University of Virginia Library

Poe Collection: Letter from Edgar Allan Poe to John Allan, 1829 June 25
Manuscript, Valentine Museum, Richmond, Virginia

I wrote you on the 10th of June in
reply to yours of the 8th in which I urged
my reasons in further support of my request
to be allowed to publish a poem — & I did
intend, but forgot to say in conclusion, that
as I had submitted the question of its being
expedient to your decision — I should by
no means publish it without your appro-
-bation — I say this now, because I fear
from your silence that I have offended
you in pressing my request any farther.

The poem is now in the hands of Carey, Lea
& Carey and I am only waiting for your an-
-swer to withdraw it or not — It was
my wish immediately upon receiving your
letter to return home thro' Washington &
ascertain the fate of my application — of which
I am induced to think has succeeded — as there
were, I understand several rejected —

This I will do immediately upon learning

from you.

In whatever errors I may have been led
into, I would beg you to judge me im
-partially & to believe that I have acted
from the single motive of trying to do
something for myself — & with your
assistance I trust I may — I have left
untried no efforts to enter at W. Point
& if I fail I can give you evidence that
it is no fault of mine — but I hope to
succeed —

I am afraid you will think that I
am trying to impose on your good
nature & would not except under pe-
-culiar circumstances have applied to
you for any more money — but it is
only a letter that I now want.

I will explain the matter clearly —

A cousin of my own (Edward Mosher)
robbed me at Beltzhoover's Hotel while
I was asleep in the same room with him of
all the money I had with me (about 46 $)

of which I recovered $ 10 — by searching his
pockets the ensuing night, when he acknow-
-ledged the theft — I have been endea-
vouring in vain to obtain the balance
from him — he says he has not got it
& begs me not to expose him — & for his
wife's sake I will not. I have a letter
from him referring to the subject, which
I will show you on arriving in Richmond.

I have been moderate in my expences
& $ 50 of the money which you sent me
I applied in paying a debt contracted [OMITTED]at
Old Point for my substitute, for [OMITTED]which
I gave my note — the money necessary if
Lt Howard had not gone on furlough
would have been only 12 $ as a bounty — but
when he & Col. House left I had to scuffle
for myself — I paid $ 25 — & gave my note
for $ 50 — in all 75 $.

Since I have been in Baltimore I have
learnt something concerning my descent
which would have, I am afraid, no very
favourable effect if known to the War Dep t

viz.: that I am the grandson of General
Benedict Arnold — but this there
will be no necessity of telling —

Give my best love to all my friends —
I hope you will give me a favourable
answer concerning my poem tho' I will
strictly abide by your decision.