The Museum CollectionLetter from Richard Henry Stoddard Concerning Poe
First Page
On this page, Stoddard incorrectly states that Poe was born on February 19, 1809. The page also concerns Poe's mother, Eliza Poe. Stoddard believes that, based on the records his recipient has apparently provided him, Poe's mother was performing again just five days after Poe's birth.
The listing, probably cut from a catalog, glued to the top of the letter indicates it was sold for $5. 
Page Two
On this page of the letter, Stoddar criticizes Poe's first biographer Rufus W. Griswold for "[taking] no pains...in sifting facts from fancies..." in his Poe research.
James H. Whitty Note Attached to Letter
Whitty's note reads:
"This letter is equally as important for Stoddard's opinion of 'Griswold,' who he says, took no pains to 'sift facts from fancies,' and in the matter of Poe's birth, time has shown that Stoddard might well be classed among those careless writers he here criticizes. J.H.W."
Description: Poet and critic Richard Henry Stoddard (1825-1903) met Edgar Allan Poe in 1845 while trying unsuccessfully to submit poetry for publication in the Broadway Journal, which Poe was editing at the time. Stoddard later published accounts of his encounters with Poe. In this September 24, 1872 letter to Saul Henswaw of Boston, Stoddard thanks the recipient for information he has provided about Poe's mother's performances. Stoddard also incorrectly states that Poe was born on February 19 rather than on January 19. Stoddard also mentions Poe's essay "The Poetic Principal" and Poe's biographer Rufus Griswold. Stoddard writes that Griswold had no evidence that the essay about Poe's composition of "The Raven" was a hoax. Today many critics are unconvinced that Poe wrote "The Raven" in quite the methodical process described in the essay.Attached to the back of the second page is a not from Poe collector James H. Whitty criticizing Stoddard for complaining about other biographers' sloppy research while, in the same letter, incorrectly stating the date of Poe's birth. Search CollectionCategories
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