Boston's Neglect Of Poe

I have mentioned the cireunistance hat it has never occurred to tñe town of Boston to erect a monument to Poe, who, next to Fr,anklin, probably has he most world-wide fame of all the men of letters native to that town, and Joe was connected with Boston not alone by the important accident of nis irth but by the commencenient ther of his Literary career, itself an even. -orih commemorating, says a writer if he Atlantic. So far as I am awar Boston never awarded to Poe the honor which, in the case of her dead literary men of eniinence, she somctimc? leems worthy to be taken in lieu oi any further monumental attention- namely, the calling of a public meetng by the mayor, at which addresscs are made and complimentary resoluions adopted. The name Poe is, indeed carved on.ue outer walls of thcs public library at Boston; so are sev;ral other names. Their purpose is chiefly decorative. However, Boston'3 neglect in respect of Poe was but thJ neglect of all the rest of the country His kindred left his grave at Baltimore mmarked and a fund of about $1,000 had to be raised by public subscription to place above his ashes the unbeautiful mortuary monument which now jears his name. If an enterprising commercial person had not hired the cottage in which Poe lived at Fordham, just out of New York, and put up ibove its door the large sign, "Poe's Laundry," surmounting it with the figïre of a raven, thereby arousing the A'rath of many people, including the owner of the cottage, and shaming them into a protest, it is probable that .he poet's fame would still be quite deslitute of any public memorial.