8128 P743.e EDGAR ALLAN POE Letters and Documents. "QUINN and HA RT TI1111 tIIHI l 411LTIlIL I U t U U LIST OF PUBLICATIONS AMERICANA ADAMS, HENRY. Esther, A Novel (1884). ($3.50) ALLEN, ETHAN. Reason the only oracle of man (1784). ($5.00) EMERSON, RALPH WALDO. Nature (1836). ($3.50) GOMARA, FRANCISCO LOPEZ DE. The Pleasant historie of the Conquest of the Weast India atchieved by H. Cortes (1578). ($5.00) GRAY, R. A Good Speed to Virginia (1609); (with R. RICH. Newes from Virginia). ($2.00) MORTON, NATHANIEL. New Englands Memoriall (1669).($4.00) RICH, RICHARD. Newes from Virginia (1610); (with R. GRAY. A Good Speed to Virginia). ($2.00) WARD, NATHANIEL. The Simple Cobbler of Aggawam (1647). ($3.00) WASHINGTON, GEORGE. Journal (1754). ($1.50) WEBSTER, NOAH. Sketches of American Policy (1785). ($1.50) WHITAKER, ALEXANDER. Good Newes from Virginia (1613). ($2.00) WILMER, LAMBERT A. Merlin, A Play About Poe (1827). ($1.50) ENGLISH CAIUS, JOHN. A Boke of... the... Sweatyng Sicknesse (1552). ($2.50) CAMPION, EDMUND. Historie of Ireland (c. 1571). ($4.50) CECIL, WILLIAM. The Execution of Justice in England (1583). ($2.00) ELYOT, SIR THOMAS. The Castel of Helth (1541). ($4.00) GRANGE, JOHN. The Golden Aphroditis and Granges Garden of Verse (1577). ($3.00) HENRY THE MINSTREL. Actis 8 Deidis of. Schir William Wallace (1570). ($4.00) JOURDAIN, SILVESTER. A discovery of the Barmudas, otherwise called the Isle of Divels (1610). ($2.00) MERES, FRANCIS. Palladis Tamia (1598). ($8.00) NICCOLS, RICHARD. The Beggars Ape (1623). ($1.50) SPAGNNUOLI, BAPTISTA (MANTUANUS). The Eglogs (1567). ($4.00) VAN DER NOOT, JAN. A Theatre for Voluptuous Worldlings (1569).,($5.00) EDGAR ALLAN POE Letters and Documents in the Enoch Pratt Free Library EDITED BY ARTHUR H. QUINN John Welsh Centennial Professor of History and English Literature, University of Pennsylvania AND RICHARD H. HART Head of Literature Department, Enoch Pratt Free Library Hed fLie r-trAD New York SCHOLARS' FACSIMILES ~ REPRINTS 1941 Copyright 1941 by the Enoch Pratt Free Library. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the Library, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper. EDGAR ALLAN,POE A Portrait by Thomas C. Corner Painted in 1934 from the Best Extant Likenesses of Poe In the EDGAR ALLAN POE Room The Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore FOREWORD In October, 1936, the Enoch Pratt Free Library received from Miss Margaret Cheston Carey of Baltimore a. gift of manuscripts, books.and. other printed material relating to Edgar Allan Poe. These letters and documents, thus finally assured of permanent preservation, are all that remain of the family papers of Edgar Allen. Poe, which were in Mrs. Clemm's possession at the time of his death. When Mrs. Maria Clemm, Poe's aunt and mother-in-law, died at the Church Home and Infirmary in Baltimore, February 16, 1871, by her last request Neilson Poe received her scant personal possessions, including all Edgar's papers she had been able to retain since his death in 1849. Neilson Poe, her second cousin, was the grandson of her uncle, George Poe. He had been her most loyal friend and was one of the few members of the Poe family who aided Edgar in his lifetime and defended his reputation after his death, At the death ofNeilson Poe, his daughter, Miss Amelia Fitzgerald Poe, cared for the collection and added to it a number of books, periodicals and newspaper excerpts. relating to Poe. When she died. she bequeathed the material to her nephew, the Reverend Neilson Poe Carey of Massachusetts. When Dr. Carey died in 1935 he left. the collection to his sister with.the instruction that it was to be placed. in some public institution where it would receive expert care and would be open to inspection by scholars. In addition to its intrinsic value and literary interest this collection has a special importance because of its personal associations with the poet. The few personal mementoes include a lock of his hair and one of Virginia's, 'everal photographs, and pieces of bric-a-brac which Poe owned and handled. All important manuscript items have been preserved in special mountings. Miss Amelia Poe had fastened a number of less significant letters and documents in a scrapbook, which has been kept unaltered, as has also her extensive volume of newspaper clippings. Among the Poe editions in the collection are the Raven and other poems of 1845 in the original paper cover, and the Tales of 1845. From time to time a selection of the manuscripts and books is exhibited in the Library's Edgar Allan Poe Room. This memorial to Poe, dedicated in 1933,-is a small reading room on the Second floor of the Central Library Building. Over the mantel hangs the original of the portrait which appears as the frontispiece of this volume, painted by Mr. Thomas C. Corner in 1933 after a prolonged study of the extant portraits and photographs of Poe. After sevenA years, during which the manuscripts of the Amelia. F. Poe collection have been examined by many students, scholars, and critics, the Trustees and Librarian decided that the most interesting items should be published. Dr. Arthur Hobson Quinn, John Welsh Centennial Professor of History and English Literature in the University of Pennsylvania, generously consented to supervise the preparation of this volume. v The material chosen for inclusion concerns Poe's personal relationships. The link that connects all but two or three of the items is the personality of Mrs. Maria Clemm. The earlier letters deal with family problems and with Poe's unceasing struggle to secure enough cash for the daily needs of his wife, his aunt, and himself. The second group of letters centers about his last days and death. Finally, the most interesting letters relating to Poe have been chosen from the many received by Mrs. Clemm between 1849 and her death in 1871. The three letters of John H. Ingram have been added because of their interest in connection with biographical research on Poe. The absence of signature and breaks in the text will be noted in several of the letters in Poe's hand. These were cut out for autograph hunters. The word "incomplete" is used to indicate these mutilations, and also appears at the end of several letters of which the final portion is missing. The contents of this volume represent only a few of the three hundred items in the Amelia F. Poe collection. The remainder, while probably not of sufficient significance to warrant inclusion in a work of reference, has still considerable interest to students of Poe and his circle. Any properly qualified person may, after having secured the permission of the Librarian, examine the entire collection. Readers who wish to investigate in greater detail the circumstances of Poe's life discussed in this volume will find a lively and vivid narrative in Hervey Allen's Israfel, a biography apparently based largely on previous printed sources and somewhat marred by inaccuracies. The lives by George E. Woodberry and James A. Harrison are conscientious and scholarly compilations; but the work of the past thirty years has revealed much new material as well as some inaccuracies due chiefly to the scantier sources formerly available. Mary Phillips' Poe the Man is a labor of love and contains a splendid collection of illustrations; but because of faults in selection of material, arrangement and literary style, it leaves much to be desired as a definitive life of Poe. This we shall have at last in Edgar Allan Poe, a Critical Biography by Arthur Hobson Quinn, to be published by the Appleton-Century Company, in the autumn of 1941. The editors wish to thank Dean James Southall Wilson of the University of Virginia and Dr. Thomas Ollive Mabbott of Hunter College for their interest and help in the preparation of this volume. Mr. Beverly Magee of the Library staff has given generously of his time in checking transcripts of the letters with the holograph manuscripts and reading the proofs. RICHARD H. HART Baltimore February, 1941 vi "s'', TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES PORTRAIT OF EDGAR ALLAN POE............... facing page v FOREWORD......................................... v-vi TEXT OF LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS................... 1-80 I THE ORIGINAL MS. OF "A VALENTINE" (with facsimile) 1 II FROM AN EARLIER DAY Number One, George Poe, Jr. to William Clemm, Jr., March 6, 1809.................. 3 III EDGAR POE'S LETTERS TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS Number Two, Edgar Poe to Maria Clemm and her daughter Virginia, August 29, [1835] (with facsimile).................. 7 Number Three, William Poe to Maria Clemm, November 29, 1835.............. 11 Number Four, Edgar Allan Poe to George Poe, Jr., January 12, 1836.J............... 13 Number Five, Maria Clemm to George Poe, Jr., February 21, 1836............... 15 Number Six, Edgar Allan Poe to F. W. Thomas and. Jesse E. Dow, March 16, 1843 (with facsimile)....................... 16 Number Seven, Edgar Allan Poe to Maria Clemm, April 7, [1844] (with facsimile).... 19 Number Eight, Edgar Allan Poe to Neilson Poe, August 8, 1845................. 22 Number Nine, Edgar Allan Poe to George Poe, Jr., November 30, 1845... 23 Number Ten, Edgar Allan Poe to Maria Clemm, September 18, 1849 (with facsimile).: 24 IV POE'S DEATH AND ITS AFTERMATH Number Eleven, Elmira Shelton to Maria Clemm, September 22, 1849............. 26 Number Twelve, Maria Clemm to Neilson Poe, October 9, 1849 (with facsimile)... 28 Number Thirteen, Neilson Poe to Maria Clemm, October 11, 1849................ 29 Number Fourteen, Dr. J.J. Moran to Maria Clemm, November 15, 1849 (with facsimile).. 31 vii PAGES V POE'S FRIENDS AND MARIA CLEMM Number Fifteen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, October 28, [1849]............... 34 Number Sixteen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, November 24, [1851] with facsimile) 36 Number Seventeen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, February 3, [1852-1854?]... 39 Number Eighteen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, March 10, [1859]......... 41 Number Nineteen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, April 4, 1859............ 43 Number Twenty, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, April 17, 1859............. 45 Number Twenty-one, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, April [?]) 1859......... 48 Number Twenty-two, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, November 27, [1859]...... 50 Number Twenty-three, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, February 28, 1860.......... 51 Number Twenty-four, Nancy Locke Heywood Richmond ("Annie") to Maria Clemm, [October 10, 1849]................ 53 Number Twenty-five, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, October 14, [1849]........55 Number Twenty-six, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, [December, 1854?] (with facsimile)...................... 56 Number Twenty-seven, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, June 15, [1856]......... 58 Number Twenty-eight, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, October 5, 1862............ 60 Number Twenty-nine, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, November 4, 1864........ 61 Number Thirty, "Annie" Richmond to Marie Clemm, July 14, 1867................. 62 Number Thirty-one, Maria Clemm to Neilson Poe, April 5, 1860.................. 64 Number Thirty-two, Maria Clemm to Neilson Poe, February 19, 1861.............. 65 Number Thirty-three, Maria Clemm to Neilson Poe, September 19, 1863.............. 66 viii PAGES VI TRIBUTES FROM POE'S FELLOW CRAFTSMEN Number Thirty-four, N. P. Willis to Maria Clemm, October 12, 1864............... 67 Number Thirty-five, N. P. Willis to Maria Clemm, October 27, 1864................ 68 Number Thirty-six, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to Maria Clemm, July 2, 1860........ 69 Number Thirty-seven, Oliver Wendell Holmes to Maria Clemm, December 14, 1851....... 71 Number Thirty-eight, Gabriel Harrison to Maria Clemm, December 27, 1865............. 72 VII THE TROUBLES OF POE'S ENGLISH BIOGRAPHER Number Thirty-nine, John H. Ingram to Neilson Poe, October 7, 1874................ 74 Number Forty, John H. Ingram to Amelia F. Poe, February 7, 1895........... 77 Number Forty-one, John H. Ingram to Mrs. H. M. Thomas, July 14, 1913......... 79 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE................................ 81 INDEX.......................................... 82 ix I THE ORIGINAL MS. OF "A VALENTINE" Poe's sentimental adventure with Mrs. Frances Sargent Osgood, of which this poem is one of the episodes, began in March, 1845 when N. P. Willis brought him to call upon her at the Astor House. She was an attractive woman of thirty-four, married to an artist who later painted a portrait of Poe, which is preserved in the New York Historical Society. Men and women alike praised and liked her. Poe and Mrs. Osgood conducted a literary courtship, mainly in the Broadway Journal, during 1845. On April 5 she published over one of her pen names, "Violet Vane," the verses "So Let It Be, To-", "iPerhaps you think it right and just, Since you are bound by nearer ties, To greet me with that careless tone, With those serene and silent eyes.'" Poe replied on April 26 by verses addressed "To F-", which had already been published earlier as "To Mary", and "To One Departed", and the affair was on. A Valentine" seems to have been read on February 14, 1846 at a party given: by Miss Anne C. Lynch at her home in New York. It was published in the Evening Mirror on February 21, 1846 with the title "'To Her Whose Name is Written Below". It is perhaps unnecessary to explain that if one reads the first letter of the first line, the second of the second line and so on, the name "Frances Sergeant Osgood" will result. But Poe in this manuscript misspelled her middle name "Sargent", so in:later versions, including the text usually adopted from the Flag of Our Union, March 3, 1849, there are several changes. The most important lay in the substitution for the last five verses of the manuscript poem the following four lines; "'Its letters although naturally lyingy--- Like the Knight Pinto (Mendez Ferdinando)--- Still form a synonym for truth. Cease trying! You will not read the riddle though you do the best you CAN do." No poem of this kind can be very significant, but the artificial nature of the revision is even more apparent than that of the original manuscript form here printed. The friendship continued with approval and even encouragement [1] from Virginia and Mrs. Clemm until, through the bad offices of Mrs. Elizabeth Ellet, a trouble-making gossip, Mrs. Osgood became apprehensive that Poe was not treating her letters to him as confidentially as they deserved. She demanded their return, and, possibly at the same time, in the summer of 1846, she gave back to Poe the fair copy of the valentine on which, as the facsimile shows, she had traced the letters of her name. Almost upon her death bed in 1850, Mrs. Osgood wrote her vigorous and touching defence of Poe's character. For Her Whose Name is Written Within Valentine's Eve. 1846 For her these lines are penned, whose luminous eyes, Bright and expressive as the stars of Leda, Shall find her own sweet name that, nestling, lies Upon this page, enwrapped from every reader. Search narrowly these words, which hold a treasure Divine-a talisman, an amulet That must be worn at heart. Search well the measureThe words-the letters themselves. Do not forget The smallest point, or you may lose your labor. And yet there is in this no Gordian knot Which one might not undo without a sabre If one could merely understand the plot. Upon the open page on which are peering Such sweet eyes now, there lies, I say, perdu, A musical name oft uttered in the hearing Of poets, by poets-for the name is a poet's too. In common sequence set, the letters lying, Compose a sound delighting all to hearAb, this you'd have no trouble in descrying Were you not something, of a dunce, my dearAnd now I leave these riddles to their Seer. E.A.P. [2] !i *; - -?--P -. - -.r;,.it;; jt ~ ~r~c-'7s'r 2 (454 Si$, k/ezudenCtn~ *-, a44tcct *~J: * 1~ ____~~ 44-f' t~a >-s t tA.tftJ '1 O 9 /,) / 4A..r -* z./*f~rIlAr"YsJ n IX e!fA~S #AS (7 A1 zrr'- wt9. cc'r cc CFr2L ~.Y-t I Ie - -* * S/7 jr-- II FROM AN EARLIER DAY Number One, George Poe, Jr. to William Clemm, Jr., March 6, 1809. This letter, published for the first time, is of signal importance because it contains a copy of the only known letter of David Poe, Jr., father of Edgar Allan Poe. It is incomplete, unsigned, and unaddressed. Internal evidence proves that it was written by someone named "George." This was George Poe, Jr. (1778-1864), son of George Poe, Sr. (1741 -1823, and therefore a first cousin of David Poe, Jr. George Poe, Jr. was born in Baltimore, was supercargo from 1799 to 1806, on voyages to South America, and later was banker in Pittsburgh and Mobile. He became prosperous, and David Poe, Jr. naturally turned to him for help. In December 1808, George Poe, Jr. married Anna Maria Potts, daughter of James Potts, of the well-known Pennsylvania family for which Pottstown and Pottsville are named. Her mother, Anna Stocker, also was a member of a prominent family, which gave its name to Stockerton, (now Stockertown) in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Easton and near the border of New Jersey. A letter from George Poe to William Clemm, Jr. from Curacao, March 17, 1806, now in the Pratt Collection, 'identifies the handwriting as that of the writer of the letter here printed. "Dear Bill" was William Clemm, Jr. (1779-1826). He had married in 1804 Harriet Poe, George Poe's sister. He is identified by the names Catherine and William, corresponding to his children's names, and by the earlier letter from George Poe, Jr. Clemm's first wife died in 1815 and in 1817 he married Maria Poe, sister of David Poe, Jr., and aunt and mother-in-law of Edgar Allan Poe. David Poe, Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Poe were acting in Boston during the season of 1808-1809. Edgar had been born on January 19, 1809, and Mrs. Poe returned to the stage on February 10 when she acted Rosamunda, and David, Contarino, in Abaellino. David was absent from that date until April 17, 1809 when he reappeared as Laertes and Mrs. Poe played Ophelia in support of John Howard Payne's Hamlet. David Poe's letter makes clear for the first time the reason for his absence from the stage. He was evidently looking for help to pay the expenses of his wife's confinement. It reveals his attitude toward his profession and the dislike of the Poe family for the theatre and its people. It indicates clearly, also, the nature of the heritage which came to Edgar Poe from his father. [3] Stockerton, March 6th, 1809. My dear Bill, I am mortified by the reflection of my want of even civility which alone ought to have induced an answer to your first letter-I entreat you to think it did not spring from any lack of friendship, but to attribute to the right cause, which is that I did not then feel exactly in that frame of mind which is indispensibly necessary to me when I would write you a letter-I confess I wrote John two or three letters since I have written you one. but then you must recollect they were mere letters of business full of mercantile phrases, technical terms & prices current that would ill suit the case of a Pastoral swain surrounded by his flocks, Z herds purling streams and murmuring rills.&c as you are.