Fitz-Greene Halleck (1790-1867) enjoys the distinction of being the first American poet to be honored by a public statue. He left Guilford, Connecticut, where he was born, for New York, in 1811, residing for forty years in the metropolis, and becoming in time the most popular poet in the country. During the second war with Great Britain. Halleck joined a New York infantry company, "Swartout's gallant corps, the Iron Grays," as he afterwards described the company in "Fanny," and excited their martial ardor by the composition of a spirited ode. This and occasional poems which appeared in the papers were Halleck's only claim for poetic fame, till the appearance of "The Croakers," in 1819, electrified the town. Of this series of satirical and quaint chronicles of New York life as it existed more than a century ago, Halleck, in 1866, said "that they were good natured verses, contributed anonymously to the columns of the New York 'Evening Post' from March until June, 1819, and occasionally afterwards."
Halleck's longest poem, "Fanny," was written during the summer and autumn of 1819, while the poet was residing for a brief period at Bloomingdale. It was issued anonymously and in December of that year "Fanny" enjoyed the unusual distinction of being printed in full in a London journal. A second edition, enlarged by the addition of about fifty stanzas, for which the poet was paid $500, appeared early in 1821.
| Nationality |
American |
| Cover Price |
$89.00 |
| No. of Pages |
389 |
| Height x Width |
9.2
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6.3
inch |
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Fitz-Greene Halleck (July 8, 1790 – November 19, 1867) was an American poet, born and died at Guilford, Connecticut.
Halleck then penned Fanny, his longest poem, also a satire on the literature, fashions, and politics of the time, published anonymously in December 1819. So popular at the time that the 50 cent edition was fetching up to $10 before a second extended edition arrived to satisfy demand.
In the mid to late 19th century, Halleck was regarded as one of America's leading poets, dubbed "the American Byron." Charles Dickens spoke very fondly of the "accomplished writer" in a January 1868 letter to William Makepeace Thackeray (as recounted in "Thackeray in the United States"). It is not clear how much of Dickens's fondness is based on Halleck's poetical ability and how much on his wit and charm, which is often lauded by his contemporaries. Edgar Allan Poe in his critical essays concedes that Halleck is second only to Bryant in popular literary esteem, although Poe also says that he would put both behind Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in actual merit. Halleck was never a professional poet. He left school at 15 to work in his families shop in Guilford, and upon coming to New York in May 1811, he became a clerk in the New York bank of Jacob Barker, where he remained for 20 years. On May 15, 1832, Halleck became the private secretary to John Jacob Astor and was appointed by him one of the original trustees of the Astor Library of New York.
During the summer of the same year Halleck joined the militia, and was soon made a sergeant, filling the position to the satisfaction of his associates. His experiences in the Connecticut militia, as well as his later campaign with "Swartwout's gallant corps, the Iron Grays," was a never-failing source of fun with him, both in his conversation and in his correspondence.
