Edward De Forest Metcalf papers (Ms. 78.2)

The collection consists of poetry and prose; the poetry is represented chiefly by ballads, mostly of a humorous nature, while the prose consists of a number of short stories or fragments thereof. In addition to the finished products which can be found assembled into one folder (the original In Memoriam Edward De Forest Metcalf by G.T. Metcalf), there are numerous draft copies of unfinished as well as completed literary works, mostly verse.

After Edward Metcalf committed suicide in 1968, his father, George Tucker Metcalf (Brown class of 1913) put together into loose-leaf binders 25 copies of his son's writings (including introductory and explanatory notes), which were to be sent to select friends of his and his son's acquaintance, including a copy sent to the Harris Collection of American Poetry and Drama at Brown University.

Two years later Metcalf had formally published a memorial to his son, incorporating all of the material in the previous loose-leaf edition as well as some additional items of Edward's. Titled In Memoriam Edward De Forest Metcalf, this volume is the basis for the largest part of the correspondence included in the collection. Most of the correspondence is sympathetic and congratulatory to the father, George, for having published the volume in honor of his son; there is, however, also some substantive comment on the problems caused by society's attitudes towards homosexuals, of which group Edward was one.

In the correspondence addressed to Edward Metcalf, one finds criticism of his literary talent as well as comments on his desire to have his work published. There are also two letters by Metcalf in one of which he describes the political situation in Europe in 1950, while in the other, addressed to the editors of Life magazine, he gives his views on Catholicism versus Protestantism.