Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 151: John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman, May 31, 1876,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 422-423 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 422, continued:]

151. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman

My dear Friend,

On the 2nd Instant I answered yours dated 18th April, and, therefore, you should have received it before the 19th May, which is the date of yours just to hand. If my delayed letter has now reached you, you will therein find a full statement why I asked about the

“Lines to ——” being accredited to Graham's. You were my authority, but I presume it was only a slip of your pen which we have now rectified. To satisfy your mind, however, I return you your MS. (that is, the portion of your letter containing the statement). When read, pray return this piece, as I keep all your letters — a sacred trust — most carefully.

I see, after all, you have my letter of the 2nd & it still does not explain. Pray forgive my stupidity. I am worked & worried with neuralgic pain, beyond endurance.

You say that I could not have found the lines in Sartain's Union Magazine (I always underline titles of books, &c. so there's nothing in that) because said magazine did not begin until January 1849, but this is wrong. “Lines to ——” appeared in it in Oct. 1848, & the “Enigma” to Mrs. Lewis in March 1848. Or, perhaps, I am wrong somewhere. I’ll go to the British Museum on Saturday 3rd & look again & send you precise data. But the whole matter is not, cannot, be of the importance you put upon it. I cannot imagine what you are fearing. A few moments’ conversation would clear up the whole affair.

You gave me — vide the enclosed — Graham's, Oct. 1848. Well & good. I put it in my data book. Looking over Sartain's Union, I there found the “Lines” (one omitted) just as you had described them. I wrote you, thinking Sartain's might have copied from Graham's & wanting to discover the original publication.

Your reply of the 18th April made me deem that Sartain's was right. Now this seems wrong.

I could not understand you wishing me to write on an “enclosed card” — which card never came. In your present letter you again say you have enclosed card from Mrs. Hale, but you have omitted again to enclose anything of the kind. But all this is needless worry. The point is easily got at without you being agitated.

I have no secret reasons for so natural a question as asking about a [page 423:] date!! I am, certainly, anxious to have all the dates correct, but fear I shall never succeed. I shall be afraid to ask you any questions if you worry yourself so much about nothing. As for my underscoring, I do that too much — ’tis a bad habit.

Perhaps Sartain's had a duplicate copy of the lines? I fancy this did sometimes happen with Poe's poems. But I’ll get the exact date on Saturday.

I am glad Mallarmé has written & hope you have received Le Corbeau. After I asked him to send it, he was unable, for some time, to find means of sending it.

I do not think Mallarmé but Mendès was (is) the translator of the “Marginalia.”(1)

Didier has written several papers on Poe matters but they are worthless for want of accuracy. He is said to be at work on a Life, but I don’t fancy will publish. Gill, I believe, has collapsed. A very polite letter from Mr. Widdleton just to hand. Mrs. Judge Balderston's address I have, but cannot get time to write to her.

Pray do not ever be reticent of giving information about Poe to Didier, or anyone, on my account. The only favour in that way I ask is — if you allow Poe's letters to you to be published, let me publish them. I know my life, when it is published, will not suffer from any others having preceded it.

I ask you, however, not to let anyone, save Mr. Harris, know anything about the 1827 edition more than I have told in Belgravia for June, copy of which I sent you by yesterday's mail.(2) The copy over here, Mr. Harris may like to know, seems to have been acquired in 1866. It was as much as I could do to keep from stealing it!

I will try & find the pamphlet you mention. I don’t think you mentioned it before, but I must be careful with you or you will make more fuss than my foes would.

The “Old Grave Yard” I keep for a quiet moment. I have never replied to Miss Peckham, so I expect she will not notice me anymore.

If you really like me, find fault with me, but don’t go making hobgoblins out of slips of the pen — slips which only go before our four eyes.

Yours ever & always,

 

1. Catulle Mendès did publish an introduction to excerpts from Poe's “Marginalia” in La République des Lettres, Mar. 20,1876, pp. 131-32.

2. Ingram's article in the Belgravia Magazine, “The Unknown Poetry of Edgar Poe,” was partially reprinted in the New York Daily Graphic, June 8, 1876, as “Poe's Suppressed Poetry.” The article is here reproduced in its entirety immediately following.