It is with the greatest pleasure that I present this rarely seen letter written to me by the wretch Edgar Allan Poe:
September 1842
My Dearest Griswold
I am much obliged for the copies of the Cabinet [*1] –if you have any other books of
interest please do not forget to send them—I will take especial care of any you
may deem worthy of my notice. I will return the aforementioned issues of the Cabinet along with the twenty five
dollars you generously loaned me as soon as I have the funds.
Of particular interest in the Cabinet was Faulkmore’s
“Magpie” [*2], which is as fine a poem, in both the style of its versification &
expression and its originality, as I have recently encountered. I wonder at its
omission from your “Poets of America”.
That it has been published just once, years ago, and forgotten is as
unfortunate for the public as it must have seemed for the poet. Are you certain that it has not seen
publication elsewhere? Do you know what
became of Faulkmore?
Have
you considered the anthology we discussed?
I know of nothing which would give me more sincere pleasure than to have
a man of such exquisite taste and unsurpassed critical faculties as your good
self present the comprehensive canon of my work before the public eye. If you are inclined toward such a project
perhaps you would do me the favor of composing a brief prefatory document
detailing my biography. In such a case,
as in any future editions of your “Poets”, it would be preferable to me that my
works are presented under the name Edgar A Poe, omitting the sobriquet Allan,
which I detest.
I trust
Graham has made you a good offer to remain in the chair—You are as honest a
judge as you are a capable one, and during your tenure with the magazine you
have brought about many notable improvements in the general appearance and
editorial quality, and above all have rid the Gentleman’s Mag. of the quackery
which previously infected it.
I have
had word from Reynolds that a certain Mrs. E is seething with resentment over
what she perceives as ill treatment from you in your notice on her in “Poets”. He has told her that she should content
herself with the columns allotted her rather than poison the air with her
hostile breath but she was unmoved. I
would not worry, however—for all her bleating she seems incapable of any real harm.
Has
your wife yet given birth? You are certainly
in an enviable position to have something for which to look forward as a newly
minted life, something to occupy the mind other than the embrace of the
grave. Virginia is in good spirits, as
always, despite her recent infirmity, and begs me to apologize for suggesting the
transaction of which we recently spoke—it was only a need of the greatest
importance that impelled me to make such a proposal, indecent though it was.
But
perhaps all will yet go well; as I write this I await a meeting with Thomas to
secure a Custom-House appointment, which I can no longer doubt that I shall
obtain, and will soon, depending on the salary, embark upon the establishment
of, if not The Penn, a Journal here or, perhaps in New York. My days of impoverished anxiety will soon
fall behind me, and I shall permit neither my own folly nor any miscarriage of
fortune to sour my spirits or blacken my prospects. I am the master of my own fate.
With
high respect and esteem
I am yr obedient servant,
Edgar A Poe
[*1] The Hartford
Cabinet of Literature & Science (published irregularly from 1826-1831),
later became the Hartford Literary Journal.
[*2] "The Magpie" by Jefferson Tiberius Faulkmore (b.1799 - d.1828).
I certainly hope this helps to clear up a few things.
No comments:
Post a Comment