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Post by jamesdoig on Mar 14, 2010 1:58:33 GMT
I'm going by memory here, but I think a recent M.R. James Newsletter showed that M.R. James, when he referred to the story (which he did not name) influencing Dracula, meant The Mysterious Stranger. Yes, that's in the Sept 2008 issue of the G&S Newsletter - the last I got before my subscription expired!  Richard Dalby writes about it in the Jamesian Notes and Queries column. |
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Post by dem bones on Mar 16, 2010 19:03:20 GMT
it seemed like the right time for a rematch with The Vampire Of Kring. while Mr. Haining's 'theory' that the story had some small influence on Dracula still strikes me as unlikely, almost disappointingly, the comparison is not so ludicrously far fetched as i'd remembered it. admittedly, any similarities are vague to say the least, but there is a nice touch of the Hammer Horrors about it. And some would have it that it's factual.
Servia, 1672. George Grando falls ill and dies but no sooner has he been buried than the mourners, on returning to the home of the dead man's widow and finding him sat behind a door, flee from the wake in panic. Soon strange stories are in circulation around Kring of "a dark figure seen to go about the streets by night, stopping now and then to tap at the door of some house, but always passing on without waiting for an answer. In a little while people began to die mysteriously in Kring; and it was noticed that the death's occurred in the houses at which the spectre had tapped its signal. Some said the spectre was that of Grando and, at the same time, the widow complained that she was tormented by the spirit of her husband who night after night threw her into a deep sleep, doubtless with the wicked object of sucking blood, as all vampires did, while she lay in slumber."
The Supan, or chief magistrate, summons those he considers to be the more stout-hearted of his neighbours to investigate the rumour that Grando is a vampire. Armed with torches and crucifixes they go by night to dig up his remains, but "seeing Grando's body untouched by decay, the mouth open with a pleasant smile, and a rosy flush upon its cheeks, the whole party was seized with terror, and fled in ignominious rout back to Kring." It is left to the priest, Father George, to deal with the matter, but when he attempts to drive a stake of hawthorn through the vampire's chest, it rebounds! It's only when another of the villagers adopts desperate measures and hacks off Grando's head that "the evil spirit departed, with a loud shriek and a contortion of the limbs which proved too well what it was that had found a dwelling place in the dust and ashes that were once a man."
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Post by ropardoe on Sept 28, 2016 15:06:09 GMT
Agree these are terrific books, Michael. I think between them, Rob Weinberg and Stefan R. Dziemainowicz brought out the best in Martin H. Greenberg, "America's answer to Peter Haining." His anthologies were consistently rewarding when they were on board. As Martin Greenberg produced too many books he probably is America's answer to Peter Haining. I've only held on to two of Haining's: Vampires at Midnight (Warner Books, 1993) and M.R. James – Book of the Supernatural (Foulsham, 1979). As so much material about and related to MRJ has appeared since the last book, a new version would be very welcome. I could write it myself (but won't). What fun we could have correcting all of Haining's mistakes and downright lies in that book! My copy is covered in pencilled notes and exclamation marks! |
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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 30, 2016 12:40:48 GMT
As Martin Greenberg produced too many books he probably is America's answer to Peter Haining. I've only held on to two of Haining's: Vampires at Midnight (Warner Books, 1993) and M.R. James – Book of the Supernatural (Foulsham, 1979). As so much material about and related to MRJ has appeared since the last book, a new version would be very welcome. I could write it myself (but won't). What fun we could have correcting all of Haining's mistakes and downright lies in that book! My copy is covered in pencilled notes and exclamation marks! Downright lies? Is Haining's M.R. James – Book of the Supernatural really that bad? I always thought it was just inadequate with much irrelevant filler material. As he was aware of Ghosts & Scholars, he could have written something about MRJ's influence on other writers. Clive Ward's "The Pictorial M.R. James" in All Hallows 15 (1997) included a number of old illustrations that a researcher like Haining should have used. |
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Post by ropardoe on Sept 30, 2016 16:15:19 GMT
What fun we could have correcting all of Haining's mistakes and downright lies in that book! My copy is covered in pencilled notes and exclamation marks! Downright lies? Is Haining's M.R. James – Book of the Supernatural really that bad? I always thought it was just inadequate with much irrelevant filler material. As he was aware of Ghosts & Scholars, he could have written something about MRJ's influence on other writers. Clive Ward's "The Pictorial M.R. James" in All Hallows 15 (1997) included a number of old illustrations that a researcher like Haining should have used. I'd start with his completely false (and incidentally damaging) claims about "The Vampire of Kring", but that's been much discussed already, including here. My grumpy annotations start on page 10, where Haining (I'm assuming he wrote or at lease checked the picture captions) claims that "Rats" was inspired by the House in the Clouds at Thorpeness and that a bench end at Hadleigh is actually at Livermere. On page 59 he claims that MRJ "who rarely went to the cinema" did see Lugosi's Dracula and was "impressed by its atmospheric qualities". That's entirely invented (or, in other words, a lie!) - there's no evidence he saw that film at all. On page 93, we're told that "Ghost photographs fascinated M.R. James and readers of his books sent him a number during his lifetime". Only the amusing supposed photo of the ghost of Luxmoore at Eton "fascinated" MRJ. He's not known to have had any other interest in the subject and if readers sent him some, it's not on record as far as I'm aware. On page 94, Haining says that Elliott O'Donnell sent MRJ the photo of a phantom monk in a house in Bristol. I know of no record that O'Donnell was ever in contact with MRJ, let alone sent him photos. (It's possible, but I very much doubt whether Haining did the necessary research to find out.) Finally (there is much more and I've been quite selective, as I think Vault denizens might be losing the will to live by now!) Haining claims that he was responsible for returning "A Vignette" and "The Experiment" to print after they had been "unobtainable for many years". Hugh Lamb and Richard Dalby might have something to say about that. Oh, and on a personal note Haining used those drawings from G&S without the artists' permission and then tried to blame me. One at least of them was (rightly) not best pleased. |
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Post by helrunar on Sept 30, 2016 17:09:30 GMT
That's disappointing to learn about Peter Haining. Growing up in suburban Maryland as a horror-hungry teen in the early 1970s, Haining's books were often the only thing available in the public libraries in the genre. There were a few others but whenever one of Haining's new anthologies came in, it was an exciting moment.