-therefore having as I hope made a sufficient apology for my seeming forgetfulness we will drop this subject-I am really very glad to find Catharine ~& William have recovered and hope they may enjoy perfect health - As for the note we'll say nothing about that-I am convinced you will as soon as you can sooner you know you cannot-only remember that the sooner the more to my advantage-I have been somewhat troubled within the last few days by a couple of Baltimoreans, connexions of oursYou may have heard my Father speak of a visit I had a few days -ago from young Roscius. well, he is one of the Gentlemen alluded to: the other "tho' last not least" in my estimation for respectability in society, is Mr. Thomas Williams, familiarly called by those well acquainted with him Yellow Tom, alias Tom Gibson or by others who take pleasure in reversing the order of "things" (as old Whelan used to say) Gibsons Tom - Tom, it appears from his story is much to be pitied, he told me he advertised his wife and then came away to avoid her; his intention was to have gone to New York where he was promised a place in the family of Caldwell who married Miss Higinbothom but unfortunately for him he lost a five dollar note from his pocket and was thereby rendered incapable of pursuing his journey-he merely wished a loan of six or seven dollars ~ promised to repay me the next time he saw me; but as I thought sometime might possibly elapse before that bless'd epoch might arrive, I persuaded Tom that [4] Philadelphia was far enough from his wife ~ quite as good a place as New York: it seemed to strike him that it was so, and then you know Master George, said he, if she was to come here she couldn't run me in debt here because nobody knows me in this here place and so if I thought I could get a good place here I-well then Tom Ill endeavor [to] get you a place said I interrupting him, for indeed I was [as] tired of him as you are of this letter-I have been fortunate enough to get Tom a very good place at 10 dollars a month where [he] may rest quiet ~ free from the plague of that wretched wife of his-The first mentioned Gentleman did not behave so well [the] one evening he came out to our house ~3 having seen one of our servants (that is one of the two we keep) he had me called out to the door where he told me the most awful moment of his life was arrived, begg'd me to come and see him the next day at 11 o Clock at the Mansion house, said he came not to beg, & with a tragedy stride walk'd off after I had without reflection promised I would call-in obedience to my promise I went there the next day but found him not nor did I hear of him until yesterday, when a dirty little boy came to the door ~3 said a man down at the tavern desired him to bring that paper and fetch back the answer-it is only necessary for me to copy the note here that you may see the impertinence it contains Sir; You promised me on your honor to meet me at the Mansion house on the 23d-I promise you on my word of honor that if you will lend me 30, 20, 15 or even 10 $ I will remit it to you immediately on my arrival in Baltimore Be assured I will keep my promise at least as well as you did yours and that nothing but extreem distress would have forc'd me to make this application-Your answer by the bearer will prove whether I yet have "favour in your eyes" or whether I am to be despis'd by (as I understand) a rich relation because when a wild boy I join'd a profession which I then thought and now think an honorable one But which I would most willingly quit tomorrow if it gave satisfaction to your family provided I could do any thing else that would give bread to mine-yr. politeness will no doubt enduce you to answer this note from yrs &3c D. Poe Jr. To this impertinent note it is hardly necessary to tell you my answer it merely went to assure him that he not look [5] to me for any countenance or support more especially after having written me such a letter as that and that for the fu[ture] I desired to hear not from or of him-so adieu to DavyI enclose you Michael Bransons account agst. [--] Smith; give it to John and desire him to either present it to Smith and tell him the extreme poverty of Branson who has really not a dollar, save what he gets from me, to pay his board or to give the accot. to my Father or endeavour to collect it yourself-tell Smith, Bransons situation only induces him to ask for the amount now-that he had never intended it but that unforseen misfortunes have made it necessary-I hope Smith [will] pay him for indeed he stands much in need of moneydesire my Father to send me no more papers they are not worth the postage & it behoves me to be as saving as possible even to a few cents-enquire if Polly Cox has paid for her coat, &? how she likes it-Tell John if he can get 20 Cts or anything above it to sell my Cordage provided he likes the purchaserAnd in return for all these services I will give you a receipt for making "indelible ink" for writing on linen with a ["pen]" equal to any you ever saw b'very cheap. "Take a quarter of a pound of Soda, pour on it a quart of boiling water, add half an ounce of gum arabic; when all is dissolved it will be fit for use." this is the pounce with which you must wet the linen where you mean to mark it, when it is dry you may write on it with the following composition viz. The Ink Put half a drachm of Lunar Caustic into an ounce bottle fill it with hot soft (rain or river) water add a small quantity of lampblack kill'd with brandy also a little Gum ArabicNow Bill tho' I give you this receipt I beg [incomplete] [6] F. - K (.tz AF 1' ~.4 ___ t 4N\4y It' its.~Y4- Ata 40, ~~4r 11 7r7t III EDGAR POE'S LETTERS TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS Number Two, Edgar Allan Poe to Maria Ctemm, and her daughter Virginia, August 29, [1835]. This letter, published for the first time, reveals the real nature of Edgar Poe's love for his wife, Virginia. Recent biographers of Poe, misled partly by his own statement to Mrs. Whitman on October 18, 1849, have believed that the marriage was one of convenience arranged by Mrs. Clemm, his father's sister, in order to keep the family together. But this letter proves that Poe loved his cousin deeply, as a man loves a woman, and that it was at his own insistence that the marriage was consummated. Poe had left Baltimore, where he had been living with Mrs. Clemm and Virginia in the small house on Amity Street, and had gone to Richmond on the invitation of T. W, White, editor and publisher of the Southern Literary Messenger, to assist him in the conduct of the magazine. He was evidently very lonely, and the incoherence of the letter might be attributed to recent indulgence in stimulants, were it not for the exact:and detailed statements concerning his finances, and his arrangements for the house. Virginia at this time was just thirteen years old, having been born August 15, 1822. Neilson Poe had married her half sister, Josephine Clemm, and.was also her second cousin. Edgar Poe had reason, therefore, for believing that Mrs. Clemm might think twice before refusing his offer to take Virginia and educate her until she attained an age more suitable for marriage. Edgar Poe's dislike for Neilson Poe, which lasted for several years, may date from this incident. A passage from a letter written by Neilson Poe to Josephine Emily C-lemm, on January 26,,-. 183.0 reveals a different attitude on the part of Neilson toward his cousin: "Edgar Poe has published a volume of Poems one of which is dedicated to John Neal the great autocrat of critics-Neal has accordingly published Edgar as a Poet of great genius, etc-Our name will be a great one get." Neilson Poe is referring, of course, to the publication of Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems, Baltimore, 1829. Poe's letter to Mrs. Clemm had its effect. Poe went to Baltimore late in September, and on September 22, 1835 a license was issued for his marriage to Virginia. There is no sufficient ground for the statements [,7] in a recent biography* that a "secret marriage" took place at this time. The only authority for this "secret marriage" was Eugene L. Didier, who stated in his memoir of Poet in 1877 that"Before leaving Baltimore he [Poe] persuaded Mrs. Clemm to allow him to marry Virginia and on the second of September, 1835, they were married, at Old Christ Church, by the Reverend John Johns, D. D. afterward the Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Virginia. The next day he went to Richmond, and did not see his darling little wife for a year, when she and her mother joined him in that city." James A. Harrison proved in 1902 that there was no record of the marriage in the books of St. Paul's Church, where the records of Old Christ Church would be kept. **George E. Woodberry ttrevived the rumor in 1909, by stating that "It has been said on the authority of Mrs. Clemm's conversation taken down in shorthand, that the ceremony was performed by the Reverend John Johns at Old Christ Church," and referred to "Didier, p. 58." But Didier says nothing in this connection about a "conversation taken down in shorthand," and in the shorthand record of a conversation between Didier and Mrs. Clemm, now in the Harvard College Library, no mention is made of the marriage. Didier, himself, in his later writings, omits any reference to the "secret marriage." Finally, Mrs. Clemm in her letter to Mrs. Whitman, April 22, 1859. states definitely that "Eddie and Virginia were married at Richmond in 36.*** But such a romantic tradition is apparently hard to down! The marriage between Poe and Virginia took place in Richmond on May 16, 1836 at Mrs. Yarrington's boarding house where Mrs. Clemm and Virginia had joined him in October, 1835. The clergyman who united the couple was the Reverend Amasa Converse. A marriage bond had been filed on the day of the wedding in the office of the Clerk of the Court of Hustings of the City of Richmond. *Hervey Allen, Israfel, Revised Edition, 1934, vii, and 309. tThe Life and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, New York, 1877, p. 58. * "*Biography, Virginia Edition, I, 114-115. ttLife of Poe, I, 143. *r'Original autograph MS., J. K. Lilly, Jr. Collection. [8] Aug: 29th [1835] My dearest Aunty, I am blinded with tears while writing this letter- I have no wish to live another hour, Amidsorrow, and the deepest anxiety your letter reached-.and you well know how little I am able to bear up under the pressure of grief-My bitterest enemy would pity me could. he now read my heart-My last my last my only bold on life is cruelly torn away-I have no desire to live and will not But let my duty be done. I love, you know I love Virginia passionately devotedly. I cannot express in words the fervent devotion I feel towards my dear little cousin-my own darling. But what can [I] say. Oh think for me for I am incapable of thinking. Al [i my] thoughts are occupied with the supposition that both you &3 she will prefer to go with N. Poe; I do.sincerely believe that your comforts will for the present be secured-I cannot speak as regards your peace-your happiness. You have both tender hearts-and you will always have the reflection that my agony is more than.I can bear-that you have driven me to the grave -for love like mine can never be gotten over. It-is useless to disguise the truth that when Virginia goes with N.P. that I shall never behold her again-that is absolutely sure. Pity me, my dear Aunty, pity me. I haveý no one now to fly to-I am among strangers, and my wretchedness is more than I can bear. It'is useless to expect. advice from.me-what can I say? Can I, in honou-r Z in truth say-Virginia! do not aol-do not go where you can be comfortable & perhaps happy-and on the other hand can I calmly resign my-life itself. If she had truly loved me would she not have rejected the offer with scorn? Oh God have mercy on me! If she goes with N.P. what are you to. do, my own Aunty,?. I had procureda..sweet little house in a retired situation on Church hill-newly done up and with a large garden and [ever]y convenience -at only $5 month. I have been dreaming every day &d% night since of the rapture I should feel in [havin]g my only friends-all I love on Earth with me there, [and] the pride I would take in making you both comfor[table] Z& in calling her my wife-But the-dream is-over [Oh G]od have mercy on me. What have I to live for? Among strangers with not one soul to love me. [9] The situation has this morning been conferred upon another. Branch T. Saunders. but White has engaged to make my salary $60 a month, and we could live in comparative comfort ~3 happiness-even the $4 a week I am now paying for board would support us all-but I shall have $15 a week. ~4 what need would we have of more? I had thought to send you on a little money every week until you could either hear from Hall or Win. Poe, and then we could get a [little] furniture for a start-for White will not be able [to a] dvance any. After that all would go well-or I would make a desperate exertion ~3 try to borrow enough for that purpose. There is little danger of the house being taken immediately. I would send you on $5 now-for White paid me the $8 2 days since -but you appear not to have received my last letter and I am afraid to trust it to the mail, as the letters are continually robbed. I have it for you ~3 will keep it until I hear from you when I will send it ~3 more if I get any in the meantime. I wrote you that Wmi. Poe had written to me concerning you ~3 has offered to assist you asking me questions&concerning you which I answered. He will beyond doubt aid you shortly ~3 with an effectual aid. Trust in God. The tone of your letter wounds me to the soul-Oh Aunty, Aunty you loved me once-how can you beý so cruel now? You speak of Virginia acquiring accomplishments, and entering into society-you speak in so tworldly a tone. Are you sure she would be more happy. Do you think any one could love her more dearly than I. She will have far-very far better opportunities of entering into society here than with N.P. Every one here receives me with open arms. Adieu my dear Aunty. I cannot advise you. Ask Virginia. Leave it to her. Let me have, under her own hand, a letter, bidding me good bye-forever- and I may die- my heart will break-but I will say no more. EAP. Kiss her for me --- a million times For Virginia, My love, my own sweetest Sissy, my darling little wifey. think well before you break the heart of your Cousin, Eddy. I open this letter to enclose the 5$-I have just, received another letter from you announcing the rect. of mine. My heart btXeds for you. Dearest Aunty consider my happiness [10] while you are thinking about your own. I am saving all I can. The only money I have yet spent is 5 0 cts for washing-I have now 2.25. left. I will shortly send you more. Write immediately. I shall be all anxiety?3 dread until I hear from you. Try and convince my dear Virga. how devotedly I love her. I wish you would get me the Republican wh: noticed the Messenger ~d send it on immediately by mail. God bless ~3 protect you both. Number Three, William Poe to Maria Clemm, November 29, 1835. This letter, now first published, is in reply to one from Mrs. Clemm, printed in the Virginia Edition, XVII, 379-381, but incorrectly dated, "October 7, 1836." A certified copy, now in the possession of Mr. Harry T. Poe, Jr. reads "October 7, 1835." William Poe, Jr. was the son of William Poe, who had moved to Georgia in 1802, and who was the brother of David Poe, Sr. William Poe, Jr. was therefore Mrs. Clemm's first cousin. Mrs. Clemm's letter of October 7 implies that William Poe had sent some financial assistance to her. Augusta Geo, 29th Novn 1835 Dear Cousin I wrote you sometime ago a hasty letter inanswer to one received ~3 dated 7th Octo 1835. I then was upon the eve of starting for the upper part of South Carolina on a visit,-I paid that visit ~ returned in about two weeks, IffI am not mistaken I believe I promised-that on-my return. Iwould write you; which promise I would have complied with, but found on my return that Brother Robert with whom I left your letter, by his request, had forwarded it to my Brother Washington at Macon in this state, and just two days ago he returned it to me. The History which you have given us of our family, is to us, a valuable document,: and one which we will preserve with great care-You did, however, make an omission in tracing the Genealogy, You say "Our Uncle George had three [11] Children, Jacob who resides in Frederick County, ~ George who is Cashier of the Bank at Mobile" and of the other you say nothing, neither as to who he was or where he lived. You say "only three of the Brothers married, David, George ~ William," but you do not say what ever became of the other Brother, now I think it very probable that John ~3 Samuel married also, as the Poes of whom I spoke as having met with in Augusta-bore their names ~ were very likely descended from them, probably their Sons-I recollect distinctly, they spoke of Uncles living, I think, in Tennessee, who they said were very old, and they also said that our names, were family names with them-So I think it not at all unlikely that they were relations, and if you do not know what became of John ~ Samuel, I shall think the relationship clearly established. By the bye I saw:not long since, an account of a piece of rascality committed by a young man by the name of Poe, it was published in the Saturday Evening Post, a paper printed in Philadelphia, this is the first instance of the name's being disgraced, that has ever met the notice of my eye-I was really mortified when I saw it-altho' I know that it is expecting too much to have every connexion of a numerous family, virtuousRemember me very affectionately to Edgar 3 his Sister ~ your daughter ~ say to Edgar that I hope to write him soon -May the Lord bless you with every temporal blessing you may stand in need of, ~ when He may seem fit to call you from time into Eternity-Oh! may you be ready, prepared in all things, 3 have nothing to do but die ~ go home to live with Jesus ~ be eternally happy-this is the prayer of your affectionate Cousin William Poe [12] Number Four, Edgar Allan Poe to George Poe, Jr., January 12, 1836. In blissful ignorance of his father's unsuccessful effort to obtain a loan from George Poe, Jr. in 1809, Edgar Poe made one of his many efforts to borrow money for Mrs. Clemm. On the original letter in the Pratt Library, George Poe wrote "Sent check-$ 100." But the boarding house did not come into being. The tone of the note indicates that the "secret marriage" had not taken place. Richmond. Jan: 12, 1836. Dear Sir I take the liberty of addressing you in behalf of a mutual relation, Mrs. William Clemm, late of Baltimore-and at her earnest solicitation. You are aware that for many years she has been suffering privations and difficulties of no ordinary kind. I know that you have assisted her at a former period, and she has occasionally received aid from her cousins, William and Robert Poe, of Augusta. What little has been heretofore in my own power I have also done. Having lately established myself in Richmond, and undertaken the Editorship of the Southern Literary Messenger, and my circumstances having thus become better than formerly, I have ventured to offer my aunt a home. She is.now therefore in Richmond, with her daughter Virginia, and is, for the present boarding at the house of a Mrs. Yarrington. My salary is only at, present, about $800 per ann: and the charge per week for our board, (Mrs. Clemm's, her daughter's, and my own,) is $9. I am thus particular in stating my precise situation that you may be the better enabled to judge in regard to the propriety of granting the request which I am now about to make for Mrs Clemm. It is ascertained that if Mrs. C. could obtain the means of opening, herself, a boarding-house in this city, she could support herself and daughter comfortably with something to spare. But a small capital would be necessary for an undertaking of this nature, and many of the widows of our first people are engaged in it, and find it profitable. I am willing to advance, for my own part, $100, and I believe that Wm [13] ~ R. Poe will advance $100. If then you would so far aid her in her design as to loan her, Yourself, 100, she will have sufficient to commence with. I will be responsible for the repayment of the sum, in a year from this date, if you can make it convenient to comply with her request. I beg you, my dear Sir, to take this subject into consideration. I feel deeply for the distresses of Mrs Clemm, and I am sure you will feel interested in relieving them. PS) i am the son of David Poe Jr. Mrs Cs brother [incomplete] 1141 Number Five, Maria Clemm to George Poe, Jr., February 21, 1836. Poe turned over the one hundred dollars promptly. This letter makes it clear that the family had been depending upon the pension granted to Mrs. David Poe by the State of Maryland. This was given in partial repayment of the sums advanced to the army by David Poe, Sr. who had been Assistant Deputy Quartermaster General for the City of Baltimore* during the Revolution. Mrs. David Poe had died on July 7, 1835 in Baltimore in her seventy-ninth year. Her pension had been only two hundred and forty dollars annually; ' but considering the purchasing power of money at that time, it was a severe loss to the little family. Poe had become editor of the Messenger in December 1835, his earlier status having been that of assistant to T. W. White, who was always chary of giving Poe full recognition for his work. Richmond Feb. 21, 1836 Dear Sir I have received to day from my nephew E A. Poe the sum of one hundred dollars-and which I learn I am to attribute to you. I beg you will accept my sincere gratitude and I now hope I may be enabled to surmount difficulties with which I have had to contend for a long time-particularly since my mothers death-myself and daughter are under the protection of Edgar-he is the Editor of the Southern Literary Messenger -and bids fair to be an honour to our name-he desires me to say any influence you may be able to exercise in behalf of the Messenger will be to his immediate advantage-he desires his respects to youMost gratefully Yours Maria Clemm.*-Maryland Journal, September 28, 1779, column 2, page 3. tAutograph Letter of Edgar Poe to J. H. Causten, June 3, 1836, in the Collection of Mr. William H. Koester of Baltimore. [15] Number Six, Edgar Allan Poe to F. W. Thomas and Jesse E. Dow, March 16, 1843. Poe went to Washington early in March 1843, still hoping for an appointment under the Tyler Administration, and trying to secure subscriptions for his projected magazine, The Stylus. Frederick W. Thomas had met Poe in Philadelphia when he was a delegate to the Whig Convention in 1840, and they became warm friends. He was a novelist and editor, and at the time of Poe's visit had a temporary appointment:in the Treasury. Jesse Dow was a poet and the Editor of the Madisonian. Thomas was ill, unfortunately, when Poe arrived, and Poe soon became unreliable. Dow wrote to T. C. Clarke, Editor of the Philadelphia Saturday Museum, who was planning to join Poe in the publication of The Stylus, that Poe should be taken home. Clarke did not go down to Washington, however, and Poe returned alone to be met by Mrs. Clemm. The letter tells its own story. There is an attempt to be jocular, as in the reference to the "Don's" moustache. Poe may have meant Thomas Dunn English, who might have been in Washington at the time on political business. This letter exists in two forms, both in Poe's handwriting. The letter as sent to Thomas and Dow is in the Griswold Collection in the Boston Public Library. It has obviously been folded for mailing and has both the Philadelphia postmark and the seal on the outside sheet. Moreover, the comment by F. W. Thomas is written on this letter but not on the one at the Pratt Library. The letter in the Pratt Library, here reproduced in facsimile, may have been a copy of the letter sent to Thomas or it may have been a first draft, which Poe copied in a more legible hand before mailing. The differences between the letters are not always conclusive. The insertion of "have" (Pratt, page 1, line 10) the change from "know," (Pratt, last line of postcript) to "have" in the Boston letter; the correction of the reading "himself" in the Boston letter to "myself" while the Pratt letter has "myself" (page 3, line 5), might be used as an argument for either solution. On the other hand, the erasure of "enclose a line" (Pratt, lines 6 and 7, page 2); the awkward phrase "as well as does Mrs. C." (Pratt, line 3, page 2) which reads "as also does Mrs. C." in the Boston letter; the change from "ever," (Pratt, third line from bottom of page 2), to "never" in the Boston letter; the change from "give" (Pratt, line 10, page 3) to "get" (Boston letter),-since Robert Tyler could not "give" Poe an appointment, but could only try to obtain one for him,-these would indicate that the Pratt letter was a first draft from which Poe copied the letter he actually sent. This opinion is supported by the appearance of the Pratt copy, which is a single sheet without address, postmark, or seal. [16] 1 " 7# i~e, r tZY/5s~c t8~tAL~-r /*%n ~ Sn y ti~~aXLtC:YteA;-? k'-ntiSr: t~:~; B~~A '-uc Q~ t ~I ~~~ I.. A -"~~s:lcUc;D. clf~~L, ~ L~/r~kC_, I-L~ 4~_~ 414%cir ~~g 1tAf~t %/b4 <t-3t-xt Ittk OtrL24-tL?;C 4rC ~-*4~~c.c AL. ~ g~U~~~ ~;` ~ 172Z to v~An-sA k.