British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist, and biologist (1823-1913). He is best known for independently proposing a theory of natural selection which prompted Charles Darwin to publish his own theory. ALS, four pages on two adjoining sheets, 4.5 x 7.25, February 29, 1904. Letter to James Law discussing discrepancies in the poem Leonainie by James Whitcomb Riley. In part: “I see nothing in them to make me think he wrote or could write Leonainie…What surprises me is, that, the origin of this poem being as you and Mr. Nicholson state, why is it only published in one of the later vols. of his poems, dated 1895 & with out a word of comment or explanation by him of how it originated?…it is quite incomprehensible to me how a man who in his youth, wrote a poem which, when first published, was taken for one of Poe’s, and the acknowledgment of which was the turning point in his reputation, should not be proud of having done such a feat, and at all events have printed it in one of the early vols. of his poems with a full account of all details of names, places & dates in confirmation of his statements.” In fine condition, with mild toning (heaviest to edges of final page).
A poem titled Leonainie was published in the August 2, 1877 issue of The Kokomo Dispatch. The fairly unremarkable poem was exceptional in one way—the editor claimed that it was a previously unpublished poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The story was that years earlier, a young man accepted lodging at a local inn and the next morning left only the poem signed “E.A.P” as payment. The innkeepers surmised that their visitor was Poe. In the end, the tale was shown to be a hoax engineered by an Indiana poet who wanted to show that the public would praise any poem that bears the name of a famous author.
The story does not end there, however as Alfred Russell Wallace came across the poem and was convinced Poe actually was its true author. He concluded that the poem was written during the final days of Poe's life and that it was the final piece Poe had written. Wallace became embroiled in a heated literary debate to prove his belief. But in the end, he wasn't able to convince anyone else. Today the poem continues to be considered a work by Riley, not by Poe. Evidence of a strong argument waged by Wallace in support of his Poe theory. RRAuction COA.
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