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These Fevered Days

Page 28

by Martha Ackmann


  88Leyda, vol. 2, 236.

  89L476c.

  90F930.

  91F1267.

  92F1345.

  93L476c.

  94L476; L486.

  95L476b.

  96Helen Hunt Jackson Diary, October 13, 1876, Helen Hunt Jackson Collection, Tutt Library Special Collections and Archives, Colorado College.

  97Leyda, vol. 2, 260.

  98Ibid., 261.

  99L476c

  100L573b.

  101L477.

  102Stern and Shealy, 389.

  103F112; The version of the poem included here is the way it appeared in A Masque of Poets. In seeking to standardize the poem, Niles eliminated dashes, altered a line break, and switched capital letters to lowercase, among other edits. A Masque of Poets, including Guy Vernon, a Novelette in Verse (Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1878), 174.

  104Leyda, vol. 2, 260.

  105L573c.

  106Stern and Shealy, 390.

  TEN: CALLED BACK

  1L665.

  2L735.

  3L522.

  4Jay Leyda, The Years and Hours of Emily Dickinson, vol. 2 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1960), 448.

  5F428.

  6Lyndall Gordon, Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family’s Feuds (New York: Viking, 2010), 135.

  7Habegger, 608.

  8Leyda, vol. 2, 320.

  9Martha Dickinson Bianchi, Emily Dickinson: Face to Face (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1932), 66–67.

  10L549, L493.

  11L542.

  12Habegger, 572.

  13L830, L489.

  14L536.

  15L738.

  16L733.

  17L1040.

  18Ibid.

  19L773; L1039.

  20L765.

  21L827.

  22L785.

  23L792.

  24L779.

  25Leyda, vol. 2, 384.

  26L785.

  27L521.

  28L788.

  29Martha Dickinson Bianchi, The Life and Letters of Emily Dickinson (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1924), 70.

  30L790.

  31L559.

  32L562.

  33Ibid.

  34L790.

  35L780.

  36L752.

  37L790.

  38L750.

  39F1691.

  40Leyda, vol. 2, 353.

  41Ibid., 354.

  42Ibid., 357.

  43Ibid., 361.

  44Brenda Wineapple, White Heat: The Friendship of Emily Dickinson and Thomas Wentworth Higginson (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008), 245.

  45Leyda, vol. 2, 377.

  46Ibid., 405.

  47Ibid., 433, 445.

  48Ibid., 438.

  49L858.

  50Leyda, vol. 2, 336.

  51L749.

  52F1489.

  53L814.

  54F895.

  55L813.

  56L813b.

  57L601a.

  58F1488.

  59Kate Phillips, Helen Hunt Jackson: A Literary Life (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003), 228.

  60Ibid., 229.

  61Ibid., 234.

  62Ibid., 252.

  63Habegger, 618.

  64Ibid., 612.

  65Leyda, vol. 2, 406.

  66L873.

  67Leyda, vol. 2, 411.

  68Ibid.

  69L873.

  70L868.

  71L874.

  72L890.

  73L967.

  74L968.

  75L967.

  76L907.

  77Leyda, vol.2, 425.

  78L939.

  79L937a.

  80Ibid.

  81Phillips, 253.

  82Valerie Sherer Mathes, The Indian Reform Letters of Helen Hunt Jackson, 1879–1885 (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2015), 216.

  83L976a.

  84Ibid.

  85Phillips, 272.

  86Ibid., 233.

  87L1015.

  88L1043.

  89Leyda, vol. 2, 466.

  90L1034.

  91L267.

  92F1389; F1453; F1440; F1152; F1512.

  93L619.

  94Amherst Record, May 12, 1886.

  95Amherst Record, May 19, 1886.

  96Leyda, vol. 2, 470.

  97L1046.

  98Leyda, vol. 2, 471.

  99Bianchi, Emily Dickinson, 158–59; Conversation with Alfred Venne, Planetarium Educator, Bassett Planetarium, Amherst College, September 15, 2017, and Alfred Venne, email to the author, September 18, 2017.

  100L332.

  101F372.

  102Emily Dickinson’s Death and Funeral File, Jones Library Special Collections, Amherst, Massachusetts.

  103L1024.

  104L1030; Letters, 896.

  105Bianchi, Emily Dickinson, 61.

  106Leyda, vol. 2, 472–73.

  107Leyda, vol. 2, 474–75.

  108Paul Crumbley, “Emily Dickinson’s Funeral and the Paradox of Literary Fame,” The Emily Dickinson Journal 26, no. 2 (2017), 55.

  109L342a.

  110L342b.

  111F466.

