"[15] Moore preferred to be known for his more scholarly works, but allowed the poem to be included in his anthology in 1844 at the request of his children. And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly. After it was published anonymously the following year, it became increasingly popular, appearing in newspapers, school readers, other anthologies, and in many different single editions. His eyes—how they twinkled! He was the author of Poems (Barlett & Welford, 1844), which included the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”. [29] 1844. Moore stated in a letter to the editor of the New York American (published on March 1, 1844) that he "gave the publisher" of The New-York Book of Poetry "several pieces, among which was the 'Visit from St. With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. [3][8][9], On January 20, 1829, Troy editor Orville L. Holley alluded to the author of the Christmas poem, using terms that accurately described Moore as a native and current resident of New York City, and as "a gentleman of more merit as a scholar and a writer than many of more noisy pretensions. '. "[11] Four poems including A Visit from St. Nicholas appeared under Moore's name in The New-York Book of Poetry, edited by Charles Fenno Hoffman (New York: George Dearborn, 1837). Foster also contends that Moore hated tobacco and would, therefore, never have depicted Saint Nicholas with a pipe. At the time that Moore wrote the poem, Christmas Day was overtaking New Year's Day as the preferred genteel family holiday of the season, but some Protestants viewed Christmas as the result of "Catholic ignorance and deception"[1] and still had reservations. [28] Other composers to have set music to the poem were American Alliene Brandon Webb (1910-1965), and British child composer Alma Deutscher (b. Before the poem gained wide popularity, American ideas had varied considerably about Saint Nicholas and other Christmastide visitors. This change implies that Santa Claus made his exclamation during the moment that he disappeared from view, while the exclamation came before his disappearance in the original. It includes several references to legends of Saint Nicholas, including the following that bears a close relationship to the poem: And the sage Oloffe dreamed a dream,—and lo, the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to children, and he descended hard by where the heroes of Communipaw had made their late repast. The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. With a little old driver, so lively and quick. Kaller's findings were confirmed by autograph expert James Lowe, by Dr. Joe Nickell, the author of Pen, Ink & Evidence, and by others. They share a conspiratorial moment before Saint Nicholas bounds up the chimney again. 217–19, credited to "Clement C. [23] The latter 1963 stereo recording for Capitol Records became the most famous of the poem's musical adaptations. And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth. Hemry wouldn't, after all, have known of those phrases while writing his voluminous early work. dash away all! Moore himself acknowledged authorship when he included it in his own book of poems in 1844. This introduction was probably written by the editor of the Troy Sentinel, Orville L. Holley, according to Clifton Fadiman.—JBH A Visit from St. Nicholas, pubblicata nel dicembre del 1823 (“Una visita di San Nicola “Babbo Natale”) questa bellissima poesia, molto diffusa in America e in altri Paesi del mondo e che ancora oggi viene recitata dai bambini la notte di Natale in attesa dei doni tanto desiderati.