Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 075: John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman, Nov. 27 and Nov. 30, 1874,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 227-231 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 227, continued:]

75. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman

My very dear friend,

Your kind acknowledgement of the book is to hand — it is, I presume, the copy I have written in — the other copy will doubtless have reached you a day or two later. Any friends wanting copies, must either get them from England, or from Mr. Campbell, bookseller, Toronto.

I have some portraits of Poe — i.e., the engraving not cut to book size: [page 228:] two for you, one for Mr. Davidson, & one for Virginia University — but I am undecided how best to send them — by bookpost, or how. I shall hear on Monday.

The vol. Mr. Harris is going to lend me is not yet arrived. I am anxious to see it to confirm my paper in the Gentleman's Magazine which was partially founded on a communication to the Philobiblion, numbers 2, or 4, published at New York, in 1862 — small 4°. This information may be interesting to Mr. Harris. Should he ever get a duplicate or spare copy of any of Poe's early writings, prose or verse, I should like to purchase, if anyway reasonable.

I am positive that some of Poe's early verses were not verbatim from an early edition. I should be glad to hear the 1827 edition established as a fact, having long sought to find out, but the early pieces went through various corrections. Several appeared in the S. Lit. Messenger in an earlier & inferior state to that of the 1845 edition.

As regards Miss Peckham, I wrote to her, at her old address, Rue Bonaparte, end of last month & have had no reply — how busy she must be!

That paragraph in the Tribune signed “G.W.S.” about [the] English edition of Poe was the act of an envious or malicious creature. You know that Poe is popular in America (at all events his writings are) & in England he is immensely popular, as the reviews of this new edition testify. Certainly he is popular in France, but that does not prove his genius alien to English-speaking lands. His poetry is especially English but his fame is universal. France borrows very little literature from the Rhineland, but is ofttimes borrowed. The allusion to the contes fantastiques is to Hoffmann, who was anything but a Rhinelander. There are many German editions of Poe's poems & tales. Will you tell Mr. Harris, please, what I say about the early poems?

I have not seen Spielhagen's essay on E. Poe — but will see it. His Problematical Characters was extensively reviewed. I wish you could republish E.P. & His Critics — it would take well over here just now.

You had a reprint of the Academy notice of my papers — they have not noticed the book yet through a muddle of the editor. He, it seems, arranged with three different people (this entre nous — all have written their papers & two (I know) have had them back — hence a muddle & a delay. ’Tis a pity, because it is sure to be a valuable critique. I thought to send you copies of all the reviews but cannot get them all myself, & it does not matter — they are all (about one hundred will appear! ) extremely good & all to the same tune — not a doubt as to my theory being correct.

I send you the Standard (which is about the shortest & most lukewarm) notice because it mentions your name. The Morning Advertiser, because, I fancy, Sawyer (editor of the late Mirror) wrote it. [page 229:] I don’t know who writes any of them. And will send Dundee Advertiser because it must be written by Gilfillan! & he makes the amende honorable! Read it. Some papers acknowledge Poe as unapproachably the chief author of America & others waver between Poe & Hawthorne. No one disputes Poe's supremacy as the first poet of America.

In my last I spoke of Mrs. Gove Nichols — she is coming up to town before Christmas & has promised me a chat. She knew the Poes well — knows you — & has met Mrs. Ellet in society. Read enclosed & burn it — don’t return it. “M.L.S.,” to whom the poem by Poe, is now the wife of Dr. Roland Houghton, who has been associated with Revd. John Hopkins in editing a church (Episcopal) paper in New York. She is likely to have many souvenirs of E. A. Poe. ... Graham is dead. Mrs. Hale, once editor of Godey's Lady's Book, is a likely person to know of Poe in Philadelphia. Of Mrs. Clemm & her goodness & fidelity to Poe I will tell you when I see you — Mrs. Nichols says thus. Her reminiscences will be delightful. Do you know the address[es] of the people she mentions? Perhaps Mrs. Nichols may know herself.

I’m so pleased you like the book. I’ve been quite nervous about it. So much cry, so little wool — but you know how it was strung together — by it, I mean the “Memoir.” We shall live, I hope, to see something better, however. I’m glad you like the portrait. Blacks wanted it more idealized. I like it as it is.

