Autograph Letter, Signed
Pittsfield: 1854. Important handwritten and signed letter (ALs in black ink) from Herman Melville to his publisher, G. P. Putnam, 7 1/2” X 5” on light blue paper, Pittsfield (Mass), May 9 (no year, but certainly, 1854). Fine condition, the paper fresher than a peppermint snow cone, the ink blacker than the mood of a wronged woman. “Dear Sir—Herewith you have an M. S. As it is short, and in time for your June number, therefore—in case it suits you to publish—you may as well send me your check for it at once, at the rate of $5 per printed page. If it don’t suit, I must beg you to trouble yourself so far, as to dispatch it back to me, thro my brother, Allan Melville, No. 14 Wall Street. Yours H. Melville.” At the bottom left of the letter, Melville has written “G. P. Putnam Esq” but it is what has been written in the top margin of the letter that is the first harbinger of Melville’s doom, a 4 line internal note (black ink) to George Palmer Putnam, from his editor, Charles Briggs: “Melville wants the MS sent to his brother Allan. I have written to him and I think you had better write to him... B.”. Fine. Item #274
The terminally inconvenienced Herman Melville is sending Putnam his manuscript of The Two Temples (a story of subversive themes, impressionistic density, fiery symbolism, and Euro–American contrasts) which the publisher rejected, first through his editor (Briggs) on May 12, and then directly so on May 13, fearing it would offend (get this) “the religious sensibilities of the public” and array against us “the whole power of the pulpit.” This began a series of rejections of Melville’s work (by public, pulpit and publishers) that forced him to make choices. No problem. He responded by sailing to his genius, a committed preference for art over success, that quickly coerced his departure from literature 3 years later, followed by his descent into obscurity, a deep, dusky and complete anonymity that lasted until his resurrection in the 1920s, a modern, literary archeology, that ranks as the greatest rediscovery in the history of American literature.
Price:
$35,000.00