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Some correspondence about Didier's article "The Grave of Poe" concerning just what was that inscription on Poe's broken tombstone. From Appleton's Journal, February 24, 1872 and March 16, 1872.
To the Editor of Appleton's Journal.
In the issue of date January 27, 1872, an article entitled "The Grave of Poe," over the signature of Eugene L. Didier, appeared, in which is contained what purports to be a copy of an inscription upon a marble intended to mark the last resting-place of the poet. If this inscription--
"HIC TANDEM FELICIS CONDUNTUR RELIQULE EDGARI ALLAN POE"
--be in truth that which was meant to inform the world that there slept one, the story of whose life is the saddest ever told, 'tis well the stone was broken. To call one happy whose life was all unhappy--could keener, more cutting irony be conceived?
I hope Mr. Didier made some mistake in transferring the inscription from the stone to paper, as he has most certainly done in endeavoring to render Hic tandem felicis--"Here, at last, he is happy." You will readily perceive that tandem in the sentence modifies conduntur, while felicis qualifies Edgari, making the entire translation read literally: "Here, at last, rest (or, are buried) the remains of the happy Edgar Allan Poe;" and even by curtailing the sentence, and supplying est, the gentleman could not by the most liberal construction make it read: "Here, at last, he is happy"--as in that form he would not want felicis in the genitive singular, even if the rest of the construction were allowable.
I am inclined to think Mr. Didier permitted his poetical inspirations to run away with his rules of grammar, even if he copied correctly from the broken monument, which I trust he did not; for to call happy one whose life had seen so much sorrow is bitter sarcasm.
G. A. BERRY
And Didier's reply:
To the Editor of Appletons' Journal.
My attention has been directed to a communication, signed G. A. Berry, in the number of the Journal dated February 24th, in which an attempt has been made to criticise the Latin inscription on the stone which was intended to be placed over the grave of Poe. This inscription was furnished by the gentleman who had the stone cut (he is a near relative of the poet), and was correctly quoted in my article on "The Grave of Poe" as follows: "HIC TANDEMI FELICIS CONDUNTUR RELIQUIAE EDGARI ALLAN POE." For the benefit of Mr. Berry, and others not familiar with the construction of the Latin language, I publish the following correct translation of the epitaph: "Here are gathered the remains of Edgar Allan Poe, happy at last."
Not "cutting irony" nor "bitter sarcasm," as suggested by Mr. Berry, but beautiful and appropriate is this inscription. Poe's life of "endless toil and endeavor," want, disappointment, and suffering, made him "long for rest," and this rest he found only in the grave. A few words from Poe's exquisite poem to "Annie" would serve as a suitable epitaph for the world-weary poet: "My tantalized spirit / Here blandly reposes."
I take advantage of this opportunity to say it was Mrs. (not Miss) Elmira Shelton to whom Poe was engaged at the time of his death.
EUGENE L. DIDIER
