me known that a previous
marriage had taken place.

The marriage records of Baltimore show that on September 22, 1835, Edgar
A. Poe took out a license to marry Virginia E. Clemm. Mrs. Clemm, when
interviewed by one of Poe's biographers, admitted that there had been
such a marriage, and stated that the ceremony had been performed by
Bishop John Johns in Old Christ Church; though of this there is no
mention in the church records. Immediately after the ceremony, she said,
Poe returned to Richmond and to his editorial duties on the _Messenger_.
She vouchsafed no explanation, except that the two were engaged previous
to Poe's departure for Richmond.

A possible explanation of the mystery may be that Mrs. Clemm, having set
her heart upon keeping her nephew in the family, could think of no surer
means than that of a match between himself and her daughter. When he
left Baltimore for Richmond, in July, she doubtless had her fears; and
then came reports of his notorious love affairs, one of which came near
ending in an elopement and marriage. It was probably then that she
wrote to him about Virginia's grieving for him; following up this letter
with another saying that Neilson Poe had offered to take Virginia into
his family and care for her until she should be eighteen years of age.
This brought a prompt reply from Poe, begging that she would not consent
to this plan and take "Sissy" away from him.

This last letter is dated August 29. What other correspondence followed
we do not know; but two weeks later, on September 11, 1835, we find Poe
writing to his friend, Mr. Kennedy, the following extraordinary letter,
in which he clearly hints at suicide:

"I am wretched. I know not why. Console me--for you can. But let
it be quickly, or it will be too late. Convince me that it is worth
one's while to live.... Oh, pity me, for I feel that my words are
incoherent.... Urge me to do what is right. Fail not, as you value
your peace of mind hereafter.

"EDGAR A. POE."

This production, which, in whatever light it is viewed, cannot but be
regarded as an evidence of pitiable weakness. Some writer has chosen to
attribute Poe's anguish to the prospect of losing Virginia. But it does
not at all appear that such is the case; for, even if Neilson Poe did
make such an offer, Poe knew well enough that neither Mrs. Clemm nor her
daughter would ever consent to accept it. The whole thing appears to