{"newspaper_name": "New-York daily tribune.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": ""}
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f-y. EDGAR a. PoL delivered a remarkable Lee
!ure on American Poets and Poetry last evening,
at the Society Library 1t embodied much acute
and fearless criticism, with some that did not strike
us so favorably The worst portion of the Lecture
was the introduction. wherein Mr.. p. lnduIsed IN
indiscrmnae and often unjust censure on what
ever has hitherto asplred 10 be criticism in this
| Country, whether in the shape OF Reviews, Maga-
zines or Newspapers We do not believe there is
more puery or les: honest criticism here than else
where, and we believe tina, no intelligent person
can fail 10 lmblbe pretty accurate notion OF the
merits of new work from reading the notices OF
II IN the current periodicals.. Mr.. Poe INDUCED
IN considerable small smartness on the character OF
our average criticism, and still more Ponedly with
reference TO the Transcendentalists so styled,
whom he assaled with coarse vulgarity quite out
of place IN such a Lecture But what he said OF
American Poetry, his proper theme, was generally
well said, and was very direct and hearty. We
object TO his lntlmaton that Spraguc and his broad
assertion that Lonsfeow is plagiarist OF all
critical can't this hunting after coincidence OF idea
or phrase, often unavoidable, between authors is
the least endurable 1t would be surprising that
poem in structure and scope like Curiosity should
not remind the reader of Pope, or that passages
resembling some of Longtellow's might not be
found in other Poems. On Bryant, Halleck, Dana,
and Mrs Osgood Mr. p. discoursed satisfactorily,
but we DO think his quarter OF an hour employed
in demoishng the Prerical reputation ofthe Misses
Davidson might have been better bestowed. The
kind things said OF those sisters have had their day
and answered their end there can be no need now
OF telling the world that neither 81 them
poet


Mr. Poe writes ter than ne reads. His Lee
ture gained nothing from the graces of his elocu-
tion, and in one or Two instances We thought the
Poets suffered more from his recitation OF their
verses than from his most savage criticism. Flor
ence yane was especially i'll done. And tins re-
mind. Us that Nr p. closed with three citations
Unseen Spirits by Willis. 'FiIetce Ware, two
admirable poeuls) and Heavenly something by
Dr. Thomas Holly Chiyers, which seemed TO Us
very middling sins song. As the latter was so pre-
faced as to show thai the lecturer considered 1t
genuine poem, we must say that our estimate OF his
critical appreciation of Poetry was considerably let
down by it.


We are rather ashamed 10 add that tins Lee
ture by Poet and critic Of genius and established
reputation, was listened TO bu, by some three hun
drrd Of our four hundred thousand people. Any
dancing dog or sumlnerseiing monkey would have
drawn larger house. Why Is this! Have We
no taste Merely as source OF information with
regard 10 our National Poetry, the bare announce
ment should have sufiiced 10 crowd the house
Shall We not have repetition