I have to say that my experience of briefly glancing at a couple of his books sometime in the last 20 years left little more than an impression of improbable hokum at best. I didn't know he had attempted anything as ambitious as an actual biography of MRJ. I can't recall the specifics of "The Vampire of Kring" but I may have read a similar story in a magazine somewhere or other back in the distant past.
H.
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Post by dem bones on Sept 30, 2016 17:27:02 GMT
Hope their respective authors won't mind, but have transferred the four preceding posts from the Robert Weinberg tribute thread to their natural habitat. Finally (there is much more and I've been quite selective, as I think Vault denizens might be losing the will to live by now!) Haining claims that he was responsible for returning "A Vignette" and "The Experiment" to print after they had been "unobtainable for many years". Hugh Lamb and Richard Dalby might have something to say about that. Oh, and on a personal note Haining used those drawings from G&S without the artists' permission and then tried to blame me. One at least of them was (rightly) not best pleased. I remember the GSS artwork episode - that's not a good look - and Mr. H. was certainly a little disingenuous with his claims re The Experiment. From what I remember - might be wrong - Hugh Lamb cleaned up a few mistakes in MRJ's original, and the version Peter ran is Hugh's edit, word for word. Will also add that a friend of mine had a far more pleasant experience of Peter when she asked permission to reprint The Shilling Shockers in paperback. |
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Post by ropardoe on Sept 30, 2016 18:14:28 GMT
Hope their respective authors won't mind, but have transferred the four preceding posts from the Robert Weinberg tribute thread to their natural habitat. Finally (there is much more and I've been quite selective, as I think Vault denizens might be losing the will to live by now!) Haining claims that he was responsible for returning "A Vignette" and "The Experiment" to print after they had been "unobtainable for many years". Hugh Lamb and Richard Dalby might have something to say about that. Oh, and on a personal note Haining used those drawings from G&S without the artists' permission and then tried to blame me. One at least of them was (rightly) not best pleased. I remember the GSS artwork episode - that's not a good look - and Mr. H. was certainly a little disingenuous with his claims re The Experiment. From what I remember - might be wrong - Hugh Lamb cleaned up a few mistakes in MRJ's original, and the version Peter ran is Hugh's edit, word for word. Will also add that a friend of mine had a far more pleasant experience of Peter when she asked permission to reprint The Shilling Shockers in paperback. Yes, this is the right place - not fair to Robert Weinberg's memory for it to continue on that thread. Sorry. Also I wouldn't want it thought that Peter Haining was the Devil incarnate - I hope it goes without saying that I think he did much that was good, and in my time I've enjoyed many of his anthologies. He was however a lazy researcher and economical with the truth more often than he should have been (or needed to be). In the case of "The Vampire of Kring" he succeeded in damaging MRJ's reputation, at least until researchers like Doug Anderson and Richard Dalby hunted down the facts of the matter. |
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Post by Michael Connolly on Oct 1, 2016 11:53:18 GMT
Dem, you are quite right to have changed the thread. I realized yesterday that I should have changed it myself. No matter what else can be said about Peter Haining, in terms of influence he will always be the most important editor of horror anthologies (in Britain at least). I haven't thought about it in years, but when I was in America I saw a paperback version of M.R. James – Book of the Supernatural. It was standard paperback size and the illustrations were cut in size (I think) and rearranged. It certainly looked to be a horrible book. I have Googled this and it was called M R. James - The Book of Ghost Stories, which is just wrong. Peter Haining would have had no control over this. It was published by Stein & Day in 1984.  |
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Post by dem bones on Oct 1, 2016 12:43:47 GMT
Dem, you are quite right to have changed the thread. I realized yesterday that I should have changed it myself. No matter what else can be said about Peter Haining, in terms of influence he will always be the most important editor of horror anthologies (in Britain at least). I haven't thought about it in years, but when I was in America I saw a paperback version of M.R. James – Book of the Supernatural. It was standard paperback size and the illustrations were cut in size (I think) and rearranged. It certainly looked to be a horrible book. I have Googled this and it was called M R. James - The Book of Ghost Stories, which is just wrong. Peter Haining would have had no control over this. It was published by Stein & Day in 1984. View AttachmentA similar thing happened with his The Dracula Centenary Book. Bounty Books reissued it as The Dracula Scrapbook, which borrowed it's name from the same author's much earlier, and, in my opinion, far superior, volume of articles, clippings, ephemera & Co. Would imagine anyone expecting a reprint of the NEL oversized paperback The Dracula Scrapbook would have been disappointed to have the imposter land on their doormat. On an earlier thread you mentioned Vampires At Midnight? That was originally The Midnight People until Warners got their hands on it. |
