In "The Fall of the House of Usher" while usher and his friend are reading books there is a statement that I would like to know the meaning of. Quote from, "The Fall of the House of Usher"- " His chief delight, however, was found in the perusal of an exceedingly rare and curious book in quarto Gothic(a special symbol is used here that I can't make with my computer)'Vigilia Mortuorum secundum Chorum Ecclesia Maguntina'." What does "Vigilia Mortuorum secundum Chorum Ecclesia Maguntina" mean???????????????????

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2001

Answers

I don't know, but when someone finds out, could you e-mail me too! That question has been bugging me ever since I read Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher"!!!!!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2002

A translation of the title is 'Vigils for the dead according to the use of the church at Mainz'. It is a real book, printed around 1500 of which there are now only two surviving copies.

No copy has ever been traced in America, so it is probable that Poe thought it was an heretical Roman Catholic book, but it isn't. The rituals contained do not differ from standard Catholic beliefs.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2002