An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia

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Page 148

Liddeason, Eli.

In “The Shunned House,” a man who is hired by William Harris to be a servant at the house, but who dies about a year later, after marrying another servant, Mehitabel Pierce.

“Life and Death.”

Short story or prose poem; evidently published in an amateur journal (c. 1920), but text not currently available.

This is one of the few authentically “lost” stories by HPL, but its existence and whereabouts remain in doubt. In his commonplace book (entry #27) HPL records the title and plot germ of the story: “Death—its desolation & horror—bleak spaces—sea-bottom—dead cities. But Life—the greater horror! Vast unheard-of reptiles & leviathans—hideous beasts of prehistoric jungle—rank slimy vegetation—evil instincts of primal man—Life is more horrible than death.” The entry probably dates to early 1920; in contrast to other used entries, HPL has not crossed out this entry or otherwise indicated that it was used. He never mentions or alludes to the story in any extant correspondence. After HPL’s death, R.H.Barlow wrote to August Derleth that he thought he once saw “Life and Death” (Barlow to Derleth, June 14, 1944; ms., SHSW). Around this time W.Paul Cook told Derleth that he thought the story had appeared in the United Amateur,but this is not the case. George T.Wetzel, in describing the research for his bibliography of HPL, stated that he saw the story as published in an amateur journal, but he subsequently lost the reference and was unable to locate it (see “The Research of a Biblio,” in Howard Phillips Lovecraft: Memoirs, Critiques and Bibliographies[1955]). Wetzel’s research on HPL’s amateur publications was conducted largely at the Fossil Collection of Amateur Journalism, then at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia; but the collection was subsequently vandalized, as many published works by HPL were cut out of the journals with a razor. Examination of many other amateur journalism collections by several scholars has failed to turn up the item.

One wonders, then, whether HPL actually wrote and published “Life and Death.” The plot germ above could in fact refer to the prose poem “Ex Oblivione” ( United Amateur,March 1921), and the rather vague recollections of Barlow, Cook, and Wetzel may refer to it or to some other work altogether.

“Life for Humanity’s Sake.”

Essay (710 words); probably written in the summer of 1920. First published in American Amateur (September 1920); rpt. MW

The essay is a plea to reject both hedonism and theism in the face of the probable meaninglessness and inconsequence of the human race within the boundless cosmos. HPL asserts that a “real ethical philosophy can be founded only on practicalities” and urges that “the goal of mental evolution and the subordination of pain stands so conspicuously before us.”

Lillibridge, Edwin M.

In “The Haunter of the Dark,” the inquisitive reporter for the Providence Telegram(a real newspaper) who disappears in 1893—as it turns out, inside the Free-Will Church, where the Starry Wisdom sect holds its services. His remains are discovered by Robert Blake when he investigates the abandoned building.

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Page 149

Little, Myrta Alice

(1888–1967), friend and correspondent of HPL (1921) residing in Hampstead, N.H.Little joined the UAPA in the spring of 1921, and HPL planned to visit her in late May, but the death of HPL’s mother postponed the plans, and he visited her only on June 8–9; the two of them also went to see “Tryout” Smith in Haverhill. HPL returned to New Hampshire in August 25–26, exploring the Haverhill Historical Society with Little. HPL describes her as a former college professor who was attempting to become a professional writer, but her only known published work is a Christmas pageant for children, Sweet Christmas Time(1929), published under her married name, Myrta Little Davies. HPL’s one surviving letter to her was published in LSNo. 26 (Spring 1992): 26–30.

“Little Glass Bottle, The.”

Juvenile story (460 words); written c. 1898–99. First published in SR;corrected text in Juvenilia: 1897–1905(1985) and MW