Text: Nathaniel P. Willis to Edgar Allan Poe — November 30, 1841

Glenmary, Nov. 30, 1841.

My Dear Sir, — You cannot have received my letter written in answer to yours some time since (say a month ago) in which I stated that I was under contract to Mr. Godey to write for no other periodical in Philadelphia than the Lady’s Book, for one year — 1842. I said also that if he were willing, I should be very happy to send you poetry, (he bargaining for prose,) but that without his consent I could do nothing. From a very handsome notice of Graham’s Maga which I saw in the Lady’s Book, I presumed Godey & Graham were the best of friends & would manage it between them. Still I do not understand your request — for the Lady Jane will be finished (all they agreed for — 100 stanzas) in their owl paper before Jan. I. & of course any extract would not be original. Any periodical is at liberty to copy, for tho’ Wilson has taken out a copyright, I should always consider copying it too much of a compliment to be resented.

Mr. Godey has been very liberal with me & pays me quite enough for the exclusive use of my name in Philadelphia, and I can do nothing unless you procure his written agreement to it of course. I am very sorry to refuse anything to a writer whom I so much admire as yourself, & to a Magazine as good as Graham’s. But you will acknowledge I am “in a tight place.”

Begging my compliments to Mr. Graham I remain

Yours very truly
N. P. Willis.

Edgar A. Poe, Esq.

Did you ever send me the Maga. containing my autographs? I have never seen it.