SOURCE: An introduction to A Bibliography of Arthur Machen by Adrian Goldstone and Wesley Sweetser, University of Texas Press, 1965, pp. 9-14.

Sweetser is an American educator and critic. In the essay below, he discusses the defining characteristics of Machen 's fiction.

Of all the fields in which Man vies for immortality the literary field is perhaps the most competitive. Time, readers, and publishers determine the final answer as to who has survived and who has not. In Machen's case, it seems likely that since his major productions are of the '90's, enough time has elapsed to allow for a sound judgment. Hundreds of publications by him, about him, or mentioning him appeared before his death; and since his death over a hundred publications have appeared by him, about him, or mentioning him. In a limited but continuing way, then, it appears that Machen has survived.

Like Poe...