  112A week after Dickinson’s death, Vinnie discovered her sister’s poems. While she was well aware that Emily wrote poetry, she had no idea how much. Vinnie first approached Sue with editing the work, but Sue took more time to consider the project than Vinnie wanted. She next asked Mabel Loomis Todd if she would do the work. Mabel transcribed hundreds of poems, while the Dickinson family contacted Higginson. Roberts Brothers published Poems by Emily Dickinson, coedited by Todd and Higginson, in 1890 in time for Christmas sales. The book sold out and immediately went into multiple printings. For further information on the disposition of the poems, see R. W. Franklin, “Introduction,” in The Poems of Emily Dickinson, Variorum Edition (Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1998), 1–43.

  113May 19, 1886, Snell Family Meteorological Journal, Amherst College Archives and Special Collections.

  INDEX

  Page numbers listed correspond to the print edition of this book. You can use your device’s search function to locate particular terms in the text.

  Alcott, (Abigail) May, 187

  Alcott, Bronson, 177, 208

  Alcott, Louisa May, 141, 202–3, 208

  Amherst Academy, 16, 21, 27, 28, 29

  Forest Leaves (literary journal), 19, 209

  Arthur, Chester A., 224

  Banfield, Ann Fiske, 175–76

  Bangs’s Boarding House, Mrs. (Deborah Bigelow), 153

  Beecher, Henry Ward, 107

  Bowles, Samuel, 69, 106–9, 183, 187, 191, 202, 205n

  and Civil War, 114, 120–21

  death of, 213–14

  and Emily’s poems, 106, 108, 112, 162, 164

  and Susan, 108, 162, 197, 208

  Brontë, Emily, 231, 233

  Brown, John, 139

  Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, 185, 186

  Browning, Robert, 114

  Burnside, Ambrose, 92n, 113, 114, 127

  Carlo (dog), 55, 56, 124, 132, 143, 148, 168, 170, 176, 230

  Circle of Five, 13

  Civil War, 92–95, 107, 116–22, 139–40, 146

  Burnside Expedition, 92, 112, 113, 114

  end of, 159–60

  Fort Sumter, 94, 127–28

  Gettysburg Address, 156

  Harpers Ferry, 139

  Secret Six, 139

  Sherman’s March to the Sea, 157

  substitutes paid to fight in, 139n

  Clark, William, 92, 117–18, 128, 169

  Colton, Rev. Aaron, 4, 5, 23

  Conkey, Ithamar, 93

  Currier, Elizabeth Dickinson, 8–9n, 10

  Cutler, William, 51–52, 173

  Davis, Jefferson, 116

  Dickinson, William (Austin) (brother), 7–9, 51, 55, 57, 63, 65, 70, 103, 142, 208, 213

  and Civil War, 119–20, 139n

  and Emily’s illness and death, 227, 229, 230, 231, 235

  a
nd Emily’s poems, 59, 86

  and Evergreens, 76, 106, 173, 211

  and Gib’s illness and death, 224–25

  and his father’s death, 190–91, 194, 197

  and his mother’s illness, 194

  law practice of, 74

  and Mabel Todd, 219–20, 224, 225

  marriage to Susan, 73–74, 106, 107, 220; see also Dickinson, Susan Gilbert

  Dickinson, Edward (father), 11–12, 122, 127–28, 129, 164, 169, 173, 179

  death of, 190–94, 196, 197, 211–12

  and family, 7, 15, 23–24, 30, 32, 33, 34, 41, 50–51, 70, 76, 96n, 142, 150, 160, 197–98

  health issues of, 188–89

  law practice of, 74, 190, 192

  and politics, 8, 64–65, 73, 83–85, 189–90

  and religion, 33, 34, 65, 230

  Dickinson, Emily:

  abstract ideas of, 57–59, 73, 79, 86, 87, 103, 130, 138, 148, 198, 208

  anonymity preferred by, 56, 68, 143, 144n, 202, 205, 207, 210

  and Civil War, 94–95, 107, 117, 119–22

  composition of “Safe in their Alabaster Chambers,” 95, 102, 105–6, 109–11, 112–15