~,ac-. sQ.~ 4.~~ stA ~$~ 4 / ). I. ii ITII h. t, 4ir ttL i ~-Ltnn.LVC(c C. Z~bctP~t,~t Jfw~z~c. ~c~ 41 4,XnA -.7 -6 IL. Vq. 'All~k1' jr -'~ ~&nir Aw # "A '5 r A~~~, z ~ tAr:~t ~ c-atL,, - tZz4 I h UAt ILI 7.fi AL 0,A41P1 r I` Ph-.00 - 4 J- ASn- AAItA-r /dna. o -i-C '4~- Aw~At@ Ar 4-i-r\ j-U-v L ~~-I~G/1.1* v --( V,, --i"' _ - Af-~f A-: A~ - - -' rr -t -~... (t~-t.. N Philadelphia March 16th 1843 My Dear Thomas V Dow. I arrived here in perfect safety, and sober about half past four last evening-nothing occurring on the road of any consequence. I shaved and breakfasted in Baltimore and lunched on the Susquehannah, and by the time I got to Phila. felt quite decent. Mrs. Clemm was expecting me at the car-office. I went immediately home, took a warm bath and supper V then went to Clarke's. I never saw a man in my life more surprised to see another. He thought by Dow's epistle that I must not only be dead but buried V would as soon have thought of seeing his great-great-great grandmother. He received me, therefore very cordially V made light of the matter I told him what had been agreed upon-that I was a little sick V that Dow, knowing I had been, in times passed, given to spreeing upon an extensive scale, had become unduly alarmed Vc Vc.-that when I found he had written I thought it best to come home. He said my trip had improved me V that he had never seen me looking so well!![!-and I dont believe I ever did. This morning I took medicine, and, as it is a snowy day, will avail myself of the excuse to stay at home-so that by tomorrow I shall be really as well as ever. Virginia's health is about the same-but her distress of mind had been even more than I had anticipated. She desires her kindest remembrances to both of you-as well as does Mrs. C. Clarke, it appears, wrote to Dow, who must have received the letter this morning. Please re-inclose the letter to me, here so that I may know how to guide myself.-and, Thomas, do write immediately as proposed. If possible, enclose a line from Rob. Tyler-but I -fear, under the- circumstances, it is-not so. I blame no one but myself. The letter which I looked for V which I wished returned, is not on its way-reason, no money forthcoming-Lowell had not yet sent it-he is ill in N. York of opthalmia. Immediately upon receipt of it, or before, I will forward the money you were both so kind as to lend-which is 8 to Dow and 3~ to Thomas-What a confounded business I have got myself into, attempting to write a letter to two people at once! However-this is for Dow. My Dear fellow-Thank you a thous[17] and times for your kindness ~ great forbearance, and dont say a word about the cloak turned inside out, or other peccadilloes of that nature. Also, express to your wife my deep regret for the vexation I must have occasioned her. Send me, also, if you can the letter to Blythe., Call also, at the barber's shop just above Fuller's and pay for me a levy which I believe I owe. And now God bless you-for a nobler fellow [n] ever lived. And this is for Thomas. My Dear friend. Forgive me my petulance ~3 dont believe I think all I said. Believe me I am very grateful to you for your many attentions & forbearances and the time will never come when I shall forget either them or you. Remember me most kindly to Dr Lacey-also to the Don, whose mustachios I do admire after all, and who has about the finest figure I ever beheld-also to Dr Frailey. Please express my regret to Mr Fuller for making such a fool of myself in his house, and say to him (if you think necessary) that I should not have got half so drunk on his excellent Port wine but for the rummy coffee with which I was forced to wash it down. I would be glad, too, if you would take an opportunity of saying to Mr Rob. Tyler that if he can look over matters and give me the Inspectorship, I will join the Washingtonians forthwith. I am as serious as a judge-Zd much so than many. I think it would be a feather in Mr Tyler's cap to save from the perils of mint julap-& "Portwines"-a young man of whom all the world thinks so well and who thinks so remarkably well of himself. And now, my dear friends, good bye &~ believe me Most truly yours Edgar A Poe. Mess Dow ~ Thomas. Upon getting here I found numerous letters of subscribers to my Magazine-for which no canvass has yet been made. This was unexpected ~3 cheering. Did you say Dow that Commodore Elliot had desired me to put down his name? Is it so or did I dream it? At all events, when you see him present my respects and thanks. Thomas you will remember that Dr Lacey wished me to put him down-but I dont know his first name-please let me know it. [18] Number Seven, Edgar Allan Poe to Maria Clemm, April 7, [1844]. Poe had just taken Virginia to New York; as usual he was full of hope over a change of scene. The naive relation of the small details may reflect a childlike attitude on Poe's part toward the realities of life; but considering how differently he wrote about this time to his professional friends, he may simply have been descending to Mrs. Clemm's level. The boarding house at 130 Greenwich Street is still standing, almost at the southern end of Manhattan. The brown stone steps and the porch with the pillars have disappeared. The dingy staircase is now unused, and the upper stories are unoccupied, including the back room where Virginia watched for her mother's coming. On the ground floor there is the "Old Brokers' Cafe," a fairly cheerful spot, presided over by an Italian who was distinctly interested to learn of Poe's connection with the property. On our visit there we met one old inhabitant who was quite familiar with the Poe legend. When Poe brought Virginia there it was an open neighborhood and the nearby river would have been more attractive in those days. The postcript in which he reminds Mrs. Clemm to return the volume of the Southern Literary Messenger, which Henry B. Hirst had borrowed from William Duane for Poe's use, is important. It clears Poe of the charge, long kept alive in Philadelphia, that he sold the volume and denied it. Mrs. Clemm sold it to Leary's Old Book Store, and failed to acknowledge the sale to her nephew, for when in October, 1844, Duane wrote to ask for that book, Poe replied that it had been returned to Hirst. Later, when Duane recovered the book from a friend who found it in an old book store in Richmond, and so wrote Poe, the latter replied with a sharp letter, disclaiming all knowledge of the sale, still apparently being misled by Mrs. Clemm's statements, or desiring to protect her. On this letter, now in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Duane wrote "Poe had the grace to be ashamed of himself when he heard of the manner in which I had to repurchase my own book. He remarked to H. B. Hirst, Esq., 'What must Mr. Duane think of me?' " Poe was not ashamed of himself. By that time he knew how Mrs. Clemm had put him in a false position. But he never mentioned her name in the correspondence. When Poe's signature was cut from this letter, a gap was left in the text, shown in the accompanying facsimile. The editors have attempted to restore the sense of this passage by filling in reasonable substitutes for the missing words and phrases. These restorations are enclosed in brackets. [19] New-York, Sunday Morning April 7. just after breakfast. [1844] My dear Muddy, We have just this minute done breakfast, and I now sit down to write you about everything. I can't pay for the letter, because the P.O. won't be open to-day.-In the first place, we arrived safe at Walnut St wharf. The driver wanted to make me pay a dollar, but I wouldn't. Then I had to pay a boy a levy to put the trunks in the baggage car. In the meantime I took Sis in the Depot Hotel. It was only a quarter past 6, and we had to wait till 7. We saw the Ledger Z Times-- nothing in either-a few words of no account in the Chronicle.-We started in good spirits, but did not get here until nearly 3 o'clock. We went in the cars to Amboy about 40 miles from N. York, and then took the steamboat the rest of the way.-Sissy coughed none at all. When we got to the wharf it was raining hard. I left her on board the boat, after putting the trunks in the Ladies' Cabin, and set off to buy an umbrella and look for a boarding-house. I met a man selling umbrellas and bought [o]ne for 62 cents. Then I went up Greenwich St. and soon found a boarding-house. It is just before you get to Cedar St. on the West side going up-the left hand side. It has brown stone steps, with a porch with brown pillars. "Morrison" is the name on the door. I made a bargain in a few minutes and then got a hack and went for Sis. I was not gone more than V an hour, and she was quite astonished to see me back so soon. She didn't expect me for an hour. There were 2 other ladies waiting on board-so she wasn't very lonely.-When we got to the house we had to wait about V an hour before the room was ready. The house is old ~4 looks buggy, b -[ T]he landlady is a nice chatty ol[d soul- g]ave us the back room on th[e third floor-]e night 1& day!& attendance, f[ the cheapest board I] ever knew, taking into consideration the central situation and the living. I wish Kate could see it-she would faint. Last night, for supper, we had the nicest tea you ever drank, strong ~ hot- wheat bread ~3 rye bread-cheese-tea-cakes (elegant) a great dish (2 dishes) of elegant ham, and 2 of cold veal, piled up like a mountain and large slices-3 dishes of [20] . - I ~ -: - I. -.i ~~ -v -:. - I.~; lat'i-~cV ~'[t qn-orct t.1k 1n& 41; A40 A'PI Si v~~Az - L -- k-~'ar% < to cwc'4 "4 " Atd t L ctqtcli' 6oa rv Artt.I" a' S _ a ~~ 't l t-wt jrr Z S 4CL d ~ s~4F.Z4ru. ct4CovlI 44-1c~1~s~~-: ~e 444 AC - IiSL. _____--__-~ 3 ca4 -c2tit r -/~~it:3 JtL-~~~-~ ~d~~ ThE~xt cT2 it- c- sCFOF t "v - 1:44 <'1 4t17A0L ~o46~&,L Y4-at- 9C LtZ 4 1-n Phc~6A~4 I4~i ard - tA 44izs ~i4~1A~ aec A ~i!i;;k 4 ~?t7~ Au4-~ttL * /. 1 4c' N7 Z ~L r~~c~~ ~ ttC ~011-V~' ~ ~~yv~tss a -~ Z-e /t o~~ir-~4 /~' 4~/t &k~ o-I.A ~6r~-n~~La Yptcy sC~u <r5TIlkS U' 2-c~a~ &a~r~ 44 'a ~ w og V~s4J twc~44 ~ 1+VL4) UrC-t:~w~4aotA Lc &~ ~t -~$t- cao%4w 4LMC &tu ZV 4~t ~~cr44 CC 4 -Ale6-~w4-z c A t/cv'44&~ the cakes, and every thing in the greatest profusion. No fear of starving here. The landlady seemed as if she couldn't press us enough, and we were at home directly. Her husband is living with her-a fat good-natured old soul. There are 8 or 10 boarders-2 or 3 of them ladies-2 servants.-For breakfast we had excellent-flavored coffe, hot ~ strong-not very clear ~ no great deal of cream-veal cutlets, elegant ham ~ eggs ~ nice bread and butter. I never sat down to a more plentiful or a nicer breakfast. I wish you could have seen the eggs-and the great dishes of meat. I ate the first hearty breakfast I have eaten since I left our little home. Sis is delighted, and we are both in excellent spirits. She has coughed hardly any and had no night sweat. She is now busy mending my pants which I tore against a nail. I went out last night and bought a skein of silk, a skein of thread, 2 buttons a pair of slippers ~ a tin pan for the stove. The fire kept in all night.-We have now go[t] 4$ and a half left. Tomorrow I am going to try ~ borrow 3$--so that I may have a fortnight to go upon. I feel in excellent spirits ~3 haven't drank,a drop-so that I hope so [-on] to get out of trouble. The very instant I scrape together enough money I will send it on. You can't imagine how much we both do miss you. Sissy had a hearty cry last night, because you and Catterina weren't here. We are resolved to get 2 rooms the first moment we can. In the meantime it is impossible we could be more comfortable or more at home than we are.-It looks as if it was going to clear up now.-Be sure and go to the P.O. 3 have my letters forwarded. As soon as I write Lowell's article, I will send it to you, ~3 get you to get the money from Graham. Give our best loves to Catterina Be sure ~3 take home the Messenger, [ ] We hope to send for you very soon. [21] Number Eight, Edgar Allan Poe to Neilson Poe, August 8, 1845. Whether Edgar Poe had changed bis attitude toward Neilson Poe or was simply writing a courteous note in reply to an apparently courteous letter of inquiry, is, now beyond our knowing. The formal beginning td a cousin is not very significant. Those were formal days, in letter writing. New-York: August 8./45. My Dear Sir, It gave me sincere pleasure to receive a letter from you-- but I fear you will think me very discourteous in not sooner replying. I have deferred my answer, however, from day to day, in hope of procuring some papers relating to my grandfather. In this I have failed. Mrs C. has no memoranda of the kind you mention, and all of which I have any knowledge are on file at Annapolis. I thank you for the kind interest you take in my welfare. We all speak very frequently of yourself and family, and regret that, hitherto, we have seen and known so little of each other. Virginia, in especial, is much pained at the total separation from her sisters. She has been, and is still, in precarious health. About four years ago she ruptured a blood-vessel, in singing, and has never recovered from the accident. I fear that she never will. Mrs Clemm is quite well::-both beg to be kindly remembered. I regret that I had no opportunity of seeing you during my last visit to Baltimore. Virginia and myself, however, will very probably spend a few weeks in your city during the fall, when we hope to be with you frequently. When you see any of Mr Herring's family, will you say that we are anxious to bear from them? I rejoice to learn that you prosper at all points. I hear of you often. "The B. Journal" flourishes-but in January I shall establish a Magazine. Very cordially Yours, Edgar A Poe. [22] Number Nine, Edgar Allan Poe to George Poe, Jr., November 3 0, 1845. Poe joined The Broadway Journal, a weekly paper, as Editor and part proprietor on February 21, 1845. By the withdrawal of Charles F. Briggs, Poe became sole editor in July. On October 24, he purchased the interest of John Bisco, the publisher, for fifty dollars, and a note covering the debts of the paper. Poe made a gallant but fruitless effort to keep the Journal afloat. He turned once more to George Poe for aid, but apparently without success. New-York: Nov. 30. 45. Dear Sir, Since the period when (no doubt for good reasons) you declined aiding me with the loan of $50, I have perseveringly struggled, against a thousand difficulties, and have succeeded, although not in making money, still in attaining a position in the world of Letters, of which, under the circumstances, I have no reason to be ashamed. For these reasons-because I feel that I have exerted myself to the utmost-and because I believe that you will appreciate my efforts to elevate the family name-I now appeal to you once more for aid. With this letter I send you a number of "The Broadway Journal" of which,, hitherto, I have been merely editor and one third proprietor. I have lately purchased the whole paper -and, if I can retain it, it will be a fortune to me in, a short time:--but I have exhausted all my resources in the purchase. In this emergency I have thought that you might not be indisposed to assist me. The loan of $200 would put me above all difficulty. I refrain from saying any more-for I feel that if your heart is kindly disposed towards me, I have already [Uincomplete] [.23] Number Ten, Edgar Allan Poe to Maria Clemm, September 18, 1849. Poe had been in Norfolk, Virginia, delivering his lecture on "The Poetic Principle." He may be incorrect in stating that he had spoken in Norfolk on "Monday," for a careful search of the North American Beacon, the only available newspaper of Norfolk, reveals only one lecture, that on Friday, September 14. He did repeat the talk on "next Monday," September 24, in Richmond. We believe that he did not start for Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 25, as he indicates in this letter, mainly because of Mrs. Shelton's statement to Mrs. Clemm that Poe called on her on September 26. Poe had agreed to edit the poems of Mrs. St. Leon Loud for one hundred dollars, and in view of T.H. Lane's testimony that Poe stopped in Philadelphia on the last trip, Poe's intention to spend two days in that city is important. This letter is probably the last letter Poe wrote. There is in the Collection of Mr. William H. Koester of Baltimore a letter from Poe to Mrs. Estelle Anna Lewis, the poetess with whom he had been conducting a mild flirtation during 1848 and 1849. This letter is undated, but Mrs. Lewis wrote on it "September 18, 1849." This date, of course, may be that of the receipt of the letter or of its dispatch from Richmond. Richmond Va Tuesday Sep 18 49. My own darling Muddy, On arriving here last night from Norfolk I received both your letters, including Mrs Lewis's. I cannot tell you the joy they gave me-to learn at least that you are well ~3 hopeful. May God forever bless you, my dear dear Muddy-Elmira has just got home from the country. I spent last evening with her. I think she loves me more devotedly than any one I ever knew 3 I cannot help loving her in return. Nothing is as yet definitely settledand it will not do to hurry matters. I lectured at Norfolk on Monday ~ cleared enough to settle my bill here at the Madison House with $2 over. I had a highly fashionable audience, but Norfolk is a small place ~ there were 2 exhibitions the same night. Next Monday I lecture again here ~ expect to have a large audience. On Tuesday I start for Phila. to attend to Mrs Loud's Poems-& possibly on Thursday I may start for N. York. If I do I will go straight over to Mrs Lewis's ~ send for you. It will be better for me not to go to Fordham-don't you think so? Write immediately in reply 4 direct to Phila. [24] ~-L_,~z-.~~~. - aa L~~t -, * r If ~E I, -- For fear I should not, get the letter sign no name %3 address it to E. S. T. Grey Esqre. If possible I will get married before I start-but there is no telling. Give my dearest love to Mrs L. My poor poor Muddy I am still unable to send you even one dollar-but keep* up heart-I hope that our troubles are nearly over. I saw John Beatty in Norfolk. God bless.4 protect you, my own darling Muddy. I showed your letter to Elmira and she says "it is such a darling precious letter that she loves you for it already" Your own Eddy. Don't forget to write immediately to Phila. so that your letter will be there when I arrive. The papers here are praising me to death-and I have been received everywhere with enthusiasm. Be sure ~ preserve all the printed scraps I have sent you.s keep up my file of the Lit. World. *The separated central section of this letter is in Poe's own hand. The remainder is a copy, probably in the hand of Mrs. Clemm. The whereabouts of the missing portions of the original is not known, but the authenticity of this version has not been questioned by Harrison or the present editors. [25] IV POE'S DEATH AND ITS AFTERMATH Number Eleven, Elmira Shelton to Maria Clemm, September 22, 1849. The following group of letters, Numbers Ten to Sixteen, centering around the death of Edgar Poe, make their contribution toward clarifying one of the most confused epochs in his life. The letter from Mrs. Elmira Shelton to Mrs. Clemm shows clearly that she intended to marry Poe. On his last visit to Richmond, in 1849, they had resumed the relations begun long before as boy and girl. It was necessary to obtain Mrs. Clemm's approval to their engagement, for her influence upon her nephew was unbounded and the letter was probably written at his request. Mrs. Shelton's testimony as to his habits is important. This letter is now printed complete for the first time. The version as printed in Harrison's edition of the Letters, p. 396, omits the signficant lines describing Elmira's feelings when she saw Poe shortly after his marriage. Richmond September 22nd 1849 My Dear Mrs Clemm. You will no doubt be much surprised to receive a letter from one whom you have never seen. Although I feel as if I were writing to one whom I love very devotedly, and whom to know, is to love-Mr Poe has been very solicitous that I should write to you, and I do assure you, it is with emotions of pleasure that I now do so-I am fully prepared to love you, and I do sincerely hope that our spirits may be congenial -There shall be nothing wanting on my part to make them so-I have just spent a very happy evening with your dear Edgar, and I know it will be gratifying to you, to know, that he is all that you could desire him to be, sober, temperate, moral, 8 much beloved-He shewed me a letter of yours, in which you spoke affectionately of me, and for which I feel very much gratified & complimented-You also mentioned your fears in regard to the influence Rose might have in predjudicing me against, you Be assured, that she has never attempted it, and if she had, she would have accomplished nothing, except a very decided disapprobation of such a course-Edgar speaks [26] frequently & very affectionately of your daughter ~3 his Virginia, for which I love him but the more-I have a very dear friend, (to whom I am much attached), by the name of Virginia Poe, she is a lovely girl in character, tho' not as beautiful in person as your beloved one-I remember seeing Edgar, ~ his lovely wife, very soon after they were married-I met them-I never shall forget my feelings at the time-They were indescribable, almost agonizing-""However in an instant," I remembered that I was a married woman, and banished them from me, as I would a poisonous reptileEdgar's lecture a few weeks since, on the Poetic Principle, was very beautiful, he had quite a full, and very fashionable audience-He will repeat his lecture on Monday next, when I sincerely hope he may be patronised by a very large attendance -.