Southern Literary Studies fred hobson, editor This page intentionally left blank A Talent for Living josephine pinckney and the charleston literary tradition Barbara L. Bellows louisiana state university press baton rouge Published by Louisiana State University Press Copyright © 2006 by Louisiana State University Press All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First Printing designer: Amanda McDonald Scallan typeface: Whitman printer and binder: Edwards Brothers, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bellows, Barbara L. A talent for living : Josephine Pinckney and the Charleston literary tradition / Barabara L. Bellows p. cm. — (Southern literary studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-10 0-8071-3163-6 (alk. paper) ISBN-13 978-0-8071-3163-3 (alk. paper) 1. Pinckney, Josephine, 1895–1957. 2. Novelists, American — 20th century — Biography. I. Title. II. Series. PS3531.I7Z56 2006 813'.52 — dc22 2005030876 The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. ∞ To the memory of my parents, Mary Louise and George Bellows This page intentionally left blank Contents Preface | xi Introduction | 1 1. The Last Aristocrat | 12 2. The Education of a Young Poet | 23 3. “My Heart Is Still My Own” | 38 4. Inventing a Southern Literature | 57 5. A Grave for Love | 77 6. Sea-Drinking Cities | 91 7. Thirty-six Chalmers Street | 111 8. Speaking for the South | 132 9. Farewell to First Love | 153 10. Willkie and War | 164 11. American Fantasy | 177 12. Great Mischief | 194 13. “Death, My Son and Foe” | 212 Notes | 231 Bibliography | 267 Index | 281 This page intentionally left blank Illustrations Following page 90 Valentine House at 900 Capitol Street, Richmond Camilla Pinckney, ca. 1897 Eldorado, the Pinckney family plantation Mrs. Motte Directing the Generals Marion and Lee to Burn Her Mansion to Dislodge the British Charles Cotesworth Pinckney in His Sixth Year (1789–1865) Captain Thomas Pinckney, ca. 1908 C. Cotesworth Pinckney with his aunt Lucy Stewart Pinckney family home, 21 King Street, Charleston, ca. 1935 Josephine Lyons Scott Pinckney, 1898 Josephine Pinckney, ca. 1907 Josephine Pinckney, ca. 1912 Pinckney in the Eliza Lucas Pinckney dress, 1923 DuBose Heyward and Dorothy Heyward, ca. 1925 Amy Lowell, ca. 1920 Richard Bowditch Wigglesworth, ca. 1918 Hervey Allen, 1930 Henry Seidel Canby, ca. 1925 A Charleston Residence, Pinckney’s home at 36 Chalmers Street Dining room at 36 Chalmers Street Prentiss Taylor, 1932 Samuel Gaillard Stoney Jr., 1936 Harriet Porcher (Stoney) Simons, ca. 1927 Josephine Pinckney and DuBose Heyward, ca. 1935