Edgar Allan Poe to James Russell Lowell — 1842-12-25

Edgar Allan Poe to James Russell Lowell — 1842-12-25 Historical letter reading from George E. Woodberry, The Life of Edgar Allan Poe: Personal and Literary, volume I (1909). Catalogue identity RCL-407. 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. The source identifies the missing signature; the surviving letter body is preserved. The date is the postmark assignment, not a written dateline. [Not dated — mailed December 25, 1842.] MY DEAR FRIEND, — I send you a brief poem for No. 2, with my best wishes. I duly received yours of the igth and thank you for reversing the judgment of Mr. Tuckerman, — the author of the “Spirit of Poesy,” which, by the way, is somewhat of a misnomer — since no spirit appears. Touching the “Miscellany” — had I known of Mr. T.'s accession, I should not have ventured to send an article. Should he, at any time, accept an effusion of mine, I should ask myself what twattle I had been perpetrating, so flat as to come within the scope of his approbation. He writes, through his publishers, — “If Mr. Poe would condescend to furnish more quiet articles he would be a most desirable correspondent.” All I have to say is that if Mr. T. persists in his quietude, he will put a quietus on the Magazine of which Mess. Bradbury & Soden have been so stupid as to give him control. I am all anxiety to see your first number. In the meantime believe me, [Signature torn off.]