-It is needless (I know) for me to ask you to take good care of him when he is, (as I trust he soon will be) again restored to your Arms-"I trust a kind Providence" will protect him, and guide him in the way of truth, so that his feet slip not-I hope my dear friend that you will write to me, and as Edgar will perhaps reach you as soon as this does, he will direct your letter-It has struck 12 0 Clock, and I am encroaching on the Sabbath, and must therefore conclude-"Good Night Dear Friend," May Heaven bless you, and shield you, And may your remaining days on earth, be peaceful and happy-And your eternity glorious and blissful-Thus prays your attached tho unknown friend-Elmira [27] Number Twelve, Maria Clemm to Neilson Poe, October 9, 1849. Edgar Poe died in the Washington College Hospital in Baltimore on October 7, 1849. Mrs. Clemm, frantic with anxiety, had probably seen the article on Poe's death in the Neuw York Tribune of October 9. Blood being thicker than water, she had turned for information to her cousin, whose name she misspelled in her anxiety. New York Oct 9 1849 Dear Nelson, I have heard this moment of the death of my dear son Edgar-I cannot believe it, and have written to you, to try and ascertain the fact and particulars-he has been at the South for the last three months, and was on his way homethe paper states he died in Baltimore yesterday-If it is true God have mercy on me, for he was the last I had to cling to and love, will you write the instant you receive this and relieve this dreadful uncertainty-My mind is prepared to hear allconceal nothing from me. Your afflicted friend Maria Clemm [28] K 'A ut) pa * V I t. 4;. 21 AX 4-1 I' 7sW j -.tj~. -42 -in.= 21.1 Number Thirteen, Neilson Poe to Maria Clemm, October 11, 1849. Among the many conflicting accounts of these confused days, Neilson Poe's testimony is direct and, so far as his knowledge went, is to be depended upon. It settles the names of those who attended the funeral, and it indicates the difficulty of finding out the actual circumstances of Poe's last days in Baltimore. If Neilson Poe, with his legal training, could not obtain the details, which would have been fresh in the memory of those who had seen Poe, it is not hard to understand the difficulty at the present time of distinguishing fact from fiction. Dr. Snodgrass, whose garbled account, published many years later, has been looked upon with suspicion, was evidently in close touch with Neilson Poe and yet he apparently gave the latter no information. The newspapers of Baltimore paid little attention to Poe's death. The Baltimore Sun published a brief notice: "Death of Edgar A. Poe. We regret to learn that Edgar A. Poe, Esq., the distinguished American poet, scholar and critic, died in this city yesterday morning, after an illness of four or five days. This announcement, coming so sudden [sic] and unexpected, will cause poignant regret among all who admire genius, and have sympathy for the frailties too often attending it. Mr. Poe, we believe, was a native of this State, though reared by a foster-father at Richmond, Va., where he lately spent some time on a visit. He was in the 38th year of his age."* The Baltimore Clipper of October 9 had an even briefer notice, which like the Sun item, already contained two errors, for only one of which it was responsible! It is one of the few contemporary accounts to indicate the nature of Poe's illness: "Died, on the 8th instant of congestion of the brain, Edgar A. Poe, Esq., aged 38 years. Mr. Poe was well known as a writer of great ability." The Baltimore American, the National Intelligencer and the Patriot contained no notice of Poe's death.* "*We are indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Louis H. Dielman, Executive Secretary and Librarian of the Peabody Institute, for this information, based on a thorough search of the newspapers of Baltimore from October 1 to October 20, 1849. [29] Baltimore Oct 11. 1849 My dear Madam: I would to God I could console you with the information that your dear Son Edgar A. Poe is still among the living. The newspapers, in announcing his death, have only told a truth, which we may weep over &s deplore, but cannot change. He died on Sunday morning, about 5 o'clock, at the Washington Medical College, where he had been since the Wednesday preceding. At what time he arrived in this City, where he spent the time he was here, or under What circumstances, I have been unable to ascertain. It appears that, on Wednesday, he was seen ~& recognised at one of the places of election in old town, and that his condition was such as to render it necessary to send him to the college, where he was tenderly nursed until the time of his death. As soon as I heard that he was at the college, I went over, but his physicians did not think it advisable that I should see him, as he was very excitable-The next day I called & sent him changes of linen &6c. And was gratified to learn that he was much better, ~6 I was never so much shocked, in my life, as when, on Sunday morning, notice was sent to me that he was. dead. Mr Herring ~ myself immediately took the necessary steps for his funeral, which took place on Monday afternoon at four o clock. He lies alongside his ancestors in the Presbyterian burying ground on Green StreetI assure you, My dear Madam, that, if I had known where a letter would reach you, I would have communicated the melancholy tidings in time to enable you to attend his funeral -but I was wholly ignorant how to address you-The body was followed to the grave by Mr Herring, Dr Snodgrass, Mr. Z. Collins Lee, (an old classmate) and myself., The service was performed by the Rev Wm T. D. Clemm, a son of James L. Clemm. Mr Herring &3 myself have sought, in vain, for the trunk ~6 clothes of Edgar. There is reason to believe that he was robbed of them, whilst in such a condition as to render him insensible of his lossI shall not attempt the useless task of consoling you under such a bereavement-Edgar had seen so much of sorrow-had so little reason to be satisfied with life-that, to him, the change can scarcely be said to be a misfortune-If it leaves you lonely in this world of trouble, may I be allowed the [30] friendly privilege of expressing the hope that, in the contemplation of the world to which he has gone ~ to which we are all hastening,-you will find consolations enduring ~ all sufficient-I shall be glad, at all times, to hear from you, ~3 to alleviate, in every way in my power, the sorrows to which this dispensation may expose you-I only wish my ability was equal to my dispositionMy wife unites with me in expressions of sympathy. truly your friend ~ servant Neilson Poe Mrs Maria Clemm. Number Fourteen, Dr. J. J. Moran to Maria Clemm, November 15, 1849. Dr. Moran's letter is of special importance because it gives a first hand picture of Poe's last hours, while the impressions were still fresh in the physician's memory. In 1885 he published his book, A Defense of Edgar Allan Poe, giving many more details, most of which it is impossible to reconcile with those contained in this letter. Since certain dates given in the 1885 volume are clearly incorrect, and since Dr. Moran was evidently unable to weigh the evidence of others, the facts as given here have generally been preferred. It will be noticed that Dr. Moran dated his letter from the "Baltimore City and Marine Hospital," while Poe was lying nearby in the Washington College Hospital, now the "Church Home and Infirmary." The Marine Hospital had been used for smallpox cases and had been sold, and the institution removed to Lazaretto Point early in 1849. The building evidently was still used for hospital purposes and Dr. Moran was apparently attached to both hospitals. The fact that he did not live in the Washington College Hospital, and that he tells Mrs. Clemm he is giving "as faithful an account as I am able to furnish from the Record of the case" may imply that he was depending partly on the testimony of others. [31] Balte. City ~ Marine Hospital, Nov. 15/49 -Mrs. Clemm, My dear Madam, I take the earliest opportunity of responding to yours of the 9th Inst., which came to hand by yesterday's mail. Your deep solicitude, Madam, in reference to the "last moments" of him of whom you write, does not surprise me. It falls to the lot of but few, to enjoy the extensive popularity that was unquestionably his. Wherever talent-mental worth, nay Genius, was prized, there "E. A. Poe" had warm friends. To his rarely gifted mind are we indebted for many of the brightest thoughts that adorn our literature-to him is Belles Lettres indebted for the purest gems her Casket Contains, "'Poe is gone"! How many hearts have heaved a sigh in uttering these three words! How many thousands will yet, and for years to come, lament the premature demise of this truly great man! Nor can there be found, in the list of his enemies (what great man ever lived without them?) one individual, who will withhold from him the meed of praise to which you refer-when you speak of his "nobility of soul." Posterity will not hesitate to award him a place in the Catalogue of those whose pens have strewn flowers in the pathway of life-flowers too, whose fragrance will last for the enjoyment of unborn millions, thereby preserving a memorial more lasting than the Sculptor's Chisel or the Art of the Statuary could ever fabricate or invent-But now for the required intelligence Presuming you are already aware of the malady of which Mr. Poe died I need only state concisely the particulars of his circumstances from his entrance until his deceaseWhen brought to the Hospital he was unconscious of his condition-who brought him or with whom he had been associating. He remained in this condition from 5. Ock in the afternoon-the hour of his admission-until 3 next morning. This was on the 3rd Oct. To this state succeeded tremor of of the limbs, and at first a busy, but not violent or active delirium-constant talking -and vacant converse with spectral and imaginary objects on the walls. His face was pale and his whole person drenched in perspiration-We were unable to induce tranquillity before the second day after his admission. [32] Ole -".;k~ - - -z ~i or --3. I. A. St k-, Ae-tcc.>*cc47/.4r' AC1~~~if~~~ < ~/6 ~ 00 *:5 oOI/~:t L s4~zAi ~~~ - zzcarryt2 c&ic~i~3.rr ir j: C~*f~~nco jt *C~bf- ~" "-;- etrZte~tzd A ~5t3c&4'cc < ~4tr, A iA4 s S A~ t\t' - - f 1 rn t 7 w It' - FF 1.0O 1-'.er 1C, 4, 4p * ~ X~a/ktc~a~tJ#c72tzt4 s/cCw foCp -4 1K ~~~6 ccoýa ~ ccX 7' -caP ~ 4yzt t 7t1- e at2, ~cn At d? It -c V4.-~~A t~Z __ _ 4td~u~%si 4tt~t~Z W~ 5,cf 4 d~4 ats trnr% cA&Ztpr-c eetz cOc lea - &zc-tt22' 4? ~Z-ucts) MIA t~& ato A o0, o-%.---~% w ~ cs/~ 41 c;Oew 4 c i ) d _ _ _ 410001 O/cZtd 7tc rC 5 &0;) t- ~CbO44 P- n n~enG A~4~t ~zc4~-& L~ 4xf;1 7 l et a * a ~~,- w - t r a & w 4a, r. tck4'A~4w ~tea Y~A4CIA<$x,) 72,.A4 0 A. 0 $&6,g(A * ~~~ý ý 4 &ZC4 4At~ Accco 2u l/ A tAlnCa4a S Wt4~a~ 4rkd~tcLrt~ ~~t~z~ 64ctlc t ~t~iK1ts/c~ a~ ~Z' &~z ~?aZ Jn - ~ At ~ A P,~ >4/t~t 4~p 47,i Having left orders with the nurses to that effect, I was summoned to his bedside so soon as conscious supervened, and questioned him in reference to his family-place of residence -relatives 8c. But his answers were incoherent & unsatisfactory. He told me, however, he had a wife in Richmond (which, I have since learned was not the fact) that he did not know when he left that city or what had become of his trunk of clothing. Wishing to rally and sustain his now fast sinking hopes I told him I hoped, that in a few days he would be able to enjoy the society of his friends here, and I would be most happy to contribute in every possible way to his ease ~3 comfort. At this he broke out with much energy, and said the best thing his best friend could do would be to blow out his brains with a pistol-that when he beheld his degradation he was ready to sink in the earth &c" Shortly after giving expression to these words Mr. Poe seemed to dose ~ I left him for a short time, When I returned I found him in a violent delirium, resisting the efforts of two nurses to keep him in bed. This state continued until Saturday evening (he was admitted on Wednesday) when he commenced calling for one "Reynolds", which he did through the night up to three on Sunday morning. At this time a very decided change began to affect him. Having become enfeebled from exertion he became quiet and seemed to rest for a short time, then gently moving his head he said "'Lord help my poor SouP' and expired! This, Madam, is as faithful an account as I am able to furnish from the Record of his case. Mrs. Chapman was not with him. but he lacked nothing which the utmost:assiduity of nurses and myself could supply. Indeed we considered Mr. Poe an object of unusual regard. Medical men ~3 Students of the House sympathized earnestly with him, Your imperative request urges me to be candid, else I should not have been this plain. Rather far would I cancel his errors than even hint a fault of his. His remains were visited by some of the first individuals of the city, many of them anxious to have a lock of his hair. Those who had previously known him pronounced his corpse the most natural they had ever seen. Z. Collins Lee Esq. and Nelson Poe with'many other respectable individuals attended his funeral-The Revd. Mr. Clemm of this city attended officially on the occasion. [331 I have, thus, complied with your request, Madam, and therefore subscribe myself respectfully yours J. J. Moran, Res. Phys. V POE'S FRIENDS AND MARIA CLEMM Poe's "Helen", Mrs. Sarah Helen Whitman, was a woman of character, imagination, and intellect. Her literary ability placed her in a class apart from the legion of ladies who scribbled sentimental verse for a pastime. She was a widow of small but adequate means, living a rather retired life in Providence, Rhode Island. Poe met her there in September, 1848, while in pursuit of Mrs. Osgood, and immediately began an ardent literary courtship. The second "To Helen", a blank verse poem, was addressed to her. By December 1848, the affair had reached the point of a marriage contract; but this union, which might have been Poe's salvation, was prevented by the opposition of Mrs. Anna Marsh Power, Mrs. Whitman's mother, who was successful in breaking up the match. [34] Number Fifteen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, October 28 [i.e. 27, 1849]. Three weeks after Poe's death in Baltimore, Mrs. Whitman wrote this note of October 28, 1849. The rather obscure and involved second paragraph of this letter was probably provoked by a misunderstanding about Mrs. Whitman's love letters to Poe. On December 17, 1849, Griswold wrote Mrs. Whitman, mentioning a visit to Mrs. Clemm and confessed that he had asked for these letters, "wishing myself to forward them to you." It seems a reasonable conjecture that when Griswold demanded Mrs. Whitman's letters he was refused on the grounds that Mrs. Clemm had already destroyed them. A note from Mrs. Clemm to Mrs. Whitman, asking if she had authorized Griswold by letter, may have been the communication referred to at the end of the first paragraph of the letter of October 28, 1849 as "your note." Mrs. Whitman is in error in the date, "Saturday evening, October 28." Saturday was the 27th and it is generally observed that one is more apt to be mistaken in the day of the month than in the day of the week. My dear Mrs Clemm Every day since I recieved the heart-rending intelligence of Edgar's death I have been wishing to address you-Not knowing whether a letter directed to you at Fordham would reach you, I, this morning, commenced a letter to Mr Griswold requesting him to assure you of my sympathy in your deep sorrow and of my unalterable affection for one whose memory is still most dear to me. I had not finished my long letter to him when I recieved your noteIts contents greatly surprised me because I have written to no one since your son's death, nor have I forwarded or recieved any communication of the kind to which you allude. I cannot but think there has been some misapprehension in relation to this affair-If I am well enough to write you again while you remain at Lowell I will do so. If not my letter to Mr Griswold will inform you of much that L have been long wishing to communicate to you-in the mean time believe me dear madam respectfully 8 affectionately Your friend Sarah H Whitman Saturday evening October 2 8th [35] Number Sixteen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, November 24, [1851]. The dating of this letter, November 24, 1851, is based primarily on a reference at the close of the first paragraph to Griswold's letter of December 17, 1849* as having been written "some two years ago." Mrs. Whitman in this letter is still concerned about her correspondence with Poe (see also the comment on Number Fifteen). The Chivers life of Poe mentioned in the second paragraph never saw the light of day. Mrs. J. E. Locke was Mrs. Osgood's sister-in-law. For a complex of reasons, including personal jealousy, she resented Poe's affairs with both Mrs. Richmond and Mrs. Whitman. Her enmity continued long after his death, as this letter clearly demonstrates. Mrs. Whitman's statement to Mrs. Locke that she would not listen to charges against Poe of having spoken disrespectfully of her - "if false they could not now be refuted, if true I could understand and forgive them"-- might well serve as a symbol of Sarah Helen Whitman's character. The Miss Lynch referred to at the close of this letter was Miss Anna C. Lynch, later, in 1855, the wife of Professor Vincenzo Botta. She was a personable and clever woman, whose New York salon was a favorite meeting place of the literati of the 'forties and 'fifties. One other member of the complex dramatis personae of Poe's affair with Mrs. Whitman is mentioned in this letter. William J. Pabodie was an admirer of Mrs. Whitman who posed as a friend of Poe. It is possible that he helped to engineer the break between them. In any case, he witnessed the marriage contract, entertained Poe at his home, and continued his friendship with Mrs. Whitman many years after 1848. Providence Nov 24 My dear Mrs Clemm when I recieved your note of Nov 7th my mother was just recovering from a severe attack of pleurisy which confined her for many weeks to her chamber. My time was so constantly occupied that until about a week ago I could not find a moment's leisure to reply to you and even then I was unwilling to write without making some further effort to obtain purchasers for the "Memoir" Zc. I have no money of my own but I hoped to make an arrangement with a friend by which I might obtain something to send you. The gentleman to whom I wished to apply was out of town. After two or three;'Original autographed manuscript in the collection of Mr. J. K. Lilly, Jr., of Indianapolis. The Lilly collection also contains a series of letters written by Mrs. Clemm to Mrs. Whitman, which have been very helpful in clarifying references contained in the Pratt Library's Whitman letters. [36] fruitless attempts to see him I obtained an interview which only resulted in disappointment I can only send you my truest sympathy-my most sincere and affectionate wishes for your welfare and happiness. I do not wonder at your wish to be with your southern friends although I should feel truly sorry to have you leave the North without seeing you. Had I a home of my own how earnestly I should wish to have you with me-to hear you speak of him whose memory is so dearly cherished by us. Can you tell me what has become of my letters. Mr Griswold wrote me some two years ago that he understood they had been returned to me-but as I have never recieved them I presume he must have been mistaken in his impressions in relation to the matter. Mr,or rather Dr Thomas H Chivers wrote to Mr Pabodie a few days ago requesting him to send him your address. He is writing a life of Edgar and probably wishes to make some enquiries of you. He also wished Mr Pabodie to obtain a daguerreotype of him which was taken at one of the offices when Edgar was in Providence. You ask about Mrs J E Locke. I have seen her but once for the last three years, and then only for a few moments. It was in September last. She called on me as she was passing through Providence on her way to Philadelphia. She was going there to pass a few weeks with a friend. I presume she is now in Boston. They are at housekeeping in Bedford place In the Spring of 1849 I recieved many letters from Mrs L. urging me to visit her at Lowell. She was at that time a stranger to me and I of course declined the invitation. She, however, would take no denial ~3 renewed her entreaties so pressingly ~ with such earnest assurances of having important information to impart which could not be entrusted to a letter that I at length consented to pass a week with her. It was in the month of May 1849. Her object in seeking my acquaintance was unquestionably to prevent any renewal of my correspondence with Mr Poe, by whom she concieved herself to have been deeply wronged. During the summer of 1849 I recieved many letters from her in which there were frequent allusions to the subject that so deeply engrossed her feelings I saw however that she was too much under the influence of wounded pride to exercise a calm judgement in the matter, and said but little in reply to her representations. After Mr Poe's death she wrote to me to say that he [37] had spoken disrespectfully of me to his friends in Lowell. In my reply I made no allusion whatever to the paragraph in question-In her next letter she repeated the assertion-I passed it in silence as before. She then came to Providence and passed a night with me. On her attempting to introduce the subject which she had so often touched upon in her letters, I interrupted her by saying that I did not wish to listen to any charges against one whose memory was dear and sacred to me-That if false they could not now be refuted-If true I could understand and forgive them. This, (and my refusal to show her the note which you wrote me respecting a farewell message from Edgar said to have been forwarded her through me) led to a partial estrangement of feeling, and although we occasionally exchange letters it is with increasing reserve formality She has, I doubt not, many noble Z5 generous qualities but they were, when I saw her, repressed by antagonistic feelings. I fear, from her own confessions, that she has sometimes used my name very unwarrantably to endorse her own opinions of Mr Poe's character. In a letter to Mr Willis written about the time of Edgars death she ventured to do so-citing me as authority for some impressions which she entertained with regard to his moral character. I wrote to Miss Lynch at the time, requesting her to set Mr Willis right on this matter but as some coolness then existed between Miss Lynch Zd myself I am ignorant whether the request was ever compiled with. Let me hear from you soon and believe me sincerely and truly Your friend Sarah Helen Whitman [38] *. ads ~: - -r: 44. -. cA Jeavcozf t'p~--c - >Cta:7'l 4 f 'we I -cr-- tz~v>,~ ~m ~ / AnC A z~offst r AIc 4r11.a 2k t...; *~~ ~ ~ -znr et6c/CX 4f;>o:~a~ez 4*2 'K 0:9 010,01r 6Pilk S~-tm-~ a~r ~~--~I~-, TZ ~ P- 10 00-lL~~-~__ - c: Io ~ F~/t' I~F~.S~I 49s-7t3A VA 4= 4rfi err ~ rilk 41;e4~ "Z4t %Vc~ Sr -. o4AAmht eZ cyz~ ~ Xc d-ric ~wOF /k&WL- cyt-,n sA 44CccaA / C ~. i~-: i Q PP i$ 9~ G r;i: 5, E I r 11 P, iq $$ Ft\ I~"F t'f ~ C:I r ^ ~ r I ' I t r E i r -f 1 P 13 I~ B F f C:~;~: lr ~: ~i q r:! r: ~ ti 6:4 i t P E.r '9: A ~;i L I '& B B'I r i. ~ ~, 7~ ~: ~n 1. ~P I,, r i "7;,~. t r J:$ ft~ E:: -1 t f $ P ~i:~.