The Works Of The Late Edgar Allan Poe, Volume 1 Volume 1

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1859 Excerpt: ... the peculiarity is--not that they disagreed--but that, while an Italian, an Englishman, a Spaniard, a Hollander, and a Frenchman attempted to describe it, each one spoke of it as that of a foreigner. Each is sure that it was not the voice of one of his own countrymen. Each likens it--not to the voice of an individual of any nation with whose language he is conversant--but the converse. The Frenchman'supposes it the voice of a Spaniard, and ' might have distinguished some words had he been acquainted with the Spanish.' The Dutchman maintains it to have been that of a Frenchman; but we find it stated that ' not understanding French this witness was examined through an interpreter.' The Englishman thinks it the voice of a German, and 'does not under stand German.' The Spaniard ' is sure' that it was that of an Englishman, but 'judges by the intonation' altogether, 'as he has no knowledge of the English.' The Italian believes it the voice of a Russian, but ' has never conversed with a native of Russia.' A second Frenchman differs, moreover, with the first, and is iositive that the voice was that of an Italian; but, not being cognizant of that tongue, is, like the Spaniard, 'convinced by the ir tion.' Now, how strangely unusual must that voice been, about which such testimony as this could have been elicited!--in whose tones, even, denizens of the five great divisions of Europe could recognise nothing familiar! You will say that it might have been the voice of an Asiatic--of an African. Nei.her Asiatics nor Africans abound in Paris; but, without denying she inference, I will now merely call your attention to three points. The voice is termed by one witness ' harsh rather than shrill.' It is represented by two others to have been 'quick and unequal.' No words--n...