Collected Works of Poe, Volume IV (Webster's Thesaurus Edition)

335 Pages·2006·2.6 MB·English

by  Edgar Allan Poe

COLLECTED WORKS OF
POE, VOLUME IV

Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

Edgar Allan Poe

PSAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT is a registered
trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE, AP and
Advanced Placement are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither
sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management
Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT is a
registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this
product. All rights reserved.
Collected Works of Poe,
Volume IV

Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

Edgar Allan Poe

PSAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT® is a registered
trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE®, AP® and
Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither
sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management
Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a
registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses
this product. All rights reserved.
ICON CLASSICS

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Collected Works of Poe, Volume IV: Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

This edition published by ICON Classics in 2005
Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright ©2005 by ICON Group International, Inc.
Edited by Philip M. Parker, Ph.D. (INSEAD); Copyright ©2005, all rights reserved.

All rights reserved. This book is protected by copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a
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PSAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the
National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book;
SAT® is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses
this book; GRE®, AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the
Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT® is a
registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither
affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law
School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights
reserved.

ISBN 0-497-01035-6
iii

Contents

PREFACE FROM THE EDITOR..........................................................................................1

THE DEVIL IN THE BELFRY..............................................................................................3

LIONIZING......................................................................................................................13

X-ING A PARAGRAB........................................................................................................21

METZENGERSTEIN.........................................................................................................29

THE SYSTEM OF DOCTOR TARR AND PROFESSOR FETHER.........................................39

HOW TO WRITE A BLACKWOOD ARTICLE......................................................................59

A PREDICAMENT............................................................................................................71

MYSTIFICATION.............................................................................................................81

DIDDLING......................................................................................................................91

THE ANGEL OF THE ODD............................................................................................103

MELLONTA TAUTA.......................................................................................................113

THE DUC DE L’OMELETTE...........................................................................................129

THE OBLONG BOX.......................................................................................................133

LOSS OF BREATH........................................................................................................145

THE MAN THAT WAS USED UP.....................................................................................159

THE BUSINESS MAN....................................................................................................171

THE LANDSCAPE GARDEN...........................................................................................181

MAELZEL’S CHESS-PLAYER.........................................................................................191

THE POWER OF WORDS..............................................................................................217

THE COLLOQUY OF MONOS AND UNA.........................................................................223

THE CONVERSATION OF EIROS AND CHARMION........................................................233

SHADOW—A PARABLE.................................................................................................239

GLOSSARY...................................................................................................................243

Edgar Allan Poe 1

PREFACE FROM THE EDITOR

Designed for school districts, educators, and students seeking to maximize performance on
standardized tests, Webster’s paperbacks take advantage of the fact that classics are frequently
assigned readings in English courses. By using a running thesaurus at the bottom of each page, this
edition of Collected Works of Poe, Volume IV was edited for students who are actively building
their vocabularies in anticipation of taking PSAT®, SAT®, AP® (Advanced Placement®), GRE®,
LSAT®, GMAT® or similar examinations.1

Webster’s edition of this classic is organized to expose the reader to a maximum number of
synonyms and antonyms for difficult and often ambiguous English words that are encountered in
other works of literature, conversation, or academic examinations. Extremely rare or idiosyncratic
words and expressions are given lower priority in the notes compared to words which are “difficult,
and often encountered” in examinations. Rather than supply a single synonym, many are provided
for a variety of meanings, allowing readers to better grasp the ambiguity of the English language,
and avoid using the notes as a pure crutch. Having the reader decipher a word’s meaning within
context serves to improve vocabulary retention and understanding. Each page covers words not
already highlighted on previous pages. If a difficult word is not noted on a page, chances are that it
has been highlighted on a previous page. A more complete thesaurus is supplied at the end of the
book; Synonyms and antonyms are extracted from Webster’s Online Dictionary.

Definitions of remaining terms as well as translations can be found at www.websters-online-
dictionary.org. Please send suggestions to [email protected]

The Editor
Webster’s Online Dictionary
www.websters-online-dictionary.org
1 P S A T ® i s a r e g i s t e r e d t r a d e m a r k o f t h e College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT® is a registered
trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE®, AP® and
Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither
sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management
Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a
registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses
this product. All rights reserved.

