Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 155: John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman, June 28 and June 29, 1876,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 437-440 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 437, continued:]

155. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman

My dear Friend,

That is a title I cannot improve. Let us now be as we were of yore before the clouds swept across the horizon of our hope. [page 438:]

I am glad you got the Belgravia paper safely. Were you not deeply interested in the lines? You cannot believe how I valued them — knowing how those shorter pieces were poured forth from the poet's heart of hearts.

I sent the advance sheets to Browne to copyright; he did so, but the New York Daily Graphic of the 8th Instant has published nearly the whole paper, & it is, doubtless, by this time, all over the States — it is too bad.

I am glad you are satisfied about the bona fides of my question of the “Lines.” It was rude & wrong of me to use such a word as “fuss,” but all is now forgiven, n’est ce pas? Let me, however, say that nothing told me by anyone could ever have shaken my faith in you — only my own feelings & fancies could ever have dimmed my trust (not in your fidelity — but) in your feelings.

I have nearly completed the chronological list of the first publications of poems & tales. A complete list of The Gift might add one or two to the latter. Burton's last & Graham's first vols., under Poe, are now en route to me.

I do not think it matters now about the author being given as “a Bostonian,” but we’ll “wait a wee.”

At editorial request I have written a paper for the Athenaeum on “The Bibliography of Poe” — poems only. When this appears I will send an extra copy for Mr. Harris, & if he will kindly send any notes or comments his knowledge may suggest, I shall be thankful.

The true date as to the publication of the tales &c. resolves into thin air many of the idle lies told of Poe.

Do you not see Notes & Queries? ’Tis much read in America. I’ll send you the numbers containing my present correspondence & if you see your way to speak a word it will be valuable. Did you ever hear of Miss Georgiana Sherburne, or her story of “Imogene; or the Miser's Treasure” from which Poe's “The Gold-Bug” shall be plagiarized? I shall utterly break up the accusation, I feel assured, if they will only continue the correspondence. Did you know this Duffee?

I am very poorly & worn & ’tis late — so wait till tomorrow for the rest of this scrawl.

I have found the address of Wallace & written to him. I hope something from him — if he has not been silenced by the Philistines — for he was a true poet in days of yore, — one from whom I should have predicted great things.

I think you sent me copy of Mrs. Weiss’ letter — at all events four or five copies are to hand. I need scarcely remark that it is not quite correct as to data.(1) [page 439:]

How I long for a verbal — viva voce — communication. I have so many things to tell & be inquired about.

I doubt about the existence of the birthplace, but have not seen the paragraph — let me, if you get copy. I hope we may get some gleams of light from Didier, but his evidence will need sifting.

Mallarmé is a bad correspondent. He said he had sent Le Corbeau a long time ago. I sent him your slip & begged him to send copy. He could not find means of transport for some time. Pray do not be disappointed with it when you get it. ’Tis outre. He has recently produced an edition de luxe of a poem of his own, L’Apres-Midi d’un Faune, & a reprint of Beckford's Vathek from 1st edition.(2) So he has had plenty to do.

The “Marginalia” I fancy is translated by Camille Mendès. It includes a note I hate & would have liked to suppress, but that I know Poe wrote it.

I must send you La République des Lettres when I can get another copy. I have so much to think of.

Notes & Queries nos. for 22 April, 6 May, 24 June contain my Poe correspondence with “Uneda.”(3) Attack was begun under heading “Philadelphia Authors.” I give these particulars, as I see you say you have N&Q in your Athenaeum. If it turn out well I may republish the correspondence, with a few notes of my own.

I have never answered Miss Peckham. What atrocity!

We should sympathize. My life has been so far a sacrifice — perhaps is sacrificed — for others. So you must not think me bad natured that I cannot bear all with lamblike resignation, or sometimes grow cross.

I trust your pains in reading this scrawl will not equal mine in writing it, and ever am, pray believe, tout á vous.

 

1. Mrs. Susan Archer Talley Weiss addressed a letter on Apr. 10, 1876, to the editor of the New York Herald in which she denied Elizabeth Oakes Smith's story of Poe's having been beaten to death (New York Home Journal, Mar. 15, 1876) and offered her account of Poe's last visit to Richmond in the summer of 1849. See Item 683 in the Ingram Poe Collection.

2. Mallarmé, L’Apres-Midi d’un Faune (Paris: Alphonse Derenne, 1876); William Beckford, Vathek (Paris: Labitte, 1876).

3. Uneda's answer to Ingram, Notes and Queries, 5th ser., 5 (June 24, 1876), 526: “Mr. J.H. INGRAM has taken exception to an opinion of mine that Poe was a most unprincipled man, and also to my assertion that he borrowed his story of The Gold Bug without acknowledging his indebtedness. The columns of ‘N.W.’ are not the proper place for argument upon the first point. Mr. INGRAM says. that he knew Poe — I also knew him. I have written, privately, to Mr. INGRAM my reasons for the very decided opinion that I entertain upon Poe's moral character. It is one thing to admit the excellence of a writer's imagination, and another thing to believe him as valuable member of society. I will only [page 440:] add that I never heard any one in this country express any other opinion than that which I entertain respecting the character of Poe. Mr. Duffee has furnished me with the following remarks upon the subject of Poe's borrowing the story of The Gold Bug: — ‘I did accuse Edgar A Poe of plagiarism, a charge which was never disproved. He borrowed not only the plot but the language of Miss Georgiana Sherburne's tale of Imogene; or, the Pirate's Treasure. In fact, Miss Sherburne (daughter of Col. Sherburne, U.S.A.) informed me, in the first place, of the plagiarism, and I exposed Poe in an article in one of our daily papers, for which he commenced a libel suit, and employed Mr. David Paul Brown, who, after receiving a letter from me, soon dismissed the matter, for very good reasons.’

“I may add to the above that the authoress of Imogene is now residing in New York, the wife of a son of one of the most distinguished commodores in the American navy.”