26 THE BRONX SOCIETY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 



the door hung cages, with mocking-bird, oriole and bobolink. 



The pillars of the piazza were wreathed in jasmine and sweet 

 honeysuckle. The whole house, with its wings, was con- 

 structed of the old-fashioned Dutch shingles, broad, and with 

 unrounded corners. The road after passing the gate seemed 

 to lie upon a natural ledge, sloping gradually down along the 

 face of the northeastern cliffs. ( This corresponds well to 

 the Williamsbridge road, as it used to run.) "The expanse 

 of the velvety green turf was relieved here and there, by an 

 occasional snowy shrub." 



I need not multiply the likenesses of Landor's cottage to 

 the general picture of Poe's cottage as described by visitors. 

 It seems clear that far from being discontented with his 

 simple home, the poet could idealize it with delight, and put 

 many of its characteristic features into the romantic home 

 of his imagination. 



" It was the sweetest little cottage imaginable," said Mrs. 

 Clemm, and added: "how supremely happy we were in our 

 dear cottage home! We three lived only for each other. 

 Eddie rarely left his beautiful home. I attended to his 

 literary business, for Ik-, poor fellow, knew nothing about 

 money transactions. blow should he. brought up in luxury 

 and extravagance ? " 



" He passed the greater part of the morning in his study, 

 and, after he had finished his task for the day, he worked in 

 our beautiful flower garden, or read and recited poetry to us. 

 Every one who knew him intimately, loved him." 



Cut there were no flowers in the garden the first year. 

 Those who called upon the poet, whether literary friends from 

 the city, the kindly neighbors, or the companionable fathers 

 from the Jesuit College, found an anxious household. During 

 the first few months Poe's anxiety over his wife drove him 

 to nervous breakdown. To an early visitor he talked of his 

 Marginalia and Literati, a series of short critical essays on 

 notable figures in Xew York's literary world, then appearing. 

 The strain under which lie labored is apparent. To a sug- 



