The Australasian's review of the Australian edition of The Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe begins: 'The fact that a Melbourne publisher has thought it worth his while to publish a special Australian edition of the poetical works of Edger Allan Poe may legitimately be taken as proof of the popularity of that writer here to an extent wider than is covered by the ordinary trade supply of his productions. This interest of the public in these works will fairly justify us in devoting some little space to a few general considerations respecting the man and the author.'