Among other oddities, there is a person here who is a rabi admirer of Lippard. I have heard him gravely affirm that Lippard was the greatest author the world ever saw, and that if one of his novels and the most fascinating work of ancient or modern times lay side by side, he would choose the former, even though he had already repeatedly perused it. He studies Lippard just like other folks do Shakespeare, and yet the man has read and admires the majestic prose of Chilton, and is quite familiar with the best English Classics.
Gratifying to find myself described over a hundred years before my birth.
Hope to see you.
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That's very exciting to find-- personal verse written to his beloved.
The Pictorial Bible finally solved the question of the date of the Lippards' marriage, as well as some of it's details. One of the pages serves as their marriage certificate:
There is also a Parents' Register in the family pages of the Bible:
a Marriages page:
Births:
and Deaths
Someone even recorded the author's death:
And I love this: pasted into the book was a strip of paper recording Lippard's promise of marriage:
So we now know the date of the Lippards' marriage, May 15, and that it was at sunset on "the Rock" of the Wissahickon. But the personal details are also very touching, especially the early deaths of both children and parents and the youthful promise of love in that promise to wed.
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Can it get any better than Edgar Allan Poe and George Lippard? Together? In 
Philly?Well then, come on down to the Philly Poe House at 7th and Spring Garden Sts in the Athens of America on Saturday, May 10, 2PM. I'll be talking about that way cool gothic novelist, journalist, labor reformer, historian, Philadelphian and friend of Poe, the mighty George Lippard!
The event is free, but reservations are recommended. Just call the Poe House at (215)597-8780 to reserve a spot.
]]>My Poe speech at the Roxborough Manayunk Wissahickon Historical Society was especially fun 
Kelpius, Historical Soc of PAfor me because George Lippard was, along with his friend, Edgar Allan Poe, a devotee of the famous Wissahickon Creek. While Poe found the area sublimely enchanting, Lippard was more attuned with its mystical history as the home of Johannes Kelpius and his fellow monks who lived in the caves along the creek in the late 17th - early 18th centuries (the painting of Kelpius to the right is reputed to be the first oil painting done in America). Lippard used the Wissahickon as a setting in several of his works, including the Revolutionary War legend, The Rose of Wissahikon and Paul Ardenheim, the Monk of Wissahikon.
While visiting Philadelphia, Mark Twain wrote to his brother: "Geo. Lippard, in his 'Legends of Washington and his Generals,' has rendered the Wissahickon sacred in my eyes."
There are several accounts of Lippard's marriage ceremony to Rose Newman on a rock overlooking the gorge by moonlight. Some accounts say the bride and groom were dressed in Indian apparel, but I don't know if this is legend or not, although it suits Lippard well, the creator of so many historical legends, to have such a legend spring up about himself. I've even read the date of the marriage was May 14, 1847, but I'm not sure of the source. Nevertheless, I'm hoping to make the tour of the Wissahickon creek soon and, with the help of Wissahickon afficianado, Nick Bucci, see some of the sites so sacred to both Poe and Lippard. Perhaps we can make a group outing of this. Let me know in the comments here if you're interested in joining me.
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