The essay on Poe has never been the subject of a separate publication. This edition reveals for the first time the sources of information used by Baudelaire. It shows that a considerable part of the study was translated literally from articles by John M. Daniel and John R. Thompson in the Southern Literary Messenger (1849–50). Previous editions vary widely in excellence because almost all suffered from the mistaken belief that Baudelaire was acquainted with the American edition of Poe’s works when he wrote the 1852 essay and that it was largely based on Rufus Griswold’s Memoir contained in that edition. This led to the commentary and notes that were unconsciously misleading and in many cases false.
The introduction to this edition presents a complete and accurate account of the genesis of Baudelaire’s essay, with supporting documents showing his indebtedness to American, French, and British sources. It enables the reader to distinguish clearly between what Baudelaire himself knew or thought about Poe and what he borrowed from other writers.
Charles Baudelaire (1821 – 1867) was a French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe.
W.T. Bandy (1903-1989) was director of the Center for Baudelaire Studies at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenessee. He published numerous books and articles.