The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe - Edgar Allan Poe [1499]
Frederick W. Thomas to Edgar Allan Poe — March 27, 1843
Washington, March 27, 1843.
My Dear Friend, — Yours of the 16th I duly received. I would have answered it immediately, but my desk got so behindhand, during my illness when you were here, that every moment of my time has been engaged in bringing it up.
Dow’s epistle, I suppose, astonished your folks. He tells me too that he mentions a consultation with me in it. Our friend Dow, you know, is an imaginative man, and he thought that you, as we say in the West, had “broken for high timber” — I have had a hearty laugh at him for his fears. I am glad to learn that you are well.
I rejoice to know that your wife is better. I cannot leave the office at present to see Robert Tyler, as you suggest, to get a line from him. But this I can tell you that the President, yesterday, asked me many questions about you, and spoke of you kindly. John Tyler, who was by, told the President that he wished he would give you an office in Philadelphia, and before he could reply a servant entered and called him out. John had heard of your frolic from a man who saw you in it, but I made light of the matter when he mentioned it to me; and he seemed to think nothing of it himself. He seems to feel a deep interest in you. Robert was not by. I feel satisfied that I can get you something from his pen for your Magazine. He lately made a speech here on the Patriarch’s (sic) day, which has won for him great applause. You will find it in the Intelligencer of this morning. Read it and tell me what you think of it.
I write in the greatest haste, and I have not your letter by me, so reply to it from memory. Write as soon as you get this. Be of good cheer. I trust to see you an official yet.
In the greatest haste,
Yours truly,
F. W. Thomas.
Frederick W. Thomas to Edgar Allan Poe — September 2, 1844
Washington, Sept. 2, 1844.
My dear Poe —
Some months since, in passing through Philadelphia, where I tarried a day, I tried to find you, and learned that you were absent in New York. I regretted I did not see you — I saw Mr. Griswold, and had quite a talk with him.
Poe, you remember that you wrote me that you liked my poem which I call “The Beechen Tree” very much — Well, my good friend, it is just published — I have no copy by me or I would contrive to send you one — You know how much I value a good word from you my friend — and a word to &.
How are your wife and mother? If in my short stay in Philadelphia, I could have hunted them up, I should certainly have done so. I am here at my hum drum daily task of reading patents, which will, I fear, emasculate what little intellect I have left. I have indulged hope after hope of going abroad, but the “hope deferred” is my lot as yet. This Washington is a heartless kind of place and yet, Poe, I like it, after a fashion.
Why, my old friend, have you not written to me — Often when I grow tired of my daily dull task I turn to your letters, which I have carefully put away, and have a talk with you — A gentleman introduced himself to me the other day to ask me questions about your decyphering qualities? — He looked incredulous at my answers!
I should not have known where you were, had not Griswold told me that you were still in the land of the living in Philadelphia. In the intellectual land I saw you were by the periodicals.
My particular friend (heaven save the mark!) Thomas Dunn English, is I see editor of the Aurora — The only notice, except from Clarke of the Knickerbocker, from whom I had a very kind letter, that I have seen of my poem is in the columns of the aforesaid Aurora — The editor says it gave him “nausea” and that it was all twattle —”
Poe let me hear from you very soon — I hope ere long to see you in Philadelphia, and have a long talk about old times — When you write me let me know where I can find you — My kindest regards to your wife and her good mother