Text: Thomas H. Chivers to Edgar Allan Poe — April 4, 1847

Washington, Ga., April 4, 1847.

My Dear Friend, — I wrote you a kind letter some time ago, but have received no answer to it up to this time. What is the matter? Where are you? Are you in the Cave of Trophonius, or where, that I cannot get the mere scratch of a pen from you? I long to hear from you. What shall I say to induce you to answer my letters? I have been thinking of late that you have never received it. Is it so? If not, why not answer it, and tell me where you are, what you are doing, and what you intend to do?

I had the Home-Journal-Article republished in the “Atlanta Enterprise,” and ordered Dr. Fouerden to direct the paper to you. He is a fine fellow and a good Poet — a man of fine talents — and wishes to become acquainted with you. From what I have said to him of you, he is determined to write to you. If he does so, speak to him kindly, as I know you will, for he is a man of real talents, and my sincere friend. You must not mind my half sheets of paper. I am not in a City now, and write with the first thing I can get hold of. I know you know my heart, and why should I get thin French paper to tell you how I am, and how I wish you to be ? What I feel ought to be engraved on brass with an iron pen. You will have seen before this, perhaps, an account of my newly-invented Throwstring Mill for spinning, doubling and twisting silk, about which I wrote you some time ago. I am spinning silk on the one I invented now. I received a letter from Charles J. Peterson today in regard to communications for his “National Magazine.” Did you ever see a Poem of mine in Graham, entitled “Agnus, or, the Little Pet Lamb? “ If you ever have, tell me what you think of it. You will see a poem on you in the next No. of the “Atlanta Enterprise,” which will show you what I think of you. I wrote you to send “The Return from the Dead “ to Bartlett of the Luminary; but if you have not sent it to him, send it to Dr. Wm. Henry Fouerden, of the “Atlanta Enterprise “ — as he has written to me for something for his paper. I have made you an ocean of friends since I saw you last. Write me immediately upon the reception of this. How would you like to come to the South and establish a paper here? Write to me.

“Awake! Arise ! or be forever fallen!”

I consider Charles J. Peterson a perfect gentleman in every sense of the term. Do you know him ? Write me word how you pronounce this name — Melpomene ? Mark the accents. Also Calliope. There has been a dispute here about the true pronunciation of them. Don‘t fail to do so; if you should, you would disappoint many. I know you know, and therefore, will abide by what you say. If you can get hold of the “Literary World” Send me a No., as I will not take it until I see a No. of it.

I will not tell you that I wish you well. I will be in New York the first of May: and if you don‘t write to me before then, you may expect to be passed in the street without ever being recognized by me. Remember! I give you warning; and if it should be the case, you can‘t blame me — for it’s your own doings. In great haste,

Yours forever,
Thos. H. Chivers.

E. A. Poe, Esqr.