WCP4653

[1]

Broadstone, Dorset

March 28th. 1904

Paul Lemperly¹ Esq.

Dear Sir

I must apologise for delaying so long in replying to yours of Feb. 22nd.,² but I have been so much engaged with various work — especially with the "Leonainie" affair — that I have hardly found time do. so.

Youre [sic] letter & enclosures arrived most opportunely, as you will see by my long letter in the April issue of the "Fortnightly Review",³ which I think shows that there is still some mystery about the affair which Mr. Riley⁴ 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 "Interview" with Riley in the "Indianapolis News", a little longer, in case [2] 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 Poe⁵ — in an access of inspiration which, has never recurred — (which I think quite possible) and then in his normal state altered [3] & 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 brother⁶ copied his version from, & how there came to be such a better version in existence (unknown to Riley!)

Mr Charles F. Richardson,⁷ to whom I wrote for information as one of Poe’s Editors, says, that my version of it is "unquestionably preferable", but he thinks 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 [4] 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. Byant⁸ 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 known writers & critics who believed it to be Poe’s, independently of the his ^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 rhythm as "Leonainie"?

Believe me | yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

The very imaginative exaggerations of Leonainie are against it being a mere imitation and also its originality.⁹