~I E. 6tr'::r...': ''' L 1~ I~ ii r )I t r: ~a I: r ~i ~B t ja)r~Fi If r r r~B F;;~ 1 3~~ i' c II i E; ar I I;;:i:. ~P.p E 1 P %~ i,: 1 I rl I' a & ~1' r n 3 r I~ ei ii r, i C~L r: 91 r P ~jr j I ~I 'I P 'I gsI F: i,. l~i","%.::?~.~~1~ ~1 F jl.:: I~, -: ~~,i,, '~ 1C~ 1 ii Ij ~'.I. ~' _i 5. -. - - I - -. __.,. ___ -. -. - -, - -,- -.. I -,. -. 1- 1.. - ý. -. - - I - ý -.. - - -lit ýý tJ16 po00-' Alipe 9e PIC "r't Poo! I V - - 4?:V~ . - It9 %-;A 7 - V1.* *1 U I 7'-- P 5 -.1 NA i;\O 17. 1 7 -, jp_ 40 -A. Number Seventeen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, February 3, [1852-1854?]. Mrs. Whitman's letter dated "Providence, Feb. 3d was probably written in 1852, 1853, or 1854. Ticknor in "Poe's Helen" places it in the same sequence adopted by the editors of the present volume. The lecture delivered at Lowell in the summer of 1848 was "The Poets and Poetry of America," sometimes referred to as "American Poetry." Poe evidently used this as a "frame lecture" which he changed from time to time, and which would have lost its value as a lecture if published. It was probably given for the first time on February 28, 1845, at the New York Historical Society. N. P. Willis wrote an account of this presentation in the Mirror. Poe began, he said, by "gently waking up the American Poetesses." Mrs. Osgood was mentioned, but probably not Mrs. Whitman or Miss Lynch at that time. This lecture should not be confused with Poe's review of Griswold's anthology, "The Poets and Poetry of America." The religious experience referred to casts light upon another side of the writer's. character. Mrs. Whitman was a spiritualist and pursued her religious studies in a devout, yet restrained and thoughtful spirit. The bad health which she suffered, chiefly the "organic enlargement of the heart" which she mentions in her letter of November 27, 1859, and the emotional distress with which the Poe affair had left her, doubtless increased her need for the refuge provided by mysticism. My dear Mrs Clemm I was gratified to learn from my friend Miss Carpenter that she had the pleasure of seeing you while in Lowell and to recieve through her a kind message from you. I believe she told me that you had some thought of writing to me in relation to some manuscripts of Edgar's which you supposed to be in my possession-I think she must have misunderstood you and that you must have referred to the copies of the Broadway Journal which he left with meWith the exception of Letters and notes I have no manuscripts of his saving two pages of a lecture which he delivered at Lowell in the summer of 1848-He brought it to Providence when he was here in September. On one of these pages was a notice of my own poetry as compared with that of Mrs Osgood and Miss Lynch The notice being very complimentary, I naturally wished to obtain from him a copy of it He replied to my request by tearing out the leaf, and presenting it to me, Saying that he would replace it by a more elaborate notice-these pages I [39] retain and I have often thought that I should like to see the remainder of the Lecture.. Can you tell me what has become of it?I saw Miss Carpenter soon after her return to Providence and I intended at the time to write to you immediately but I have been so much engrossed in the strange spiritual developments (which have I believe been more frequent in our city than elsewhere) that I cannot readily turn my attention to any other subject. I have been for several month: fully convinced that these-wonderful & interesting manifestations are from the spirits of our departed friends, and every day has brought with it some additional confirmation of this assurance The experiences of the last year have shed a glory over my life transcending the sublimest.dreams of the imagination and I believe that more glorious and more beautiful revelations are yet to comeIt would give me great pleasure my dear Mrs Clemm to hear from you and I -hope that I may have the pleasure of seeing you if you return home by the way of Providence, In the meantime believe me very truly your friend Sarah Helen Whitman Providence Feb 3d [40] Number Eighteen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, March 10, [1859]. During 1859-60 Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. Clemm exchanged a number of letters, chiefly concerned with Poe's personal relationships and ancestry. We have dated this letter 1859 on the basis of Mrs. Clemm's reply from Alexandria, April 14, 1859, which is an answer to both Mrs. Whitman's letters of inquiry, March 10 and April 4. In this letter Mrs. Clemm probably gave a partially correct explanation concerning Mrs. Stanard's relation to Poe when she told Mrs. Whitman-"When Eddie was unhappy at home (which was often the case), he went to her for sympathy, and she always consoled and comforted him,-you are mistaken when you say that you believe he saw her but once in her home. He visited there for years, he only saw her once while she was ill... Robert has often told me, of his, and Eddie's visits to her grave."* The "illustrated poems" was the Poetical Works, London and New York, 1858, with a memoir by Charles F. Briggs, one-time editor of The Broadway Journal. The two letters which Mrs. Whitman wished to examine, and which Mrs. Clemm lent her, are Mrs. Shelton's of September 22, 1849, and Poe's last letter, Richmond, September 18, 1849. The postcript to Mrs. Whitman's letter of March 10 refers to her pet fancy that there was some connection between her ancestry and Poe's. *Original Autograph Ms. in the Lilly Collection. [41] New York March 10 My dear Mrs Clemm I thank you for your kind letter. All that you have told me is interesting. There are one or two questions that I should like to ask of you. Did Edgar go twice to Richmond during the last summer of his life-the summer of 1849? If you could tell me anything in relation to the period of Mrs Stannard's death it vWould be interesting to me. I will tell you why. Edgar told me once about going to her house with Robert who was at the time-I think a schoolmate of his. She was very kind to Edgar and when she died very suddenly, a few weeks after, he felt such sorrow for her death (as he told me) that he used to go every night to the cemetary where she was buried; leaving the School, or Academy, privately to visit it. He told me much that was very interesting about his Sorrow on her death, though he had only once seen her. For this reason I wish to know if possible the period of her death. Perhaps some of her friends can tell you. Can you tell me who wrote the Memoir prefixed to the Illustrated Poems. Mr O'Connor tells me he thinks it may have been Briggs Do you know? I did not see Mrs Lewis, nor have I ever seen her. I should like to see Edgar's letter to you and also the letter of Mrs. Shelton. I will return them to you as soon as I have read them & will consider their contents as sacred. I have only peaceful & happy thoughts in view of the change which seems so near. I have long anticipated it as a translation to a fairer life-a life of increased capacities for happiness and opportunities for beneficence-It is pleasant to me to be remembered in your prayers. In mine I have often remembered you. I have been too ill since I have been in N York too see any one-even my dearest friends. Will you accept the enclosed note-(I wish it were more) and believe me ever Most truly your friend Sarah Helen Whitman Did Edgar' s Grandfather live in Baltimore ~ can you tell me from what part of the old world his paternal ancestors came. I am great interested in genealogy ~ have a particular reason for wishing to know. [42] Number Nineteen, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, April 4, 1859. In the opening paragraph of Mrs. Whitman's next letter, April 4, 1859, the ghost of "Ludwig" reappears. Griswold's unfortunate Memoir, in volume one of the Works, 1850, had done its worst; its perversions of fact were already coloring the work of other critics of Poe, of which the Memoir by Briggs prefixed to the illustrated poems of 1858 was typical. Mrs. Clemm's request that Mrs. Whitman rise in Edgar's defense came at a time when she had already been at work for some months on the essay which was later published in book form under the title, Edgar Poe and His Critics. This letter and the three which follow are rather mystifying. Mrs. Whitman was collecting biographical material about Poe in a thorough and purposeful fashion; but letter No. 21 clearly indicates that the manuscript of Edgar Poe and His Critics had been prepared in 1858. It is possible that Sarah Helen Whitman wanted all of these facts about Poe's life for her personal satisfaction. However, her insistence and the business-like flavor of her queries suggest some literary project. If Mrs. Whitman ever prepared extensive notes or a manuscript on Poe's life, there is no further record of them. The difficulty encountered by Mrs. Whitman in getting her hands on reliable, detailed information about Poe's life has been the common experience of all his biographers. This confusion may be traced in part to Poe's love of romancing about himself to his friends. But the obscurity is increased by the duplication of names and the complexity of family relationships among the Poes and Clemms, and the befogging effect of gossip and scandal. The spread of misinformation after Poe's death by Mrs. Clemm and other associates was due in part to faulty memory; but the occasional desire to misrepresent must also be recognized. Already, in 1859,.the tissue of errors is taking shape. It is not strange that Mrs. Whitman should repeatedly write "Allen" for Allan; she may never have seen Poe's full signature, which is very rare on letters, and may not have realized that Poe's middle name was that of the Richmond family. It is surprising that "Mrs. Anna Cora Ritchie" (Mrs. Mowatt) should be unacquainted with John Allan's first marriage to Frances Keeling Valentine. "Mrs. Allen, the widow," referred to in the final paragraph of this letter was, of course, John Allan's second wife, born Louise Gabriella Patterson, whom he married in October 1830. The "Mr. George Poe" mentioned is George Poe, Jr., the writer of letter Number One in this volume. He was a first cousin of David Poe, Jr., Edgar's father. [43] New York April 4th 1859 My dear Mrs Clemm Some time in November last I recieved from you a letter in which you spoke of the Memoir prefixed to the Illustrated Volume of Edgar's poems, regretting the misrepresentations 3 injurious statements that were repeated in it 3 requesting me to write for your friends a statement which should remove the effect they were calculated to induce. I answered your letter, I think, by return of mail complying with your wish d asking from you some information with regard to Edgar's reported marriage engagements with a lady of Richmond whose name I did not then know, but which I have since learned through Mrs Anna Cora Ritchie of that city. Will you tell me something of this lady. I remember that Edgar spoke of her when he was in Providence during the autumn of 1848. He spoke of having thought of renewing with her an earlier attachment previous to visiting Providence 3c?dc But at that time I think he told Mr Pabodie that the years of their separation had greatly changed the tastes 3 idiosyncrasies of both and that there seemed but little chance of happiness for either in a renewal of their earlier relations. After the unhappy incidents which terminated my engagement with Edgar, I believe his attention to this lady were renewed. Did he love Mrs Shelton at the time of his death d were they indeed engaged? I should like to hear from you the history of this affair respecting which such various rumours have reached me. I was in Washington for a few weeks in February and sought in vain to learn the address of Mr Johnson or I should have made an effort to see you. I was very unwell during my visit there and am so still. My physicians tell me that I may die very suddenly with a complaint of the heart which has caused me great suffering for more than a year & which rapidly increases. I have one or two other questions to ask of you-I wish very much to know the date of Mrs Helen Stannard's deathI mean the wife of Judge Stannard of Richmond 3 the mother of the late Robert Stannard-Can you ascertain this for me -F can you tell me whether Mr Allen was twice married-I [44] ask the question because Mrs Ritchie (who is intimately acquainted with Mrs Allen the widow of Mr Allen) writes that he was only once married, while Griswold gives the very date which the former Mrs Allen died-& also says that Edgar "accompanied Mr ~ Mrs Allen to England." Any facts which you can give me in relation to these matters will deeply interest me. While at Georgetown with my cousin the Rev N Power Tillinghast he spoke of his neighbour Mr George Poe as a relative of Edgar's. Can you tell me in what degree. I have some doubts whether my last letter ever reached you. Will you have the kindness, dear Madame, to write me a line on recieving this ~3 direct to the care of Horace H Day, 23 Cortlandt St New York. Have you heard of the death of Mrs Jane E Locke? I saw it not long ago in the Boston papers. Yours very affectionately Sarah H Whitman Number Twenty, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, April 17, 1859. In the letter of April 17 we have further evidence of Mrs. Clemm's inaccuracy. In 1859 Mrs. Stanard had been dead for thirty-five years. In 1824 Poe was a boy of fourteen. The latter part of this letter is devoted to Mrs. Whitman's favorite fantasy, that her own family, the Powers, and the Poes were related. This seems to be without foundation. It is not strange that Mrs. Whitman had not seen "Landor's Cottage" in Flag of Our Union, June 9, 1849. It is probable that her friends would have avoided calling this sketch to her attention because of its romantic connection with Mrs. Richmond. In any case, Flag of Our Union was an obscure paper with small circulation. Mrs. Richmond, of course, is the "Lady in Lowell of whom Edgar writes." New York April 17th 59 My dear Mrs Clemm I thank you for your very kind letter ~ for the papers which you entrusted to me. I found them very interesting, but very sad. My heart ached to think on the sorrows of those last, fatal days. Yet doubtless all was for the best. Believe that his parting prayer was accepted ~ that his redeemed spirit is unfolding and expanding into diviner harmonies with the spirits of those who best loved him ~8 whom he best loved on earth as in heaven[45] What you tell me of Mrs Stannard perplexes me-If she died only 26 years ago, Edgar could not have been at the Academy in Richmond at that time-he would have been 22 years old-Yet I so well remember that he described to me his sorrow at hearing of her death while in school, ~3 told me of his solitary visits to the cemetary. Was the cemetary in the city or was it only in the neighborhood of Richmond?-Is there not a mistake about the period of her death?I was particularly interested in what you told me about Edgar's grandfather having been born in Ireland. I will tell you why. Mr Poe was one day speaking to me of the marked resemblances in certain of our tastes ~ habits of thought, some of which might almost be termed idiosyncrasies, yet were common to both. Assenting to what he said, I added-"Do you know it has just occurred to me that we may have come from distant branches of the same family and that the name of Power as well as that of Poe are both variations from the name as originally spelled-I think the correct orthography of the name in both instances is, Poer." He looked suddenly up, with an expression of surprise ~ pleasure on his face, ~ said "Helen you startle me! for among some papers of my grandfather's there is one in which some reference is made to a certain Chevalier Le Poer who was a friend of the Marquis de Grammont ~ a relative of our family." He said at the time that he would at some future day show me this paper and seemed very much interested in the matter. My father's ancestors were of an Anglo-Norman family who went over to Ireland in the time of Henri II? The founder of the family in Ireland was I think Sir Roger Le Poer who went to Ireland as Marshall to Prince John in the reign of Henry II. The name of Poer is by the historians of Ireland spelled sometime as Power ~ sometimes as Poer or De La Poer. I knew nothing about the old style of spelling the name at the time when I expressed to Edgar my belief that our names had a common origin. I have been so strongly impressed within a few years with the idea that Edgar's family on his father's side came from Ireland that I requested my Aunt Mrs J L Tillinghast, who now resides with her son at Georgetown, to enquire of Mr George Poe about the origin of the family. He had forgotten or had never known-The infor[46] mation that you have given me onthe subject is therefore very interesting to me. My Aunt says that Mr Poe (who before he became a catholic was a member or an attendant of her son's church in Georgetown) looks very much as my father looked in the later years of his life. I do not know that these things will interest you but they may do so. I tell them to you simply to show you how interesting to me in connection with this conversation was your intelligence. I have been for several years past very much interested in geneological researches, and anything in relation to your father's family will interest me. The name of your mother, too-I should like to learn. Can you tell me whether Edgar's father ever was in England-or did he meet his wife Miss Arnold in this country-I think she was of English birth-% did Edgar's father adopt the stage as a profession? I know it has been so stated, & again I have heard the statement contradicted. Can you tell me whether anarticle in Griswold's Edition of Edgar's works entitled Landor's Cottage was ever published before it appeared there. I mean was it ever published in-a magazine.? Did I ask you if you knew the name of the author of the Memoir prefixed to the Illustrated Edition of Edgar's Poems? I think I did, but you do not allude to it in your letter. Do you still maintain friendly relations with the lady in Lowell of whom Edgar writes, and does she still cherish his memory? I have never seen her. There are many things which I should like to learn of you but I am suffering to-day with such a deadly weight about my heart that I must only say how grateful I am to you for entrusting me with the papers which I return to you-I think I can understand all the motives that influenced Edgar in those last days Zý can see how the desire to provide a home ~3 friends for you swayed him in all. Your friend S H Whitman [47] Number Twenty-one, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, April [?] 1859. The dating of this letter is doubly confusing, as Mrs. Whitman appears to have written "April 5th," while its contents establish that it could have been written no earlier than April 25. As one seldom makes an error in the month, we may assume that the correct date for this letter is between April 25 and April 30. Mrs. Clemm, with a liberality displayed on previous occasions when dealing with other people's letters, probably sent everything Mrs. Richmond had written her. Mrs. Whitman may have been correct in her conjecture that Lowell's dislike of Poe was the reason for the rejection of her article. Because of the "Longfellow War" and other instances in which Poe had offended the literary Brahmins, his stock remained very low in New England for many years after his death. Edgar Poe and His Critics did not see the light of day until its appearance in book form in 1860 when it was brought out in New,York by Rudd and Carleton. From the mention of expense in Mrs. Whitman's letter of November 27, it is probable that she paid at least in part for its publication. This defense of Poe did much to correct the harm done by the Griswold memoir and must still be read by anyone attempting to form a just and full impression of Poe's character. New York April 5th My dear Mrs Clemm Your kind $3 very interesting letter should have been sooner acknowledged but I have been very unwell since I recieved it $ have morevover been pressed by very urgent engagements. I know you will forgive me. Mrs R's letters are full of such genuine love for you that I know they must be very dear to you. I am afraid you may have been anxious about them. I return them with many thanks. They indicate a very sweet $ sincere nature. I am going to the sea-coast near Portland tomorrow rather unexpectedly $3 am to-day very much burried by preparations, but I cannot leave without returning your letters 8 expressing to you my gratitude for your kindness in sending them. I wrote during the past year an article about Mr Poe-a protest against the very unjust estimates that have been formed of his character 4 genius- which I think you will like. It [48] alludes very briefly ~ remotely to personal matters and has no reference to the incidents connected with the two last years of his life. But I think it will very essentially modify the popular judgement-at least if it should obtain an extensive circulation. It has been seen by some of the best scholars ~ critics of my acquaintance ~ highly approved by them. It was read by the editor of an influential Religious Monthly ~3 by him commended to the Editors of the Atlantic. After detaining it three months it was rejected without explanation. I believe that Mr Lowell is not disposed to look favorably upon anything written in Edgar's favor. My friends wish me to prepare for a second edition of my poems ~ if I also publish a small volume of prose I shall include the article of which I speak. I wish you would tell me the year of your father's death ~ his age at the time of his death. I should like (purely through a private interest in the matter) to know the name of the M. L. S. to whom the last verses in the "poems" are addressed. I have heard Edgar speak of the circumstances under which he composed the poem of Ulalume It purports to have been suggested by a midnight walk on the Anniversary of a burial-and it is my impression that he told me it was so written. But Virginia died in January did she not?