But in what we shall say of his writings, we shall
take his own standard as our guide. The temple of the god of song is
equally accessible from every side, and there is room enough in it for
all who bring offerings, or seek an oracle.
In his tales, Mr. Poe has chosen to exhibit his power chiefly in that
dim region which stretches from the very utmost limits of the probable
into the weird confines of superstition and unreality. He combines in a
very remarkable manner two faculties which are seldom found united; a
power of influencing the mind of the reader by the impalpable shadows of
mystery, and a minuteness of detail which does not leave a pin or a
button unnoticed. Both are, in truth, the natural results of the
predominating quality of his mind, to which we have before alluded,
analysis. It is this which distinguishes the artist. His mind at once
reaches forward to the effect to be produced. Having resolved to bring
about certain emotions in the reader, he makes all subordinate parts
tend strictly to the common centre. Even his mystery is mathematical to
his own mind. To him _x_ is a known quantity all along. In any picture
that he paints, he understands the chemical properties of all his
colors. However vague some of his figures may seem, however formless the
shadows, to him the outline is as clear and distinct as that of a
geometrical diagram.
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