Edgar Allan Poe to Joseph Evans Snodgrass — 1842-06-04

Edgar Allan Poe to Joseph Evans Snodgrass — 1842-06-04 Local historical letter reading from the Poe Society’s manuscript-text page, with modern correction glosses and website material excluded. The scholarly checklist documents an early printed witness in Anderson sale catalogue, November 22, 1909, item 1700 (quoted in full). This record preserves the electronic letter text, not a scan of that printed witness or the autograph. Catalogue identity and date checked against the repository heading. Source brackets and manuscript deletion marks, where present, identify uncertain readings or revisions and are retained. Typography is simplified. The transcription has not been independently proofread word by word. Philadelphia — June 4. 1842. My Dear Snodgrass, How does it happen that, in these latter days, I never receive an epistle from yourself? Have I offended you by any of my evil deeds? — if so, how? Time was when you could spare a few minutes occas>>s<<ionally for communion with a friend. I see with pleasure that you have become sole proprietor of the “Visiter”; and this reminds me that I have to thank your partiality for many flattering notices of myself. How is it, nevertheless, that a Magazine of the highest class has never yet succeeded in Baltimore? I have often thought, of late, how much better it would have been had you joined me in a Magazine project in the Monumental City, rather than engage with the “Visiter” — a journal which has never yet been able to recover from the mauvais odeur imparted to it by Hewitt. Notwithstanding the many failures in Baltimore, I still am firmly convinced that >>B<< your city is the best adapted for such a Magazine as I propose, of any in the Union. Have you ever thought seriously upon this subject. I have a proposition to make. You may remember a tale of mine published about a year ago in “Graham” and entitled the “Murders in the Rue Morgue”. Its theme was the exercise of ingenuity in detecting a murderer. I am just now putting the concluding touch to a similar article, which I shall entitle “The Mystery of Marie Roget — a Sequel to ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’.” The story is based upon that of the real murder of Mary Cecilia Rogers, which created so vast an excitement, some months ago, in New-York. I have handled the design in a very singular and entirely novel manner. I imagine a series of nearly exact coincidences occurring in Paris. A young grisette, one Marie Roget , has been murdered under precisely similar circumstances with Mary Rogers. Thus under presence of showing how Dupin (the hero of the Rue Morgue) unravelled the mystery of Marie's assassination, I, in fact, enter into a very rigorous analysis of the real tragedy in New-York. No point is omitted. I examine>>d<<, each by each, the opinions and arguments of our press on the subject, and show (I think satisfactorily) that this subject has never yet been approached. The press has been entirely on a wrong scent. In fact, I really believe, not only that I have demonstrated the falsity of the idea that the girl was >>not<< the victim of a gang >>as supposed<<, but have indicate! the assassin. My main object, however, as you will readily understand, is the analysis of the principles of investigation in cases of like character. Dupin reasons the matter throughout. The article, I feel convinced, will be one of general interest, from the nature of its subject. For reasons which I may mention to you hereafter, I am desirous of publishing it in Baltimore , and there would be no channel so proper as the paper under your control. Now the tale is a long one — it would occupy twenty-five pages of Graham's Magazine — and is worth to me a hundred dollars at the usual Magazine price. Of course I could not afford to make you an absolute present of it — but if you are willing to take it, I will say $40. Shall I hear from you on this head — if possible by return of mail? Have you seen Griswold's Book of Poetry? It is a most outrageous h