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Show moreLetter to Lemperly on "Leonainie", a poem believed to have been written by Edgar Allan Poe and later attributed to James Whitcomb Riley. Wallace believed it to be Poe's work, claiming Riley had altered the original slightly and then included it in his collected works as his own. Transcription: "Broadstone, Dorset. March 28th. 1904 Paul [Lemforly?] Esq. Dear Sir I must apologize for delaying so long in replying to [your] of Feb. 22nd., but I hae been so much engaged with various work - especially with the "Leonainie" affair - that I have hardly found time to do so. Your letter + enclosures arrived most opportunely, as you will see by my long letter in the April issue of the "Fortnightly Review", which I think shows that there is still some mystery about the affair which M. Riley has not cleared up. And as this communication of mine will probably bring me still further correspondence, raising perhaps new issues, I venture to keep the long "[]" with Riley in the "Indianapolis []", a little longer, in case I have to refer again to what is given as Riley's own words, + which were presumably passed by him as such. The difficulty to me is, that, two versions of this poem being in existence in America, the one issued by the alleged composer is not only inferior to the other, but contains such incongruities and verbal errors as to seem to show that he did not realise the meaning of the poem, or appreciate its musical rhythm, as a whole. Unless Riley wrote the poem under the spiritual influence of Poe - in an access of inspiration which has never recurred - (which I think quite possible) and then in his normal state altered + spoilt it, I cannot conceive his being the author of it, and treating it afterwards so lightly as he has done. I trust that my communication may lead to the discovery of where my brother copied his version from, + how there came to be such a better version in existence (unknown to Riley!) Mr. Charles F. Richardson, to whom I wrote for information as one of Poe's editors, says, that my version of it is "unquestionably preferable", but he things all the differences "might readily be made by a copyist"! I do not. He also thinks it is "not even one of the better parodies of Poe" - and here again I differ from him. It is stated here in the [spectator?] that the "Chicago Tribune" has recently said, that - W.C.Bryant was one who believed it to be by Poe. Have you got cuttings from the papers at the time of the hoax? Or a list of the known writers + critics who believed it to be Poe's, independently of the actual writing? The criticisms for + against, at the time, would be now most interesting. You will see I have tried to do full justice to Riley as a poet, but I do not think he could have written "[Leonainie?]." As you, no doubt have all his published works, can you send me a copy of any one short poem that has the same exquisite musical [] as "[Leonainie?]"? Believe me Yours very trule Alfred R Wallace ---- The very imaginative exaggeration of Leonainie are against it being a mere imitation and also its originality. Paul Lemperly Cleveland Ohio U.S.A." Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Broadstone, Dorset. Envelope included.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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