1405. Cornelius Mathews to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 7, 376–378.
[New York]
Oct. 19th. 1843.
Bankrupt in act, but with an ample schedule of good intentions I come into the Mail, my dear Miss Barrett, to meet you my largest letter-creditor. In other words, three notes of yours, where line is placed upon line, and kind expression on kind expression, are at my side severely demanding an answer. To begin as near the beginning as I can. I am sorry that any expression of mine raised in your mind the impression that I was going to trouble you (willing & ready as your kind words show me you would stand to do it if you could) with any of the details in the distribution of my idle Books in England. I called for counsel merely and am obliged to you what you render. Two numbers, your letter shows me, you have received and pondered fittingly. You should bear in mind in considering these two Numbers that they were the earliest and (although I claim nothing on that score with the critics) written in very youth: as we go on together, as I hope we will, through the six later numbers [1] —room enough to improve in—I trust you will find the extravagances of which, I doubt not, you justly complain—yielding to maturer influences. These, I may say here, I have made into a parcel, with three Nos. each of “Graham’s Mage” containing your Poems; also, two further copies of the “Poems on Man” (having before sent you a single copy for yourself) to give the one, if you will, to Miss Mitford, the other to Mr. Horne. And with regard to “Graham’s” let me explain, for I love to think better of mankind, that an after explanation, by which it appeared that my letter on the subject had not come to hand very promptly, put the matter of the copy money in the right light, and supposing it your intent (under my judgement) that one or two other Poems of your hand in my keeping should go [to] that Miscellany, I sent them, as a healing close to the matter. The £10 were in Mess[rs] Wiley & Putnam’s hands a month or two ago, and, ought to have reached you by this time. If not you should not fail to send for it at once.
For the copy of Orion for myself, I again thank you & I will see (now that I discover, what I had overlooked, that I am so commissioned) that the other reaches the Magazine properly. In the opinion of its merits expressed by you I entirely agree & must ask you to read the passage again, if you have a copy, in a man’s voice, as mine.
There has been lately organized in this city “The American Copyright Club” whose object it is according to its constitution “to place the Literary Relations of the United State[s] and Foreign Countries on just, proper, and equitable grounds.” The Poet, Bryant is President, and to my share falls the part (a heavy one, of ironwood at least) of Corresponding Secretary. Last night an address to the People of the United States was read before them. You will be fur[n]ished with an early copy when it comes to get out of my awkward hieroglyphic into print: and you may let your friends know that the Club is formed and the cause of International Copyright wears a cheerful face. It will come yet, be assured, and in time to cover under one of its wings that new Volume of Poems which you hinted at and all but promised a good while ago. It is in the duties of this Body, that a share of my time has been invested: and out of the formal and set phraze of its correspondence it is of something of an effort to get into the open air and flowing thought of a free and friendly epistle. Let me tell you aprópos of the Volume aforesaid that your late Poem in Blackwood and that in the Athenaeum in celebration of a gift from Miss Mitford, have been, read, copied and greatly liked in this quarter of the reading Globe. [2] I wish you could tell me in some future letter what you know and hear of American Writers in England: I know, I know full well, that in many points this country has disappointed the hope and expectation of the World, in its Literature most of all. But underneath whatever coarseness or frippery it may have clothed itself in, you will perhaps allow me as a Son of the Soil to say the |Giant’s frame| lives and grows apace. And it is with a hope of lear[n]ing from you something of your impressions on this point that this wish is made.
Being round this circle of a letter (or circular letter) I return to myself, to tell you that the Works issued heretofore in these lowly scrambling numbers will be collected in a han[d]some Octavo Volume & published in this city in November by Harper & Brothers, who, I may tell you, are the Chief & leading Publishers in the United States. [3]
I closed a contract with them an hour ago for five years. At the end of which time should there or should there not be another Volume of like bulk? You may, perhaps, doubt when you come to see how formidable I look in 370 double columns in fine (print) bearing down upon you. The numbers I now send you, send & scatter, as you choose, as I shall offer you one of the Newer Edition. And this will (it may be—there is a hope hid in those words!) [be] my only representative with you in England for a long day to come. Until which time and through all the interval, I am
Yours Truly & Sincerely
Cornelius Mathews.
Address, on integral page: To / Elizabeth B. Barrett. / 50 Wimpole-Street. / London.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. A uniform edition of his works was being issued (see letter 1245, note 3).
2. “The Cry of the Children” appeared in the August number of Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine (pp. 260–262). “To Flush, My Dog” was printed in The Athenæum, 22 July (pp. 670–671).
3. The Various Writings of Cornelius Mathews, Embracing the Motley Book ... (1843). EBB’s copy of this (wrongly dated 1863 in Dobell’s catalogue) appeared in Browning Collections (see Reconstruction, A1571).
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