Editor, born at Benson, Vt., Feb. 15, 1815; spent much of his early life in travel at home and abroad; became a printer, then a Baptist preacher, and afterward a journalist. In 1841 he brought out an anonymous volume of poems and a volume of sermons. He became chief editor of Graham’s Magazine, Philadelphia, in 1842–43, and of The International Magazine of New York in 1850–52. He was author of “Poets and Poetry of America” (Philadelphia, 1842); “Prose Writers of America” (1846); “Washington and the Generals of the Revolution” (2 vols., 1847); “Curiosities of American Literature” (1847); “The Republican Court” (New York, 1854); and other works, and published the first edition of Milton’s prose works in America (New York, 2 vols., 1847). He was also engaged as one of the editors of the works of Edgar A. Poe, (New York, 3 vols., 1850). Died in New York city, Aug. 27, 1857.

Personal

  To the reader of our magazine his death is a matter of interest, since it was under his care and direction that it first achieved a high literary tone and rank and acquired authority. To us individually, the loss is that of one of our nearest and dearest friends…. Few persons ever possessed warmer, more enthusiastic or more steadily devoted friends; and amid the many trials, changes and darker days to which the life of the purely literary man is so liable, Dr. Griswold never wanted those who proved themselves most truly attached to him. As a friend, no man ever exerted himself more than Dr. Griswold, and it may be said with the utmost truthfulness that of the many literary passages of arms in which he was engaged, a striking proportion were inspired by a chivalrous and almost incredible spirit of devotion to the interests of others. When he thought it possible to aid a friend he would spare no exertion, and would do everything in the most unselfish and noble spirit. The writer has had frequent and personal proof of this, during the course of an intimacy of years, and can testify to the remarkable earnestness with which Dr. Griswold was wont to exert himself in benefiting a friend. Few men ever lived who, to so truly kind a heart, to ease of manner, conversational ability, and genial humor … added such varied learning.

  He was a man of rather small figure [1840], a very intelligent face, with the eyes deep-set, good forehead showing an early inclination to the loss of front hair, sharp and trenchant nose, short, full beard and mustache (adopting the European fashion in advance of most other Americans), and a habit of holding down the head a trifle and looking keenly out from beneath the overhanging brows, not a little impressive when he was very much in earnest…. That Rufus Wilmot Griswold, the latter part of whose personal life was clouded by a most unfortunate marriage, and whose reputation has been worse pulled to pieces than that of any other man of the century, did great and meritorious services to our growing literature, and assisted in fostering many writers, who, without his encouragement, would hopelessly have laid down the pen, there is no question whatever.

Poets and Poetry of America, 1842

  The book should be regarded as the most important addition which our literature has for many years received. It fills a void which should have been long ago supplied. It is written with judgment, with dignity and candor. Steering with a dexterity not to be sufficiently admired, between the Scylla of Prejudice on the one hand, and the Charybdis of Conscience on the other, Mr. Griswold in “The Poets and Poetry of America,” has entitled himself to the thanks of his countrymen, while showing himself a man of taste, talent, and tact.

  Although we deem Mr. Griswold deserving of a little gentle correction for his literary beneficence, we are not insensible to his merits. The work before us must have demanded the labour of years…. We think therefore that Mr. Griswold has succeeded as well in his task as the nature of the case admitted; and his patient research and general correctness of taste are worthy of praise; that his difficulties and temptations would have extenuated far graver errors than he has committed, and that his volume well deserves the approbation it has received.

  In these sketches we find reason to admire the author’s impartiality and kindness. We have been unable to find a single instance in which he has suffered any of the usual grounds of prejudice to warp his judgment or to scant his eulogy; and where it has been his duty to refer to obliquities of temper and conduct, he has done so with a singular delicacy and gentleness.

  That Hic Jacet of American mediocrities of the first generation.

  I have just been looking over the headstones in Mr. Griswold’s cemetery, entitled “The Poets and Poetry of America.” In that venerable receptacle, just completing its half century of existence—for the date of the edition before me is 1842—I find the names of John Greenleaf Whittier and Oliver Wendell Homes next each other, in their due order, as they should be. All around are the names of the dead—too often of forgotten dead.

Life of Poe, 1850

  In September 1850, the third volume of Poe’s works when published was found to be prefaced by the anxiously looked-for “Memoir”—the “labour of love” of Rufus Griswold. The secret of the man’s disinterested aid was soon manifest; never before had so slanderous a collection of falsehoods and libels—so calumnious a product of envy, hatred, and malice—been offered to the public as this “Memoir” of an ill-fated child of genius. The distress and indignation of Mrs. Clemm were intense, and she continually, when alluding to Griswold, writes of him as “that villain.”… Mr. Graham, and many others who had been personally acquainted with Poe, took up cudgels in his defense, but, as Griswold’s “Memoir” prefaced the poet’s works, and all refutations and objections were published in the ephemeral pages of periodicals, until 1874 this veritable scandalum magnatum remained unexpunged.

