clement c moore the night before christmas

And whereas there is no evidence of the rival claimant having ever written any Santa Claus poem, Clement Moore in fact did write another-independent of “A Visit.” It is titled “From Saint Nicholas” and may well be the first American poem penned as a letter from Santa! It is addressed to Moore’s daughter Charity, who is just “beginning so nicely to spell.” Thus she could have been younger than six, which would mean that that verse antedates “A Visit.” It is even written in the same metrical form with the same rhyme scheme! There are no fewer than four manuscript copies in Moore’s own hand, as well as a beautifully calligraphed one by his daughter Mary, rendered in 1855. His verses in which he included the poem that had become increasingly famous. Well-known poet, editor, and Moore friend, also included it in his Selections from the American Poets.įinally, in 1844, at the behest of his children, Moore published a volume of Verses “mere trifles.” An anthology of 1837 included the poem at the urging ofįriends, and it attached Moore’s name. Sentinel by a friend-much to Moore’s chagrin, since he considered his Masterpiece was sent anonymously to the Troy Theological Seminary in New York, who wrote verse to amuse his children. Shall see presently, that was not the end of the matter.)Ĭlarke Moore (1779–1863) was a professor of biblical study at the General The usual suspects-there were just two-and published my results in the journal Manuscripts (Nickell 2002, 2003). (often just developed) scientific-seeming “tests.” Nevertheless, I rounded up Reliance on the best evidence will inevitably be pushed aside by thoseĪttracted to long shots, motivated by what-ifs, and dazzled by the latest Once asked to take on the case and solve the question of authorship, which Iĭid, but there is always one problem with such an assignment: a detective’s Lighthearted verse began a mystery and a controversy that persists today. Nicholas”-better known as “The Night BeforeĬhristmas”-has long been the subject of a very adult controversy over itsįirst published anonymously in a New York newspaper, the Troy Sentinel, on December 23, 1823, the The best known and most loved children’s poem in the English language, an

Clement c moore the night before christmas