-And the poem was professedly written in October-Perhaps the correspondence in time was purely ideal-I know he described the emotions themselves as real. I rode last Sunday with some friends to High Bridge ~ remembered as I walked there much that Edgar had told me of his love for that place and his habit of walking there at all hours. If you write to me address your letter to me at Providence R.I. I shall hope to hear from you during the weekbut do not trouble yourself to write if you feel unequal to itI will write again before long Your affectionate friend Sarah H Whitman [49] Number Twenty-two, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, November 27, [1859]. As this letter is so obviously associated with the four that precede it, and as Mrs. Whitman speaks of the appearance of Edgar Poe and His Critics, it has been dated 1859. The copy of her book to which Mrs. Whitman refers at the close of this letter, and also in her letter of February 28, 1860, was lost by Mrs. Clemm in Alexandria in 1862. Mrs. Whitman replaced it with the copy which is now in the Amelia F. Poe Collection. Direct to me at Providence New York Nov 27th My dear Mrs Clemm Since I received your last letter I have been very busy attending to the publication of the little book of which you wrote. I have been several times to New York for that purpose Sshall remain here for a week or more. I shall request Rudd V Carleton to send you a copy as soon as it is out. The publication of the book (involving as it has done much expense 1 trouble) has occupied all my time for the last few months. I hope you will like it. It is not, you know, in any way intended as a literal and special refutation of Dr Griswolds fabulous stories, but simply as a plea for a suspense of judgment. I have introduced it by a brief preface which will give you an idea of the plan of the work. It is as follows"Dr Griswold's Memoir of Edgar Poe has been extensively read V circulated. Its perverted facts 1 baseless assumptions have been adopted into every subsequent memoir V notice of the poet V have been translated into many languages. It has been assumed by a recent English critic that "Edgar Poe had no friends" As an index to a more equitable V intelligible theory of his life V as an earnest protest against the letter V the spirit of Dr Griswold's unjust memoir these pages are submitted to his more candid readers V critics by one of his friends." My literary friends think that that will give as good an idea of the purport of the work as anything I could have said. I am sorry to hear that you have been suffering from neuralgia. I think thei, preparation of Iron of which you speak [50] will help you. Iron in other preparations Z especially the simple carbonate of iron has given me great relief in the suffering incident on organic enlargement of the heart, from which I have endured, and while I live must continue to endure, such great discomfort 18 unrest. I will be sure to have a copy of the book sent to you. You must write 8 tell me how you like it. It will doubtless stir up elements of discord in many quarters-but I do not write for popularity or present success. The statements I have made will have their influence in due time. Your affectionate Sarah H Whitman Number Twenty-three, Sarah Helen Whitman to Maria Clemm, February 28, 1860. There are Whitman letters of a later date in the Library's collection, but this is the last which contains material of general interest. Mrs. Clemm wrote repeatedly asking for money until 1863 and was seldom refused. Mrs. Whitman's health did not improve; but she lived until 1878, surviving Mrs. Clemm by seven years. She did not live to see the publication of the "second edition" of her poems in 1879, which she mentions in the letter written late in April 1859. Her first book of verse, Hours of Life and Other Poems was published in 1853. Of her poems which she had collected for printing and which were published in 1879 by her literary executor, William F. Channing, sixteen are associated with Poe and many others contain evidence of his influence. [51] My dear Mrs Clemm I recieved your kind letter of the 12th and should have answered it sooner but for my increasing suffering from the symptoms of heart-disease, of which I have spoken to you. I have been very unwell during the whole of the present month. I am very glad that you like my little book. I hear very 'kind things said of it. I would gladly send you some of Edgar's writing if I had not already parted with nearly everything but his letters and these I cannot lose. I will hope that your health will improve with the coming spring. I think of you with sincerest sympathy and interest and am Ever affectionately Your friend Sarah Helen Whitman I will write again soon. Providence February 28th 1860. I was disappointed dear Mrs Clemm in my wish to send you what you needed for immediate use. Since I wrote you last we have sustained still further losses through the withholding of customary bank dividends, on account of western railroad loans. If what I enclose can be of use to you it is most heartily at your service. Do not trouble yourself about repayment. [52] Each of the women in Poe's life seemed to supply some element which the others did not: Mrs. Clemm, mother and domestic watch-dog; Virginia, lover and playmate; Mrs. Whitman, understanding and intellect; Mrs. Osgood, sentiment and excitement. It remained for still another woman, whom Poe called "Annie," to bring into his frenetic later years the nearest approach to the normal passion of a man for a woman which he knew after Virginia's death. In July, 1848, through the kind offices of Mrs. Osgood and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Locke, Poe arranged an engagement to lecture on "The Poets and Poetry of America"* at Lowell, Massachusetts. It was on this visit that he met Mrs. Nancy Locke Heywood Richmond, a first meeting that is vividly recorded under the veil of fiction in "Landor's Cottage" in which he gave her the name "Annie." Her quality of attractive, adult, normal womanhood, so rare in his intimate relationships, had all the greater appeal for Poe because of the hounded and depressed state of mind in which he had fallen. This infatuation ran parallel to his affair with Mrs. Whitman, which was then approaching the arrangement of their marriage. His other infatuations disturbed Poe and made him wretched; in Mrs. Richmond's presence he was soothed and comforted. After the break with Mrs. Whitman, Poe continued his correspondence with "Annie" at Lowell, and his letters are full of the warmest confidences and affection. Of course the existence of the tolerant Charles Richmond put marriage out of the question; and it is doubtful that Poe's sudden wooing of Elmira Shelton indicated any real change in his affection for "Annie." Number Twenty-four, Nancy Locke Heywood Richmond ("Annie") to Maria Clemm, [October 10, 1849]. This letter of consolation addressed to Mrs. Clemm, is the outpouring, through an unskilled pen, of honest love and grief. Of the small group of Poe's friends who proved their loyalty by their kindness to Mrs. Clemm, there was none more patient and unselfish than Mrs. Richmond. Her letters are badly writteni and sentimental, but they reflect a very moving simplicity and devotion. Mrs. Richmond's dating is sometimes uncertain, but the only "Wednesday" between October 7 and October 14, 1849 is the 10th. Mrs. Clemm accepted the invitation promptly, arriving in Lowell, November 1, 1849, and stayed there for some months. *'Account of the lecture in the Lowell Advertiser, July 11, 1848. [53] Wednesday morning Oh my mother, my darling darling mother oh what shall I say to you-how can I comfort you-oh mother it seems more than I can bear-and when I think of you, his mother, who has lost her all, I feel that it must not, no, it cannot be -oh if I could but see you, do, I implore you, come to Annie soon as possible-come dear mother, and I will be indeed a daughter to you-oh if I could only have laid down my life for his, that he might have been spared to you-but mother it is the will of God, and we must submit, and Heaven grant us strength, to bear it,-we shall soon (at longest), meet the loved and lost to us here, in that blessed world where there are no partings-your letter has this moment reached me, but I had seen a notice of his death, a few moments previous in the paper-oh mother, when I read it, I said, no, no it is not true my Eddie can't be dead, no it is not so I could not believe it, until I got your letter, even now, it seems impossible, for how can it be-how can I bear it- and oh, how can his poor poor mother bear it and live-oh God, is it not too much forgive me, mother, but I cannot feel to submit without a murmur, I know it is wrong, but mother I cannot-had my own been taken, I could have been reconciled and comforted, for I have kind parents brother, and sister left, but, he was her all-God, in mercy comfort and sustain her, for it is more than she can bear-pardon me if I add one pang to your grief dear mother but my own heart is breaking, and I cannot offer you consolation that I would, now, but mother, I will pray for you, and for myself, that I may be able to comfort you-Mr R. begs that you will come on here, soon as you can, and stay with us long as you please-Do dear mother, gather up all his papers and books, and take them and come to your own Annie who will do everything in her power make you comfortable and reconciled to the bitter lot Heaven has ordained for youdo not deny me this privilege dear mother, my heart will surely break if you do not come-write me if but one. word, soon as you get this-the mail closes in 10 minutes I must stopmy darling darling mother, God in Heaven bless and sustain you, and bring you safely to your own faithful Annie [54] Number Twenty-five, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, October 14, [1849]. The most interesting point in Mrs. Richmond's letter of October 14 is contained in the postcript. It is improbable that she wanted to get her hands on Mrs. Locke's letters because of any affection she felt for that lady. More likely she feared an attack, either upon herself or upon the memory of Poe, and wished to secure these letters as a possible weapon against Mrs. Locke. This tiresome woman's trouble-making at Providence, already referred to in connection with letter Number Sixteen, is evidence that such fears were not without foundation. Monday morning Oct. 14. My darling mother, your precious letter has this moment reached me, and oh how much it has comforted me, I am so thankful to hear you say that you will come, I had so much feared your N. York friends would prevail on you to stay with them until spring, but thank Heaven, the blessed privilege of your dear society this winter will be mine-and dear mother will you not bring all of our darling precious Eddie's papers with you, all that you do not have to give up to the publishers, and his printed works too there is so little here, that can be obtained of his-the "S.L. Messenger," "Literary World," "Broadway Journal" Zc, 3c, we never get, they do not come here at all-if you will get a trunk and put them all in, and bring them on, it shall be no expense to you dear mother-do grant me this, for everything he has written, is so dear to me, and my only comfort now, oh mother darling darling mother, is it possible, that he will never never write to me again? I have waited so long, and now, to know it never can be, oh mother, is it wrong, I cannot bear it calmly, I cannot yet see, why, or. how, it is all for the best, God grant I may,I am so thankful to see those kind notices of him, for my heart has been so pained, oh mother, it is so cruel, for those who envied him while living, to speak so harshly of him now that he is gone-but as you say, what matters it, he will never know it, and his friends, will only love his memory more-do write me what day you will be here, so I can meet you at the cars, mother dear-I have a little sum, laid aside for you, shall I keep it, until you come, or shall I send it to you in a letter? tell me darling mother when you answer this-do come soon [55] as possible, I have a little room all ready for you where you can have a fire all to yourself, and I will try to make you so comfortable-come prepared to stay a long time wont youbring all you care for, everything, I have plenty of store room, do not part with anything you wish to keep, fearing it will discommode me, for nothing can if you will only come, Mr R. sends his kindest love to you, he is waiting to carry this to the office, Heaven bless you my darling darling mother,-your own loving and faithful Annie P.S. If you have any letters of Mrs Locke's either to you or yours, do not destroy them, but be sure and bring them with you for a very particular reason, that I will give, when I see you-don't forget to write whether you will have the money sent to you and when you will be hereNumber Twenty-six, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, [December, 1854?]. The chief clues to the dating of the following letter are the publication of Ruth Hall and the mention of Christmas, which seem to indicate that it was written late in December 1854. This letter reveals not only Mrs. Richmond's exuberance and warmth of affection, but also Willis's popularity with his feminine readers, which led Holmes to refer to him as "something between a remembrance of Count D'Orsay and an anticipation of Oscar Wilde." The sister who aroused Mrs. Richmond's resentment was Sarah Payne Willis (Mrs. Parton), author of a series of children's stories under the pseudonym "Fanny Fern." "Fanny Fern" was hardly an amiable character. After having exhausted her brother's patience by impositions, she turned on him and attacked his character and work in a mordant satire, Ruth Hall, published in 1854. This novel also pilloried the elder Nathaniel Willis, whose preoccupation with a somewhat rigid and formal piety may be pardoned on the grounds that he gave the children of America the Youth's Companion. It is to her childhood memory of this intensely moral but agreeable little paper that Mrs. Richmond refers when she says, "I learned to love him (the elder Willis) as soon as I learned to read." Two letters from N. P. Willis to Mrs. Clemm appear as Numbers Thirty-four and Thirty-five in this volume. [56] / 7 y~~il~lsy,$~~c ~C- J peccwJ t# S/W~r "-: - r. -6I A..N 44L (4.' % 712 I-IT 2 -- ý ý-tJ*0v rAr 0V 4p~c 77/7 r4@T >cwr~ Thursday Noon My precious Muddie, Your sweet sad letter I have just recieved-I am so glad to hear you are getting better again-how I wish it was my privelege to nurse you, you would so soon be well-dear Muddie you ask, if I will come to you ~3 watch over you, in your last illness-I will, but God grant it may not be for many years to come-Do not give up to such dark Z3 sad forebodings -you have so. many friends, who love you, ~3 would do anything for you-Don't you know it? Then "'cheer up your heart," as you have so often told me, ~ believe there are better days coming-Who knows, but you ~3 I will live ~3 die together yet? stranger things than that have have happened many.a time-oh Muddle, dear Muddie how I do pity.Mr Willis, 3 I am sure, I love him more than ever--oh how I wish I were his sister, and I would love. him, so dearly that he would forget,all the unkindness of her, who does not deserve the name"Ruth Hall" I have not read, nor do I intend to,. since I find it abuses one of'my idols, for you know Muddie, I always told you, that-I longed to see Mr Willis more than. any other human being-how dear Eddie used to laugh. at me, ~.3 tell me I was only "one of a thousand" who were in love with himWell I know that, were itJnot so,. I really-believe I should have written him long ago-Would it were in my power to do something to atone for that woman's (for I will.not call. her by the sacred name of sister) unkindness not to say cruelty-I cannot bear, that he who has ever touched the most sacred ~3 the deepest recesses in my heart, should have his torn ~3 lacerated, ~3 I not allowed to do something for him-I, do, -pray for him, ~3 pray Heaven to send him comfort, ~3 to surround him with. gentle ~3 loving spirits, such as he knows so well, how to-appreciate. ~Z enjoy-I hope dear Muddie when you see him, you will do all you can, to cheer him, & make him forget his sorrows-I am so fearful, this schock will kill him, he is so feeble ~3 has so little strength just now oh then, (when she finds she has brought him to an early.grave), will she not repent in dust ~3 ashes!-God pity her, for she will have to suffer yet, more than she has ever done before-Dont you think so? perhaps the wrong she has done her brother, may be forgiven, but for what she has said of her poor old fcther, I am sureT she never can e-Why I almost worship him, his 1157] name is connected, with my earliest & sweetest remembrances, 8 I learned to love him, as soon as I learned to read-Do dear Muddie, tell me what you think of this matter-Have you read the vile book do you think it is destined to such popluraity as the review you sent me indicates?-Next week, I shall go to Boston (Mon. I think) $ shall then forward to you by "Adam's Ex"-the package of which I spoke in a former letter Will write the day I send it, so you may be looking out for it-pardon this short 3 hastily written note, for I am so very busy preparing for my Christmas gathering-how I wish you were to be one of our number. Please write again, very soon ~8 love ever, your own true Annie Number Twenty-seven, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, June 15, [1856]. Sunday fell upon the 15th of June in 1851 and in 1856. Mrs. Richmond's phrase, "As the years go by," and other indications that a considerable period of time has passed since her last meeting with Mrs. Clemm, seem to confirm the later date. Mrs. Richmond's distress at the loss of her daguerreotype of Poe is very real, even when allowance is made for her usual high pressure,of emotion. [58] Sunday Eve June 15 My darling Muddie, Notwithstanding my last letter to you, remains unanswered I will not let pass an opportunity of writing to you -I am alone in the house ~4 oh how I wish my own precious Muddie could sit down beside me, if only for one: hour, this. night-do you think we shall ever meet again on earth? Sometimes I think it is improbable, then I feel that I must see you ~3 that, some good angel will bring about a meeting for us--I do long to hear your voice calling me again, "Annie" "dear Annie," as you have so often called me, ~4 as he used to call me, oh so tenderly-Muddie, was there ever a voice so sweet? As the years go by, ~4 I see others who are called refined ~3 elegant among men, I -realize more fully, his superiority-I look in vain, for a brow that will compare with his-for such a carriage-such grace ~4 dignity combined-again & again I have replied to those who have asked me if such ~4 such a man were not. a "perfect gentleman" that I had never yet seen but one man, I deemed worthy to bear that title. ~3Muddie I know I shall never see another, for there can never be another like him -Muddie I have something sad to tell you-some one has stolen my Daguereotype of him-Since we came-to this house I have kept it in a drawer of a little table, in the parlor, with some twenty others-About six months ago I missed it, ~4 for a long time supposed some one must have taken it to have copied. 4 would bring it back, but now that I have asked everybody I can think of ~ can get no clue to it, I am perfectly wretched-true. I have the -crayon but that is not nearly so good-oh Muddie do put yours under lock ~4 key ~4 keep it always safe--Can you have a card Photograph taken from it where you are? But Muddle dear Muddie, you will leave me the Daguereotype, if God should take you first, wont you?.