Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 095: John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman, May 2 and May 3, 1875,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 282-285 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 282, continued:]

95. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman

My very dear Friend,

I am going to rattle off a few more lines to you today, Sunday. I am, [page 283:] of course, at home, — my superscription notwithstanding — but I shall not send this off until the 4th (mail day) by which day something new may “turn up.” I am going to send one of my usual rambling crambling budgets, spinning off such things as come first into my pate.

Firstly, I will run through yours of the 14th of April — the only letter yet unanswered. I am glad Davidson sent you the International, according to my request, as it seems to prove that he got my letter which contained money, although I have not had any acknowledgement. I sent it on the 18th, I believe, of March, but I have written again. I wrote a letter to the Nation which I trust they inserted — their reviewer, perhaps Stoddard? — had evidently only read the International & not the “Memoir” itself.

As regards Don Felix, his papers have been more for a harmless jest, although not a thoughtless one, & he has judged from letters, frequently from several, & not from a mere autograph. I fear “Don Felix,” should he have to judge J.H.I.'s handiwork, will have to be less flattering in his remarks than are you. I think of publishing the whole series in book form — candidly — do you think it likely to take? If Mrs. Shelton, or anyone writes me aught of interest, you shall hear at once. I am glad you like the International paper. The ancestral was, as you might see, aimed at Mr. S[toddard], but subsequently it seemed to me you might not like it — & deem that though aimed at a crow it struck a pigeon! But if you are merciful all is well. What do you think of the Civil Service Reviewer? He wrote, I rather fancy, with the view of provoking a reply. He was, of course, then ignorant of the Nation's aimable critique, with its misquotations & untruths.

My material is accumulating largely. Mrs. Houghton is invaluable — but everything will be duly weighed & “recast” before it is embodied in the biography definitive. My correspondents send me much that is worthless — some think that I only want marvellous anecdotes — some sentimental fancies, & others their ideas. Mrs. E. O. Smith has sent me a paper on “E.A. Poe” which contains some striking thoughts & admirable criticisms but, as regards biographical value, not worth a single page of Mrs. Houghton's. Entre nous & the post (letter post) I think of embodying all the personal poems in the “Memoir,” & shall give facsimile of many. When I come to America — as I may before long — perhaps you will permit one to be made of the lines “To Helen”? I dare say the work could be done at your house. I talk, you see, of coming to America. I must try to before I complete the Life. Within the last 12 days I have had four invitations, including one from the Society of Alumni's Committee of the Semi-Centennial

Celebration of the University of Virginia!! Signed by the leading Visitors, Professors, &c. Is not that gratifying — ’twas for June — too [page 284:] early — in fact, I am not sure that I can cross the Atlantic before next year, but I shall try.

Did I say Mrs. Houghton was fanciful? Oh, no! I see! Mrs. N[ichols]. Mrs. N[ichols] is very, I fear, but the record has not arrived. I got some pleasant reviews for her husband's book on America, but did not like to review it myself. By the way, did you get my Academy review of Curwen? Some papers praised his book & some pitched into [it] because of his cruel attack on Poe & referred him to my “Memoir.” If my “Memoir” had not appeared first they would all have accepted his facts unquestioned.

Vols. 1 & 2 will go off Tuesday, & Vols. 3 & 4 on Thursday — half morocco bound.

I have got the 1831 edition of Mr. Harris's from the binder — it differs largely from the later copies, but the 1829 is almost verbatim!!

I shall make Miss Rose wait for all those nice things you say of her — I’m jealous! And so she is literary & writes letters for the newspapers! I might have guessed it, although I fancied her epistles were too fresh to have been garnered into the dustbin of a paper. Her artistic interiors are charming. I almost thought of a breach of confidence with regards to some paragraphs in her penultimate letter: I thought of publishing them (only I feared your Rhode Island Rose might show its thorns) in the Academy notes, but after all I might only have been serving up the funeral fragments of her “Paris letter in the Journal!” It is too horrible to think of Miss Rose shall catch it.

Herewith a copy of the daguerreotype of Poe in possession of Mrs. Lewis. I have only just received two copies. I hope it will not get published, as I wanted it for the life. I suppose this copy is as well as the photographer can make it, but it does not look so good as the original, which is slightly coloured: the colouring, probably, renders the copy less distinct. The original, also, gives more of the shoulders and body, & by balancing the head better makes it more picturesque.

Today I have received from Mrs. Houghton a coloured miniature on ivory of (evidently) Edgar Poe's mother! It is beautifully preserved & agrees with Mrs. H[oughton]'s description, as already sent to you. The eyes are very large, as are the features generally, and the hair is curled all over the forehead, as described by Mrs. H[oughton]. Hair & eyes are both brown — almost chestnut. I shall have it photographed & hope to have it nicely engraved for the biography.(1)

The various vols. of Mr. Harris — Poe's, Pinckney's, & Martin Faber — are all safely received. I have just purchased a fine engraving, from Northcote's painting, of Captain (I do not think there ever was any Admiral) Macbride. On the 24th Ultimo, Shakespeare's birthday, I [page 285:] dined at the Savage Club, & there saw Moncure Conway, but before I could get hold of him he had disappeared.

Have you seen the paragraph in the Athenaeum (since copied into all the dailies) that “Black's admirable edition of Poe's Works” was set up & printed by women? The first volume work, I believe, of any magnitude, & hence, quite an epoch in printing, so far as Britain is concerned.

A few days ago I had a long letter from George Long, who was Professor of Ancient Languages, at Charlottesville, when Poe was there. He (Long) is still hearty; remembers nothing, but is much interested & gives some names of people able (possibly) to help.(2) Professor Key is also well, & was invited to the Semi-Centennial Celebration with me. I was assured of a hearty welcome, &c. The news has got into our papers & run its round, more or less varied. Have not yet seen Lotos Leaves — don’t think they will be much good. Graham is dead. H. L. Williams, Philadelphia resident in London, is positive of this — his father, a publisher, subscribed towards the funeral. This we’ll keep to ourselves just now — had we not better?

I am grieved to hear of your neuralgia. I do not think Hell can provide any worse physical pain than that, & it is so prevalent. But summer is coming, & you may hope for better times.

The half bound vols. have not arrived. This is most annoying, but I’ll get them off tomorrow. I have obtained a large photo from Mrs. Lewis, much better than the smaller, so send both & shall be glad of your opinion. As they are now published, I must seek yet another for the life.

And now, a short goodbye from yours ever & ever,

 

1. Ingram did use a reproduction from this miniature, the only known likeness of Elizabeth Arnold Poe, as frontispiece to Vol. II of his 1880 Life of Poe. Later, Eugene Didier gleefully joined Mrs. Houghton's family and descendants in their efforts to regain the miniature, manuscripts, and letters she had sent to Ingram, by publishing and republishing articles in which he accused Ingram of literally stealing these things. See Didier's The Poe Cult (New York: Broadway Publishing Co., 1909), pp. 140-44, 272-76.

2. George Long's letter to Ingram, Apr. 15, 1875, is Item 217 in the Ingram Poe Collection.