University of Virginia Library

Letter to Thomas White, July 20, 1835
Manuscript, Poe Museum, Richmond, Virginia

I duly recd: both your letters (July 14 th & 16th) together with
the $20 dollars. I am indeed grieved to hear that your health has not been
improved by your trip I agree with you in thinking that too close
attention to business has been instrumental in causing your sickness:

I saw the Martinsburg Gazette by accident at Mr. Kennedy's — but he
is now out of town, and will not be back till the fall, and I know
not where to procure a copy of the paper. It merely spoke of the Messenger
in general terms of commendation. Have you seen the "Young Men's
Paper" — amid the N.Y. Evening Star?

As might be supposed I am highly gratified with Mr. Pleasants' notice
and especially with Paulding's.1 What Mr. Pleasants says in relation to
the commencement of Hans Phaal is judicious. That part of the Tale
is faulty indeed — so much so that I had often thought of re-
-modelling it entirely. I will take care & have the Letter in-
-serted in all the Baltimore papers.

Herewith I send you a Baltimore Visiter of October 12th 1833. It contains
a highly complimentary letter from Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Latrobe, and Dr.
Miller of Baltimore in relation to myself.2 The Tales of the Folio Club
have only been partially published as yet. Lionising 3 was one of them.
If you would in any manner contrive to have this letter copied into
any of the Richmond Papers it would greatly advance a particular
object which I have in view. If you could find an excuse for
printing it in the Messenger it would be still better. You might observe
that as many contradictory opinions had been formed in relation to
my Tales & especially to Lionising you took the liberty of copying
the Letter of the Baltimore Committee. One fact I would wish par-
-ticularly noticed. The Visiter offered two Premiums — one for the best
Tale & one for the best Poem — both of which were awarded to me.
The award was, however, altered and the Premium for Poetry awarded
to the second best in consideration of my having obtained the higher
Prize. This Mr. Kennedy & Mr. Latrobe told me themselves.
I know you will do me this favour if you can — the
manner of doing it I leave altogether to yourself.

I have taken much pains to procure you the Ink. Only one person
in Baltimore had it — and he not for sale. As a great favour
I obtained a pound at the price of $1.50. It is mixed with
Linseed oil prepared after a particular fashion which renders it
expensive. I shall go down to the Steamboat as soon as I
finish this letter, and if I get an opportunity of sending it I
will do so.

It gives me the greatest pain to hear that my Review will
not appear in no 11. I cannot imagine what circumstances you
allude to as preventing you from publishing. The Death of the
Chief Justice, so far from rendering the review useless was the
very thing to attract public notice to the Article. I really
wish you would consider this matter more maturely and if
possible insert it in No 11.

Look over Hans Phaal, and the Literary Notices by me in
No 10. and see if you have not miscalculated the
sum due me. There are 34 columns in all. Hans
Phaal cost me nearly a fortnight hard labour and
was written especially for the Messenger. I will not
however sin so egregiously again in sending you a
long article. I will confine myself to 3 or 4 pages.