  decisions made by, 28, 39, 42–49, 50–51, 117

  desire to be distinguished, 72–73, 77, 80, 86, 87, 89, 91, 115, 117, 136, 145

  dreams of, 26–27, 39, 67–68

  early development of, 2–25

  eccentricity of form in work of, 137, 138

  eyesight of, 136, 141–43, 145, 147, 148–51, 153, 154–55, 157, 158–59, 160

  fascicles of, 89–91, 95, 102, 124, 129, 152, 221, 229

  “final poem” of, 231

  first poem published, 52–56, 65–67, 68–69, 70, 78, 168n, 214

  health of, 29, 149–50

  and her father’s death, 191–94, 196, 211–12

  and her mother’s illness and death, 76, 194, 196, 215–16

  Higginson’s visits with, 164–68, 170–80, 184–85, 202, 234

  and household chores, 61–63, 76, 113n, 142, 161, 169

  illness and death of, 227, 228–35

  and imagery, 18, 57, 102, 103, 105, 113

  imaginary scenes constructed by, 56–59, 72, 88, 91, 151–52, 170–71

  intellectual intensity of, 70, 131, 152, 171, 179

  Jackson’s visit; Emily urged to publish, 182, 185–88, 199, 202–10

  and Judge Lord, 193, 199, 216–19, 226–27, 233

  letter-writing ritual of, 6–7, 8, 56, 69–70, 76–77, 78, 101, 230

  Master letters of, 87–88, 99–101, 230

  and music, 15–16

  nature as inspiration to, 85, 87, 138, 180, 185, 216, 221, 222, 223

  poems sent to Higginson, 129–32, 154

  poems submitted for publication, 69, 109, 143–46, 162, 164, 209–10, 221–23, 235

  readers for her work, 106, 123–25, 128, 130, 145, 171

  and religion, 2–5, 29, 33–35, 39, 43–49, 65n, 78, 105, 123, 232

  schooling of, 16–18, 27, 33, 35–38

  sense of self, 168, 169, 170

  social obligations of, 61–63, 79

  solitude preferred by, 35, 79–81, 84, 153, 170, 172, 182–84, 205, 211, 232, 233

  and Susan, see Dickinson, Susan Gilbert; Gilbert, Susan

  urged toward publication, 168, 185–88, 199, 202–10, 221, 223, 228

  in Washington, DC, 82, 84

  writing of, 17, 55–56, 59, 70, 79, 85–91, 99, 101, 122–23, 150–53, 161, 169–70, 179, 206–7, 211–13, 221, 225, 229–30

  Dickinson, Emily Norcross (mother), 230

  death of, 215–16

  and family, 7, 23–24, 30, 32, 33, 34, 169

  health of, 76, 194, 196, 197, 211, 215

  personal traits of, 9–10

  Dickinson, Lavinia (Vinnie) (sister), 57, 70, 76, 77, 78, 215, 219, 220

  early years of, 11, 12–13, 15, 17, 21, 24, 50, 61

  and Emily’s eyesight, 143, 154, 157, 159

  and Emily’s illness and death, 227, 229, 231, 233, 235

  and Emily’s poems, 59, 124

  and father’s death, 191, 195–96

  loyalty of, 176, 211, 230

  schooling of, 21, 61, 73

  social life of, 12, 53, 65, 195

  Dickinson, Lucretia (grandmother), 7, 34

  Dickinson, Martha (Mattie) (niece), 169, 191, 197, 204, 209, 231

  Dickinson, Mary (aunt), 30

  Dickinson, Edward (Ned) (nephew), 95–96, 98, 113, 132, 197, 204, 213, 219, 220, 231

  Dickinson, Samuel (grandfather), 7, 30, 34

  Dickinson, Susan Gilbert (Austin’s wife):

