The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe - Edgar Allan Poe [1274]
days. Her footsteps pave the world with happiness — that is, the world wherein I live. You say I “puzzle” youin regard to the money. It is no “puzzle” at all. I should have sent you the money in my last letter, had I received it two days sooner. I received $200 the next day after my return home, which I lent to a friend of mine immediately afterwards, who has not been able to return it to me since. As soon as returns from Green County, where he is now gone with his wife to see her relations, and have another child during their absence, I will send it to you — as he is owing me a great deal not only of estates, but borrowed moneys. I am sorry that I cannot accommodate you at present, as it would give me great pleasure to do so. I will send it to you as soon as possible, but to you alone. You are always talking to me about the “paper.” “Cuss”the paper ! what do I care for the “paper” ? The “paper “will do me no more good than it will any body else. I have no interest in it — it is in your individualwelfare and happiness that I have an interest — an abiding, disinterested, heartborn interest — although I should like to see the paper flourish, as it would be an interest to you. For Heaven’s sake ! do not connect my respect for you with any worldlymatter — as it does not belong to the world at all. I see plainly that you do not know me. I would not let you have a cent for any other consideration than the heartborn respect which I feel for you, as your friend — one who desires, from the bottom of his heart, your welfare and happiness, in every respect whatever. My dear Poe ! you must not practice lip service with me — you must talk from the bottom of your heart when you talk to me. I am your friend, and, therefore, whenever I talk to you, it is out of the substance of my heart. It is an absolute waste of time, as well as a sin against God, to talk any other way. It is of no use for you ever to attempt to flatter me, as I am just as far above it as Heaven is above the hot burning bottom of Hell. I believe that you are my friend — therefore I cannot believe that you would put yourself to the trouble to do such a losing business. For, supposing that I was fool enough to receive it, it would do you no good, at the same time that it would be doing an injury to me. This, I know, you would not do. I will aid you, and assist you in every way possible, but I will do it only for the friendship which I have for you. You say that you have looked for the “Commercial Bank of Florida”for me. I wish you would do all you can immediately, and let me know upon the reception of this letter. I must have it before the first of October, orI will lose $210. It is for my brother who let me have that amount four years ago, which I took with me to New York, and knowing it was not worth anything, I gave it to my children to play with, until it got destroyed. As soon as he found out this, when we were making a settlement for the hire of my negroes, he made out like he wantedit. I told him that I would get him the same amount on the day that his note becomes due — which is the first of October — or deduct the amount of the Florida money he let me have out of it. So, you see, if I do not get it, I will lose $210. I must hear from you immediately so that I can have time to write to the Governor of Florida to get it for me. You must go immediately,upon the reception of this letter, into Wall Street, and see what you can do, I was distracted about home just before I left, else I would have gotten it myself. I was labouring under mental excitement all the time I was in that place so that I could neither talk nor write whenever I saw you. I am just as different now as if I were not the same man. My Poems have been spoken of in the very highest terms in this state by all who have seen them. Several papers have republished your notice, at the same time that you were spoken of in the highest terms. They have praised the “Heavenly Vision,” and the Poem “To Isa Singing,”beyond measure. The Editor of the “Southern Courant,”who has spoken well of them, is a gentleman of