Edgar Allan Poe 3

THE DEVIL IN THE BELFRY

What o’clock is it?
--Old Saying

Everybody knows, in a general way, that the finest place in the world is--or,
alas, was--the Dutch borough of Vondervotteimittiss. Yet as it lies some distance
from any of the main roads, being in a somewhat out-of-the-way situation, there
are perhaps very few of my readers who have ever paid it a visit. For the benefit
of those who have not, therefore, it will be only proper that I should enter into
some account of it. And this is indeed the more necessary, as with the hope of
enlisting public sympathy in behalf of the inhabitants, I design here to give a
history of the calamitous events which have so lately occurred within its limits.
No one who knows me will doubt that the duty thus self-imposed will be
executed to the best of my ability, with all that rigid impartiality, all that cautious
examination into facts, and diligent collation of authorities, which should ever
distinguish him who aspires to the title of historian.%
By the united aid of medals, manuscripts, and inscriptions, I am enabled to
say, positively, that the borough of Vondervotteimittiss has existed, from its
origin, in precisely the same condition which it at present preserves. Of the date
of this origin, however, I grieve that I can only speak with that species of

Thesaurus
calamitous: (adj) fatal, evil, wretched, studious, attentive, laborious, ANTONYMS: (v) rejoice, celebrate,
fateful, deplorable, unfortunate, sad, industrious, zealous. ANTONYMS: encourage.
black, dreadful, cataclysmic; (adj, v) (adj) careless, negligent, dilatory, idle, out-of-the-way: (adj) strange, singular,
ruinous. ANTONYMS: (adj) inactive, languid, slack, sluggish, remote, devious, secluded, outlying,
wonderful, beneficial, blessed, lethargic, weary, indolent. distant, obscure, unusual, peculiar,
comforting, favorable. enlisting: (n) accomplishment, far.
collation: (n) snack, nosh, refreshment, achievement, recruitment. preserves: (n) conserve, jam,
checking, bite, meal, banquet, executed: (adj) finished, fulfilled, chowchow, conserves, jelly,
verification; (v) refection, junket, complete. marmalade, canned food, confiture,
picnic. grieve: (n, v) distress, aggrieve, afflict, European federation of importers of
diligent: (adj) busy, active, assiduous, sorrow, annoy; (v) trouble, lament, dried fruit, preserved food, apple
painstaking, careful, earnest, deplore, bemoan, fret, bewail. butter.
4 Collected Works of Poe, Volume IV
indefinite definiteness which mathematicians are, at times, forced to put up with
in certain algebraic formulae. The date, I may thus say, in regard to the
remoteness of its antiquity, cannot be less than any assignable quantity
whatsoever.%
Touching the derivation of the name Vondervotteimittiss, I confess myself,
with sorrow, equally at fault. Among a multitude of opinions upon this delicate
point- some acute, some learned, some sufficiently the reverse--I am able to select
nothing which ought to be considered satisfactory. Perhaps the idea of
Grogswigg- nearly coincident with that of Kroutaplenttey--is to be cautiously
preferred.--It runs:--Vondervotteimittis--Vonder, lege Donder--Votteimittis,
quasi und Bleitziz- Bleitziz obsol:--pro Blitzen.” This derivative, to say the truth,
is still countenanced by some traces of the electric fluid evident on the summit of
the steeple of the House of the Town-Council. I do not choose, however, to
commit myself on a theme of such importance, and must refer the reader
desirous of information to the “Oratiunculae de Rebus Praeter-Veteris,” of
Dundergutz. See, also, Blunderbuzzard “De Derivationibus,” pp. 27 to 5010,
Folio, Gothic edit., Red and Black character, Catch-word and No Cypher;
wherein consult, also, marginal notes in the autograph of Stuffundpuff, with the
Sub-Commentaries of Gruntundguzzell.
Notwithstanding the obscurity which thus envelops the date of the
foundation of Vondervotteimittis, and the derivation of its name, there can be no
doubt, as I said before, that it has always existed as we find it at this epoch. The
oldest man in the borough can remember not the slightest difference in the
appearance of any portion of it; and, indeed, the very suggestion of such a
possibility is considered an insult. The site of the village is in a perfectly circular
valley, about a quarter of a mile in circumference, and entirely surrounded by
gentle hills, over whose summit the people have never yet ventured to pass. For
this they assign the very good reason that they do not believe there is anything at
all on the other side.
Round the skirts of the valley (which is quite level, and paved throughout
with flat tiles), extends a continuous row of sixty little houses. These, having

