by Edgar Allan Poe

consideration faculties and impulses -- prima mobilia human soul, the phrenologists have failed room for propensity which, although obviously existing as radical, primitive, irreducible sentiment, equally overlooked by all the moralists preceded them pure arrogance reason, all overlooked it suffered its existence to escape our senses, solely through want of belief -- of faith; -- whether it be faith in Revelation, or faith Kabbala The idea of it has never occurred , simply because supererogation We saw no need impulse -- propensity perceive its necessity understand, , have understood, had the notion primum mobile ever obtruded itself; -- have understood in what manner it made to further the objects of humanity, either temporal or eternal It denied that phrenology and, in great measure, all metaphysicianism concocted priori The intellectual or logical man, rather understanding or observant man, set himself to imagine designs -- to dictate purposes to God Having thus fathomed, satisfaction, the intentions of Jehovah, out intentions he built his innumerable systems of mind matter of phrenology, for example, we first determined, naturally enough, the design Deity that man should eat We then assigned to man an organ of alimentiveness, and this organ scourge the Deity compels man, will-I nill-I, into eating Secondly, having settled it God's will that man should continue his species, we discovered an organ of amativeness, forthwith And so with combativeness, with ideality, with causality, with constructiveness, -- so, in short, with every organ, whether representing propensity, moral sentiment, or faculty pure intellect And arrangements Principia of human action, the Spurzheimites, whether right or wrong, , or whole, have but followed, in principle, the footsteps predecessors: deducing and establishing every thing preconceived destiny of man, and ground objects Creator

It wiser, it safer, to classify (if classify ) basis of what man usually or occasionally did, and was always occasionally doing, rather than basis of what we took it for granted the Deity intended him comprehend God visible works, how then inconceivable thoughts, that call the works into being ? understand him objective creatures, how then substantive moods and phases of creation ?

Induction, posteriori, brought phrenology to admit, as an innate and primitive principle of human action, paradoxical something, which call perverseness, for want of more characteristic term sense I intend, , , mobile without motive, motive not motivirt promptings we act without comprehensible object; or, shall be understood as contradiction in terms, modify the proposition as , that promptings we act, reason that we In theory, no reason more unreasonable, but, , none more strong With certain minds, under certain conditions, it becomes absolutely irresistible not more certain that I breathe, than assurance wrong or error of any action is often the one unconquerable force which impels us, and alone impels us to its prosecution Nor will this overwhelming tendency wrong wrong's sake, admit of analysis, or resolution into ulterior elements radical, primitive impulse-elementary said, aware, that when we persist in acts because we persist , our conduct is but modification which ordinarily springs combativeness of phrenology But glance will show the fallacy idea The phrenological combativeness has for its essence, the necessity of self-defence our safeguard against injury Its principle regards our well-being; and thus the desire well is excited simultaneously with its development It follows, desire well excited simultaneously with any principle which shall be merely modification of combativeness, but case something which I term perverseness, the desire well is not aroused, but strongly antagonistical sentiment exists

An appeal to one's own heart is, after all, the best reply sophistry just noticed No one who trustingly consults and thoroughly questions his own soul, disposed to deny the entire radicalness propensity more incomprehensible than distinctive There lives no man who at some period tormented, for example, by an earnest desire to tantalize listener by circumlocution The speaker is aware that he displeases; he has every intention , usually curt, precise, and clear, the most laconic and luminous language is struggling for utterance upon his tongue, only with difficulty that he restrains himself from giving it flow; he dreads and deprecates the anger of him whom he addresses; yet, the thought strikes him, that by certain involutions and parentheses this anger engendered That single thought is enough The impulse increases to wish, the wish to desire, the desire to an uncontrollable longing, longing ( deep regret and mortification speaker, and in defiance of all consequences) is indulged

task be speedily performed ruinous delay The most important crisis life calls, trumpet-tongued, for immediate energy and action We glow, consumed with eagerness to commence the work, anticipation of whose glorious result our whole souls are on fire It must, it shall be undertaken to-day, and yet we put it off until to-morrow, and why ? no answer, except that perverse, using the word with no comprehension principle To-morrow arrives, and with it more impatient anxiety our duty, but very increase of anxiety arrives, also, nameless, positively fearful, because unfathomable, craving for delay This craving gathers strength moments fly The last hour for action is at hand We tremble violence conflict within us, -- definite indefinite -- substance shadow But, contest have proceeded thus far, shadow which prevails, -- we struggle in vain The clock strikes, and knell welfare same time, chanticleer -- note ghost that has overawed us It flies -- it disappears -- free The old energy returns labor now Alas, too late !

