The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe - Edgar Allan Poe [1405]
I am all anxiety to see your first number. In the meantime, believe me
(Rest of MS. cut off)
Edgar Allan Poe to James Russell Lowell — December 27, 1842
My dear Sir,
If not too late, I would be glad to substitute the lines here given, for what I sent you some days since.
Should the long line “To friends above &c” not come conveniently within the breadth of the page, it may be made to commence farther to the left, so as to correspond with “But waft the angel &c”
Most truly yours,
Edgar A Poe
James Russell Lowell Esqre
Dec 27, 42
Edgar Allan Poe to James Russell Lowell — February 4, 1843
Philadelphia February 4 1843.
My Dear Mr Lowell,
For some weeks I have been daily proposing to write and congratulate you upon the triumphant debut of the “Pioneer”, but have been prevented by a crowd of more worldly concerns.
Thank you for the compliment in the footnote. Thank you, also, for your attention in forwarding the Magazine.
As far as a $3 Magazine can please me at all, I am delighted with yours. I am especially gratified with what seems to me a certain coincidence of opinion & of taste, between yourself and your humble servant, in the minor arrangements, as well as in the more important details of the journal. For example — the poetry in the same type as the prose — the designs from Flaxman — &c. As regards the contributors our thoughts are one. Do you know that when, some time since, I dreamed of establishing a Magazine of my own, I said to myself —”If I can but succeed in engaging, as permanent contributors, Mr Hawthorne, Mr Neal, and two others, with a certain young poet of Boston, who shall be nameless, I will engage to produce the best journal in America.” At the same time, while I thought and still think highly of Mr Bryant, Mr Cooper, and others, I said nothing of them.
You have many warm friends in this city — but the reforms you propose require time in their development, and it may be even a year before “The Pioneer” will make due impression among the Quakers. In the meantime, persevere.
I forwarded you, about a fortnight ago I believe, by Harnden’s Express, an article called “Notes upon English Verse”. A thought has struck me, that it may prove too long, or perhaps too dull, for your Magazine — in either case, use no ceremony, but return it in the same mode (thro’ Harnden) and I will, forthwith, send something in its place.
I duly received, from Mr Graham, $10 on your account, for which I am obliged. I would prefer, however, that you would remit directly to myself through the P. Office.
I saw, not long ago, at Graham’s, a poem without the author’s name — but which for many reasons I take to be yours — the chief being that it was very beautiful. Its title I forget — but it slightly veiled a lovely Allegory in which “Religion” was typified, and the whole painted the voyage of some wanderers & mourners in search of some far-off isle. Is it yours?
Truly your friend
E A Poe
James R. Lowell to Edgar Allan Poe — March 24, 1843
Boston, March 24, 1843.
My Dear Friend, — I have neglected writing to you too long already, in the hope of being able to remit the money I owe you. When I shall have stated the facts, I think that you will excuse my want of punctuality. The magazine was started on my own responsibility, & I relied on the payments I should receive from my publishers to keep me even with my creditors until the Magazine should be firmly established. You may conceive my distress when the very first note given me by my publishers has been protested for nonpayment, & the magazine ruined. For I was unable to go on any farther, having already incurred a debt of $1,800 or more.
I hope soon to make such arrangements as will enable me to borrow this sum — pay all my debts & leave [me] free to go [to] work & apply my earnings to getting the load off my shoulders. The loss of my eyes at this juncture (for I am as yet