Text: Eugene L. Didier, “xxPrefacexx,” The Poe Cult and Other Poe Papers (1909), pp. 272-276

[page 272:]

Every schoolboy knows who discovered America, but many intelligent men and women do not know who “discovered” Edgar A. Poe. Some years ago, an obscure Englishman claimed to have discovered Poe and made him known to the American people. Not only did this obscure Englishman claim to have introduced Poe to American readers, but he attempted to belittle and read out of court all Americans who presumed to write about their own countryman. But while attempting to undervalue their work, he did not hesitate to appropriate — I like a gentle word — their material. I was a student of Poe's Life and Works before this presumptuous Englishman had emerged from his original obscurity. My early investigations made me acquainted with many facts about Poe which were before unknown, and brought me into contact with persons who knew the poet. It was my privilege to know Mrs. Maria Clemm in the last years of her life, and our conversation was almost entirely about “Eddie” as she always called [page 273:] him. Much information thus obtained was published in my first — which was a “pioneer” — Life of Poe, issued four years before the Englishman's pretentious biography had appeared.

I confess I have been astonished at what I have heard regarding the “peculiar” methods this “Discoverer” has used in adding to his Poeana. One of Poe's best friends at the time when he most needed friends — before, at the time, and immediately after the death of his wife — was Mrs. Mary Louise Shew, afterward Mrs. Harcourt [[Houghton]], who nursed him back to life from the desperate illness which followed the death of his wife. With his usual gratitude for favors received, Poe addressed two poems to this lady — “To M. L. S.,” and a poem in blank verse, “To — —,” commencing,

The “Discoverer” of Poe discovered that the former Mrs. Shew — now Mrs. Harcourt [[Houghton]] — was in possession of four original poems and many letters from the poet. He wrote to Mrs. Harcourt [[Houghton]] to aid him in the defence of her friend. In the goodness of her heart, she sent him all the manuscripts, letters, and a miniature of Poe's mother, Elizabeth Poe. Among these poems was the original first draft of [page 274:] “The Bells,” which was written at Mrs. Shew's suggestion. This is a manuscript of priceless value. I have been furnished with the following extracts from the “Discoverer's” letters to Mrs. Harcourt [[Houghton]] and her daughter, Mrs. William Wiley:

“January 28, 1875 — I have not returned the letter from Poe, enclosed in your daughter's, as I think I should like it lithographed, if you do not see any objection.”

“March 12, 1875 — I have carefully read through, and taken notes of your most interesting 44 pages. . . . You have a portrait of Poe's mother. I should so value a copy, and would gladly pay for it, if you would have it copied? Will you allow this?” (Mrs. Harcourt [[Houghton]] sent him the original.)

“April 16, 1875 — I am just sending you a few lines to acknowledge your kind letters, and to let you know that the two poems are safely to hand. These latter I will take every care of, and should like to have facsimiles taken of them, if you do not object.”

“March 11, 1876 — A French translation of Poe's Poems is shortly to be published in Paris. May I let them have a fac simile made of the shorter of the two poems addressed to you? The larger one I do not want to appear anywhere but in my forthcoming Life of Poe.” [page 275:]

“February 24, 1876 — Your copies of Poe's poems are perfectly safe, and I am keeping them until I can have them fac similed for the Life. I guard them as the apple of my eye!”

“May 2, 1879 (to Mrs. Wiley) — I have not completed my Life of Poe, and not deeming, from your kind mamma's correspondence, that there ever would be any haste for the return of the poems, I do not hurry. Of course, now you and your sister stand in her place, and as soon as I hear from you again, I will forward them to you.”

“January 22, 1880 — Mr. —— has received Mrs. Wiley's letter of December 22, 1879, and will reply to it in a few days, and will return the poems asked for as soon as he can find them among Mrs. Harcourt's letters and papers, doubtless within the week.” (Note by Mr. Wiley.) “He had to hunt among Mrs. Harcourt's [[Houghton's]] papers for what he ‘guarded as the apple of his eye.’ One poem, ‘To M. L. S.,’ was returned in June, 1880.”

The “Discoverer” claimed that Mrs. Harcourt [[Houghton]] gave him certain of the poems, and the letters, and in one of his last communications to Mrs. Wiley, he said he had her letter, and would show it to any friend. Mrs. Wiley says that such a proposition as giving away anything written by Poe was not thought of, [page 276:] talked of, or written about. Mrs. Gove-Nicholls [[Gove-Nichols]], who knew Mrs. Shew, and took her to see the Poes at Fordham, told the “Discoverer” about the friendship between Poe and Mrs. Shew, and hence the correspondence.

Mr. Wiley writes me that “It is unreasonable to suppose that my mother (Mrs. Harcourt [[Houghton]]), who treasured these precious memorials of Poe for over twenty-five years, showing them often to her children and friends, would give them to a stranger in a foreign land. You know that Poe wrote “The Bells” in her library. The story of its origin is true. More than anything else she prized that poem. After her death, her children, inspired by her feeling for the poet, kept, as a sacred object, the table on which the first draft of “The Bells” was written. They learned to reverence everything that came to them through their mother's relations to the poet.”