Edgar Allan Poe to Sarah Helen Whitman — 1848-11-26 — reading text

Edgar Allan Poe to Sarah Helen Whitman — 1848-11-26 Historical printed letter from James A. Harrison, editor, The Last Letters of Edgar Allan Poe to Sarah Helen Whitman, 1909. Catalog identity RCL-746. The letter is dated November 26 in the checklist and the 1909 edition. Older editions misdated it November 22. The source preserves the historical note about the detached signature and postscript. The local PDF preserves the selected source pages unchanged. Searchable text is unreviewed repository OCR and retains recognition errors and historical editorial notes. This is a historical printed witness, not an autograph manuscript or a modern critical text. [Source scan page 61] POE TO MRS. WHITMAN SEVENTH LETTER Sunday evening 26. I WROTE you yesterday, sweet Helen, but, through my fear of being too late for the mail omitted some things I wish to say. I fear, too, that my letter must have seemed cold — perhaps even harsh or selfish —for I spoke nearly altogether of my own griefs. Par- don me, my Helen, if not for the love I bear you, at least for the sorrows I have endured — more, I believe, than have often fallen to the lot of man. How much have they been aggravated by my own consciousness that, in too many instances, they have arisen from my own culpable weakness or childish folly! — my sole hope now, is in you, Helen. As you are true, to me or fail me, so do I live or die. I forgot to reenclose your poem and do so now. Why have you omitted the two forcible lines — While in its depths withdrawn, far, far away, I see the dawn of a diviner day? — is that dawn no longer perceptible? 41 [Source scan page 62] 42 ipoe to flDr& Wbitman Who wrote the verses signed "Mary," I am unable to say. Can you solve me the riddle of the poem enclosed ? It is from last Saturday's " Home Journal." Somebody sent it to me in MS. Was I right, dearest Helen, in my first impression of you? — you know I have implicit faith in first im- pressions. Was I right in the idea I had adopted before seeing you — in the idea that you are ambitious ? If so, and if you will have faith in me, I can and will satisfy your wildest desires. It would be a glorious triumph, Helen, for us — for you and me. I dare not trust my schemes to a letter — nor, indeed, have I room even to hint at them here. When I see you I will explain all — as far, at least, as I dare explain all my hopes even to you. Would it not be " glorious," darling, to establish, in America, the sole unquestionable aristocracy— that of intellect — to secure its supremacy — to lead and to control it? All this I can do, Helen, and will— if you bid me — and aid me. I received yesterday a letter from Mr. Dunnell. He says that they have "lost" their lecturer for the 6th. prox. and offers me that night instead of the i3th. I have written him, however, that I cannot be in Providence before the i3th. My kindest regards to Mr. Pabodie. Devotedly [Source scan page 63] Seventb letter 43 [Mrs. Whitman adds this: Signature and postscript cut out and given to James T. Fields, 1865.] "P. S.— "Preserve the printed lines. I send the MS. — Perhaps you may recognize it. As one of the signs of the times I notice that Griswold has lately copied my Raven in his Hartford Weekly Gazette - I enclose his editorial comments so that you have quite a budget of enclosures." [ The letter now continues: ] P. S. — I open this letter, dearest love, to ask you to mail me, as soon as possible, three articles of mine which you will find among the critical papers I gave you — viz.: "The Philosophy of Composition "- —Tale Writing — Nathl. Hawthorne — and a review of Long- fellow's poems. I wish to refer to them in writing my Lecture and can find no other copies. Do not fail to send them dear — dear Helen, as soon as you get this. Enclose them in a letter — so that I may be sure to get them in season. Mrs. B 's. " Ida Grey " is in " Graham " for August — 45.