The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
She INSPIRED FAMOUS POEMS,
PLIGHT or MRS. z. p. wHIPPLE
~ HER LATTER DAYS.
The Woman Who Caused "Tlie Chambered
Nautilus" 10 he written Nearly Died
OF Hunger and COld-Her Husband's
Notable Library seid-Cared For Now.


OF Hunger and COld-Her Husband'I
Notable Library seid-Cared For Now
Boston. April Is.-The sale in this cit
recently OF the private library OF the late
Edwin p. Whipple, essayist and critic, at
tracted the attention Of book collectors
all over the country. There were rare
first editions Of famous American authors
In the collection. many Of them presenta-
ton copies. and not few Of them were
| accompanied by autograph letters which
enhanced the value Of the books.
Among other things was the original
manuscript Of The Chambered Nautilus, .
by Oliver Wendell Holmes. Mrs.. Whipple
inspired this poem. or rather she was the
means Of inspiring II.
The captain OF vessel brought her q
beautiful nautilus shell which she Dire.
sented to the poet, who was q constant
visitor at the Whipple house on Pinckney
street. The result was the poem. Dr. Holmes
was 30 grateful for the inspiration that
he presented the manuscript copy to Mrs.
Whppk. II Is now in the possession Of
some collector who purchased it for q few
dollars at the sale.
Longfellow was inspired to write The
Rainy Day when Mrs. Whipple at one
time suffered a great grief. He gave her
the original manuscript OF the poem and
it too was sold. There wore letter. from
Hawthorne. Whittier. Emerson. Boyle
O'Reilly and other men which were eagerly
snapped up. and now the collection lie scat.
tered to the four winds.
The library had TO 90 in order to support
Mrs. Whippie in her old age. for abe lie now
more than 90 and very feeble. She has
suffered many hardships Of late years
since her husband died In 1890.
Her home on Pinckney street when she
and her husband were in their prime was
the rsort Of some OF the most famous
mon and women Of the day Charles
Sumner dined there nearly every evening
when he was in Boston. Longfellow and
Holmes and Whittier were constant visitors.
ouentiy when they stuyed away to Boston
from Concord.
Mrs. Whipple was a brilliant woman.
n splendid con versationalist, and posssssed
q tact which won many friends. Her
husband also was brilliant man. He
was editor of the Nation then. Dickens
and Thackeray called at the Whipple home
and 20 did about all Of the famous men who |
NIhttN hTcIlCd IN tUOSe QAyf
Mrs Whipple tells many interesting !
things about these visitors. She has q
memory and can recount de-
.ails that are really surprising. Just AFTER
Mr. Whipple's death the salon ceased and
'ince then there have been few bright days
n hs. Whipple's life.
Her only son has been In q sanitarium
or the past seven years and she lived with
] maid in that famous old house until this
last winter, when she became 90 reduced
n ciroumstanoes' that she could no LONGER
,eep an attendant and then abe was left
lone In the house. This was not the wort
4 it, She was proud and she let nobody
now the plight she was in. She managed
he ran out OF coal and out Of food, and
Ad IL not been for the accidental discovery
Z her situation. she would surely have
led OF hunger and cold.
Mrs.. Whipple was found In her bed with
II her clothing on and with all Of the bed
lothes abe could ind piled upon her In q
ain endeayor to keep warm. At that time
Friends and relatives were notified at
noe and Mrs. Whipple was taken In . very
,eble condition TO family hotel near BY,
here she has since occupied q suite Of COM
,rtable rooms and has had a maid TO look
tier her. But she disliked 70 be dependant.
, she decided 70 sell the library. which !
asbsnd Il was like taxing a last farewell re %si
all the friends who had been nearest
nd dearest to her.
In the ups and downs OF life here In Boston
othing more sad than this close to q once
-illiant woman's life has occurred for
sars. Al