An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia

Fictitious city invented by HPL. Innsmouth was first mentioned in “Celephaïs” (1920), but clearly set in England. It was revived for two sonnets (“The Port” [VIII] and “The Bells” [XIX]) of Fungi from Yuggoth(1929–30), where the setting is unspecified, although New England seems likely. In “The Shadow over Innsmouth” (1931) it is unequivocally set on the North Shore of Massachusetts. HPL states in letters that it was inspired by his revisiting of the decaying town of Newburyport (see SL 3.435), although that city has now been much restored as a haven for tourists. Innsmouth is briefly cited again in “The Dreams in the Witch House” (1932) and “The Thing on the Doorstep” (1933). Iranon.

In “The Quest of Iranon,” the bard who seeks his far-off home of Aira where he is a prince. In Teloth, the inhabitants have no use for his “profession,” and they force him to work as a cobbler. Iranon does not age. He later sets out on a voyage, with a young friend, Romnod, to seek Aira. After many years he learns that he is no prince at all, but only a beggar’s son. He dies an old man. Isaacson, Charles D[avid] (1891–1936).

Amateur journalist who edited In a Minor Key,the first issue of which (undated, but published in early 1915) advocated pacifism, condemned prejudice against African Americans and Jews, and praised Walt Whitman; HPL responded with a hostile attack, “In a Major Key” ( Conservative,July 1915). Isaacson shot back with “Concerning the Conservative” ( In a Minor KeyNo. 2 [1915]), as did James F.Morton in another article in the same issue. HPL promised to write a devastating rebuttal, but aside from a poetical squib, “Gems from ‘In a Minor Key’” ( Conservative,October 1915), he published nothing; later in the year he wrote a long satirical poem, “The Isaacsonio-Mortoniad,” attacking both Isaacson and Morton, but did not publish it. Isaacson visited HPL briefly when passing through Providence on July 1, 1916. He later wrote several books on music: Face to Face with Great Musicians(1918–21; 2 vols.) and The Simple Story of Music(1928).

“Isaacsonio-Mortoniad, The.”

Poem (136 lines); written no later than September 14, 1915. First published in Saturnalia and Other Poems(1984).

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Part of HPL’s feud with Charles D.Isaacson and James F.Morton, who had responded to HPL’s attacks on Isaacson’s amateur paper, In a Minor Key(see HPL’s “In a Major Key,” Conservative,July 1915) with attacks of their own in the second issue of In a Minor Key(undated, but probably dating to September 1915). The pungent satire claims to reveal the absurdities and inconsistencies in Isaacson’s defense of Walt Whitman and his appeals for racial tolerance, and Morton’s evangelical atheism. HPL apparently decided against publishing the poem in the amateur press. Iwanicki, Father.

In “The Dreams in the Witch House,” a Catholic priest at St. Stanislaus’ Church in Arkham who gives a crucifix to one of Walter Gilman’s friends, Joe Mazurewicz, who then gives it to Gilman to protect him from Keziah Mason. Iwanicki had first been cited in the so-called “discarded draft” of “The Shadow over Innsmouth” (written in late 1931, a few months before “The Dreams in the Witch House”), but was excised from the final draft. See MW65.

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J

Jack.

The narrator of “The Man of Stone,” who accompanies Ben Hayden on a trip to see the celebrated sculptures of Arthur Wheeler.

Jackson, Henry.

In “The Man of Stone,” a man who is treated for tuberculosis near Lake Placid, N.Y., where he hears of the tale that constitutes the narrative of the story and which he passes on to his friend, Ben Hayden, who then goes to investigate the story.

Jackson, Winifred Virginia (1876–1959).