Edgar Allan Poe – An Enigma

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““SELDOM we find,” says Solomon Don Dunce,
“Half an idea in the profoundest sonnet.
Through all the flimsy things we see at once
As easily as through a Naples bonnet —
Trash of all trash! — how can a lady don it?…”
— — —

“An Enigma” is a poem written by Edgar Allan Poe. It was first published in March 1848 by the Union Magazine of Literature and Art as “Sonnet”.

As with Poe’s poem “Enigma“, it contains a hidden name. The solution can be found at the bottom of this page.

This article features a complete, embedded, mobile-friendly version of “An Enigma“ by Edgar Allan Poe as well as a text version below.

An Enigma – PDF

A PDF copy of “An Enigma” can be downloaded using the menu in the app below.

An Enigma – Mobile Friendly

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An Enigma
by
Edgar Allan Poe

— — —

“SELDOM we find,” says Solomon Don Dunce,
“Half an idea in the profoundest sonnet.
Through all the flimsy things we see at once
As easily as through a Naples bonnet —
Trash of all trash! — how can a lady don it?
Yet heavier far than your Petrarchan stuff —
Owl-downy nonsense that the faintest puff
Twirls into trunk-paper the while you con it.”
And, veritably, Sol is right enough.
The general Petrarchanities are arrant
Bubbles — ephemeral and so transparent —
But this is, now, — you may depend upon it —
Stable, opaque, immortal — all by dint
Of the dear names that lie concealed within’t.

Solution to An Enigma / Sonnet

The solution to the enigma can be found by taking the first letter of the first line and incrementing both the letter and line; (i.e. the second letter of the second line, third letter of the third line, etc.). The letters spell out a name.

SeldomwefindsaysSolomonDonDunce
Halfanideaintheprofoundestsonnet
Throughalltheflimsythingsweseeatonce
AseasilyasthroughaNaplesbonnet
Trashofalltrashhowcanaladydonit
YetheavierfarthanyourPetrarchanstuff
Owldownynonsensethatthefaintestpuff
Twirlsintotrunkpaperthewhileyouconit
AndveritablySolisrightenough
Thegeneraltuckermanitiesarearrant
Bubblesephemeralandsotransparent
Butthisisnowyoumaydependuponit
Stableopaqueimmortalallbydint
Ofthedearnamesthatlieconcealedwithint

The solution is “Sarah Anna Lewis”, a poet who became a fierce supporter and defender of Poe’s. However the truth may have been more complex.