Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 015: John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman, Mar. 2, 1874,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 55-57 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 55, continued:]

15. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman

My dear Mrs. Whitman,

I hasten to acknowledge the receipt of your very interesting letter of the 16th Ultimo, and of its enclosures. In order to make certain of getting my reply off today I shall not attempt to indulge in any flights of imagination, but keep my Pegasus well curbed, and only resort to the apparent “methodical habits of thought.” In the first place, let me tell you what I am doing towards increasing my material. I have written to Peabody Institute, Baltimore, for copies of letters by Poe to Mr. Kennedy, left by that gentleman. Did you see Tuckerman's Life of J. P. Kennedy? I wish I knew how to get at Tuckerman, to give him “New Facts” — he repeats Griswold's words as to the prize award, &c., but quotes a very interesting letter from Poe & “notes” re. him, from Kennedy's diary.(1) I shall embody them in a new paper that I’m going to write. Temple Bar has not used my paper yet: the moment it appears you shall have a copy sent, but so much fresh matter has come to my knowledge since, that you will not, I fancy, think much of it, save, perhaps, from its tone. Of course I do not leave a stain on him. But what is better — I have just engaged with a quarterly — our highest [page 56:] style of periodical — for a complete biography of Edgar Poe. Before July it cannot appear. I did not send advance sheets of Temple Bar, but will try & arrange thro’ Mr. J. W. Davidson, or someone, for its simultaneous appearance in both countries. I want to get all the correspondence of Poe's that I can by beginning of April — I have written University at Charlottesville, re. E. Burling &c.(2) I told you, I fancy, that I had heard from Russia. I fancy Poe wrote to Charles Dickens re. Barnaby Rudge, but neither young Dickens, or John Forster, can find any trace of letter. I have written Robert Browning, who is, I believe, in Italy, for copies of letters to Mrs. Browning. Bayard Taylor says Poe was the means of introducing her works (thro’ Graham's Maga.) into America. Lord Lytton tells me that he does not think his father (Bulwer) ever knew of a book being dedicated to him by Poe, of whom, of course, as a poet (“Owen Meredith”) he is an admirer. I am going to spend the evening next Friday with an American, whose father was intimately acquainted with the Geo. R. Graham I speak of, & who, — entre nous — went to the bad. Mr. Gowans published some annual books that may throw some light on my theories — I’ve not got to see them yet. I have discovered a book by Wyatt — A Manual of Conchology, pubd. (I think, but have not date with me) in 1838, in Philadelphia. On this first edition, Poe's name does not appear. The other papers mentioned in your letter (save Knickerbocker's Maga.) are not in British Museum. A file of the Home Journal might give some information, but that is not in British Museum — I have looked thro’ tons of papers for any scrap of information! I’ll write to Mr. Davidson at once. I have had the name of a New York bookseller given me where I may get some of the publications I named. And now to your letter — Oh! in the first place, please write to my official address until you hear again. In about a fortnight I am going to remove my Lares et Penates, but will give my new locale as soon as I am settled down. Nos moutons! Harper's I have acknowledged receipt of & given you my opinion of — the article is what its author terms himself “commonplace” & as I have told you [is] made up of your book, Griswold's “Memoir,” & T. Powell's pleasant biography in his Living Authors of America. “The Grecian Fiddlestick” & the utterly improbable conclusion are original, apparently. The picture of Fordham, I did not think so bad, but it has been long known in England, appearing in Hotten's collection (or rather Selection from) of Poe's works, as does also, if memory fails me not, the facsimile given in Harper's. I have seen another facsimile — in Tuckerman's collection of autographs — which gives Poe's signature in full. I shall try & get that copied. I fancied that Mrs. Ellet might be the lady, but saw that she did not come from South Carolina. You may rely on my delicate manipulation of the story. You speak of copies of other [page 57:] letters of Poe's — cannot you give me copies of any, or of paragraphs like those you gave Mr. Stoddard? If suitable for publication, which I presume they are, having been lent to Mr. Stoddard. Mr. Aldrich is likely to have some sore feelings toward Poe, vide plagiarism in Vol. 3 of Poe's works(3) — that letter re. Mrs. Helen S[tanard] must have been very interesting — cannot any more of it be published? Nearly all Poe's earlier versions of his poems mention “Helen.” If you could kindly let me have a few lines of “personal reminiscence,” I need scarcely remark how valuable they would be, for any quarterly paper, which should be the basis of my biography & contain the germ of it. Poor Mrs. Clemm's evidence is rather shaky, I fear, but I’ll see how the date of marriage comes out with other facts. En passant, I think I told you that I was authorized to contradict statement of “The Fire Fiend” having been endorsed by Macready's name — it was a hoax. The Broadway is useful, but, as I can see it here, I do not care to trouble you to lend it, but, if you knew of a copy for sale, I’d buy. It is useful thus: to prove Poe's gratitude, i.e., his remarks on Mr. T. White's death; to disprove Griswold's story re. changeable criticism on Jones — see Poe's explanation, &c., &c. Literati, see my “New Facts No. 2,” comparing Griswold's with Godey's publications; libel suit, see my footnote to “New Facts.” The Lewis family, I must give up. On your advice, I am quite content to let Mr. Davidson act for me with regard to advance sheets, but I must hear what the quarterly people say. Mr. D. is doubtless acquainted with publishing matters. I get, on the average, 8 guineas per sheet of 16 pps. (say 33 or 34 dollars?). I shall be glad to see your other poems — some, I see, were written in conjunction with a sister. “Cinderella” & “Sleeping Beauty,” probably? You may be sure that if life, health, & mind are spared, an exhaustive biography of E. Poe will be brought out by yours very faithfully,

The precious enclosure was safely received; shall be religiously preserved, and returned, as speedily as possible, by registered post. I almost wonder that you can let it out of your possession, but, as far as I am concerned, you may rely upon its sanctity.

 

1. Henry Theodore Tuckerman (1813-1871), critic, essayist, poet. Among many books, he published The Life of John Pendleton Kennedy (New York: G. P. Putnam & Sons, 1871), which has an account of Kennedy's associations with Poe, pp. 373-77.

2. Ebenezer Burling was a friend and classmate of Poe's who may have accompanied him as far as Norfolk when Poe left John Allan's house in 1827.

3. Poe brought Aldrich's name prominently into his “Mr. Longfellow and Other Plagiarists,” Works, ed. Griswold, III, 292-354.