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Post by Michael Connolly on Oct 1, 2016 13:01:23 GMT
Dem, you are quite right to have changed the thread. I realized yesterday that I should have changed it myself. No matter what else can be said about Peter Haining, in terms of influence he will always be the most important editor of horror anthologies (in Britain at least). I haven't thought about it in years, but when I was in America I saw a paperback version of M.R. James – Book of the Supernatural. It was standard paperback size and the illustrations were cut in size (I think) and rearranged. It certainly looked to be a horrible book. I have Googled this and it was called M R. James - The Book of Ghost Stories, which is just wrong. Peter Haining would have had no control over this. It was published by Stein & Day in 1984. A similar thing happened with his The Dracula Centenary Book. Bounty Books reissued it as The Dracula Scrapbook, which borrowed it's name from the same author's much earlier, and, in my opinion, far superior, volume of articles, clippings, ephemera & Co. Would imagine anyone expecting a reprint of the NEL oversized paperback The Dracula Scrapbook would have been disappointed to have the imposter land on their doormat. On an earlier thread you mentioned Vampires At Midnight? That was originally The Midnight People until Warners got their hands on it. I bought a new copy Vampires at Midnight to replace my second-hand copy of The Midnight People (Ensign, 1974). I can remember that I was on a bus when I read MRJ's "An Episode of Cathedral History", which greatly impressed me at the time. |
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Post by Michael Connolly on Oct 6, 2018 13:22:57 GMT
I think that a new version of M. R. James Book of The Supernatural is sorely needed. If I edited one, it would include: An introduction by the foremost expert on M.R. James (who I think contributes to Vault of Evil). A potted biography of M.R James focusing on those aspects of his life, work, and interests that are reflected in his ghost stories. This would not be written by a psychiatrist. A general article on the key content, aspects, and techniques of his ghost stories along the lines of, for example, “Irony and Horror: The Art of M. R. James” by Samuel D. Russell, or “‘The Rules of Folklore’ in the Ghost Stories of M. R. James” by Jacqueline Simpson, etc. This would not be written by a psychiatrist either. An updated version of “The Pictorial M.R. James” by Clive Ward, an excellent article on M.R. James’s illustrators that appeared in All Hallows 15. An updated version of the James List of writers inspired by M.R. James. An updated version of “A Warning to the Curious: A Critical Look at the James List” by David Rowlands as in appeared in various issues of Ghosts & Scholars. An overview of the dramatisations of M.R. James. Perhaps someone who lurks on Vault of Evil could write it. The book would be fully illustrated. The cover would be inspired by one of these.   As I am not an editor, and as writing is an excruciating process, my own contribution would be to buy a copy of the book. |
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Post by helrunar on Oct 6, 2018 13:50:16 GMT
That all sounds marvelous, Michael.
May I ask whether you know the attribution and provenance of the portrait of Pan enthroned? I don't recall ever having seen it before.
Thanks,
Steve
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Post by helrunar on Oct 6, 2018 14:02:52 GMT
Having examined the engraving (or lino???) more carefully, obviously meant to be a portrait of the dear old Devil. I see however the horns and hooves of the Goat Foot God, Poseidon's trident, Baphomet's torch betwixt the horns, images of chthonic and underworld realms, and the Pentacle which was actually an important symbol of the early Church--I've never figured out what the motivation was for rejecting it early on.
Apologies for the off topic post--as some of you have no doubt divined, I do have my hobby horses.
cheers, Steve
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Post by helrunar on Oct 6, 2018 18:13:27 GMT
A friend identified the print as by Bernard Zuber, and it bears the title "Satan presiding at the Sabbat, attended by Demons in animal form" (or something similar to that).
I don't think that would be appropriate as a cover for the James stories, thinking about it--I can't recall any that had Black Mass or Satan-related themes. But there are a few I haven't read so perhaps there is one out there, somewhere.
cheers, H.
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Richard Dalby writes about it in the Jamesian Notes and Queries column. 