  The most important of all of Mr. Redfield’s publications, however, were the works of Edgar Allan Poe. It was also through Mr. Griswold that he was induced to undertake the publication of Poe’s works, now one of the most popular authors of the day. Dr. Griswold had offered the works to nearly all the leading publishers, who declined to undertake the publication. He finally persuaded Mr. Redfield to try the experiment of issuing two volumes first, which were published and had a fair sale—then the third, and finally the fourth, volume were added to complete the works. The sale reached about fifteen hundred sets every year…. Mr. Redfield thinks great injustice has been done by certain critics to Rev. Dr. Griswold, in reflecting upon him as Poe’s biographer. In a recent letter to me he says: “Griswold never received a cent for his labors. Poe named him as his literary executor shortly before he died, although they had quarreled not long before. Griswold’s labor was no joke. Few men would have undertaken it with no hope of reward. It is fashionable nowadays to throw mud at him. Knowing, as I did, both of the men, and knowing also how assiduously Griswold labored to say everything he could in the biography in Poe’s favor, it is very annoying to read these things. The matter of the biography was all read over to me, talked and discussed before printing, and I know he did his best to ‘set down naught in malice.’ He was obliged, as he thought, to state the facts in all cases, and he did state them, favorably as he could to Poe. I know he tried to do so. Now he is accused everywhere, by people who know nothing about it, of vilely slandering Poe. I had a better opportunity than any one else to know all about it, and I know he did not.”

  Poe showed tact in choosing Griswold, and builded better than he knew. He could select no more indefatigable bookwright to bring together his scattered writings, and he counted upon Death’s paying all debts. In this Poe was mistaken. For once Griswold wrote as he thought and felt, and his memoir, however spiteful and unchivalrous, was more sincere than many of the sycophantic sketches in the bulky volumes of his “Poets and Poetry.” Malice made him eloquent, and an off-hand obituary notice of the poet was the most nervous piece of work that ever came from his pen. It was heartless, and, in some respects, inaccurate. It brought so much wrath upon him that he became vindictive, and followed it up with a memoir, which, as an exhibition of the ignoble nature of its author, scarcely has a parallel. Did this in the end effect Poe’s fame injuriously? Far otherwise; it moved a host of writers, beginning with Willis and Graham, to recall his habit of life, and reveal the good side of it. Some have gone as far in eulogy as Griswold went toward the opposite extreme. It seemed a cruel irony of fate that Poe’s own biographer should plant thorns upon his grave, but he also planted laurels. He paid an unstinted tribute to the poet’s genius, and this was the only concession which Poe himself would care to demand.

  Dr. Griswold was always a little “queer,” and I used to scold and reprove him for it. He had got himself into great trouble by his remarks on Edgar A. Poe. Mr. Kimball and others, who knew the Doctor, believed, as I do, that there was no deliberate evil or envy in those remarks. Poe’s best friends told severe stories of him in those days—me ipso teste—and Griswold, naught extenuating and setting down naught in malice, wrote incautiously more than he should. These are the words of another than I. But when Griswold was attacked, then he became savage. One day I found in his desk, which he had committed to me, a great number of further material collected to Poe’s discredit. I burnt it all up at once, and told the Doctor what I had done, and scolded him well into the bargain…. It is a pity that I had not always had the Doctor in hand—though I must here again repeat that, as regards Poe, he is, in my opinion, not so much to blame as a score of writers have made out. The tales, which were certainly most authentic, or at least apparently so, during the life of the latter, among his best friends regarding him, were, to say the least, discreditable, albeit that is no excuse whatever for publishing them.

  No piece of biography in the annals of literature has so unenviable a reputation as that memoir which Dr. Rufus W. Griswold, acting as Poe’s literary executor, prefixed to the first complete edition of his works. Its authenticity has been attacked from the time of its appearance, and no words of objurgation have been too harsh to characterize the man who penned it; at the same time very little of its substance has ever been invalidated…. Griswold has not lacked other defenders, who were well acquainted with both men. In writing a biography of Poe some years ago, the present writer had occasion to investigate the charges made against Griswold. The result was a conviction that the documents he quoted were genuine, and that the impression he gave of Poe’s character and career was just, while his errors were due to Poe’s own falsehoods. The question of Griswold’s discretion in his memoir is governed by the fact that Poe’s defects and troubles were notorious at the time, and could not be concealed; the question of Griswold’s motives is more difficult, but is now more easily to be judged. It is also fair to Griswold to add that the characterization he gave is that which has uniformly prevailed in tradition in the best informed literary circles in this country.

General

  This is a book [“Prose Writers of America”] of which any critic in the country might well have been proud, without reference to the mere industry and research manifested in its compilation. These are truly remarkable; but the vigor of comment and force of style are not less so; while more independence and self-reliance are manifested than in any other of the series. There is not a weak paper in the book; and some of the articles are able in all respects.

  He has done a useful work, and he has done it well. The book now before us [“Prose Writers of America”] is more than respectable; it is executed ably, and in many parts brilliantly. In some respects it is an extraordinary work; such as few men in America, perhaps, besides its author, could have produced, and he only after years of sedulous investigation, and under many advantages of circumstances or accident. He has long shown himself to be of Cicero’s mind: “Mihi quidem nulli satis eruditio videntur, quibus nostra ignota sunt.” The distribution of the various writers into their classes, and the selection of representatives of each class or type, exhibit much skill. Many passages present fine specimens of acute, original, and just criticism, eloquently delivered. We differ from Mr. Griswold sometimes, but never without feeling that we owe it to the public in all cases to give a reason why we do not assent to the conclusion of so candid and discriminating a judge.

  This elegant volume [“The Republican Court”] was received by acclamation on its first appearance. We are quite certain that the sober second judgment of the public will confirm the first opinion, and in some respects magnify its approbation…. Its solid literary merits are yet to be fully appreciated. We do not know where else one-half so much information respecting our early American history can be found…. Dr. Griswold has evidently been much favored in the use of private family memorials, and he has worked up his material with much artistic taste in the grouping and great spirit in the narrative. The volume stands among our important historical monuments.

  If any one deserves a place and an honorable mention in these pages, it is Rufus Wilmot Griswold, not only for his learning and literary achievements, which will place him on a level with many of our best authors, but because he has done more than any other man to make American writers known and honored both at home and abroad.