Edgar Allan Poe to Horatio Hastings Weld — 1841-08-14

Edgar Allan Poe to Horatio Hastings Weld — 1841-08-14 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 Dial, January 16, 1908, volume 44, pages 32–33. This record preserves the electronic letter text, not a scan of that printed witness or the autograph. The letter requests an autograph and biographical information for the Autography series. Typography is simplified. The transcription has not been independently proofread word by word. Philadelphia, August 14, 1841 Dear Sir: — The proprietor of a weekly paper in this city is about publishing an article (to be written partly by myself) on the subject of American Autography. The design is three-fold: first, to give the Autograph signature — that is, a fac-simile in woodcut — of each of our most distinguished literati; second, to maintain that the character is, to a certain extent, indicated by the chirography; and thirdly, to embody, under each Autograph, some literary gossip about the individual, with a brief critical comment on his writings. My object in addressing you now is to request that you would favor me with your own Autograph, in a reply to this letter. I would be greatly obliged to you, also, could you make it convenient to give me a brief summary of your literary career. We are still in want of the Autographs of Sprague, Hoffman, Dawes, Bancroft, Emerson, Whittier, R. A. Locke, and Stephens, the traveller. If among your papers you have the Autographs of either of these gentlemen (the signature will suffice), and will permit me to have an engraving taken from it, I will endeavor to reciprocate the obligation in any manner which you may suggest. Should you grow weary, at any time, of abusing me in the “Jonathan” for speaking what no man knows to be truth better than yourself, it would give me sincere pleasure to cultivate the friendship of the author of “Corrected Proofs.” In the meantime, I am Very respy. Yours, Edgar A. Poe. Hastings Weld, Esqr.,