Dr. Thomas Holley Chivers, the eccentric Southern poet, and maker of most unusual verse forms, was born near Washington, Georgia, December 12, 1807. He was instructed in the classics by his mother, and, choosing medicine as his vocation, he went to Lexington, Kentucky—most probably making the long journey on horse-back—and entered the medical school of Transylvania University. Chivers matriculated in November, 1828, and took up his abode at the old Phoenix Hotel, as his father was wealthy and liberal with him. He took one ticket and made it during his first year. The college records show that he returned for the fall session of 1829, and that, during his second year, he took two tickets, graduating on March 17, 1830. The thesis he submitted for his degree of Doctor of Medicine was Remittent and Intermittent Bilious Fever. Kentucky was the birthplace of the first poems Chivers wrote, and, very probably, the birthplace of his first book, Conrad and Eudora, or The Death of Alonzo (Philadelphia, 1834). This little drama, intended for the study, was set in Kentucky, and founded upon the Beauchamp-Sharp murder of 1825, which was still the chief topic of conversation in the State when the poet reached Lexington in 1828. Chivers's second book of poems, called Nacoochee (New York, 1837), contained two poems written while a student of Transylvania, entitled To a China Tree, and Georgia Waters. A short time after the publication of this book Chivers and Edgar Allan Poe became acquainted; and the remainder of their lives they were denouncing and fighting each other. It all came about by Chivers claiming his Allegra Florence in Heaven, published in The Lost Pleiad (New York, 1845), as the original of The Raven. Of course, the world and the critics have smiled at this claim and let it pass. After Poe's death Chivers claimed practically everything the Virginian did to be a plagiarism of some of his own poems. His most famous work was Eonchs of Ruby (New York, 1851). This was followed by Virginalia (Philadelphia, 1853); Memoralia (Philadelphia, 1853); Atlanta (Macon, Ga., 1853); Birth-Day Song of Liberty (Atlanta, Ga., 1856); and The Sons of Usna (Philadelphia, 1858). Bayard Taylor, in his famous Echo Club, mentioned Facets of Diamond as one of the poet's publications, but a copy of it has not yet been unearthed. Dr. Chivers died at Decatur, Georgia, December 19, 1858. No more pathetic figure has appeared in American letters than Chivers. Had he been content to write his poetry independently of Poe or any one else, he would have left his name clearer. He was a wonderful manipulator of verse-forms, but he was not what Poe was—a world-genius.

Bibliography. In the Poe Circle, by Joel Benton (New York, 1899); The Poe-Chivers Papers, by G. E. Woodberry (Century Magazine, Jan., Feb., 1903); Representative Southern Poets, by C. W. Hubner (New York, 1906); Library of Southern Literature (Atlanta, Georgia, 1909, v. ii).

THE DEATH OF ALONZO

[From Conrad and Eudora (Philadelphia, 1834)]

Act III. Scene IV. Frankfort. Time, midnight. Conrad enters from the tavern, walks the street, dressed in dark clothes, with a masque on his face, and, with difficulty, finds Alonzo's house.

Conrad. This is the place,—and I must change my name.
(Goes to the door and knocks. Puts his hand in his bosom.
A female voice is heard within—the wife of Alonzo.)
Angeline. I would not venture out this time o' night.

(Conrad knocks.)

Alonzo. Who's there?
Conrad. A friend.
Angeline (within). I would not venture out, my love!
Alonzo. Why, Angeline!—thy fears are woman's, love.

(Knocks again.)

Alonzo. Who is that?—speak out!
Conrad. Darby—'tis thy friend!
He has some business with thee—'tis of weight!
Has sign'd a bond, and thou must seal the deed!
Alonzo. What does he say?
Angeline. Indeed I do not know—you'd better see.
(Knocks again and looks round.)
Alonzo. Who can this be—so late at night?

(Opens the door and steps back.)

Conrad. Behold!

(Throws off his masque and takes him by the throat.)

Look in my face, and call my name!
Alonzo. Conrad!—Conrad! do not kill me, have mercy!
Conrad. Where is my wife? Now, villain! die!—die!—die!

(Stabs him.)

Now, pray! if thou canst pray, now pray—now die!
Now, drink the wormwood which Eudora drank.

(Stamps him. Alonzo dies.)

(Conrad rushes out and is seen no more. Angeline, Alonzo's
wife, runs in the room, screams, and falls upon his breast.)
Angeline. 'Tis he—'tis he—Conrad has kill'd Alonzo!
Oh! my husband! my husband! thou art dead!
'Tis he—'tis he—the wretch has kill'd Alonzo!
(The doctor, Alonzo's brother, rushes in, crying "Murder!—murder!"
Watchmen and citizens rush in, crying
"Murder! murder! Alonzo's dead! Alonzo's dead!")
Citizens. Who, under God's heaven, could have done this deed?
Angeline. 'Tis he—'tis he! Conrad has kill'd Alonzo!
Watchmen. Who did it? Speak! speak! Conrad kill'd Alonzo?
Angeline. Conrad—'twas Conrad, kill'd my husband! Dead!
Oh! death—death—death! What will become of me?
Doctor. Did you see his face? My God! I know 'twas he!
Angeline. I saw his face—I heard his voice—he's gone!
(Angeline feels his pulse, while the rest look round.)
Oh! my husband!—my husband!—death, death!
Speak, Alonzo! speak to Angeline—death!
Oh! speak one word, and tell me who it was!

(Kisses him.)

No pulse—my husband's dead! He's gone!—he's gone!
(Faints away on his breast. The watchmen and citizens take her
into an adjoining room, bearing her husband with her—asking,
"Who could have kill'd him? Speak, Angeline—speak!")
Curtain falls. End of Act III.

GEORGIA WATERS

[From Nacoochee (New York, 1837)]

Transylvania University, 1830.