Thesaurus
algebraic: (adj) statistical, accordant, concomitant, coexisting, at hungry, covetous, envious, agog; (adj,
mathematical, arithmetical, the same time, corresponding. v) willing. ANTONYMS: (adj)
numerable, computable, calculable, ANTONYM: (adj) inconsistent. undesirous, reluctant, undesiring,
analytic, geometric, numerical, countenanced: (adj) aided. unconcerned.
arithmetic. definiteness: (n) certainty, paved: (adj) cobbled.
assignable: (adj) negotiable, alienable, conclusiveness, accuracy, exactness, quasi: (adv) nearly, almost, partly,
conveyable, allocatable, movable, finality, decisiveness, definition, practically, just as; (adj) mock,
referable, exchangeable, predictability, intelligibility, ostensible, similar, pseudo; (n) semi.
transferrable, ascribable, convertible. resolution, expressness. ANTONYM: steeple: (adj, n) spire, tower; (n)
coincident: (adj) concurrent, (n) uncertainty. campanile, minaret, turret, dome;
simultaneous, consistent, desirous: (adj) wistful, avid, (adj) pyramid, column, obelisk,
coincidental, identical, congruent, ambitious, greedy, longing, eager, monument, pillar.
Edgar Allan Poe 5
their backs on the hills, must look, of course, to the centre of the plain, which is
just sixty yards from the front door of each dwelling. Every house has a small
garden before it, with a circular path, a sun-dial, and twenty-four cabbages. The
buildings themselves are so precisely alike, that one can in no manner be
distinguished from the other. Owing to the vast antiquity, the style of
architecture is somewhat odd, but it is not for that reason the less strikingly
picturesque. They are fashioned of hard-burned little bricks, red, with black
ends, so that the walls look like a chess-board upon a great scale. The gables are
turned to the front, and there are cornices, as big as all the rest of the house, over
the eaves and over the main doors. The windows are narrow and deep, with very
tiny panes and a great deal of sash. On the roof is a vast quantity of tiles with
long curly ears. The woodwork, throughout, is of a dark hue and there is much
carving about it, with but a trifling variety of pattern for, time out of mind, the
carvers of Vondervotteimittiss have never been able to carve more than two
objects--a time-piece and a cabbage. But these they do exceedingly well, and
intersperse them, with singular ingenuity, wherever they find room for the
chisel.%
The dwellings are as much alike inside as out, and the furniture is all upon
one plan. The floors are of square tiles, the chairs and tables of black-looking
wood with thin crooked legs and puppy feet. The mantelpieces are wide and
high, and have not only time-pieces and cabbages sculptured over the front, but
a real time-piece, which makes a prodigious ticking, on the top in the middle,
with a flower-pot containing a cabbage standing on each extremity by way of
outrider. Between each cabbage and the time-piece, again, is a little China man
having a large stomach with a great round hole in it, through which is seen the
dial-plate of a watch.
The fireplaces are large and deep, with fierce crooked-looking fire-dogs.
There is constantly a rousing fire, and a huge pot over it, full of sauer-kraut and
pork, to which the good woman of the house is always busy in attending. She is a
little fat old lady, with blue eyes and a red face, and wears a huge cap like a
sugar-loaf, ornamented with purple and yellow ribbons. Her dress is of orange-

Thesaurus
extremity: (n) end, member, festooned, feathered, florid. modeled, engraved, carved, incised,
boundary, bound, close, appendage, outrider: (n) herald, precursor, in refief, etched, anaglyptic, shapely,
limit, limb, ending, fringe, prodrome, prodromus, vancourier, carven.
conclusion. ANTONYMS: (n) trunk, pioneer, guard, escort, attendant, trifling: (adj) paltry, slight, petty,
average, minimum, head, leniency. scout. negligible, immaterial, worthless,
intersperse: (v) interject, interleave, rousing: (adj) stirring, provocative, trivial, minor, small; (adj, v)
diffuse, scatter, alternate, interlard, bracing, thrilling, inspiring, inconsequential; (adj, n) frivolity.
interline, interpolate, interpose, exhilarating, moving; (n) awakening, ANTONYMS: (adj) significant,
intercalate, diversify. wakening, stimulation; (v) rouse. worthwhile, major, considerable,
ornamented: (adj) embellished, ANTONYMS: (adj) conciliatory, dull, crucial, enormous, great, mature,
beautified, fancy, flowery, ornate, relaxing. profound, substantial; (n)
adorned, bedecked, decked, sculptured: (adj) sculpted, graven, importance.