
Whilewereadthepagesofthe‘FalloftheHouseofUsher,’
orof‘MesmericRevelations,’weseeinthesolemnandstatelygloom
whichinvestsone,andinthesubtlemetaphysicalanalysisofboth,
indicationsoftheidiosyncrasiesofwhatwasmostremarkableand
peculiarintheauthor’sintellectualnature.Butweseehereonlythe
betterphasesofhisnature,onlythesymbolsofhisjusteraction,forhis
harshexperiencehaddeprivedhimofallfaithinmanorwoman.
Hehadmadeuphisminduponthenumberlesscomplexitiesofthe
socialworld,andthewholesystemwithhimwasanimposture.This
convictiongaveadirectiontohisshrewdandnaturallyunamiable
character.Still,thoughheregardedsocietyascomposedaltogether