You do not say whether you are better. I sincerely trust so — & your sister too — is she?

Can you get me a copy without much trouble of Griswold's letter to Mr. Pabodie? I think you once said you could do so. Can you say where Poe stayed in Providence? Was it at Earl's Hotel? This is not of much consequence. You will see from my “Memoir” how much I have still to learn about my hero — his early life especially. But someone — doubtless Neilson Poe — stifles inquiry at Baltimore. N[eilson] P[oe] tells everybody who applies to him that he will write & has written to me, but never a letter can I get from him. This morning, to my pleased surprise, a very nice long letter from Miss Peckham, who seems cheerful & industrious. The book — Vol. 1 — the publishers tell me is going off very well. I enclose prospectus for your friends. Will you distribute these? It will be cheaper from Toronto than from Edinburgh.

Once upon a time you were going to copy other letters of Poe for me. You know that I shall be glad to see such, but do not attempt to do it unless you feel quite able. I trust the cold weather will not affect you badly: it has turned quite winterly. And now, until our next meeting, ever faithfully am I yours,

[page 230:]

My dear Mrs. Whitman,

I reopen my letter to add a few words. On Saturday (28th) a very good review of Vol. 1 in the Spectator, a very high class publication. Saw Mrs. Lewis, who has agreed to lend her portrait — a daguerreotype taken 3 months before his death — of Poe to be engraved for Vol. iv. This will be an acquisition. Vol. ii not yet to hand.

Saw on same day at British Museum a little vol. I had, strangely, long overlooked — a translation of some of Poe's tales into Spanish, with a critical biographical essay by translator. This volume is the first of a series of Spanish & Foreign books of fame & the publisher's prospectus says, “We cannot commence this library better than by a vol. of Edgar Poe's works — his fame being universal,” &c. I shall try to get a copy of the book but fear ’tis out of print now — ’twas published in 1858.

This morning I have received a letter from Mrs. Gove Nichols who says she will not spare any trouble to assist me, as you approve of my labours. She speaks in the highest terms of Mrs. Clemm's devotion to her nephew. She will be in town soon & give me all information in her power. “M.L.S.” was Mrs. Shew — she was very good to the Poes during Virginia's last illness. Mrs. Nichols introduced Poe to her. She does not know her present address. John Brougham, who was very intimate with Burton, she thinks might help us. Also Mrs. Botta (Miss Lynch) — do you think Mrs. Botta could give you any more information, or copies of any letters from Poe?

Today I have also received a most interesting letter from Dr. Hand Browne & a copy of his paper on Eureka, &c. published in the New Eclectic magazine.(1) I have not had time to read the essay, but it seems to coincide strangely, what I’ve seen of it, with the Spanish essay, which dwells strongly upon Poe's scientific attainments. This Spanish article I shall translate — it is so good & favourable. Dr. Browne encloses copy of a letter from John Neal enclosing short copy of one of Poe's notes of no great value. In a future letter I shall quote much of Dr. Browne's letter. He hopes to get much information from Neilson Poe — who is away just now from Baltimore — & knows his son well. The latter declares Poe was born in Boston & alludes to Poe's own declaration — vide Griswold's quotation from Broadway Journal — over the Boston Lyceum affair. Poe was “cooped,” he [Browne] reiterates, & drugged.

Mr. Neal's evidence would seem to support the idea of an 1827 edition of poems.

Mr. Gill has called on Dr. Browne who says of him (Mr. Gill), “I doubt whether he knows anything of value.” Mrs. Oakes Smith is spoken of as having been a friend of Poe's, & others, whom I shall now [page 231:] write to.(2) The key to all these mysteries will yet be found by yours ever & aye,

 

1. William Hand Browne, “Poe's ‘Eureka’ and Recent Scientific Speculations,” New Eclectic, 5 (Aug. 1869), 190-99.

2. Mrs. Elizabeth Oakes Prince Smith (1806-1893), author, lecturer, and reformer, married the American humorist Seba Smith in 1823. Her letters to Ingram and Mrs. Whitman, her personality, and her articles about Edgar Poe will figure largely in the correspondence ahead, with few of the remarks being complimentary.