Edgar Allan Poe to Joseph Evans Snodgrass — 1839-12-19

Edgar Allan Poe to Joseph Evans Snodgrass — 1839-12-19 Historical letter reading from George E. Woodberry, The Life of Edgar Allan Poe: Personal and Literary, volume I (1909). Catalogue identity RCL-225. The record heading uses the scholarly checklist date; the historical text retains the edition’s dateline and wording. This is a later printed transcription, not a manuscript facsimile or a modern critical text. Historical postscript and address material are retained where printed; source footnote callouts and modern website apparatus are omitted. The text has not been independently proofread word by word. PHILADELPHIA, December 19, 1839. MY DEAR SNODGRASS, — I presume that upon the 16th (the date of postmark of your last letter) you received my own, dated 2 days before, in which I mentioned having forwarded 2 copies of the “Grotesque & Arab:” one for yourself and one for Mr. Carey. You will therefore, ere this, have acquitted me of forgetfulness or neglect. Touching the Premiums. The Advertisement respecting them was written by Mr. Burton, and is not I think as explicit as might [be.] I can give you no information about their desig [nation furth]er than is shown in the advertisement itself. The tr[uth is,] I object, in toto, to the whole scheme — but merely follow[ed in] Mr. B.'s wake upon such matters of business. Either of your projected Essays would be (as you would do it) a good thing either that upon American Literature, or upon the Hints of Science as connected with every-day Life. The latter would, of course, be entirely remodelled so as to look new. I am sorry to say that I have been unable to get the “Scenes of Childhood,” in the January number, which is now ready, — but it shall appear in our next. If you look over our columns you will see that we only put in poetry in the odds and ends of our pages — that is, to fill out a vacancy left at the foot of a prose article — so that the length of a poem often determines its insertion. Yours could not be bro’t to fit in and was obliged to be left out. If you see any of the Bal. papers notice my Tales, will you try and forward them, especially the weeklies, which I never see. The Philadelphians have given me the very highest possible praise — I c'd desire nothing further. Have you seen the “U.'s. Gazette,” the “Pennsylvanian,” or Alexander's “Messenger”? In the last is a notice by Professor Frost, which I forward you, to-day, with this. The books have just reached New York. The “Star” and the “Evening Post” have both capital notices. There is also a promise of one in the “New World” — Benjamin's Paper — which I am anxious to see for praise or for blame. I have a high op[inion of] that man's ability. Do not forget to forward [me] the notices if any appear. Believe me I am truly yours, EDGAR A. POE. Write soon. P.'s. None of my books have been sent to Richmond as yet — for I am happy to say that the edition is already very nearly exhausted.