John Neal to Edgar Allan Poe — 1840-06-08

John Neal to Edgar Allan Poe — 1840-06-08 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 New Shakespeareana, May–September 1910, volume IX, numbers 2–3, page 58. This record preserves the electronic letter text, not a scan of that printed witness or the autograph. This is Neal’s reply to Poe, not Poe’s earlier letter. Historical comments on national identity remain part of Neal’s text. Typography is simplified. The transcription has not been independently proofread word by word. Portland, June 8, ‘40. My dear Sir, Yours of June 4, directed to New York, reached me but yesterday. I am glad to hear of your new enterprise and hope it may be all that you desire; but I cannot help you. I have done with the newspapers — have abandoned the journals — and have involved so many of my friends of late by becoming editor, or associate editor of so many different things for a few months at a time — and always against my will — that I haven’t the face to ask any person to subscribe for anything on earth. But, as I have said before, I wish you success, and to prove it — allow me to caution you against a style which I observe to my great alarm is beginning to prevail at the South. You say “I will be pardoned,” for I shall be pardoned. “For assurance that I will fulfil” &c., for shall &c. Are you Irish — or have you associated much with the Irish — the well-educated Irish I mean? They always make this mistake, and the Scotch too sometimes; and you, I am persuaded, are either connected by blood or habits with the Irish of the South. Forgive me this liberty I pray you, and take it for granted that I should not complain of these two little errors, if I could find anything else to complain of. Yours truly, John Neal