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Quotes of the Day for 19 January 2005 - Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Poe was born at Boston, Massachusetts on this day in 1809. His father died the following year, his mother a year after that. He was taken in by John Allan of Richmond, Virginia, and raised partly there and partly in England. He was never adopted, but took his Allan as his middle name. He attended the University of Virginia but was expelled for not paying his gambling debts. He entered the US Army under an assumed name and later entered West Point but was dishonorably discharged within a year for dereliction of duty. He began his literary career in the 1830's, serving as editor for several magazines, but after the death of his wife he spiralled into depression and drunkenness. He wrote some great poetry and was one of the first writers of detective stories. His signature work, of course, is the poem "The Raven" which I have put up on the site here.

All that we see and seem is but a dream within a dream.

I have great faith in fools - self confidence my friends call it.

Science has not yet taught us if madness is or is not the sublimity of the intelligence.

They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.

You need not attempt to shake off or to banter off Romance. It is an evil you will never get rid of to the end of your days. It is a part of yourself ... of your soul. Age will only mellow it a little, and give it a holier tone.

I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago.
     - All from Edgar Allan Poe, 1809 - 1849

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