Originally included in Poe’s study of The Literati of New York in Godey’s Lady’s Book (August 1846), this essay on Margaret Fuller (feminist, editor, and book reviewer) begins by praising her unbiased analysis of Longfellow’s poetic failings:

In my opinion [Poe wrote] it is one of the very few reviews of Longfellow’s poems, ever published in America, of which the critics have not had abundant reason to be ashamed. Mr. Longfellow is entitled to a certain and very distinguished rank among the poets of his country, but that country is disgraced by the evident toadyism which would award to his social position and influence  .  .  .  that amount of indiscriminate approbation which neither could nor would have been given to the poems themselves.

Boston Public Library, Rare Books & Manuscripts