Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 170: John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman, Feb. 3, 1877,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 471-473 (This material is protected by copyright)

[page 471, continued:]

170. John H. Ingram to Sarah Helen Whitman

My dear Friend,

A severe bronchial attack, which has kept me confined to the house for some days and rendered me unfit for anything, prevented my writing sooner to acknowledge yours of the 9th and Didier's Life, the first copy of this latter yet to hand. I shall be anxious to get your next, as in this (of 9th) you speak of suffering from an attack of bronchitis yourself.

We are having the most singular winter that I ever recollect — no cold or snow since early in November, but “the rain it raineth every day.” England will soon be swamped.

I am glad you like the large copy of the portrait. It has not been much liked here. The Athenaeum was cruel on it, & the Academy was not very enthusiastic — of the smaller copies folks are very severe. I shall try & get your suggestions about it carried into effect.

The Balt[imore] Mem[orial] Volume] portrait is, doubtless, very good for Poe in those latter days. Didier's is a vulgar copy of the [page 472:] Osgood one; in fact, Didier seems to vulgarize all he touches. I prefer Griswold's ghastly, gaunt, & even fiendish portraiture, to Didier's man-milliner sort of puppet. As for his data, as you, of course, have detected, they are more mischievous & misleading than those of any work on Poe yet published — scarcely a page but is full of errors. He has copied my vindication extensively, as you see, but even then, he has either copied me when I have been in error, or he has made a “muddle” of my facts. As I have told you, Mrs. Poe died before the fire. Stoddard was quite right there — & that alone would have invalidated the statements of old Mr. Clarke. Entre nous, I do not believe the old man the sole author of all that fictitious tale — vide Colonel Preston's “Reminiscences,” which are, undoubtedly correct.(1) Poe was in England 1816-21-22. From birth to death the book is unreliable, untrue, & some statements are, evidently, purposely mistold — such as the date of Poe's marriage, so as to make his letter to Mr. Kennedy (really written many months before wedding) (that is from the extract of the letter I give) seem written in dejection because of his separation from his wife. The account of Virginia's death, purposely, or otherwise, given out of Mrs. Nichols’ recollections (in my “Memoir”), of her illness, as her death-bed — is all fictitious. I have letters of Poe & Mrs. Clemm which prove how everything needed for their darling was provided — by Mrs. Houghton & others. Mais, c’est assez — n’est ce pas?

What I object to most is not the errors of fact — and you must not accept aught in the book without corroboration — but the tone. I would rather see Poe enveloped in clouds of horror & mystery than made a dandyfied Minerva-press hero. My Baltimore friends are, apparently, of my way of thinking. By the way, how comes it that Didier boasts of the acquaintanceship of Neilson Poe, & many others who knew Poe — classmates, &c. (who have given me correct statements) & yet makes such stupid mistakes? This looks queer. Besides, Mrs. Clemm could not have told him some of the things here.

I have, you see, between 40 & 50 of Poe's & Mrs. Clemm's (mostly unpublished) letters to go by, besides other data numberless.

I have lent Didier to two literati, who are well-versed in Poeana, & they may review it. Entre nous, one is the author of the British Q[uarterly] Review article.

I wrote some time ago to Miss Peckham but have not had reply — this I must expect after my long silence to her.

Mallarmé's sonnet, as pointed out to Browne, was full of errata. He says an exact copy was made but copy Mallarmé has sent me is very different. Pity facsimile was not made.

I want to facsimile many of Poe's poems — of which I possess the originals — beginning with “The Coliseum” & ending with “The Bells.” By the way, do you know anything of “El Dorado”? When & [page 473:] where it was first published?(2) It is about the only one of which I have not the history — was it, think you, posthumous & unfinished?

How tiresome about Gill's book being put off! But then! Doubtless there was nothing much new in it. It would not be worth buying (his material, I mean) through a third party, think you? I could never get a copy of Laurel Leaves.

Balt[imore] Mem[orial] Vol[ume] is much liked here. It is very pleasantly “got up,” but I should have liked my name left out of the different letters included in it.

Your “Introductory Letter” was the best part of Didier's book. I see he has a line or two more of Poe's letters to you than hitherto published. Which are the “Additional Poems”?

Do you know any possessors of large collections of autographs in America who may have letters of Poe's they would permit copies of?

Did I tell you I had obtained the Tales of the Grotesque & Arabesque? 1840 edition.

I have been reading Mrs. Browning's letters, published by Horne. She speaks of Poe's “The Raven.”

Was that a correct translation of Mallarmé's letter in Didier's Life?

Au revoir,

 

1. Col. J. T. L. Preston and Edgar Poe had been schoolmates at a classical school in Richmond. The speech he delivered during the ceremonies at the unveiling of the monument to Poe in Baltimore on Nov. 17, 1875, was printed in the memorial volume, pp. 37-42, as “Some Reminiscences of Edgar A. Poe as a Schoolboy.”

2. “El Dorado” was first published in the Flag of our Union, Apr. 21, 1849.