∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
21. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman
11 March 1874
My dear Mrs. Whitman,
Your last letter [Feb. 19] containing your “Pansy” has come safely to hand but I am dreadfully put out about your book: it has not yet arrived, nor do I think it ever reached England. I have made searching inquiries here — will you kindly do so in America. I am looking forward to a treat, but don’t send me reviews of your books unless they bear, in any way, upon the subject of Edgar Poe: no reviewer ever affected my mind & I can admire and appreciate you without depriving you of extracts that must be valuable to you; in fact, the miscarriage of your book makes me nervous about anything going wrong. I shall register anything that could not be replaced if lost. There are a great many things of yours in my possession which I will copy (when needed) & return. As regards the “Pansy” which “needs no bush,” I am going to be audacious and make a few critical remarks, not as a critic but to show you how I have read it and appreciate its beauty — it is an amaranthine flower & deserves to be a “joy for ever.” May I use it in the Mirror? If I may dare suggest a change, I would ask why not — in 26th line — have “a fading flush”? The alliterative sound would be improved & would not flush be more accordant with “morning gold” than blush which is [illegible]? I fancy I should also rather read “The [page 69:] silver blaring trumpets blow” — the alliteration is as good, & “snarling” seems scarcely so fit an adjective for the representative of a trumpet's sound. The last line but one — the penultimate — is weakened by the inversion — you know how Poe railed against such forms — and even at the risk of identical rhymes, I almost fancy — unless you find another rhyme such as “nought will sever,” which is weak — I should read it “Lives the charmed life that lives for ever, A Beauty and a Joy forever.” No! I don’t like that — so let it remain a beauty and a joy that ne’er will wane to me.
As you are kind enough to read my boyish lines, I have looked up quite a lot of my verses & will send them by book post. I enclose my “Farewell” & “The Recall,” mentioned in my last. Since that was written, I have published a few pieces but they were only those written previously. Poems by Dalton Stone was published in 1863, although I suffered the printer to persuade me into putting, or rather, allow him to put [18]64. My friends took somewhere about one hundred copies & a few were sent out for review — one bound & a dozen unbound I kept, & the rest I told the publisher to destroy, not wishing such immature, badly printed, & frequently incorrectly printed verses to get into circulation.
Returning to your letters: I cannot comprehend the behaviour of such men as Messrs. Gill & Stoddard — their negligence appears to me quite criminal. To the former I have written but not to the latter — nor do I think I shall — I am not gratified by his paper. I have written to Messrs. Eveleth, Davidson, President of Peabody Institute, Baltimore, to a friend of Miss Rosalie Poe, to Mr. Allibone (who does not seem too friendly either to Poe or to England), & to others. Mr. Gowans’ “Reminiscences” would be valuable, but copies of Poe's letters are what I now chiefly want. I daresay some of his letters are in New-York Historical Society's hands. I have asked Mr. Davidson to look them up. As regards Miss Poe, she is very badly off & I am trying to get her a little assistance in England & France. Alfred Tennyson, Swinburne, W. Rossetti, & others have promised me their aid. Her brother's name is a tower of strength in England. You should see the letters I get even about my “New Facts,” which were, indeed, new in England. The paper in Temple Bar does not contain anything new to you but as it may not appear this month — they have so much in hand — I will therefore send you my proofs in a day or two, but you must not let them go out of your hands or be seen by anyone who can make use of them until you receive the magazine with my article in, when of course, the more who see it, the better. You will see that said article was written before “New Facts” were known even to me. If there be anything you strongly object to in Temple Bar paper let me know at [page 70:] once, as I might yet be in time to alter again, but it can only be for aught very important.
I must copy a portion of one of Mr. Swinburne, the poet's letters, and ask your advice for my reply to any similar question:
Amongst all his poisonous {i.e., Griswold's} assertions there was but one — I hardly like to allude to it — which has always seemed to me, if one were compelled to believe it, inexplicable and intolerable — the rest, even if true, would not be damning accusations, or, however lamentable, beyond all excuse or comprehension of charity: I refer, of course, to the foul allegation of an attempt to extort money from a woman by threats of defamation in return for relief received, which were afterwards retracted under a counter threat of chastisement. Incredible as this vile story is, I have looked eagerly for a full & unanswerable refutation of it, point-by-point, which I hope you will be able to give; I do not find it touched upon in your present or first article. ... I wish, indeed, that poor Baudelaire were alive to see his own instinctive contradiction of Griswold's villainies confirmed by evidence, & to give the help it would have rejoiced him to offer to the poor lady who remains to represent the name which he honoured and made famous throughout France by his own labours. ... I am writing to Mr. Morris {the poet} & have commended the matter to him as to one of Poe's truest & warmest admirers. ... With best wishes for your success & sincere congratulations on the good work you have already done for the long & grievously outraged memory of the first true & great genius of America, believe me, yours very truly, {Signed} A. C. Swinburne.
In reply, I protested against acceptance of any tale told by Griswold, but added, as he might elsewhere hear, that like many of the doctor's slanders, it might have had a slight basis of rumour to go upon — this being a story well known to American literati of Poe's time — but that I could avow thus much, that in it the lady concerned was not a South Carolina lady,* did not lend Poe money, who did not threaten to publish any letters of her, & that altogether there was really nothing dishonorable to Poe in the affair.
Swinburne seems satisfied — have I said too much? Must I retreat into mere generalities? Without your consent not a word further. I have so much to say & ask that cannot be got thro’ by correspondence. Oh, “that I had the wings of a dove,” to get across the Atlantic & hear all that you would choose to impart. Cannot you get someone to copy such portions of the letters in your hands you will let me have — ’tis too trying for you — mark out what I may publish & what's only entre nous, but give the dates, if you can. As for the portraits, they will be invaluable. How can I repay you for such kind aid? I am, I fancy, in your pecuinary debt & must forward a remittance. Would I were rich! [page 71:] My portrait may be some time, so in my next, I must send you, pro tem, the only copy we have at home & which you should have had already but ’tis disfigured — how & by what sad means you shall someday hear. By the way, in about a fortnight we expect to be in our new home — proper address in my next.
Copy of letter about E.A.P. from his schoolmate Mr. Willis would be valuable: the more witnesses for the defence the better.
With regard to “Resurgemus,” I must know the poem before I can say emus or amus, but I should think the latter not probable. ’Tis third conjugation. I have made up a packet of scraps for you: do not bother to read, or at all events, correct them — they are full of errors — printers’ & others. Your poetical “call up him who left half told” in the real state of affairs might be more appropriately said: “Like the story of the Cat & Fiddle, begun & broke (sic) off in the middle.” I’ve some better pieces somewhere you shall have. Don’t trouble about Griswold's letters. I don’t wish to see anything of his — my opinion of poor old Mrs. Clemm or of anyone else not a word of his would alter. I see Allibone gives more pps. of the collected edition of Poe's works than my 4 vols. contain — what year is your edition? Mine is 1863. You may rely upon receiving all my information some day in an exhaustive biography of our hero.
Ever faithfully yours,
J. H. Ingram
[The following footnote appears at the bottom of page 70:]
* Do you know that Mrs. E[llet] (is she alive?) lived several years in S. Carolina?
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Notes:
None.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
[S:0 - PHR, 1979] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Bookshelf - Poe's Helen Remembers (J. C. Miller) (Entry 021)