  and Austin, 59, 73–74, 97–98, 106, 107, 197, 208, 220, 224

  early years of, see Gilbert, Susan

  and Emily’s death, 232, 235

  Emily’s relationship with, 75–76, 95–99, 112–13, 128, 150, 153, 220, 225–26, 232

  and Emily’s poems, 98–99, 109–11, 113, 130, 131, 136, 162, 164, 220, 226

  and Gib, 197, 204, 224–26

  and her father-in-law, 197–98

  and literature, 104–5, 108, 113

  and Mabel Todd, 219–20, 224

  and Mattie, 169

  and Ned, 95–96, 113, 132, 204, 213

  Dickinson, Thomas Gilbert (Gib) (nephew), 197, 198, 204, 224–26, 230, 231

  Eliot, George (Mrs. Lewes), 186, 189, 193

  Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 102–5, 127, 167, 210

  “Brahma,” 104

  “The Poet,” 102–3

  Evans, Mary Ann (George Eliot; Mrs. Lewes), 186, 189, 193

  Fields, James T., 146

  First lines

  Adrift! A little boat adrift!, 85

  After great pain, a formal feeling comes –, 129

  A little bread, a crust – a crumb, 99

  A little Madness in the Spring, 206

  A narrow fellow in the grass, 162–64

  A nearness to Tremendousness –, 147

  A Route of Evanescence, 221–22, 223

  A wounded Deer – leaps highest –, 99

  Because I could not stop for Death –, 130

  Before I got my eye put out, 155

  Blazing in gold, and quenching in purple, 144

  Contained in this short Life, 178

  Distrustful of the Gentian –, 90

  Dont put up my Thread & Needle –, 152–53

  “Faith” is a fine invention 108n

  Flowers – well, if anybody, 144

  Frequently the woods are pink –, 90

  From Blank to Blank –, 151

  Further in Summer than the Birds –, 222–23

  Go thy great way!, 227

  “Hope” is the thing with feathers –, 129

  I can wade Grief –, 129

  I counted till they danced so, 105

  I dreaded that first Robin, so, 125

  I dwell in Possibility –, 234

  I have a Bird in spring, 98

  I’ll tell you how the Sun rose –, 130

  I’m Nobody! Who are you?, 123

  I’m “wife” – I’ve finished that –, 123

  I taste a liquor never brewed –, 109, 129

  It dont sound so terrible – quite as it did –, 119–20

  It is easy to work when the soul is at play –, 122–23

  Jesus! thy Crucifix, 108n

  “Nature” is what we see –, 180

  Nobody knows this little rose, 109

  One of the ones that Midas touched, 223

  One sister have I in the house –, 86–87

  Our own Possessions though our own –, 206

  Pass to thy Rendezvous of Light, 226

  Safe in their Alabaster Chambers, 95n, 102, 109–11, 113–15, 130, 131, 223

  Should you but fail – at Sea –, 108n

  “Sic transit gloria mundi,” 53–56, 65–67, 68–69, 109, 168n, 229

  Some – keep the Sabbath – going to church –, 130, 144, 145

  Speech – is a prank of Parliament –, 108n

  Springs – shake
the Sills –, 111

  Success is counted sweetest 144, 145, 209–10

  The Gentian weaves her fringes, 87, 89

  The Heart is the Capital of the Mind –, 206

  The most pathetic thing I do, 207

  The nearest Dream recedes – unrealized –, 130

  The Poets light but Lamps –, 206

  There is no Frigate like a Book, 206

  There’s a certain Slant of light, 129

  These are the days when birds come back, 144

  The Soul selects her own Society –, 129–30, 184

  Through the strait pass of suffering –, 108n

  Title divine – is mine!, 108n

  Two swimmers wrestled on the spar –, 108n

  Volcanoes be in Sicily, 219

  We grow accustomed to the Dark –, 212

  We play at Paste –, 130

  Wild nights – Wild nights!, 129

  Would you like summer? Taste our’s, 108n

  Fiske, Deborah, 9, 20, 21

  Fiske, Fidelia, 40, 41, 49, 60

  Fiske, Helen, 19–21, 24, 36, 38, 57, 61, 63–64, 81

  see also Hunt, Helen; Jackson, Helen Hunt

  Ford, Emily Fowler, 87, 186

  Forten, Charlotte, 146

  Fowler, Emily, 5, 13, 17, 19, 75

  see also Ford, Emily Fowler

  Fowler, Harriet, 21–22

  Gilbert, Mattie, 51, 75, 98, 160

  Gilbert, Susan, 51–52, 57, 59, 65

  see also Dickinson, Susan Gilbert

  Gould, George, 52, 54–55, 57

  Harte, Bret, 106

  Higginson, Mary, 147, 164, 166, 171, 173, 177, 179

  Higginson, Stephen II, 165–66

  Higginson, Thomas Wentworth:

  and Civil War, 139–40, 142, 172

  correspondence with Emily, 133–39, 141, 147, 154, 157, 161, 164, 171, 182, 184, 187, 194, 221

  and Emily’s illness and death, 229, 231, 233–34, 235

  and Emily’s poetry, 129–32, 134, 137–38, 145–46, 148, 162, 163, 177–78, 184, 207, 222, 235

  health of, 141, 142, 146–47

  and Jackson, 154, 166–68, 176, 181, 182, 185, 186, 205, 207–8, 228

  “Letter to a Young Contributor,” 125–27, 128, 129, 130

  Malbone; An Oldport Romance, 172

  and nature, 126, 139, 161, 176, 180

  Out-Door Papers, 176

  visits with Emily, 161–62, 164–66, 168, 170–80, 184–85, 202, 234

  and women’s rights, 146, 161

  “Wentworth,” 165

  Hitchcock, Edward, 14, 32, 34, 59

  Hitchcock, Jane, 13, 17

  Hitchcock, Orra, 32–33

  Holland, Elizabeth, 78, 196–97

  Holland, Josiah, 69, 77–79, 80–81, 89, 106n, 121, 177, 214

  Holland, Sophia, 13, 21, 22–23, 149

  Howe, Julia Ward:

  “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” 108

  Passion Flowers, 103

  Howells, William Dean, 187

  Howland, Esther, 54

  Howland, William, 53–54, 65, 67, 68–69, 195n

 

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