The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe - Edgar Allan Poe [1445]
Yours very truly & affectionately
Edgar A. Poe
It would give me the greatest pleasure to hear from you in reply.
To Mr Wm Poe
Edgar Allan Poe to William Poe — April 12, 1836
Richmond, Va., April 12, 1836
My Dear Sir,
A press of business has hitherto prevented my replying to your kind letter of the 29th March, enclosing $50 to Mrs. Clemm. Your prompt and generous assistance, so frequency manifested, is, I assure you, deeply felt and appreciated by myself as well as by her. I trust that she is now so circumstanced, or chat she soon will be so, as to render it unnecessary to tax the kindness of yourself and brothers any further.
On the day before receiving your letter I wrote to Washington Poe, Macon, in reply to a favor of his offering his own assistance. He has become a subscriber to the Messenger.
I hope you have received our March number. That for April will follow, I hope, soon.
It is probable that at some future time I may avail myself of your friendly invitation to pay you a visit in Augusta. In the mean time, should business or inclination lead you, or any of our friends, to Virginia, it would afford me the greatest pleasure to show you every attention in my power.
With my best respects to Mrs. Poe and your brother, I remain, dear William,
Yours most sincerely,
Edgar A. Poe.
Edgar Allan Poe to William Poe — August 14, 1840
Philadelphia, Aug. 15 (14) — 40.
Dear William,
Owing to a temporary absence from town I did not receive your welcome letter of the 28th July until this morning. [I n]ow hasten to reply; and in the first place let me assur[e y]ou that, if I have not lately written, it is rather because I have been overwhelmed by worldly cares, which left me scarce a moment for thought, than that I do not feel for you the kindest affection, as well as deep gratitude for the services yourself and brothers have so often rendered me.
Herewith I send you a Prospectus of my contemplated Magazine. I believe you know that my connexion with the Southern Messenger was merely that of editor. I had no proprietary interest in it, and my movements were therefore much impeded[.] The situation was disagree[a]ble to me in every respect. The drudgery was excessive; the salary was contemptible. In fact I soon found that whatever reputation I might personally gain, this reputation would be all. I stood no chance of bettering my pecuniary condition, while my best energies were wasted in the service of an illiterate and vulgar, although well-meaning man, who had neither the capacity to appreciate my labors, nor the will to reward them. For these reasons I left him, and entered, first, into an engagement with The New-York Review, and afterwards with The Gentleman’s Mag[a]zine, writing occasionally for [other] journals; my object be[in]g merely to keep my head a[bove] water, as regards money, until a good opportunity sh[owed itself] of establishing a Magazine of my own, in which I sho[uld be] able to carry out my plans to full completion, and d[uring this] time have the satisfaction of feeling that my exertions w[ould be] to my own advantage.
I believe that the plans I here speak of, and some of [them you] will find detailed in the Prospectus, are well devised [. . . . sug]gested, and will meet with the hearty support of the m[ore desi]rable and intelligent portion of the community. Should [I be] able to bring them fairly be[f]ore the public I feel assured [that my] fortune is made. The ambition which actuates me [is] now to be no ordinary nor unworthy sentiment, and, knowing this, I take pride in earnestly soliciting your support, and that of your brothers and friends. If I fully succeed in my purposes I will not fail to produce some lasting effect upon the growing literature of the country, while I establish for myself individually a name which that country “will not willingly let die.”
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