to attempt the fulfillment of his wishes
She was, however, an invalid, and so failed.[C] At last, instead of
pleading illness himself, as he had previously done on a similar
occasion, he determined to read his poem of "Al Aaraaf," the original
publication of which, in 1829, has already been stated.

The last number of the _Broadway Journal_ was published on the third of
January,1846, and Poe soon after commenced the series of papers entitled
"The Literati of New-York City," which was published in _The Lady's Book_
in six numbers, from May to October. Their spirit, boldness, and
occasional causticity caused them to be much talked about, and three
editions were necessary to supply the demand for some numbers of the
magazine containing them. They however led to a disgraceful quarrel, and
this to a premature conclusion. Dr. Thomas Dunn English, who had at one
time sustained the most intimate relations with Poe, chose to evince his
resentment of the critic's unfairness by the publication of a card in
which he painted strongly the infirmities of Poe's life and character,
and alleged that he had on several occasions inflicted upon him personal
chastisement. This was not a wise confession, for a gentleman never
appeals to his physical abilities except for defense. But the entire
publication, even if every word of it were true, was unworthy of Dr.
English, unnecessary, and not called for by Poe's article, though that,
as every one acquainted with the parties might have seen, was entirely
false in what purported to be its facts. The statement of Dr. English
appeared in the New York _Mirror_ of the twenty-third of June, and on the
twenty-seventh Mr. Poe sent to Mr. Godey for publication in the _Lady's
Book_ his rejoinder, which would have made about five of the large pages
of that miscellany. Mr. Godey very properly declined to print it, and
observed, in the communication of his decision, that the tone of the
article was regarded as unsuitable for his work and as altogether wrong.
In compliance with the author's wishes, however, he had caused its
appearance in a daily paper. Poe then wrote to him:

"The man or men who told you that there was anything wrong in _the tone_
of my reply, were either my enemies, or your enemies, or asses. When you
see them, tell them so, from me. I have never written an article upon
which I more confidently depend for _literary_ reputation than that
Reply. Its merit lay in its being precisely adapted t