-I will not claim another thing, for I have the next dearest treasure you posses-the locket with the hair-that:is always under lock ~ key, ~ the picture used to be but I had to go for it so often, that I finally left it down stairs:for a few weeks never once dreaming but it would be safe-oh.Muddie if you [59] did but realize how unhappy it makes me, I am sure you would promise that if I outlive you, yours shall be mine-I will promise you, to keep that safely for I will not allow it to be seen even-So many of his admirers have wanted to borrow mine to have it copied but I never once lent it-I was so fearful some accident might befall it-I have promised to have it copied myself % really did intend to, for there are a few persons, I would be glad to have own it, because they would thoroughly value ~ esteem it-I am sorry to pain you by telling you of it, but Muddie it was not from any carelessness, or I never could forgive myself-it may yet be returned, I cannot but hope-Still the possibility that it may not, makes me so anxious that you guard yours with tenfold care-If you can have it copied there, I will send the money, if the pictures are good-there are so few good Photographer's, ~ so many miserable pictures palmed off upon people, that I am almost afraid to trust its being done well-but you can tell me what you think about it[incomplete] Number Twenty-eight, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, October 5, 1862. The gloomy forebodings to which "Annie" gave way in this letter were not immediately realized. Mrs. Richmond's family were long-lived and hearty folk; in the next letter not only is she living and hale, but so is her mother, except for a cold. "Annie's" desire to leave the world in October, the month of Poe's death, is very affecting, but this consolation was denied her. She cherished the memory of Poe for half a century and died at Lowell, February 9, 1898. Though we may be tempted to smile, we cannot doubt that the notes exchanged by "Annie" and "Muddie" must have brought a great deal of melancholy comfort to both. [60] Oct. 5th /62 Sunday Eve Dear darling Muddie, I must write a few words, although you have not answered my last-This month brings you always so near to me-it seems as if I loved you better in Oct. than at any other time-oh Muddie, why did he die? I feel more ~ more unreconciled, every year I live, to his untimely death-One reason is, that I become more ~ more convinced of his superiority to all other men, the longer I live, 4 the more I see of the world-There is just one thought, that comforts me, He is at rest-poor dear darling Eddie, his sorrows are ended, while our burden is increasing. But Muddie, we shall soon see him Sour tears will be dried-till then, we must mourn Tomorrow, I have visitors coming for a week or so-Mrs Deblois ~ two children-My time will be taken up, but my heart will be with you Muddie-I always wish I could be alone in Oct. I would not ask to see one human being (unless I could see you) until the month is ended-Do you know, that I think I shall die in Oct.? Unless some accident befall me, at some other time, I am sure, I shall leave this world, in that same sad season, that he left it-I often think lately, that it will not be but a very few years, ere I shall follow him, 3 were it not for my child, I would it were this-The world is so full of sorrow-it is not my individual sadness that oppresses me, but everything looks so dark ~ gloomy in the future-Our country [incomplete] Number Twenty-nine, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, November 4, 1864. This letter is closely related to. Willis's, Numbers Thirty-four and Thirty-five. It has not been possible to identify the author of the "paragraph" in a Kentucky newspaper, whose tribute to Poe so pleased Mrs. Richmond, and who was probably inspired by Willis's articles in the Home Journal of October 8 and 15, 1864. [61] Nov 4th/64 My darling Muddie I have just mailed a long letter to you which I hope you have got ere this, but I cannot delay sending you the enclosed paragraph, from a Kentucky paper, which I received from Dr. Curtis last eve-I am so delighted that some one has at last come forward in earnest, to see that the so-long talked of monument is erected to the memory of the noblest & best man God ever gave to the world-isn't what Willis says of him, beautiful-just like what he has always saidI shall love Willis, as long as I live, for what he has done ~ said in behalf of my dear Muddie t4 her precious Eddie-If you can get me a copy of the paper this article is copied from, you will confer a great favor on your Annie Have you heard from the lady? it seems she has something for you, & God grant you may receive it & that it may prove a substantial token of kindness & good will-Do let me hear from you at once ~3 believe me ever your true ~3 loving Annie Number Thirty, "Annie" Richmond to Maria Clemm, July 14, 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Sanford R. Kane were Baltimore friends of Mrs. Clemm's who moved to Chicago in 1868. The Amelia F. Poe collection contains an affectionate, chatty, and rather pious letter to Mrs. Clemm from Nellie C. Kane, dated from Chicago, February 11, 1868, containing impressions of the city, a vivid description of a funeral, and a heartfelt expression of gratitude for the comfort of post-war fare. When Mrs. Richmond called Mrs. Smith's article on Poe "beautiful" and "a noble defense," she was not unjustified.* It is vividly expressed and is more successful in communicating the human qualities and dynamic charm of Poe than hundreds of laborious pages from the pens of later biographers. Elizabeth Oakes Smith, the wife of Seba Smith, editor and poet, had been a good friend of Poe's in his last years in New York. This letter is a veritable encylopedia of names. "Poor Willis" receives a rather scanty obituary when one recalls Mrs. Richmond's avalanche of affection in letter Number Twenty-seven. *"Autobiographic Notes; Edgar Allan Poe." by Mrs. E. Oakes Smith, Beadles Monthly, vol. III, p. 147-156, February 1867. [62] July 14th/67 My darling Muddie Though my last letter remains unanswered I cannot longer wait your silence-I fear you are ill again, V unable to write-If so do get some kind friend to tell me-I heard through Mrs Hoyt that kind Mr V Mrs Kane had been to see you again-I am so glad-they are such nice good hearted people I know you will like them-Muddie have you seen a biographical sketch of our darling Eddie by Mrs Oakes Smith? It is beautiful to be sure it is not all you or I would say, but it is such a noble defence, against the recent attacks upon him, that I bless her for it V will love her as long as I live-I wish I knew her address, V I would write to her V tell her, how grateful I am V will ever be, to her for those kind V just words-she speaks of you dear Muddie so kindly too-how I wish I knew her, so I could ask her to come V see me-I do so long to talk about him, with some one who appreciated V admired him-If you ever write to her dear Muddie, please give her my kindest love V my most grateful thanks, V tell her she has a place in my inmost heart henceforth V forever The article I refer to is published in "Beadle's Monthly" for Feby. a N. York magazine If you cannot get it I will send it to you-Poor Willis he has gone at last-I thought of you as soon as I heard of his death-For the last few years I have known little of him, yet it is sad to feel we shall never again see that name among the list of "our contributors Sophia Carter is with me still V I read to her all the time morning noon V night-Since Christmas we have read so many books-Victor Hugo, Dickens, Thackery, Miss Evans, Ruskin Vc Vc-besides essays, sermons, the papers magazine Vc-Do dear Muddie, let me hear from you in some way very soon-Mr R. sends love-Carrie is in N. York-Mother is not well just now-she is suffering from a severe cold V coughs very badly-yours ever with love Annie [63] Much has been written of Mrs. Maria Clemm's long and unquestioning devotion to Poe and the surrender of the greater part of her life to helping him keep body and soul together. Too much cannot be said of her patience and self-sacrifice, but Maria Clemm had her less attractive side. No doubt it is a part of virtue to be a successful beggar when one is a penniless widow with dependents. Mrs. Clemm pursued the art of mendicancy with a zeal and a technical sufficiency that left her victims breathless. Most of her letters are begging letters, but their quiet dignity and unanswerable logic are above reproach. After Edgar's death she was thrown, of necessity, upon the charity of his friends. Mrs. S. D. Lewis provided a home for her in 1849, and later, for a period of several years. Mrs. Louise Shew Houghton and Mrs. Richmond also cared for her during long visits, and at one time she caused Mrs. Whitman some uneasiness by hinting that she might seek refuge at Providence. Only a few of the many Maria Clemm letters in the Amelia F. Poe collection are reprinted here. Most of them are appeals for money or acknowledgements of staall gifts. Of all Poe's friends who continued a kindly interest in the desolate old woman until her death in 1871, none was as faithful as Mrs. Richmond or Neilson Poe. Number Thirty-one, Maria Clemm to Neilson Poe, April 5, 1860. Number Thirty-two, Maria Clemm to Neilson Poe, February 19, 1861. Lacking well-filled treasuries, but possessing unlimited land, the American colonial, state, and national governments in the early days granted land bounties instead of cash to reward past military service and to encourage enlistment. By the 'thirties, warrants for many millions of acres had been granted. Many of the warrants had been sold for small sums to speculators, who. used them to accumulate vast tracts in Illinois, Arkansas, and Missouri. William Clemm, Jr. received one of these grants for his service in the War of 1812 and in his wife's old age it was one of her few remaining resources. In thd letter of April 5, 1860 she is apparently trying to dispose of the warrant through an agent in Washington. On February 19, 1861 she jogs Neilson Poe's memory, andnotes in a postcript that warrants were bringing from 62.V2 to 75 cents on the dollar in Washington. It is probable that she succeeded in selling the warrant; but there is nothing in the correspondence to prove that she did or to establish the extent or value of the land bounty. [64] Alex April 5th 60. Dear Sir I thank you very much for replying to my last letter, it has relieved me of great anxiety, I never doubted your kindness in regard to the Land warrant, but thought it strange you did not answer my letters. I would have gone with Mr Johnston, but indisposition prevented me, I have been confined to my room nearly all winter with a violent cough. I will leave the papers in your hands, hoping when it is convenient to yourself you will oblige me by attending to it for me. Do you know Mr Samuel Keerll of your city? he I know was in the same regiment with my husband, perhaps his certificate to that you already have may have some weight. I think I mentioned in one of-my letters, that I intended going to dear and valued friends in Ohio, to pass the summer months, and in October next go with them to Europe probable to remain there two or three years, they paying all my expenses. This I presume look rather Quixotic for one of my years, but the same God will be there that has taken such special care of me in all those desolate years. I enclose you my friends last letter, to let you see that in May I will have the means to repay you, if you will loan me 20 dollars until that time, I wish to leave here the last week in this month, if I do so I will have company as far as Wheeling, and my friends will meet me there. If you will oblige me by complying with this request I will indeed be most grateful, I will stop in Baltimore for a few hours, once more to see my sisters children, as I never expect to return from Europe. God has provided for me good kind friends and I feel very certain, the few remaining years I have to live, I will be well taken care of. I remain with much gratitude your friend Maria Clemm. Alexandria Feb 19th/61 Dear Sir I am certain you will not deem me intrusive for again intruding on your time. I am so situated that I am most anxious to know if I will get any thing for the Land Warrant. I was in Washington last week and saw a friend who will [65] attend to it for me, if you will send me the paper that I signed. It will greatly oblige me if you will do, so and save me the trouble of having another procured. At least I hope you will relieve me by replying to this, as I will leave here next month. Yours Maria Clemm. Land Warrants are now selling for 62V2 to 75 cents, in Washington Number Thirty-three, Maria Clemm to Neilson Poe, September 19, 1863. The letter of September 19, 1863 was written by Mrs. Clemm in what was perhaps her last major campaign for support from an indifferent world. We know that she did not attain her modest goal, a refuge in the Baltimore Widows' Home (now the Aged Women's Home), at Fayette and Calhoun Streets. She was still at the Church Home on Broadway when she died eight years later. Baltimore Sep 17, 63 Dear Sir I left Ohio more than 5 months ago and have been in the "Church Home" in this city. I wrote from Ohio to my old Rector Dr Wyatt to use his influence to obtain admission for me in the "Widows Home" in this place, which he can do, but I must pay $150 on going there, this I cannot do without the assistance of a few friends, I now write this to ask you to aid me even in a small way. I have heard thru the Rev Mr Rankin of your presence in the city. The ladies of St Pauls Church pay a high board for me here, the managers are nearly all the children or grandchildren of my old friends, they take a great interest in me, and this is why I wish to remove the obligation by going where I will be cared for the rest of my life. I would be very much pleased to see you and Josephine here, all my relatives and many old friends visit me. I hope you will reply to this if you do, direct to me "Church Home" Broadway, Baltimore Respectfully Maria Clemm [66] VI TRIBUTES FROM POE'S FELLOW CRAFTSMEN Number Thirty-four, N. P. Willis to Maria Clemm, October 12, 1864. Number Thirty-five, N. P. Willis to Maria Clemm, October 27, 1864. Willis's heretofore unpublished letter of October 12, 1864, reveals how loyal was his friendship for Poe. He refers to an article which he had published in the Home Journal on Saturday, October 8, 1864. It was.prompted by a letter from a correspondent in Waterloo, New York, who on account of her attachment for the memory of Poe sent money for Mrs. Clemm. She also suggested that she wished to help erect a monument to his memory in Baltimore. Willis then quoted his own "Death of Edgar A. Poe," printed in the Home Journal on October 20, 1849. In 1864 he added passages which reveal not only his love for Poe but also his own unusual understanding of his friend's nature. "With the quality of men of genius, I have always felt, somehow, very strangely and tenderly enamored. Recognizing, at once, the certain something which makes this man differ from others, as the Arab steed differs from the common horses of the desert, I love and value him, as the way-worn traveller values his priceless barb-with a tenderness unconfessed but still impassioned. With tears of silence, and in the depths of my heart, I pay homage to the 'blood' of that finer creature. "It is not given to all lookers-on alike, however, to recognize this quality. And, curiously enough, the quality goes often unappreciated -its presence enjoyed, while its existence is unwhispered even by its modest self. In a passing acquaintance, that only claims to be 'man' or 'woman'-neither author nor artist, neither player nor celebrity of any kind-the more gifted observer discovers suddenly the diviner quality, the something to which its homage is resistless. One loves the strange mystery of superiority, and loves it with the tenderness of a woman-though to a common observer, it be but a man's love for man... "I have explained (brokenly and briefly perhaps, but still in words that will be understood by the kind readers who are so used to treat me with indulgence,) why I welcome, with all my heart, the proposal to pay tribute.toQ that poet, slumbering in his silence. I love to know that the unmarked and almost forgotten grave of EDGAR POE is to be sought out, and honored with its marble monument. It shall be a tender and sweet pilgrimage of mine, (in my coming visit to Baltimore,) to see where it is, and to be then ready for the mingling of my homage with that of other lovers of his genius." Willis also reproduced "Annabel Lee." In his editorial of October 15, 1864 he added an appeal for funds for Mrs. Clemm. His letter of October 27 is evidence that this appeal brought immediate results. The Mr. Silsbee mentioned was apparently an admirer of Poe's work rather than a personal friend. Willis's championship of Poe ended only with his death in 1867. [67] Home Journal Office Oct 12, 1864 Dear Mrs. Clemm I was about writing to a friend of mine in Baltimore to enquire whether you were still alive, when I received your very welcome letter. I am glad also that you are able to write so strong 8: clear a hand. It will be very good report of your "whereabout," for the person whose sympathies were interested, 8 whose letter I published in the Home Journal. I will inform her of it, as soon as I get the "address." My article about our "pale, sad boy," has excited a great deal of sympathy, and, I am about making myself the recipient of whatever it will draw forth, for him and for you. In my next paper, I will formally propose myself the agent, ~ you will unquestionably hear from it to your advantage, while the memory of the poet's grave will also be cherish'd. This brief note is only to announce the receipt of your letter, for I wait the coming of that person's "address,"' hoping to send you something more welcome, ~ that very soon. Meantime, dear Mrs Clemm I remain Yours very truly N P Willis Mrs. Maria Clemm. P. S. Could you possibly find the time to write me word where Poe' s grave is? And could you tell me (in ever so hasty a letter) when he was married, how long his wife lived, ~3 any particulars of his married life. What was his wife's maiden name, her personal appearance ~3c c. The persons who write to me,ask questions as to these particulars, ~ it might serve you to answer them. [68] N. York, Oct. 27/64 Dear Mrs Clemm The enclosed $10 is from Mr. Cudy Silsbee, Seneca Falls, N. Y. in response to my mention of you in the Home Journal; and he says that he shall, ere long, contribute something to the proposed monument upon Poe's grave. Hoping to send you more, in a short time, I remain Yours very sincerely N P Willis Mrs Maria Clemm. Number Thirty-six, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to Maria Clemm, July 2, 1860. The connection between Poe and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow most prominent in the minds of students of American poetry is, of course, Poe's attack on Longfellow in the columns of the New York Mirror and the Broadway Journal. Poe's challenges and the reply of a defender of Longfellow who signed his articles "Outis" can be read in the New York Weekly Mirror of January 25, 1845, where they are grouped together from the Evening Mirror, and in the Broadway Journal, March 8, 15, 22, 29, and April 5, 1845. This controversy had as its basis Poe's conviction, amounting almost to an obsession, of the prevalence of plagiarism. Longfellow was too generous to bear any malice against Poe for his often ill-considered charges and criticism. Eleven years after Poe's death Mrs. Clemm wrote to a number of his friends and literary associates, appealing for funds to help her move to the South. On June 26, 1860 she wrote to Longfellow asking for twenty dollars. The Mrs. Davis mentioned was probably Mrs. E. M. Davis, daughter of Lucretia Mott, and a friend of the Lowells and Longfellows. She knew Mrs. Clemm and had collected thirty dollars for her in New England, which is the "small sum" referred to by Longfellow in the following letter. He also sent several of his autographs which friends of Mrs. Clemm's had asked her to obtain. There is another brief letter in the Amelia F. Poe collection mentioning an enclosure of ten dollars, which Longfellow wrote May 4, 1863, in answer to a further appeal from Mrs. Clemm. [69] Cambridge July 2 1860. Dear Madam, I have the pleasure of sending you enclosed a small sum subscribed by several friends at the suggestion of Mrs. Davis, and which until receiving your letter, I supposed had been already forwarded to you by her. For greater safety I send a cheque upon a Boston Bank, which will need your signature on the back. Any Bank in Alexandria, I suppose, will pay you the amount; if not Messrs Corcoran ~ Riggs of Washington will, as I am personally known to them. I sincerely hope that the sum sent will be sufficient for your purposes, (though I wish it were much larger.) and that you will be able to make the journey you so much desire. I enclose also the signatures you request and remain With best wishes Your Obt. Svt Henry W. Longfellow P.S. Please let me know if this reaches you safely, directing to Nahant, Mass where I go for the Summer. [70] Number Thirty-seven, Oliver Wendell Holmes to Maria Clemm, December 14, 1851. Oliver Wendell Holmes was too great and generous a spirit, and too busy, to involve himself in the squabbles of the New York literati. Poe admired his work and with characteristic modesty Holmes once wrote, "I have always thought Mr. Poe entertained a favorable opinion of me since he taughtj me to scan one of my own poems... I am not ashamed to be grateful for his good opinion, and even venture to hope that he may find something to approve of in one or two of my last poems." This hitherto unpublished letter establishes the fact that Holmes and Poe never met; but their admiration for each other's work, expressed more than once in print, suggests that had they known each other personally the friendship might have been a fruitful one. Boston Dec. 14th 1851. My dear Madam, I have the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt of the three volumes of your Son's works. I have been reading many of the tales and poems with great and renewed interest, and with increasing admiration for the extraordinary genius they manifest. They only increase my regret that it was never my fortune to meet with Mr. Poe, that I might associate his living image with the creations which have outlived and will long survive him. With my best wishes for your welfare I am Yours very respectfully 0 W Holmes [.71] Number Thirty-eight, Gabriel Harrison to Maria Clemm, December 27, 1865. Gabriel Harrison (1818-1902), an actor, author and painter, had known Poe in New York City. Their association dated from meetings in the general store which Harrison opened in 1843 on the corner of Broadway and Prince Street. Harrison's record of their intimacy has been cited by Woodberry in his Life of Poe, II, 422-424. The Letter included in this volume, one of several written to Mrs. Clemm during the 'sixties, is typical of Harrison's generous and affectionate nature and also of the sentimentality of his style. Harrison continued his kindness to Mrs. Clemm until her death in 1871. He had made a daguerreotype of Poe in 1847; and in 1865 he made an enlarged photograph of this and finished it in colors. This portrait, presented to the Long Island Historical Society and still in its possession, measures six by eight inches. It appears that the coloring was done in oils.