Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 178: Gill's Reply to Ingram's Review, Nov. 11, 1877,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 490-492 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 490, continued:]

178. Gill's Reply to Ingram's Review, New York Herald, Nov. 11, 1877

To the Editor of the Herald: In the SUNDAY HERALD of Oct. 28 appeared a criticism of my “Life of Edgar A. Poe,” copied from the London Athenaeum, the source of which explains its virulent animus.

As my veracity has been called in question it becomes necessary, in order to explain the significance of the Athenaeum article, to revert at some length, to a controversy, incited nearly ten years ago by Mr. J. H. Ingram of London, who is repeatedly referred to in a complimentary manner by the critic of the Athenaeum. This Mr. Ingram, it should be stated, is a clerk in the London Postoffice, and also an attache of the Athenaeum, a journal that has for some years past distinguished itself in the abuse of American authors. Mr. Ingram, like Mark Meddle in “London Assurance” courts notoriety, and, having failed to enlist any attention in his memoir of Poe has, since its publication, groped among the outskirts of the literary circles, and with his shoulders laden to his ears with chips, craving, like Meddle, a blow or a kick. Nearly two years ago (February, 1876) he got what he had for some time desired in this way, in a letter published by me in the London Athenaeum, and copied here in the New York Evening Post and other journals.

[.....]

As regards the charge that I have not given credit to authors from [page 491:] whom I have quoted in my “Life,” it is equally false [as was Ingram's charge that Gill had reverently followed and copied Ingram's Memoir of Poe], as any one who will examine its pages will at once perceive. I repeatedly credit Mrs. Whitman facts derived from her. On page 22 I specially mention Mr. Stoddard as authority for the only statement quoted from him, and devote three pages (265, 266, 267), to the mention of writers, including Mr. Ingram, who have written concerning Poe.

As to the “mythical London editor,” mentioned in the article, the disingenuousness of the writer is clearly shown; for I expressly quote Mr. Thomas Cottrell Clarke as authority for the statement made, not claiming them as original.

When the writer stigmatizes as untrue my account of Poe's dismissal from West Point, he controverts the written testimony of the poet himself, from which my statement is made. If Poe did not himself know the facts connected with his dismissal from West Point, then the Athenaeum is right and I am wrong, but it would seem to be a matter in which the poet's own testimony was significant.

Again, the Athenaeum “critic” who, it needs no ghost come from the other world to tell us, is

MR. INGRAM HIMSELF

states that he was not married before leaving for Richmond. Now, as I have seen a copy of the marriage certificate in the hands of the sister of the poet's wife, I may also be permitted to put this testimony against this writer's erroneous statement of the fact in his book.

As regards any actual errors in my biography, I am well aware that such exist, but not those which the Athenaeum critic has enumerated. In the closing page of my “Life,” I expressly abnegate any claim to adequacy or perfection for it.

Since its issue, I have gathered much new material, and, in a new and enlarged edition of the work, shall utilize it, to its improvement, I trust. Mr. Ingram, probably aware that my “Life” is to be republished in England, and sensible of the effect that its disclosure of the unreliability of his memoir will produce, took the only available means of modifying this unpleasant effect by animadverting upon the trustworthiness of my biography in the columns of the journal to which he is attached. A noteworthy fact, in connection with Mr. Ingram's criticism, is that no copy of my book has yet been sent by the publishers to the Athenaeum, or to any other English journal, for review.

The enterprising gentleman must have ordered a copy from America for the express purpose to which it was devoted.

In conclusion, permit me to state that Mr. Ingram's memoir, which the Athenaeum accuses me of “blindly following,” is comprised in 99 12M0. pages, while my “Life,” also a 12mo., contains 315 pages. [page 492:]

Dr. Johnson has said that he never knew that he had succeeded until “he felt the rebound.” According to this test Mr. Ingram has paid my “Life” a compliment by his virulent attack which should compensate for the bad temper brought to it. Yours respectfully,

Boston, Nov, 7, 1877.