The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe - Edgar Allan Poe [1490]
Here I was invited to lecture before different societies, and in Alexandria, and did so to full houses, gratis — which were followed by empty puffs; but you know what Goldsmith says about the Muse” Thou source of all my bliss and all my woe That found me poor at first and keeps me so.” (Don’t say of me that I am in office, as it is only a temporary appointment.)
I am now engaged in writing a novel upon the events of the present day, many of the scenes of which are laid in Washington. My object is to describe life in the varieties in which I have seen it in Missouri, New Orleans and here among the holders and seekers. I have written occasionally for these three or four years past for the Knickerbocker, Graham’s, the Ladies Companion and the Southern Literary Messenger.
As my first literary friend and encourager my gratitude is due to the late Charles Hammond of the Cincinati Gazette — and one of the first persons who noticed me in the West was General Harrison, who shortly after my arrival in Cincinnati invited me to the Bend, where I went and was his guest for some weeks, — 1 was engaged there in one of my first law cases against his eldest son (now dead), William Harrison.
It is singular that my great uncle, my father, my brother and myself have all played editor.
Yours,
F. W. T.
I should say that my lectures were better received here than any where else — The Intelligencer, The Madisonian, &c. Noticed me in the most flattering terms — And my sketches of Randolph and Wirt were afterwards published in these papers, were more noticed by the press than anything I have yet written. — They are from the two volumes of Sketches spoken of wither —
Frederick W. Thomas to Edgar Allan Poe — September 22, 1841
Washington Septr 22, 1841.
My dear friend —
Yours postmarked the 20th I received yesterday. I do not wonder that you have been annoyed by cryptographic connoisseurs. Your astonishing power of decyphering secret writing is to me a puzzle which I can’t solve. Thats’ a curious head-piece of yours, and I should like to know what phrenologists say about it. Did you ever have your head examined? And what said the examiner? I would, Poe, for more sakes than cryptography’s that you were a man of “wealth and leisure”, but the “glory” even of such a demonstration as you speak of would not satisfy your friends.
I saw in a St Louis paper of a few weeks since that “Graham’s” was going a head — The punctuality of its arrival was eulogised, and its extending circulation noticed with high praise upon its editor —
“Amen and all hail” said I — I should think that you and Graham would go ahead finely — I have often had myself an itching to be in such a mess of literary catering and glorification.
I remember well your autographic articles in the Southern Literary Messenger — They were very interesting — No, I have not either Prentice’s or Drake’s autographs here — but I could get them for you — The President’s, Mr Webster’s and others of the eminent politicians and statesmen here I can easily obtain for you — if you embrace them in your plans. —
About my song — (do n’t put yourself to any trouble in the matter) — I should like to have it published in a sheet, by some publisher or other — I do n’t ask anything for it — and only want a few copies to give to a fair friend or so — which I am willing to buy — If you cannot get any publisher to publish it as I here propose, will you ascertain for me what it will cost to publish it on my own account — It is a song of four verses of four lines each — There is no music publisher here or I would not trouble you in the matter — My only objection to publishing it in the Magazine is that I could not present copies of it — and if it should be popular it, it could not be obtained in a form likely to give it extraneous aid in its circulation. Dow is well, and certainly cannot allude to me with regard to “cats called Thomas” as he knows (we