Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 034: John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman, Mar. 31, 1874,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 100-103 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 100, continued:]

34. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman

My dear Mrs. Whitman,

I am getting settled in my new residence whither yours of the 16th has just arrived, but amid a chaos of books and papers, have been pursuing my writings marked “Important.” I personally packed & carried all my E.A.P. papers from one house to the other, amid the scarcely suppressed astonishment of my people, who fancy that I am tinged with the eccentricity of literature.

Your letters stir up strong emotions in my mind & in responding to them I find it difficult to restrain from indulging in personal & autobiographical feelings instead of confining myself to researches into the life, etc. of Edgar Poe. I fear, frequently, that I am not acting a friendly part to you “in stirring from their long repose” memories of yore — if so, forbear — but do not cease to be my correspondent. Your letters have become a joy to me, that I should be grieved to lose entirely. You cannot dream of the sad disasters which have haunted me thro’ life, nor of the terrible thoughts & intense depression of spirits which I am sometimes the prey of. What more than all adds anguish to my agony is my mental loneliness. I have a loving mother & kind sisters, but no one to comprehend me, or sympathize with me now. The res augusta domi have been but a small portion of our domestic troubles. It was terrible to lose worldly wealth & all the comforts which it brings, but that was slight compared with our other calamities. I have already confided to you thoughts & things untold to anyone else, and, therefore, dare tell you, what is not unknown, alas, [page 101:] but to too many — the terrible hereditary curse which over-hangs our devoted house & which is, indeed, the only thing I tremble before. It is insanity. Four near & dear relatives have, one after the other, succumbed to it. First one aunt & then another, & then my poor noble father, & now, within the last twelve months, one of my surviving sisters — a girl of but 24, has fallen under the curse & has had to be removed from home. My own mind is as clear & acute as possible & the family curse appears unlikely to descend upon me, especially if my worldly affairs jog along composedly, but still the mere knowledge of the taint in the blood is terrible. But there! I will not worry you any more just now on those matters, but return to Poe's works & life.

Whilst I think of it, do you know, or have you noticed any discrepancies between the printed copies of the poems? The facsimile in Harper's — I suppose it is a veritable facsimile — contains several differences to the poem of “Annabel Lee” in the 4-vol. collection. I am in the city & speak from memory. Harper — Stoddard's paper — concludes the verse, “In her tomb by the side of the sea” & in the 4-vol. collection it reads, “In the tomb by the sounding sea.” 4-vol. collection p. 19, has poem “To — — “. Should not last line but one, the penultimate, read “empurpled,” & not “unpurpled,” as there printed? En passant, my edition is full of printer's errors. Do you know to whom this poem was written? To one whose name was formed of “Two foreign soft dissylables.” You remember the poem “To One in Paradise”? Originally there was another verse, which I shall restore, as it more fully explains why the hero of “The Assignantion,” in which story it appears, should be deemed an Englishman. Do you know who “M.L.S.” is to whom the poem on page 111 is inscribed, but who is described as being dead? Do you think that Mrs. Helen S[tanard] had a daughter “Mary”? Poe published a poem in the South. Lit. Messenger, “To Mary”. You know the one, “Beloved, amid the early woes,” &c. Who was Mary?

By the way, I found those words of Longfellow's you quote, in Mr. J. Thompson's notice of Poe's death — he had so written amongst other matters to Mr. Thompson. Do you know of any sketch, or pictures, that could be got, or copies, of any place connected with Poe, besides the Fordham view in Harper's? It would be useful in the collected edition I am trying to arrange for, & in which, or rather, from which, I shall omit some minor literati & insert a few unknown pieces. Have you heard of, or seen anything of, the “Cryptology” papers yet? I have written to Mr. W. G. Simms. I cannot get any replies from the South, although I have written to several people. If Miss R. Poe would answer — even by proxy — I might raise a nice little sum for her. It is strange no notice is taken. As for Dr. Porteous! I don’t suppose he can be anybody here. There was a celebrated Porteous, a bishop, I fancy, [page 102:] who died ages ago & whose theological works, I expect, are still saleable, & this man probably trades on his name. It is quite amusing to read in American papers allusion to “celebrated” somebodies who are indeed unknown in England. I don’t say that Dr. Porteous is one of these men, but it is not probable. I never heard of him, nor have one or two I have asked. He may be a Scotchman.

As for Mr. Gill, I wrote to him & offered to purchase anything he might have disposable of Poe's, especially for copies of letters. I sent him “New Facts” from the Mirror, as I thought it might be useful for his lectures, but it is very crude & not very valuable. Directly my quarterly paper appears (in July) there will be something to work upon & I shall be glad for him to see it. I don’t know what to make of his abilities, or intentions, but if he really wishes to aid in giving a better view of Poe, he is heartily welcome to everything I can supply him with. If he answers me, I shall be able to judge better what his intentions are. If he has not obtained Mr. Clarke's collection, I should like to obtain it. How strange that his address cannot be obtained. Mr. Gill, probably, knows it. I have asked him.

You will have received my letters about non-arrival of your vol. of poems — it is most annoying. I do hope you will recover it — it could not have reached the British Post Office. Mr. Davidson did not appear to have gained much information when he wrote the letters enclosed in yours of the 13th date. Mr. Thompson's allusion to the Brownings is interesting, but Powell is very unreliable, both in his authors of England & America. I much doubt whether he met the people he speaks of, or even knew the circumstances he relates. His life of Poe is wildly fictitious, although so friendly. Stoddard's paper & quotations are made up entirely (save the last few columns) of your book,

Powell's, Griswold's, & the Eulogium — word for word in many cases without the inverted commas, or any reference, save to Griswold. ’Tis no less than downright robbery. To Mr. Davidson's letters again — he is right about H. B. Wallace. I thought it was W. Ross Wallace who wrote the “Literary Criticisms.” He does not, however, mention what they do say — only, I presume, the usual generalities.

What is that about “Landor's Cottage”? I did not ask. As for Mrs. Clemm's assertion that Poe never left America after his return from Dr. Bransby's school — which, by the way, is only a few minutes walk from my residence — do you think it reliable — probable? Russia, I feel assured he did not reach, but other parts of Europe, I believe, were visited. By the way, in your Broadway Journal, is the story of “Why the little Frenchman wears his hand in a Sling” marked as by Poe? “Lyttleton Barry,” I suppose, was a nom de plume? It is so inferior to his other stories.

The extract about “the widow” came this morning & not in former [page 103:] letter, as stated. I suppose it is utterly fictitious. I must send you the paper about “3 wives” — have not got it with me. Many thanks for the copy of a note — that will be strictly private. I keep all my Edgar Poe papers together & should anything happen to me they will all be carefully packed & sent to you. I should be troubled to think a single fact or link should be lost. However, I hope to be able to live to complete my appointed task — my labour of love — & a great many other things in futuro. As for my poor stories — that was a misfortune for me. I should have had them all published long ago, had they been taken care of. There was one called “Mortmere,” of which I possess a rough sketch, that I fancy was so strongly & unconsciously permeated with the spirit of “The House of Usher” & its owner, that I’m certain the critics would have founded a charge of plagiarism upon it. And yet, the imitation was entirely unconscious. I have not had the autograph letter facsimiled — that is to say the paragraph — but will get it done quickly & return it. I feel it a burden on my mind. I thought the publisher might like to have it done in some particular way, but as they take so much time over their settlements, I had better get it done & return it quickly. I have so much that I might say, but will leave off just for the nonce, remaining ever, believe me, yours most faithfully,

P.S. Don’t you want to know anything about any English or other European books or authors? I should like to do something for you.