On March 8, 1897, Paul Laurence Dunbar made his public debut in England by reciting several of his poems in Prince's Hall on the west side of London. Paul was in England for a recital tour and to find an English publisher for his book Lyrics of Lowly Life.
Paul Laurence Dunbar's Recital
Prince's Hall
Monday, March 8th, 1897, at 8 o'clockProgram
When Malindy Sings
Accountability
Negro Love Song
Circumstances Alter Cases
The Rivals
When De Co'n Pone's Hot
A Confidence
The PartyRecital program, March 8, 1897. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 5).
More than three weeks had passed between Paul's arrival in England and his first public appearance. He eagerly wrote about the event to his mother Matilda in Chicago.
I am to give my first public recital a week from tomorrow night at the Prince's Hall West Ealing. We are hoping for success. I hope you are all well at home and happy. London is a great and a fine city, but it is not home. I just drop you these lines so that you will know that I am well and prosperous.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Matilda Dunbar, February 28, 1897. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 1).
Two months later, Paul's schedule was busier. He told his mother the English people were paying too much attention to him.
I have three recitals now to come, May 10th, 11th and June 2nd, followed by three more out of the city on June 9-10-11th at the same place, Bournemouth. The English bother me with social attentions. I do not wish to go out socially but am somewhat compelled to. I was invited to the dinner of the Royal Society of Painters in Water Color. I pretended to be laid up so I wouldn't have to go, and here they've sent me an invitation for another and so my misery was only postponed. I go to tea Saturday afternoon with a daughter of Chief Justice Daniels of Virginia who has been abroad for some time. It is over twenty miles away, but I must go.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Matilda Dunbar, May 5, 1897. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 1).
Paul gave similar reports to his fiancée Alice Ruth Moore in Brooklyn. He hoped Alice could visit him in England, but wanted to keep her away from English society.
The English love me with an undesired and much disliked social attention. Last Sunday night I was quite the star at Dr. Moncure D. Conway's Institute in South Place. The night before I had been invited to attend the Salon dinner of the Royal Association of Painters in Water Color. To this I absolutely refused to go and now they have sent me an invitation for another on May 11th, so you see my misery was only postponed. Saturday afternoon I must go to tea with Mrs. Cautley, who is a daughter of Chief Justice Daniels of Virginia but who has been abroad some years. To say that I do not like England would be untrue. I like it from its rural hedges to its crowded streets, from Grimmsbury Lane to Picadilly and Fleet Street. But the source of my discontent is that I love America more.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Alice Ruth Moore, May 4, 1897. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 5).
Dear, if you ever come over here, let me warn you now that I shall eschew society. My preference is for a quiet life and this will be impossible if we once get started. I had two invitations for today and one for tomorrow evening, but I reserve my Sundays so I declined today's. Of all the people I have met there are not two dozen that I would care to have you know, and some of them, both men and women, I would not allow to know you. I believe that London society is the most corrupt in the world. Sometime I shall tell my "little wife" what happened at the "at home" of the R. I. Painters in water color but now I must close.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Alice Ruth Moore, May 23, 1897. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 5).