Skip to main content

Author: Rufus, William

Biography:

RUFUS, William (fl 1826)

The name of the author of Rufiana could well be a pseudonym and a smokescreen, although library catalogues usually take it seriously. The collection of poems declares itself the work of William Rufus of Charleston SC, the poems themselves having been written "during moments of relaxation from pursuits of a very dissimilar nature" and having for the most part appeared originally in the pages of a newspaper, the Charleston Courier. One of the poems celebrates the author's coming of age; many rhapsodize over the beauty of young women; several evoke scenes in Cuba; the last is an ode entitled "Farewell to Poesy." The book is dated from Brooklyn and was published in New York. It was scathingly reviewed in the New York Literary Gazette. There are no other publications listed under this author's name. There are no records of anyone of this name having been born or married or buried in or near Charleston, and the only newspaper articles found are advertisements for the book. William Rufus was also of course the name of William II, King of England, the son of William the Conqueror: therefore one candidate for the pseudonym is William S. King (1801-52), q.v., born in Queenstown or Johnstown NY, associated with the Courier from about 1820, and after 1833 a part owner and editor-in-chief of the paper. (United States Literary Gazette 4 [Aug. 1826] 382-3; William L. King, The Newspaper Press of Charleston, S. C. [1872])

 

Books written (1):

New York: G. and C. Carvill, 1826