We stand brink of precipice We peer abyss -- we grow sick and dizzy Our first impulse is to shrink danger Unaccountably we remain By slow degrees our sickness and dizziness and horror become merged in cloud of unnamable feeling By gradations, still more imperceptible, this cloud assumes shape, as did the vapor bottle out arose the genius Arabian Nights But out our cloud precipice's edge, there grows into palpability, shape, far more terrible than any genius or any demon of tale, and yet but thought, although fearful one, and one which chills the very marrow bones fierceness delight horror merely the idea of what our sensations during the sweeping precipitancy of fall from such height And this fall -- this rushing annihilation -- very reason involves that one most ghastly and loathsome of all the most ghastly and loathsome images of death and suffering ever presented themselves to our imagination -- very cause do we now the most vividly desire it And because our reason violently deters us brink, therefore do we the most impetuously approach it no passion in nature so demoniacally impatient, of him who, shuddering edge of precipice, thus meditates Plunge To indulge, for moment, in any attempt at thought, inevitably lost; for reflection but urges us to forbear, and therefore , , that If there be no friendly arm us, or fail in sudden effort to prostrate ourselves backward abyss, we plunge, destroyed

Examine these similar actions as , find them resulting solely spirit Perverse We perpetrate them because that we Beyond or behind this no intelligible principle; and , indeed, deem this perverseness direct instigation Arch-Fiend, were it not occasionally known to operate in furtherance of good

said thus much, that in some measure answer your question, that explain why here, that assign something that the faint aspect of cause wearing these fetters, and tenanting this cell condemned Had I not been thus prolix, either have misunderstood me altogether, or, rabble, have fancied me mad , easily perceive that many uncounted victims Imp Perverse

impossible that any deed wrought with more thorough deliberation For weeks, for months, I pondered means murder I rejected thousand schemes, because their accomplishment involved chance of detection , in reading some French Memoirs, an account of nearly fatal illness that occurred to Madame Pilau, agency of candle accidentally poisoned The idea struck my fancy at once my victim's habit of reading in bed , too, that his apartment was narrow and ill-ventilated But not vex you with impertinent details not describe the easy artifices I substituted, bed-room candle-stand, wax-light own making one which I there found The next morning discovered dead bed, Coroner's verdict was -- "Death visitation of God "

Having inherited his estate, all went well with me for years The idea of detection never once entered my brain remains fatal taper I had myself carefully disposed I had left no shadow of clew it possible to convict, or even to suspect me crime inconceivable how rich sentiment of satisfaction arose in my bosom as I reflected upon my absolute security For very long period accustomed to revel sentiment It afforded me more real delight than all the mere worldly advantages accruing from my sin But there arrived an epoch, the pleasurable feeling grew, by scarcely perceptible gradations, into haunting and harassing thought It harassed because it haunted scarcely get rid of it for an instant quite common thing thus annoyed ringing ears, or rather memories, burthen of some ordinary song, or some unimpressive snatches from an opera Nor will we be the less tormented song in itself be good, or the opera air meritorious manner, at last, perpetually catch myself pondering upon my security, and repeating, in low undertone, the phrase, " safe "

One day, whilst sauntering along the streets, I arrested myself act of murmuring, half aloud, these customary syllables In fit of petulance, I remodelled them thus; " safe -- safe -- yes -- if I be not fool enough open confession ! "

No sooner had I spoken these words, than an icy chill creep to my heart I had had some experience fits of perversity, (whose nature at some trouble to explain), and I remembered well that in no instance I had successfully resisted their attacks And now my own casual self-suggestion that possibly be fool enough to confess the murder I guilty, confronted me, as very ghost of him whom I had murdered -- and beckoned me on to death

At first, an effort to shake off this nightmare soul I walked vigorously -- faster -- still faster -- I ran maddening desire to shriek aloud Every succeeding wave of thought overwhelmed me with new terror, for, alas ! I well, too well understood that , in my situation, was lost I still quickened my pace I bounded like madman crowded thoroughfares , the populace took the alarm, and pursued me then the consummation fate Could torn out my tongue, done it, but rough voice resounded in my ears -- rougher grasp seized me shoulder I turned -- I gasped for breath For moment I experienced all the pangs of suffocation; I became blind, and deaf, and giddy; and then some invisible fiend, , struck me broad palm back The long imprisoned secret burst forth from my soul

They say that I spoke with distinct enunciation, but with marked emphasis and passionate hurry, in dread of interruption before concluding the brief, but pregnant sentences that consigned me hangman and to hell

Having related all that was necessary fullest judicial conviction, I fell prostrate in swoon

But why shall more ? To-day I wear these chains, and am here ! To-morrow fetterless ! -- but where ?