Here we have two more of Poe's incredibly detailed hoax-stories, though despite their detail I tend to doubt that they fooled many readers.
MELLONTA TAUTA takes the form of a letter written in 2848, detailing the satirically oriented innovations of the future. It's largely a catalogue of wonders, with no conflict as such.
VON KEMPELEN's discovery is an alchemical device that turns lead into gold. His efforts to profit thereby lead to his being accused of counterfeiting, but Poe seems to lose interest in the fate of Von Kempelen once the author's made his point about the possible devaluation of the prized mineral.
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