 Griswold first met Edgar Allan Poe in Philadelphia in May 1841 while working for the Daily Standard . At the outset , their relationship was cordial , at least superficially . In a letter dated March 29 , 1841 , Poe sent Griswold several poems for The Poets and Poetry of America anthology , writing that he would be proud to see " one or two of them in the book " . Griswold included three of these poems : " Coliseum " , " The Haunted Palace " , and " The Sleeper " . In November of that year , Poe , who had previously praised Griswold in his " <unk> " series as " a gentleman of fine taste and sound judgment " , wrote a critical review of the anthology , on Griswold 's behalf . Griswold paid Poe for the review and used his influence to have it published in a Boston periodical . The review was generally favorable , although Poe questioned the inclusion of certain authors and the omission of others . Poe also said that Griswold " unduly favored " New England writers . Griswold had expected more praise and Poe privately told others he was not particularly impressed by the book , even calling it " a most outrageous humbug " in a letter to a friend . In another letter , this time to fellow writer Frederick W. Thomas , Poe suggested that Griswold 's promise to help get the review published was actually a bribe for a favorable review , knowing Poe needed the money . 
