Famous Single Poems
poem ever written, and which seems destined to live as long as Christmas itself.
Its first appearance in print was in the Troy (N. Y.) Sentinel, on December 23, 1823. It was called "An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas," occupied nearly a column of the paper, and was unsigned. The editor of the paper, Orville Holley, prefaced it with an appreciative note, of which this is the first paragraph:
We know not to whom we are indebted for the following description of that unwearied patron of music—that homely and delightful personage of parental kindness, Santa Claus, his costume and his equipage, as he goes about visiting the firesides of this happy land, laden with Christmas bounties; but from whomsoever it may come, we give thanks for it. There is, to our apprehension, a spirit of cordial goodness in it, a playfulness of fancy and a benevolent alacrity to enter into the feelings and promote the simple pleasures of children which are altogether charming.
From which it is evident that Mr. Holley was one of those rare personages who know a masterpiece when they see it! He was not mistaken in thinking the poem would have a wide appeal. It standardized Santa Claus. It visualized the appearance of the old saint so clearly that no artist since has dared to depart from the
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