Nov 03, 2011 - Sale 2259

Sale 2259 - Lot 261

Price Realized: $ 1,320
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,500
EDITOR OF FIRST ISSUE OF ATLANTIC CORRECTS EMERSON'S DICTION LOWELL, JAMES RUSSELL. Autograph Letter Signed, "J.R. Lowell," as Editor of the Atlantic Monthly, to Ralph Waldo Emerson ("Dear Sir"), stating that his wishes would govern the position of his article, reporting that he would send proofs of his prose and verse, noting that they may not be able to print all four poems, suggesting that at least "Days" should be printed, expressing his own view that he might have used a better word than "hypocritic," remarking that he would be away in Portland tomorrow to be married, mentioning that his 'Illusions' is extraordinary among magazine articles, and, in a postscript, asking about Mr. Thoreau, and inviting him to write a book review. 4 pages, 8vo, written on a single folded sheet; minor scattered bleed-through, portion of postscript written in upper margin of first page. Cambridge, 14 September 1857
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". . . [A]s far as we are concerned there shall be as strict honor as the XIXth Century allows of. Your wishes shall govern the position of the article though I should have preferred to give it the precedence. . . .
". . . About the poems I ought to say that when I speak of printing all four I was perhaps greedy. Mr Underwood says he can't afford it, reckoning each as a separate poem, which means giving $50 apiece for them. . . . My notion was that all the poems would be published at once in a volume, & that therefore it would be alike[?] to you. . . . I will never be so rapacious again till I have another so good chance.
"If I am to have only one, give them 'Days.' That is as limpid & complete as a Greek epigram. I quarrel, though, with one word--'hypocritic,' which I doubt . . . give the very shade of meaning you intended. I think you did wish to imply intentional taking-in? . . . Tomorrow I go to Portland to be married & shall be home again on Saturday.
"It is not often that a magazine carries such freight as your 'Illusions.
The postscript: "How about Mr. Thoreau? Is there any book you would like to write a paragraph or two about?"