An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia

The narrator of “The Rats in the Walls,” whose decision to restore Exham Priory, the home of his ancestors in England, ultimately leads to his downfall and his confinement in an insane asylum. Gilbert de la Poer, first Baron Exham, was granted the site of Exham Priory in 1261. Walter de la Poer, eleventh Baron Exham, fled to Virginia, probably in the seventeenth century, and founded the family later known as Delapore. Randolph Delapore is the cousin of the narrator of “The Rats in the Walls,” who “became a voodoo priest after he returned from the Mexican War.” Alfred Delapore is the narrator’s son. In 1917, he served overseas as an aviation officer, becoming friendly with Capt. Edward Norrys. He was injured and died two years later. His name is probably a nod toward HPL’s friend, Alfred Galpin.

“Department of Public Criticism.”

Column criticizing amateur publications appearing in the United Amateur

HPL wrote the columns for: January 1915; March 1915; May 1915; September 1915; December 1915; April 1916; June 1916; August 1916 (subtitled “First Annual Report, 1915–1916”); September 1916; March 1917; May 1917; July 1917; January 1918; March 1918; May 1918; September 1918 (in part); November 1918 (in part); January 1919 (in part); March 1919; May 1919 (in part). HPL notes (“What Amateurdom and I Have Done for Each Other”) that he had been appointed chairman of the Department of Public Criticism in the fall of 1914, taking over for Ada P.Campbell; HPL was then reappointed to the post for the 1915–16 and 1916–17 terms. Rheinhart Kleiner was appointed chairman for 1917–18, but HPL notes (letter to Arthur Harris, January 12, 1918; ms., JHL) that Kleiner was unable to serve, so that HPL ended up writing some of the articles for that official year. He was reappointed for the 1918–19 year.

The articles are, on the whole, rather mundane criticisms of the prose and verse appearing in the amateur journals of the period, largely concerned with pointing out grammatical errors in prose and errors in meter and scansion in

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poetry; occasionally HPL reveals his own prejudices by contesting the authors’ opinions on literary, social, and political topics. The column was largely designed for an educational purpose, as a means of assisting amateurs to improve their writing skills. Some of HPL’s articles are of great length—the column for September 1915 is 7,225 words long.

Derby, Edward Pickman.

In “The Thing on the Doorstep,” the weak-willed husband of Asenath Waite, who forces him to exchange his personality with hers. As a youth, Derby was a boy genius, who published the volume of poetry, Azathoth and Other Horrors . After undergoing several horrible experiences in the company of his wife, including participation in various gatherings of the witch-cult, he summons up the nerve to kill Asenath, burying her in the basement of their house in Arkham. But Asenath’s personality survives, and she thrusts Derby’s personality into her decaying corpse while she occupies his own body. With incredible effort, Derby unearths himself from his makeshift grave and brings a message to his longtime friend Daniel Upton, urging Dan to kill the individual occupying his own body. Derby appears to be a synthesis of HPL’s various protégés—chiefly Frank Belknap Long and Alfred Galpin—and perhaps Clark Ashton Smith. Like HPL, Derby marries a strong-willed woman somewhat late in life, although the woman HPL married was several years older than him whereas Asenath is fifteen years younger than Edward.

Derleth, August [William] (1909–1971).