* *See A. P. Schulte, "The Portraits and Daguerreotypes of Edgar Allan Poe," included in Facts about Poe, ed. by James Southall Wilson, 1926, p. 45. [72] 176 East Warren St Brooklyn Dec 27th/65 Dear Muddie, I received a letter from you the other day, stating that you had not received a letter from me for a long time. I dont know how this is, for I have written to you since my return to Brooklyn, the last letter previous to my leaving Titusville Penn. was one in answer to the request for 5. which at this time I could not send, as the parties for whom I was painting the Opera House have not as yet paid me for all my labors. -When I left the West, I was forced to do so through sickness and have not as yet quite recovered. Tomorrow Evening (Thursday) I leave again for the city, but when ever you do write that long letter about your dear self, direct it to my residence in Brooklyn, then my Son Washington will know where to send it. I wish you would write a long letter about yourself, and also write one about Eddie on the subject I have so often requested. I have finished Eddies Picture and exhibited the same to several persons who knew dear Eddie while living. all, without one single exception pronounce it to be perfect as a likeness of the immortal Poet. I have seen several articles in the newspapers of late, stating that the relatives of of Eddie were about to erect a Monument to Eddie in Baltimore, do you know any of the subjects, if so, please.write to me all you know. I enclose my mite for you to get something for your New Years, it is a pitty that a man with my heart, and the good feelings I hold towards you, that-I am not so situated to do for you all I would do had I the means, but dear Muddie you must take' the will for the deed. God Bless you and a happy New Year.Ever your loving Friend Gabriel [73] VII THE TROUBLES OF POE'S ENGLISH BIOGRAPHER Number Thirty-nine, John H. Ingram to Neilson Poe, October 7, 1874. Number Forty, John H. Ingram to Amelia F. Poe, February 7, 1895. Number Forty-one, John H. Ingram to Mrs. H. M. Thomas, July 14, 1913. The following letters illustrate some of the difficulties which John H. Ingram surmounted in writing the first scholarly life of Edgar Allan Poe, and represent also his later correspondence with Miss Amelia Poe, " the collector of the material now at the Pratt Library. In his letter of July 14, 1913, Mr. Ingram is evidently describing the letter from Edgar Poe to Mrs. Clemm and Virginia, which is now for the first time printed as Number Two in this volume. The readers of that letter will be surprised at Ingram's surmises concerning the reasons why it was withheld from publication. There are no "invectives" concerning Neilson Poe. It is simply an expression of Edgar Poe's belief that he can secure a better social position for Virginia and Mrs. Clemm in Richmond than Neilson Poe can in Baltimore. Perhaps to Miss Poe's mind this was more serious than it seems to the present editors. [74] Engineer-in-Chief's Office, General Post Office, London, England. 7 Oct. 1874 Dear Sir, A lengthy attack of rheumatic fever ~ domestic affilliction have prevented me writing to you sooner on a subject in which I am deeply interested; ~ also stopped my efforts at the very moment when I might have been of service, to the late Miss Rosalie Poe. From several quarters I hear that You have written to me relative to your cousin Edgar A. Poe, but I have never received any such communication. I am also informed that "the Poes are very reticent with regard to the late E. A. Poe," and I am not surprised to hear that when one knows the lies ~ slanders about him promulgated by his enemies, Rufus Griswold ~3 others. For my part, all my efforts have been towards clearing his honour from the many imputations cruelly ~3 often unjustly cast on it-in proof of this I can refer you to my papers in Temple Bar ~ the Gentleman's Magazines, in the Mirror ~c. ~c. which, I find, have been reprinted in America ~3 are already producing a good effect: they have been reprinted in your Eclectic, Every Saturday, ~3c. magazines. Moreover, I have already written ~ printed a Memoir of your famous cousin to prefix a complete edition of his works in 4 vols. The first vol. will be ready for publication (by Mesrs. Blacks, the great Edinburgh publishers) in a few days. It will contain a fine portrait-very different to that given in the Griswold ~ other collections-views, fac similes &c. ~&c. ~ will really be worthy the name ~ fame of a great author. But I am still seeking material for a complete ~ exhaustive biography of Edgar Poe: several -of your countrymen are helping me ~ will doubtless give much aid, but none can be so likely to help with authentic information as you can, if you are only willing to. Here are some of my queries-Date of his birth-This was doubtless the 19th. of Feby 1809 but was it at Baltimore? How was it that Miss Rosalie, as she wrote me, did not know she had a brother until she was quite a big girl? some have told me she was a foster-sister ~3 not Edgar's own, but I think his own letters disprove this-What became of the other brother William Henry Leonard Poe? [75] When, & how often did Edgar visit Europe? Did he, indeed, ever leave America after his return from England in 1821 (1822?)? Did you know the Stannards? Judge S-Robert S-Mrs. SHad they a daughter Mary? His college career I know the truth of. Did he really leave home (Mr. Allans) to go to the aid of the Greeks in 1827? Did you know an Ebenezer Barling who was to have accompanied him? Do you know the correct date of Mrs. Allan's (the 1st.) death? Was it 27 Feby 1829? Did you know anything of Mrs. Royster (nee Patterson) Did Edgar leave home in 1831 to aid the Poles? Can you give any definite information of his career between Feby 1831 ~3 Oct. 1833 -The precise date of his marriage-Particulars of his last moments? Copies of any letters or notes? Anything to disprove any of Griswold's lies? I trust I shall not pain or annoy you with these questions: They are not wanton or needless ones. Your celebrated relative's life is the property of the world so do aid me to make bright ~ noble! I do not think there is anyone who knows so much of his career as I do-I know much that it is needless the world should know-You must know that beside printed matter I have perused many unpublished letters of Edgar Poes, besides those of intimate friends: of Mrs Clemms; Miss Rosalies &Sc. &Sc.K. and you will see that the very best so far has been done for your poor cousin by Yours truthfully John H. Ingram To Nelson Poe Esqr. &c. ~1c. ~c. [76] 2/7/95 Controller of Stores Office, G.P.O., London,England Dear Miss Poe, Accept my warm thanks for your kindness in sending me the photos. I can have one of those of Virginia removed without injury, I had wanted a portrait of Mr J. P. Poe, also. He is mentioned in my life of E A Poe, and was a courteous correspondent of mine some years ago. I will not trouble you about the Judge's photo-at present, at any rate. Is there not an engraved portrait of him that you know of? In any journal, paper, or magazine? For my purpose an engraved portrait is, of course, preferable as being permanent. Surely, too there must be some portrait of the old "General"-Lafayette's friend-somewhere: perhaps in some book? Do you know if such be in existence? Pardon my troubling you but you are more likely to know than anyone-save your brother, Mr J P Poe.-I do not fancy there would be a very large sale obtainable in England, or even France, for the portraits of E A Poe & his wife but it is possible that some firm might like to try them. The London Stereoscopic Cy., Cheapside, London, might be willing to take up the matter. If any convenience to you I would ask them. I had published-from American correspondents' information-particulars of the monument for Edgar by Judge Neilson Poe ~3 its fate many years ago and Gill got it from my papers as he did every item of interest in his book. The poem "Alone" is, probably, Edgar's composition but not his handwriting. I had fac simile copies of it long before it appeared in the magazine. I challenged the writing when published ~ the editor of (Scribner' s was it? I'm not sure of it without reference) the magazine wrote me that the person who sent the lines to him acknowledged to have written the [77] heading &4 signature! Compare these with body of the poem and you will see that the person who forged one portion was author of the whole MS. I had 3 or 4 photos of the poem Z4 as it is notý Poe's writing why have it photo-ed at all? You must be careful of these forgers. They never let Poe have a month's rest. I wish I could have sent you a better copy of the Life but that is the only Edition-out of several-now on sale, and is revised. If you ever hear, or know of any genuine E A P., relics; first editions, portraits of his friends, or anything relating to the poet will you kindly let me hear And if you wish anything done with regard to his name; portrait, &dc here, you have only to inform your very much obliged, John H. Ingram [78] 1, Hollingbury Terrace, Preston, Brighton. England. 14 July 1913 My dear Mrs Thomas, Your letter, postmarked July 7th.just to hand. Apparently, from the contents you have not received my letters of 9th & 30th. of May last, nor that I sent upon receipt of the Baltimore Sun containing the saw news of your aunt's death. This last letter was sent, in mistake, I fancy, to 1228 Madison Avenue. I expressed therein my sorrow to hear the sad intelligence and proposed dedicating my new work on Edgar Poe to her memory as a token of respect and gratitude to her friendly aid. I had no idea she was so old, or should not have troubled her so much. She was wonderfully clearheaded and active & wrote out copies for me-many dozens of pages of Poe's letters and other matters. I understood from her that she had several letters from E. A. Poe, copies of which she sent me for my work. The originals were probably sold.The letter you say is without signature, I probably, have copy of, but cannot identify it for the moment, but the other is, doubtless, that Poe wrote in connection with his proposed marriage to Virginia Clemm. If so, there are parts to Mrs. Clemm & part to Virginia. Judge Neilson Poe gave some particulars of this letter to Dr. Morison, of the Peabody Institute, for me, Mrs. Clemm sent the Judge the letter after Edgar's death. In the letter Poe insisted upon his ability to provide for Virginia, described the home he would take and in-, dulged in invectives against the unkind relative who wished to separate him from Virginia. Is this not the letter? Why Miss Poe did not give me, or anyone copy of this letter was, I believe, on account of Edgar's remarks about her father. But no honorable man would repeat or publish them. [79] I would gladly purchase this letter myself, if the price were within my limits but, for this very reason, cannot well suggest a price. I may say this, however, that when I. offered three very intersting letters from Poe to the British Museum they would only buy one and only gave me ~2.2/- about $102,. This was a long time ago, and they are worth more now, of course and I am sorry I sold them at all. The purchase by the late Pierpont Morgan of Poe MSS. caused them-the M.S.S. of Poems, &c. to go up in value. Pray try and let me have the offer of this letter for myself, but, if not, able to sell me the letter can I have a copy of such parts as you, or your family do not object to the publication of? I do hope the letter will not go to anyone having ill feeling to E.A.P. Miss Poe was very good in giving me Poe memoranda, books, &c. but I understood her to say that she had a very large collection of such things, & when I sent her any books, sc. said they were added to this collection. I fear most of these things, of any pecuniary value, must have been disposed of. If you have any books by,or about Poe, from her collection you can part with pray let me know what you can take for them. The late Mr J. P. Poe, her brother, subscribed for some for her, I understood. Kindly let me hear from you. Yours very truly, John H. Ingram P.S. I'm not a rich man ~ could not give a fancy price for the letter. A Pierpont Morgan price. JHI [80] BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE The following letters, Numbers 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, were published by James A. Harrison in volume 2 of his Life and Letters of Edgar Allan Poe, Crowell, 1902. Numbers 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 were published by George E. Woodberry in his Life of Edgar Allan Poe, Personal and Literary, with His Chief Correspondence, 2 vols., Houghton, 1909. A comparison of the form and content of these letters, as edited by Harrison and Woodberry, will show interesting variations from the exact transcripts of the original manuscripts which appear in the present volume. In some cases prior publication has omitted vital portions of a letter, as in the case of Numbers eleven and fourteen; in others, there have been more or less serious copyists' errors. [81] INDEX Aged Women's Home, Baltimore: 66 Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems: 7 Allan, Frances Keeling Valentine (Mrs. John): 43, 45, 76 Allan, John: 43, 44, 76 Allan, Louisa Gabriella Patterson (second Mrs. John): 43, 45 Allen, Hervey: vi, 8 "Alone": 77 American, Baltimore: 29 Amelia F. Poe Collection: v, vi, 50, 62, 64, 69, 70 "American Poetry" see "Poets and Poetry of America, The") "Annabel Lee": 67 Atlantic Monthly, The: 49 Baltimore City and Marine Hospital: 31, 32 Baltimore Widows' Home (see Aged Women's Home) Barling, Ebenezer: 76 Beadles Monthly: 62, 63 Beatty, John: 25 Bisco, John: 23 Black, A. and C.: 75 Blythe, Judge: 18 Boston Public Library: 16 Briggs, Charles F.: 23, 41-43 British Museum, London: 80 Broadway Journal: 1, 22, 23, 39, 41, 55, '69 Carey, Margaret Cheston: v Carey, Rev. Neilson Poe: v Carter, Sophia: 63 Catterina (Poe's cat): 20, 21 Causten, J. H.: 15 Channing, William F.: 51 Chapman, Mrs.: 33 Chivers, Dr. Thomas Holley: 36, 37 Chronicle, Louisville: 20 Church Home and Infirmary, Baltimore (see also Washington College Hospital): v, 31, 66 Clarke, Thomas C.: 16, 17 Clemm, Harriet Poe (Mrs. William, Jr.): 3 Clemm, James L.: 30 Clemm, Josephine E. [see Poe, Josephine E. Clemm (Mrs. Neilson) ] Clemm, Maria Poe (second Mrs. William, Jr.): v, vi, 2, 3, 7-11, 13-17, 19-22, 24-32, 34-36, 39-45, 48, 50-74, 76, 79 Clemm, Virginia Maria (see Poe, Virginia Maria) Clemm, William, Jr.: 3, 6, 64 Clemm, Rev. William T. D.: 30, 33 Clipper, Baltimore: 29 Converse, Rev. Amasa: 8 Corner, Thomas C.: v Davis, Mrs. E. M.: 69 "Death of Edgar A. Poe," by N. P. Willis: 67 Defense of Edgar Allan Poe, A, by Dr. J. J. Moran: 31 Didier, Eugene L.: 8 Dielman, Louis H.: 29 Dow, Jesse E.: 16-18 Duane, William: 19 Eclectic Review: 75 Edgar Allan Poe, a Critical Biography, by Arthur Hobson Quinn: vi Edgar Poe and His Critics, by Sarah Helen Whitman: 43, 48, 50 Edgar Allan Poe; His Life, Letters, and Opinions, by John H. Ingram: 78 Ellet, Mrs. Elizabeth: 2 English, Thomas Dunn: 16, 18 Enoch Pratt Free Library: v, 13, 16, 36, 74 Evening Mirror, New York: 1, 69, 75 Every Saturday: 75 Facts about Poe, by James Southall Wilson: 72 "Fern, Fanny" (see Willis, Sarah Payne) Flag of Our Union: 1, 45 "For Her Whose Name Is Written Within" (See "A Valentine") Fuller, Mr.: 18 Gentleman's Magazine: 75 Gill, William Fearing: 77 Graham, George R.: 21 "Grey, Edward S. T." (Poe's assumed name): 25 Griswold, Rufus Wilmot: 35-37, 39, 43, 45, 47, 48, 50, 75, 76 Griswold Collection: 16, 75 [82] Harrison, Gabriel: 72, 73 Harrison, James A.: vi, 8, 25, 26, 81 Harvard College Library: 8 Herring, Henry: 22, 30 Hirst, Henry Beck: 19 Holmes, Oliver Wendell: 56, 71 Home Journal: 61, 67, 68 Houghton, Mrs. Roland S. (see Shew, Mrs. Marie Louise) Hours of Life and Other Poems, by Sarah Helen Whitman: 51 Ingram, John H.: vi, 74-80 Israfel, by Hervey Allen: vi, 8 Johns, Rev. John: 8 Kane, Nellie C. (Mrs. Sanford R.): 62, 63 Kane, Sanford R.: 62, 63 Koester, William H.: 15, 24 Lacey, Dr.: 18 Lafayette, Marie Joseph, marquis de: 77 "Landor's Cottage": 45, 47, 53 Lane, Thomas H.: 24 Leary, William A.: 19 Lee, Zaccheus Collins: 30, 33 "Le Poer, chevalier": 46 Le Poer, Sir Roger: 46 Lewis, Sarah Anna (Mrs. Sylvanus D.: Poe's "Estelle"): 24, 25, 42, 64 Life and Letters of Edgar Allan Poe, The, by A. Harrison: vi, 8, 26, 81 Life and Poems of Edgar Allan. Poe, The, by Eugene L. Didier: 8 Life of Edgar Allan Poe, The, by George E. Woodberry: vi, 8, 72, 81 Life of Edgar Allan Poe, The, by William Fearing Gill: 77 Lilly, J. K., Jr., Collection: 8, 36, 41 Literary World: 25, 55 Locke, Mrs. Jane Ermine: 36, 37, 45, 53, 55, 56 Long Island Historical Society: 72 Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth: 69, 70 Loud, Mrs. St. Leon: 24 Lowell, James Russell: 17, 21, 48, 49, 69 Lowell Advertiser: 53 Lynch, Anna Charlotte (Mrs. Vincenzo Botta): 1, 36, 38, 39 Mabbott, Thomas Ollive: vi Madisonian: 16 Maryland Journal: 15 "M. L. S." (see Shew, Mrs. Marie Louise) Moran, Dr. J. J.: 31, 34 Morgan, John Pierpont: 80 Morison, Rev. Nathaniel: 79 Morrison, Mrs.: 20 Mott, Lucretia: 69 Mowatt, Mrs. Anna Cora Ritchie: 43-45 National Intelligencer: 29 Neal, John: 7 New York Evening Mirror (see Evening Mirror, New York) New York Historical Society: 1, 39 New York Weekly Mirror (see Weekly Mirror, New York) North American Beacon (Norfolk): 24 O'Connor, Mr.: 42 Osgood, Mrs. Frances Sargent Locke: 1, 2,34, 36, 39, 53 Pabodie, William J.: 36, 37, 44 Parton, Mrs. (see Willis, Sarah Payne) Patriot: 29 Peabody Institute, Baltimore: 29, 79 Pennsylvania Historical Society: 19 Philadelphia Saturday Museum (see Saturday Museum, Philadelphia) Phillips, Mary: vi Poe, Amelia Fitzgerald: v, 77, 79, 80 Poe, "General" David: 11, 12, 15, 77 Poe, David, Jr.: 3, 5, 14, 43 Poe, Edgar Allan: passim Poe, Elizabeth Arnold (Mrs. David, Jr.): 3, 47 Poe, Elizabeth Cairnes (Mrs. "General" David): 15 Poe, George, Jr.: 3, 5, 12, 13, 15, 23, 43, 45-47 Poe, George, Sr.: v. 3, 11, 12 Poe, Harriet [see Clemm, Harriet Poe (Mrs. William, Jr.)] Poe, Harry T., Jr., 11 Poe, Jacob: 12 Poe, John: 4, 12 Poe, John P.: 77, 80 Poe, Josephine E. Clemm (Mrs. Neilson): 7, 66 Poe, Maria (see Clemm, Maria Poe): Poe, Judge Neilson: v, 7, 9, 10, 22, 26, 29, 31, 33, 64-66, 74, 76, 77, 79 Poe, Robert: 11, 13, 14 [83] Poe, Rosalie Mackenzie (Rose): 12, 26, 75, 76 Poe, Samuel: 12 Poe, Virginia Maria Clemm (Mrs. Edgar Allan): v, 1, 7-13, 17, 19 -22, 27, 53, 74, 77, 79 Poe, Washington: 11 Poe, William, Jr.: 10-14 Poe, William, Sr.: 11, 12 Poe, William Henry Leonard: 75 Poe the Man, by Mary Phillips, vi Poe's Helen, by Caroline Ticknor: 39 "Poetic Principle, The": 24, 27 Poetical Works (1858): 41, 43, 44 Poets and Poetry of America, The, anthology by Griswold: 39 "Poets and Poetry of America, The", Poe's lecture: 39, 53 Potts, Anna Maria: 3 Potts, James: 3 Power, Mrs. Anna Marsh: 34 Public Ledger, Philadelphia: 20 Rankin, Rev. Mr.: 66 Raven and Other Poems, The (1845): v Reynolds, J. N.: 33 Richmond, Carrie: 63 Richmond, Charles: 53, 56, 63 Richmond, Nancy Locke Heywood (Mrs. Charles: Poe's "Annie"): 36, 45, 47, 48, 53-63, 64 Ritchie, Anna Cora (see Mowatt, Mrs. Anna Cora) Royster, Sarah Elmira (see Shelton, Sarah Elmira Royster) Ruth Hall, by Sarah Payne Willis: 56, 57 St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Baltimore: 8, 66 Saturday Evening Post: 12 Saturday Museum, Philadelphia: 16 Saunders, Branch T.: 10 Schulte, A. P.: 72 Scribner's Magazine: 77 Shelton, Sarah Elmira Royster (Mrs. A. Barrett): 24-27, 41, 42, 44, 53 Shew, Mrs. Marie Louise (Mrs. Roland S. Houghton): 49, 64 Silsbee, Cudy: 67, 69 Smith, Elizabeth Oakes (Mrs. Seba): 62, 63 Smith, Seba: 62 Snodgrass, Dr. James Evans: 29, 30 "So Let It Be, To--": 1 Southern Literary Messenger: 7, 11, 13, 15, 19, 21, 55 Stanard, Jane Stith (Mrs. Robert): 41, 42, 44-46, 76 Stanard, Judge Robert: 44, 76 Stanard, Robert Craig: 41, 42, 44, 76 Stocker, Anna: 3 Stockerton (Stockertown), Pa.: 3, 4 Stylus, The: 16 Sun, Baltimore: 29, 79 Tales (1845): v Temple Bar: 75 Thomas, Frederick William: 16-18 Thomas, Josephine Carey (Mrs. H. M.): 74, 79 Ticknor, Caroline: 39 Times, Nevi York: 20 "To F-": 1 "To Her Whose Name Is Written Below" (see "A Valentine") "To Mary": 1 "To One Departed": 1 Tribune, New York: 28 Tyler, Robert: 16, 17, 18 "Ulalume": 49 "Valentine, A": 1, 2 "Vane, Violet", pseud. (see Osgood, Mrs. Frances Sargent [Locke]) Washington College Hospital, Baltimore (see also Church Home and Infirmary): 31 Washington Medical College, Baltimore (see also Washington College Hospital): 30 Weekly Mirror, New York: 39, 69 White, Thomas Wylkes: 7, 10, 15 Whitman, Mrs. Sarah Helen Power: 7, 8, 34-36, 38-43, 45, 47-53 Willis, Nathaniel Parker: 1, 38, 39, 56, 57, 61-63, 67-69 Willis, Nathaniel, Sr.: 56 Willis, Sarah Payne: 56, 57 Wilson, James Southall: vi, 72 Woodberry, George E.: vi, 8, 72, 81 Work of the Late Edgar Allan Poe, The (1850): 43, 45, 47, 48, 50, 75, 76 Wyatt, Rev. William E., 66 Yarrington, Mrs. James: 8, 13 Youth's Companion: 56 [84] 0S HEdo e5 0 o Kt o ~.:COD. I~~ 0 A3 k THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN GRADUATE LIBRARY DATE DUE UNIVERSMT OF MICHIGAN 39015 00054 8365 ~~ i d r ~.:..-. ~.::~.-~i' `rr rL: ~'" t li""~: '~~ ~i.~:~i ~if; --.~li ~i'"'-';'~~.r II~;!i c.s.~'~' ~~~~I i;u ~~ r 1 'r ~ci~ ~~i~ 1- s.~!~ -;~ ~~~-: 4 ) 1 l:~~~,~:' ~~~ ~~~~ %:... ~,: r DO NOT REMOVE OR MUTILATE CARD NRS PRI1TED IN US.A. Cat. No. 23 520 _I -39~"'"""-~-~CF~L~,~-~------`~I- --~--cl----~I '-~ ~~ I i I: ",, -: ii Ci ~~ I:~~~~-, "r~~--.l -r.rc, a;~~ ~~~I~~iZ ~~r;t~ 1;,; i.~ r:r~cl~ t I ~t-r~~:'.-I c r-: ~~~ ~ ~~~; u:i.r:: i: I'~:.r '~7,. L:, J:~~~~t " *rr~l,~~ I-: I I I~ ~i --~~------------ M IN NN.1.1,'k:-: ý Saito~ SMId Ong f -0*QQ~ UZI, itK!"ow........m op ~ %,lo Ely~long- -.-~..........- i