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Baltimore
May 29th
1829
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Dear Pa,
I am
now
going to make a request different from any
I have ever yet made.
As I
wrote
you, some time since, I have been several
times to visit Mr
Wirt, who has treated me with great kindness &
attention. I sent him, for his opinion, a day or two ago, a poem which
I have written since I left home — & in the letter which I now
enclose you have his opinion upon its merits — From such a man as Mr
Wirt, the flattering character he has given of the work, will surely be
to you a recommendation in its favor.
In the
conclusion of the letter you will see that he
advises me to “get a personal introduction to Mr Walsh” the
editor of
the American Quaterly [[sic]]
Review & get his interest in my favor —
that interest, and his highest encomiums on the poem are already
obtained — as Editor of the Review he promises to notice it which will
assure it, if not of popularity, of success —
Under
these
circumstances, I have thought [page
2:]
it my duty to write to you on the subject — Believing you to be free
from prejudice, I think you will aid me, if you see cause; At my time
of life there is much in being before
the eye of the world — if once
noticed I can easily cut out a path to reputation — It can certainly be
of no disadvantage as it will not, even for a moment, interfere with
other objects which I have in view.
I am
aware of
the difficulty of getting a poem
published in this country — Mr Wirt & Mr Walsh have
advised me of
that — but the difficulty
should be no object, with a proper aim in
view.
If
Mssrs
Carey, Lea, & Carey, should decline
publishing (as I have no reason to think they will not — they having
invariably declined it with all our American poets) that is upon their own risk the
request I have to make is this — that you will give me a
letter to Mssrs Carey, Lea, & Carey
saying that if in publishing
the poem “Al Aaraaf” [page 3:]
they shall incur any loss —
you will make
it good to them.
The
cost of
publishing the work, in a style equal to
any of our American publications, will at the extent be $100 — This
then, of course, must be the limit of any loss supposing not a single
copy of the work to be sold — It is more than probable that the work
will be profitable & that I may gain
instead of lose, even in a pecuniary way —
I would
remark, in conclusion that I have long given
up Byron as a model — for
which, I think, I deserve some credit.
If you
will
help me in this matter I will be always
grateful for your kindness.
If you
conclude upon giving me a trial
please
enclose me the letter to Messrs
Carey, Lea, & Carey — I shall wait
anxiously for your answer —
Give my
love
to Miss Valentine & all
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I remain Yours
affecty:
E A. Poe
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[page 4:]
Please present my thanks
to Col: Preston for his obliging
letter. |
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