Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 036: John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman, Apr. 2, 1874,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 106-109 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 106, continued:]

36. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman

My dear Mrs. Whitman,

Your letter dated [Mar.] 20th safely to hand & by following post the German brochure. Many thanks, indeed! Do you wish this translation back again? I have only just glanced over it yet but am very pleased with it & shall probably get it inserted with a few biographical words of Poe, in a German publication. In many climes & languages, I hope, eventually to extend his fame. This translation, so far as I have looked into it, seems very good — in some cases the triplicate rhymes even are preserved. You, of course, understand German. Who is the Mr. Whitman to whom the book is inscribed, may I ask?

I do not think “The Raven” could be translated into French, or even well into Italian, but I fancy it might be done in Spanish. I shall try some day. How poor that ballad of Byron's looks after the majestic [page 107:] gloom of the Raven & the mournful sway of the “Haunted Palace.”

Thanks for the suggestion as to the setting of the portrait — at present, however, I am keeping it (i.e., them) perdue. I want them engraved.

Never mind who makes use of, or how widely spread are, any printed papers of mine on E. A. Poe. I mean any published papers. I only wish secrecy about projected & unpublished matters.

As regards the Broadway Journal, as I have already said, I can see that (a few early numbers are missing) at the British Museum; therefore there is no necessity for the risk & expense of sending it. If there be anything of Poe's written in it, any note or remark, perhaps you can kindly copy it & let me know. Is there anything you can point out in it, such as any paper worth republication not in the 4-vol. edition? Do you know of any “Marginalia” elsewhere? I have found some in the S. Lit. Messenger in Mr. Thompson's time. Was “Littleton Barry” Poe's nom de plume? Some of the stories in the Broadway have that appended. I suppose the tale “Why the little Frenchman wears his hand in a Sling” is his? I don’t think it worthy of Poe. Can you point out anything not in the 4 vols.?

Kindly let me have any extract from or portion of his letters that I may publish, at once, can you? And any reminiscence that may be published. The publishers I hope to arrange with have written today for my MS. “Memoir.” I shall have to send them a portion & the rest as soon as possible. Anything that comes to light subsequently must wait for another edition. I dare say I shall be shortly able to announce that arrangements for publication are complete. The advantage of bringing out the “Memoir” prefixed to the works is very great, as you will perceive. I shall incorporate all that I possibly can of E.P. & His Critics, duly acknowledging my indebtedness.

I have so much to say but neither time nor method just now for saying it, but I dare say you think I give you quite enough to read — but what a boon a personal chat would be! We may have it some day, but I want to say & ask everything at once. I am fearfully impatient & yet, strange to say, doggedly persevering. Never let go a matter which I have set my heart upon. Some day I must give you a short biographical sketch of myself, not for egotistic motives, but that you may know & thoroughly trust me.

As for my poor faith — alas! I fear that — well, no — I am not like Lucretius, & yet — dare I tell you? My researches have ended in making me believe all things possible but nothing certain. I hope — hope — hope, & that is the most I can do.

To your letter: I am sorry that your book miscarried, because I longed to make it & its thoughts mine. The sonnets came with “The Raven” — of them more hereafter. The notice from Putnam's of the Lecture on [page 108:] the Female Poets (vide Atkinson) came safely — Harper's? — but not from the Tribune, I fancy. I am at office & must look through your papers again this evening. The Tribune could not have come — I could not forget it.

Don’t get Tuckerman's Life of Kennedy. There is not much about Edgar Poe. First an extract from Griswold of the prize story — acknowledged as from Griswold — then copy of a note & a letter from Poe & and a few kindly remarks from Mr. Kennedy's diary about him. All this you will find in my “Memoir” & made the very utmost use of. Kennedy says he had many letters from Poe & by his will he left two bound volumes of autograph letters from eminent men to the Peabody Institute, Baltimore. I sent a letter to the President of the Institute asking him to kindly favour me with copies of any letters of E.A.P. that might be there. Answer could have come more than a week ago, but no reply. Nor can I get any reply from the South from people I have written to. If Miss Rosalie Poe would only acknowledge my letters or get someone to I could help her materially, but no letter comes. I have not heard from Mr. Gill. I sent him No. 2 of “New Facts” to use if he liked & asked about Mr. Clarke's collection. If that could only be got. I’d send the money at once, although for a week or two I shall not have any spare cash. I owe you a good bit, I’m sure, & will duly remit it. You can dispose of it — if you don’t want it — in buying something of Poe's for me. I should like to get either of the earlier collections of poems, or even the 1845 collection. The 1829 & 1831 were privately circulated only, I believe. The first at Baltimore published by Hatch & Dunning, 84 pps., & the 2nd at New York by E. Bliss, 124 pps.

[The last page of this letter has its corners torn off and the fragments lost; both sides of the page are fragmented. That below is all that could be salvaged.]

I want to make use of some of the earlier versions & will only quote the better portion, but I should be glad if you would let me use nearly all “The Paean.” If you still say no, of course I will not, but except the verse about a “costly ‘broidered pall,” I do not think there is a thing to be withheld — but I await your decision.

The 1827 edition, I fear, was a “mystification,” and I had better not say too much about it.

One moment reverting to Tuckerman. I like his works frequently, but he is wearisome with surplus energy [illegible] of his critiques. Do you know his paper on Leopardi, my favorite Italian after Dante? There were some allusions in that German work you have just sent me, very interesting to me, i.e., to Lenau, the German; to Mangan (who is quite unknown in England); to Alfred de Musset, etc. Oh, what talks [page 109:] we could have! Why are we so wide apart? That book will supply the autograph; it is a good one, I think, because in the British Museum I have just discovered a work edited, I fancy, by Tuckerman with autographs of American writers, extracts from each of Poe's, an extract from [illegible] critique, or rather eulogy of Mrs. Osgood.

Can you tell me the name of the writer on that paper on Willis — ’tis really important — & to guess is no good.

Poor Mr. Davidson. I have suffered too much myself not to feel for him, although I am thankful to say I am emerging from my troubles of that class. Oh, that I could help all who need it — my heart is thoroughly sore with grieving for those who want help, but whom I cannot assist.

As for “Isadore,” I cannot help feeling that Poe must have had a hand in it, but I may be wrong. Don’t withhold your belief from any one on my account. I fear no man's opinion. I told the editor that I had no certainty of it being Poe's, but he was only too glad to get it on suspicion. You see what he says. Swinburne, who is enthusiastic about Poe, says, “I don’t think it is by Poe, but by a disciple of his,” or words to that effect.